Meet The New Guys, Same As The Old Guys
We’ve talked a lot around here about how the Buckeyes offense has not missed a beat from last season, despite having to replace 4 skill players of which one won the Heisman and two others were NFL 1st round selections. We even half-joked that the 2007 version of the Buckeye offense was actually an upgrade from 2006.
While an upgrade may be a bit of a stretch, the numbers seem to indicate that Boeckman, Wells, Robo & Co. are performing just as well as their great counterparts of 2006.
It’s a fairly easy case for an upgrade at the running back spot. Beanie is the best Buckeye running back since Eddie and when it’s all said and done (only a soph, he’s definitely back for one more) he may be regarded as better.
| ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittman | 163 | 894 | 5.48 | 10 |
| Wells | 174 | 996 | 5.72 | 7 |
Pitt actually matches up well with Beanie just looking at the data, but when you throw in Wells’ 4 carry week off against Kent State, and the fact that you’ve actually seen him throwing defenders 5 yards downfield with a stiff-arm, this comparison isn’t really that close.
No disrespect to Pittman, a very good back, but Beanie operates on that other level.
Raise your hand if you thought Robiskie would put up better numbers than Ginn. To say this would have been pure blashpemy in July, but Robo is indeed an upgrade.
Ginn benefited more from sheer speed than anything else. Even as a senior when his route-running had improved, it still wasn’t in the class of what Robo puts out each weekend. Robo has the routes of Holmes and the (college) size and fluidness of David Boston. He’s not exactly slow, either.
| REC | YDS | AVG | TD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ginn | 44 | 611 | 13.89 | 7 |
| Gonzalez | 41 | 621 | 15.15 | 6 |
| REC | YDS | AVG | TD | |
| Robiskie | 41 | 787 | 19.20 | 8 |
| Hartline | 34 | 429 | 12.62 | 5 |
Anthony Gonzalez was loved for his awesome quotes and knack for making clutch catches. With the injury to Harrison, he’s seeing playing time for the NFL’s 2nd-best offense and his admirers in Buckeye Nation are numerous.
But there honestly isn’t anything I can remember Gonzo doing that I don’t think Harline could do.
Through nine games, Hartline is slightly off Gonzo’s pace, but some of Gonzo’s looks have been distributed to tight ends this season. Ultimately, it comes down to the fact that there’s nothing Gonzo did at Ohio State that I don’t think Hartline could do.
Still, slight edge to Gonzalez — but Hartline is only a sophomore.
I’m going to be generous and give Biggie Small an edge over Robo last season as the team’s 3rd receier. They each managed to lead the team in receptions through 9 as the 3rd receiver and Small’s juke skills and speed are what puts him ahead.
The Ghost is alive and well — and while not having Ginn-speed, he’s close. His 60 yard catch was the longest play from scrimmage Penn State has allowed this season.
Finally, at quarterback, the Buckeyes replaced a Heisman trophy winning quarterback — a guy many fans considered the best quarterback in school history — with a guy that’s putting up similar numbers, all during his first 8 starts.
| CMP | ATT | CMP % | YDS | TD | INT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smith | 145 | 214 | 67.8 | 1898 | 22 | 2 |
| Boeckman | 139 | 209 | 66.5 | 1799 | 21 | 8 |
Maturity, great size and an NFL-arm have already pushed Boeckman to 4th on the Buckeye list for most touchdown passes in a season with 21. With four to play and seeing how he’s thrown at least two touchdowns in every game this season, he has a decent shot at Smith’s school record of 30, set last year. Say he falls one short and finishes with 29. That’s more than Hoying and equal to Germaine’s greatest season.
Smith could bring plays back from the dead with his scrambling ability, but Boeckman is starting to look scary. Against Michigan State two weeks ago and Saturday against Penn State, he went into halftime with at least 180 yards. If called upon, he could easily put up 350. That’s a comforting feeling.
The numbers are nearly identical, although Todd has thrown a few more picks. Chalk that up to the fact that it’s his first year starting. So, give Smith a slight edge for his ability to create plays, but make no doubt about it — Boeckman is a better passer right now than Smith will ever be.
The new crew is certainly measuring up to their celebrated predecessors. Of course, this is all just really a testimony to the Vest’s ability to tailor his playbook to suit the abilities of the players he has to work with. Run it with Krenzel, move the pocket with Troy and now that he has a classic pocket passer, let it rip.
13 Responses
The sad scary fact is that Ginn would be a senior THIS year…as well as Pittman and Gonzo. Sorry to correct you J - but it just has to piss off other schools just how good we really could have been this year…
HAROLD - October 30th, 2007 at 1:20 pm - #
I don’t know about all of that Harold. I kind of had the feeling that we were watching a team last year that was peaking at all the right times (as long as those times weren’t in January). I think the fact that this team is doing what it is doing in conventional offense where the opposing Defenses don’t have to keep their eyes on a mobile quarterback speaks a lot to the execution from this team. This team is also doing all of this without the field position gained by having a team kick the ball away from Ted Ginn Jr., or having him make a decent return with the ball…
People talk all the time still about how much work Ginn had to do with route running. I remember looking at stats saying that Antonio Pittman could only run left. And let’s be honest about Troy Smith: great leader, great mobility, great decision maker, but still not a pure quarterback.
