Around the 'Shoe

Fickell isn't head coaching material and I think most posters are stating the facts. He got outcoached versus Toledo, Miami, Fla, Nebraska, Michigan State, Penn State and Purdue and probably Michigan. That's over half of his scheduled opponents. OSU had more talent versus each opponent yet loses to them. Fickell's failure to make game time changes both offensively and defensively, time management, play calling lack of imagination, creativity and ingenuity, failure to evaluate a really bad QB in Bauserman and the list goes on and on with this current coach. For example, why was Ohio State running the Wildcat option against PSU when Miller wasn't even in the game. They couldn't stop the PSU's wildcat, it wasn't like they didn't see it versus Purdue and Indiana.
The Michigan game should be the last game to this tumultuous train wreck of a football season. OSU should forgo the Papa John's Bowl, Insight Bowl, Port O'John Bowl or the Toilet Bowl bid altogether. Their PR department can state that due to the pending NCAA investigation, the university felt it was in their best interest to forgo a future bowl game in order to rectify and to appease the NCAA in possible bowl sanctions for the DeGeronimo affair. I am sure Gene Smith and Gordon Geek will take the bowling for dollars cash and get beat by either a MAC , Big XII and especially a SEC school.

I agree that Fickell's coaching performance was not stellar. He should have started Miller from Day one and canned Bollman (if he had the authority). But your post fails to recognize that he dealt with suspensions (some of which were extended), a freshman QB, and alot of inexperience at many other positions, and injuries (Nate Williams was a big loss). This made up for any "talent" differential OSU may have had on paper in some of the games we lost.

Frankly, I think it is fair to say it is possible that the Penn St. loss was due, at least in part, to the university undermining Fickell by prematurely opening talks with Meyer and the fans' collective lust for Meyer starting a crazy media and internet feeding frenzy. We were indeed a distracted team against Penn St, coming out flat on D, fumbles, dropped passes, etc. This loss was much more than just coaching deficiencies. Maybe some of you helped to create this crappy and embarrassing environment.

To say you don't want to go to a bowl game because you are angry with Fickell is a poorly conceived opinion that does not benefit the program going forward. Get over yourself and your bad feelings toward Fickell and stop piling on. There's no point; your wildest fantasy and dream of getting Meyer on board seems to be a 99% certainty. This team needs the extra weeks of practice and needs to go into next season on a positive note.

good point. plus, i remember reading something about some controversy up in happy valley. so the distraction excuse is lame.

Is it me or has this team showed very little improvement from the opening game to now the last game.