The Front Row

What we learned is that this 2011 was not a good football team. They lost 3 of their last 4 games to teams that were not very good. We learnt that probably this team was without a real leader, and had some very poor coaching, from the offensive side to show for 8 weeks of off time to get ready for a mediocre Flordia team who had no quality wins. We learned that we made another QB look like a Heisman triphy winner on 3rd and long. We learned that or OL probably could not block a Pop-warner team out, and prevent QB sacks. We learned that we saw no real growth in our starting QB who still cannot hit a wide open receiver that most dads could toss to their teen age sons in their back yard for a TD.. We learnt that Bollman can be glad that there was not a 5#bail of cotten, a 12 foot log and a tub or tar handy at the Gator Bowl. The afternoon was saved from being a complete embarassment, by the last TD with .55 left. Oh, bythe way use that tar and feathers on the special teams coach if you can find him..ha ha

It was a disaster on the OL. For 10 years I heard every excuse in the book why the OL wasn't consistent. The truth is that we were poor in that area and Coach Tressel failed to do anything about it. What we saw today was the product of the "best OL class" of the Tressel era.

The only people who have selective memories are the ones that want to believe everything was fine in the program. When Northwestern faced real adversity after their coach died, they pulled through and won. This team folded. I'm not impressed at all at what I have been seeing on and off the field. If you choose to believe this all stems from one "mistake," ignorance is your right.

Dave is right about TP. Prior to his breakout game against Oregon (yes, his last game of his second year), there was very real talk that he might not be a QB. He was primarily a care taker QB his first two years. In his final year, he was great against bad competition until he had to play Wisconsin. Of course he shows up for the bowl game (for at least a half), but that game we all know to be illegitimate.

Dave- I have to ask myself, why after 8 weeks off, Fickell would not have sit down wiht Bollman and discussed the "jr High" offense.? I think its a compliment to even call it a Jr High offense. The first quarter plan seemed to be 1) run Boom up the middle, 2) run Boom up the Middle, 3) take a sack and 5-8 yard loss trying to get away from an un-blocked gator line.
Probably Fickell had been told he had to let Bollman call this game, but any true Buckeye coach would have had him on a train out of Columbus before this contest. I have seen better offensive plans in a Pop-Warner league. After watching Stanford and Oklahoma State last night, it makes me wonder if the Buckeyes were "hood-winked" into some kind of trance by Bollman. There was no comparison wiht those teams..and Oh yes...Meyers' FIRST task..get and develope a first class OL. we are not even close at the moment!

We learned that the stupid ass punt formation needs to be scrapped. We learned that Luke was way over his head all year. We learned that Shugarts must have frickin Parkinson's disease. Glad ESPN got what they wanted and why in the world is Smith still employed!

Chris Hinton was recruited by Earle Bruce to be a tight end. Signed with Northwestern, moved to tackle in his sophomore season and was a 10+ year starter in the NFL.

This was a pitiful game. And the antics of many of the players at the team hotel were equally embarrassing for some higher ups. Catcalling the president's gal? Tsk tsk ...

Urban can't sink his teeth into this team soon enough for my money. Re-instill discipline on the field and off, develop winning game plans, and make us proud of our team in the classroom, in the community, and ... whoops, wrong guy. But you get the point.

Getting Braxton's ego in check will be another task. But one Urban's familiar with, i'm sure.

Just glad this season is finally over.