This team has certainly exceeded expectations and I for one am already pumped for next season…
dave - October 30th, 2007 at 2:29 pm - #
The only thing that isn’t quite “apples to apples” about the ‘06 & ‘07 offenses is the schedule. The Bucks played a rough September/October last year (Texas, PSU, Iowa, MSU), and the competition got easier until UM. This season is the exact opposite, the competition starts out easy and has largely ramped _up_ each week.
My personal opinion is that by the end of this season, the 2006 Buckeye offense will still shine as the better of the two. Both are equally dominant, but there was something about that ‘06 team, some surgical quality.
Depending on who leaves for the NFL early this year, ‘08 could be better than anything that’s come before. How’s that for an exciting thought?
sportsMonkey - October 30th, 2007 at 2:39 pm - #
Sportsmonkey, you beat me to it. Not to take anything away from this group, but we have to remember who we’re playing. This competition is the reverse of the one last year.
Still, pretty exciting.
SuckAtSports - October 30th, 2007 at 3:01 pm - #
Unfortunately, if the Bucks continue to roll and win an MNC, what are the odds that many of those guys are coming back? Barton is definitely gone as he’s a senior now, but Boone and Rehring might go early. Robo could feasibly go and so could Nicol. I highly doubt Boeckman would leave after a single season of play. Not to mention all the defensive juniors who might go early.
Worst case scenario, you’re talking about having only Person and Cordle returning on the line, with Boeckman, Wells, Ballard, Hartline, and Small at the skill positions. That’s not much, and breaking in 3 new offensive lineman could be painful. Even if Nicol and Robo stay, if the season goes well you’ve gotta figure that Boone and Rehring will be high draft picks and probably go.
They could be great next year, but they could regress with the loss of some key starters. It’s too early to tell.
BeardGuy - October 30th, 2007 at 3:02 pm - #
Good points about the schedule strength, but is that not counterbalanced a little by the fact that Boeckman and Hartline are seeing their first considerable playing time as Buckeyes?
Smith at least had quite a few starts under his belt heading into last season.
Jason - October 30th, 2007 at 4:02 pm - #
I don’t necessarily agree with the schedule strength idea - Texas (w/o VY) was overrated last year (10-3), PSU was not great (9-4), Iowa was terrible (6-7), and MSU is well…MSU (4-8). I am also not ready to say 2007 is better than 2006. I will save that decision for January. The 2007 Offense is certainly in the ballpark though - the stats don’t lie. I think the biggest difference in the two offenses that I have noticed is the line play. Troy didn’t really run that much last year - except to find space to throw down field and he had to do that because we didn’t pass block all that well in my opinion. We give Boeckman pretty good protection. All I know is it sure is nice to be deciding which year’s #1 team is better - things could certainly be worse. We could be Iowa fans. (Its a joke OPS, just a joke.)
HAROLD - October 30th, 2007 at 4:43 pm - #
I gotta agree. The names of the first 9 victims last year sound nice, but if you dig a little deeper, they kind of sucked.
Brian - October 31st, 2007 at 12:40 am - #
I also want to add that when comparing Robo and Ginn you need to add in the return factor for Ginn which makes it a little closer. That being said, you should also add that factor in when comparing Hartline and Gonzo…..because although I do beleive that Hartline can do anything that Gonzo could…..I doubt Gonzo would have (or ever will) return a punt 90 yards for a TD.
All that being said….there is no real way to compare these 2 teams, they both had different styles of play. Last years players will always have the arguements “Ginn and Gonzo made Troy better” or “Troy made Ginn and Gonzo better.” This years roster seems to have more of a balance between it’s players.
Wil - October 31st, 2007 at 10:04 am - #
At this point I think the ‘06 offense is better mostly because 4 games remain to be played in ‘07. I do think the running game is a bit more impressive this season. I think Pittman is a very good back, but I believe much of his success was set up by the passing attack and “threat” of a Troy run.
Against the good PSU defense last week there were times when everyone in the North America knew it was a run out of the “i” and Beanie picked up 2 yards. Although not impressive on paper I don’t see Pittman or any recent OSU backs picking up those yards (probably a 2 yard loss which is +4 in my mind).
Tressel obviously stresses a balanced attack and as a fan it’s a beautiful thang.
Travis - October 31st, 2007 at 10:55 am - #
The way Hartline wasn’t touched on that return leads me to believe just about any of the skill players of the past two seasons could have taken that one to the house.
Cobra Kai - October 31st, 2007 at 12:12 pm - #
All of the above comments seem pretty valid. I’m just loving the fact we can actually discuss this just about every year. Long live Tressel!
Mark - October 31st, 2007 at 12:59 pm - #
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