Francona Hire is a Coup, but if Chris Antonetti Can’t Find Pitching, it Won’t Matter
October 7, 2012
Game 5, Browns @ Giants OPEN THREAD
October 7, 2012
Night games terrify me.
Games under the lights always seem to pack a little extra punch. The crowd is pumped, the students are drunk and the players are excited. Could be I’m just scarred from watching my alma mater lose in person to Texas and in Penn State during night games, but I always feel anything can happen during these big night games. Things can get crazy.
Saturday night’s 90th Homecoming game in Columbus was no exception.
The Buckeyes (6-0), as been their tendency this year, started the game off quite slow and spotted Nebraska (4-2) an early 17-7 lead. Things did not look good. Ohio State’s first three possessions were positively Shumur-esque:
Three plays, 3 yards, PUNT
Three plays, -5 yards, PUNT
Three plays, 0 yards, PUNT
Their fourth possession? Not a three and out! A four and out. In the most un-Tressel of moves, Ohio State attempted a fake punt on 4th-and-7 with the ball on their own 25 yard line. Punter Ben Buchanan made it six yards.
Things improved substantially during the second quarter.
On Ohio State’s first play of the second quarter, trailing 17-7, Braxton Miller did some ridiculous things and ran for 72 yards. Two plays later Carlos Hyde punched it in for the first of his four scores.
Three plays, 75 yards, TD
Ohio State’s first touchdown drive took just 1:10 off the clock. Their next drive was even shorter. After Bradley picked off Martinez for the second time of the night, Miller led Ohio State on a two play, 20 yard drive that ended with a 18-yard TD catch by Jeff Heuerman (time of possession: 1:02).
And they were off to the races. Ohio State went into halftime leading 35-24 and never looked back.
As weird as it is to say about a team that scored six(!) offensive touchdown, I am slightly concerned about Ohio State’s offense. Not that they aren’t capable or that there isn’t talent. But of Ohio State’s six(!) possessions that ended with touchdowns, only two would be what I would call “drives”.
Too often I feel an Ohio State possession goes something like this: nothing-nothing-OMG BRAXTON MILLER IS EFFING AMAZING-nothing-nothing, etc. When the offense stalls or the play breaks down, Miller makes things happen. Miller had plays of 72 yards (run), 18 yards (pass), 18 yards (run), 31 yards (run), 35 yards (pass), and 24 yards (run). Braxton’s big plays are amazing and fun to watch, but it’s not something they should rely on.
Defensively, Ohio State looked solid, if unspectacular. They harassed Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez, sacking him four times (John Simon was routinely in his grill) and picking him off thrice. But they gave up some long drives and some big plays of their own (the biggest being the 73 yard run by Husker RB Rex Burkhead).
But these are minor quibbles. Ohio State scored 63 points(!) in Big Ten game(!!). Miller set another record, the defense forced four turnovers and all three units found end zone pay dirt. It was a total team effort and a total team win. Buckeye fans should feel good about this game. I imagine Ohio State will crack the Top 10 this week.
Next week, Ohio State travels to Bloomington, Indiana to face the Hoosiers at (*gulp*) 8pm on Saturday night.
28 Comments
If you don’t know, ya better Brax somebody. Fool.
Already having shirts printed up that read “Miller High Lights” in the MGD logo.
I commented on this after the MSU win and I’ll say it again today, every coach in the B1G hates Urb, and I love it.
No doubt the fake punt was a something we would never have seen Jimmy pull but the most anti-Tress move of the game was the TD score before the half. It was third and short yardage inside the 25. Tress runs Hyde up the middle there and plays the FG; not Urb. Coach spreads the field and sends Brax off the end for another TD.
This is exactly why we hired Meyer and this is how he will climb the Bucks up the ladder. He knows how to work the polls like no other.
Final thought why do teams still throw at Roby Island? Stupid.
Final final thought, as young as this team is they already are something to watch but their Junior/Senior years are going to be something special.
How about the final TD already up 56-31 with a minute to go? Run it up, Woody style!
Braxton is just like Denard…..if Denard was good.
The other most un-Tressel like play was scoring our last touchdown with :48 left in the 4th quarter, instead of kneeling it. Big Tress wants to win 1 point, Urban wants to run the score up and not take his foot off his opponents throats.
