April 21, 2007
Scarlet-Gray
I make it a fairly regular practice to go the the OSU Spring game, and this Saturday, 75,000 or so other folks had the same idea. That was a record crowd for OSU, and the gorgeous weather no doubt played a large part in the turnout, but I had wondered on the way down if the same stunned, shocked, bitter hangover from the BCS Game that I observe in many of the hardcore Buckeye football fans I know would hold the attendance down for this meaningless exhibition. Not so much, it turns out.
'Not so much' would also describe the offensive output for both sides, unfortunately. I guess it's tough to lose a Heisman Trophy winning quarterback, a two-time 1000-yd. rusher (Pittman), and a top ten draft pick receiver (Ginn), plus two O-line starters and Roy Hall, and not see holes where they used to be. And since sophomore running back Chris Wells sat the game out, that left one scholarship tailback, Maurice Wells, and a bunch of walk-ons trying to run against the OSU defenders. Tough duty. Throw in a large dose of inexperience at QB and you have a game in which two of the three touchdowns were scored by the defenses, and no one of the three candidates for the quarterback job distinguished himself.
Which means Todd Boeckman is probably still the starter, although I had to give Robb Schoenhoft the edge Saturday, based mostly on what I think are better running instincts and agility. I think all speculation that redshirt freshman Antonio Henton might beat them both out disappeared with his performance. Henton hit Scarlet jerseys all day long. That was all right in the second half, but he played the first half for the Gray, and overall had three picks, two of the "what on earth were you thinking?" variety, one for a touchdown. Boeckman threw better early than he did late, (Hartline dropped a perfect bomb on the first Scarlet play) and Schoenhoft led the winning drive late for the Gray with some scrambling completions and some nifty runs.
The Bucks are dangerously thin at running back, and the health of Chris Wells could be the key factor in their 2007 season. One of the incoming freshmen, Brandon Saine or Boom Herron will have to help out early, but if Wells goes down, the inexperience at QB will be even more conspicuous. The Bucks have no worries on the offensive line. They are talented and deep, with probably the best tackle tandem in the country in Alex Boone and Kirk Barton. Ditto the wide receivers. The offense will go as far as a green QB takes them.
The good news is that the defense is loaded. And there was a noticeable agressiveness to the defense Saturday, in terms of sending people after the quarterback. Could the Florida debacle have finally convinced Jim Tressel that the key to defense in college football is sending more pass rushers than the offense has pass-blockers, or at least disrupting the backfield with penetration and speed. They were playing a lot of five-man fronts, walking two outside linebackers (or safeties) up to the line, and sending them after the quarterback.
We have not seen much of that from Jim Tressel's defenses in the past. His standard is "avoid the big play at all costs", and that works quite well, until an Urban Meyer comes along and is quite willing to take his yardage in 10-15-yard chunks....all night long. Anyway, the change was a refreshing and welcome trend. I hope it carries over to when it counts. Either way, this defense is capable of winning some games this year all by themselves. And they may have to.
O-Zone Photo Gallery - Jim Davidson
As a final note, I see that U. of Alabama has even more fans without a life than OSU does. 92,000 showed up for their Spring Game yesterday, and another 10,000 were reportedly turned away. Incredible.
Posted by dan at April 21, 2007 10:50 PM