Damn, I didn’t read your comment before posting, but I thought this exactly.
Nothing wrong with repeating something so wonderful!
I just hope he does the same thing against Bielema. That guy is an ass-hat.
#becauseicouldntgoforthree
Odds are Denard will stomp Miller’s gimick offence just like last year. Braxton looks like a deer in headlights when he plays a stiff defense. Until he beats a quality defense like Florida or S. Carolina why get excited. At this point there’s not a team in the B1G who could put up a fight against Mississippi State.
You seriously just mentioned Denard, Braxton and gimmick offense in the same sentence and referred gimmick towards Miller?
Denard is a tailback who Michigan plays at QB because they have no better option.
Also, if a 6 point win is getting stomped then what would you call what Bama amd ND did to the Wolverines this year?
1. “Odds are”…are you saying that michigan will be favorites in Columbus this year???
2. You criticize Urban’s gimmick offense, and praise the sec,(which is full of nothing but gimmick offenses) in the same comment?
3. Did you really say “zip it”??? That’s what my 6-year old uses on the play ground. I guess the B1G has “cooties” too….or are they just a bunch of “stupid heads”???
6 point win at home…
Also I’m curious. Against which “stiff defense” did Miller look like a deer in headlights?
“Odds are Denard will stomp Miller’s gimmick offense just like last year” Whose odds? And a six point victory against the worst OSU team in 100 years counts as being “stomped?”
“Brax looks like a deer in headlights when he plays a stiff defense.” Which defense would that be?
“Until he beats a quality defense like Florida or S. Carolina why get excited.” Which quality defense has Denard beaten? Ever? In three seasons as a starter?
I would have to disagree with you. When he tainted the art of the punt in the first half with that fake punt… I’ll never forgive him for that!
Denard will be ready for Brax & Urb, count on it Bucknuts! You guys have a peewee OOC schedule …need one say more?
Still waiting to hear from you on which defense made Miller look like a deer in headlights.
vs Florida or any number of games last year & this year UCF, got lucky with CAL, UAB, a squeaker @ MSU, that sisters of the poor OOC schedule next couple years ain’t helpin’, that bobble head routine is funny but UM gonna dial a D on him so be watchin’ for that stunned look.
that seems strange. i don’t remember Miller running Meyer’s offense last season.
hmmm, UCF where he had 141yds rushing and 3TDs. yeah, they really put the clamps on him. or was it that he was ‘only’ 18/24 passing and another TD?
he certainly looked lost throwing 4TD passes against Cal. they did limit him to 75yds on the ground and only 1 more TD there too.
oh, the UAB game. maybe you should have just mentioned this one. he actually DID struggle in this game. mentioning the other games where he scored 5TDs and 4TDs sort of undercut your overall point though.
and the MSU game you mention he still ran for 136yds and was 16/23 passing. he wasn’t great in this game, but he certainly was a big reason the Buckeyes won.
should we add the Nebraska and Miami-OH games onto this as well? i mean, he at least only had 3TDs in the M-OH game compared to the ones you listed. and only 2TDs vs. the Huskers.
should have focused on UAB, point is all this hype when what has he really accomplished against equal talent. Nothing yet so enough with the comments like in the initial post. Prove you can actually beat Denard and possibly win a bowl next year first cause only then can you get out of the terrible and haunting shadows that follow Buckeye Nation into big games.
Uh-oh….mgbode just chimed in.
Things just got real…
It’s never considered a big game unless they lose right? When they win it’s the product of a weak and crappy schedule. I’m familiar with the talking points….I just don’t need to hear them from someone who acts like it’s an original thought.
considering noone in the Big10 has equal talent, Braxton cannot accomplish anything by your standards. got it.
understood on the UM point. he needs to beat the wolverines. but, you cannot say we cannot talk about him being the next “potential” Meyer great-QB until after the bowl in 2014 (2013 season). that is absurd. he has the potential. whether he gets there or not is part of the fun of following the team.
haha. well, i couldn’t let that go. he throws out Braxton’s best games and acts like he was terrible. i only wish the Browns could find a QB that scores 4.5TDs per terrible game.
Denard is playing Safety against Braxton?
Should have known one who can trash young Wolverine also telepathic, you guys are right. It’s about having fun and pulling a few strings now and then, cheers!