We're pleased to announce that long-time regular Joe Fox has agreed to accept our bags of cold hard cash and come on board as a writer. Though Joe rarely thinks the Buckeyes are much better than a 9-3 team, we'll be leveraging the fact that he was actually in the 'Shoe when Harley was torching the field to therefore bring a little bit of historical aspect to our coverage. He also professes a love for stat work and that's music to our ears. His first post looks back at the 2002 Penn State game.
There are some interesting parallels between this year’s Ohio State/Penn State game, and the 2002 edition: Both teams were dripping with NFL-caliber talent; the game featured an aging Joe Paterno, beset with calls for his resignation; an oft-injured but talented Ohio State tailback; a game under the lights in the ‘Shoe, in a frosty October, and a road to a possible national title on the line.
LARRY JOHNSON IS ICEYPenn State
Paterno’s Nittany Lions entered the game against Ohio State with a 5-2 record (2-2 in the Big Ten) and ranked #17 in the country. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Zack Mills, who had scorched Ohio State for over 400 all-purpose yards in the 2001 meeting, directed the Penn State attack. But the bread-and-butter of the Penn State offense was running back Larry Johnson. Playing behind five returning offensive linemen, Johnson was coming off a Northwestern game in which he had 257 yards on just 23 carries – all that, despite sitting the final 28 minutes of the game.
Penn State’s defense was solid, if unspectacular. The Nittany Lions returned six starters on defense, led by tackle Jimmy Kennedy, who had returned to State College in lieu of entering the NFL draft.
Despite their abysmal 0-5 record in Columbus since joining the Big Ten in 1993, the Lions had some emotion on their side. Former Penn State player Adam Taliaferro, who suffered a serious neck injury in a game against Ohio State two years previously, made an appearance in the pregame ceremonies.
Ohio State
Jim Tressel, in his second year at Ohio State, had his Buckeyes at #4 in the polls and atop the Big Ten standings with a surprising 8-0 record (3-0 in the conference). Ohio State was coming off a huge 19-14 win over Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium.
With the ball, the Buckeyes were conservative, steady and grinding. Quarterback Craig Krenzel, possessed of an adequate arm, deceptive feet and heady play, led an opportunistic offense that worked best with favorable field position. The Buckeyes had good players available, like wideout Michael Jenkins and tight end Ben Hartsock, but the real key to Ohio State’s attack was Maurice Clarett. Clarett, a true freshman, was the most highly-regarded running back in the nation coming out of high school, but was often injured. When available, Clarett was usually the best player on any field, and a potent offensive weapon.
Without the ball, the Buckeyes were daring, resilient and aggressive. An experienced linebacker corps played behind a splendid, athletic defensive line. Will Smith and Darrion Scott provided the impetus behind a pass rush that often allowed the Buckeyes to send only four rushers, leaving the linebackers to roam free and make plays. It was in the secondary, however, that Ohio State really shined. Ohio State had four future NFL players in its defensive backfield, including standout two-way star cornerback Chris Gamble. Mike Doss provided key run support at safety. At one point in the season, Ohio State’s defense went thirteen consecutive quarters without allowing a touchdown.
Special teams, too, was a strength for Ohio State. The Buckeyes had all-Big Ten selections at punter (Andy Groom) and placekicker (Mike Nugent). Chris Gamble provided Ohio State with a scoring threat on both kickoff and punt returns.
The Game
Maurice Clarett injured his shoulder just six plays into the game, and was replaced by Lydell Ross. Krenzel moved the Buckeyes deep into Penn State territory, but uncharacteristically fumbled the ball as he approached the goal line on a scramble. Penn State’s Anwar Harris scooped up the ball and raced 58 yards down the field before being caught and tackled from behind by Chris Gamble. Zack Mills attempted to move the Lions, but had a pass intercepted by A.J. Hawk.
Following an OSU punt and touchback, Penn State marched 80 yards down the field, and Larry Johnson gave the Lions a 7-0 lead with a 5-yard run. Ohio State was again unable to move the ball and was forced to punt, but Will Smith deflected a pass from Mills, and set up a 37-yard field goal by Mike Nugent. A turnover-plagued half ended with Penn State clinging to a 7-3 lead.
The Play
Early in the third quarter, Penn State faced a third-and-long on the Lions’ side of the field. Zack Mills rolled out to his left and threw a wobbly ball that was intercepted by Chris Gamble. Gamble, the first two-way starter at Ohio State since Paul Warfield in 1963, bobbed, weaved and juked his way to a thrilling 40-yard return for a touchdown.
Good timesGamble recounted the interception after the game: “I was in the cover-three and had played the half of the field. I saw Zack Mills rolling to the left, the one dude running the post and the other dude running the wheel. I saw him throw it to the wheel, and I just attacked it.”
“The interception for a touchdown was just a terrible pass,” Mills said. “I wasn’t trying to force anything there.”
The resulting PAT by Nugent gave Ohio State a 10-7 lead, and completely changed the momentum of the game. Penn State punted on its next four possessions following Gamble’s pick six. Ohio State tacked on another 37-yard field goal by Nugent with 1:05 remaining in the third quarter, and relied on its stifling defense to win the game.
Penn State’s final drive of the game began at its own 15-yard line with 3:02 left in the fourth quarter. Mills completed a 7-yard pass to Johnson, but was then sacked by Kenny Peterson for a 10-yard loss. On what would prove to be Penn State’s final play, Mills’ pass in the flat to Tony Johnson was incomplete. Paterno cried foul, pleading with officials that Johnson had been interfered with by Chris Gamble, but officials disagreed. Ohio State took possession of the ball and ran out the clock for a 13-7 victory.
The Aftermath
Penn State went on to a 9-4 record and a loss to Auburn in the Citrus Bowl. The Lions ended the season ranked #16 in the AP poll, and #15 in the coaches’ poll; it was the 25th time in Joe Paterno’s tenure that the Lions had ended a season in the top 15. Six Penn State players were taken in the NFL draft. Larry Johnson finished the season with the Doak Walker, Maxwell and Walter Camp Awards, and a third-place finish in the Heisman Trophy balloting.
Ohio State had a few close calls, but ended the season unbeaten. The Buckeyes went on to beat Miami of Florida 31-24 in a thrilling, double-overtime game in the Fiesta Bowl. Five Buckeyes were selected in the 2003 NFL draft, and Ohio State had its first undisputed national championship since 1968.
Comments
I WAS THERE IT OWNED LATER GOT DRUNK WHICH ALSO OWNED.
Congrats Joe Fox.
I was NOT present when Chic Harley was boomin', zoomin', bobbin' and weavin' his way around campus.
I don't know where Jason gets off saying things like that. It might be the Ohio Field parking pass on my dashboard. (C'mon - the castle-like facade of the old place kicks a$$.)
My thanks to Jason and Corey for letting me have an opportunity like this. They're terrific guys.
thanks for the stroll down memory lane, Joe.
Oh, and don't forget that I actually write for the site, too...
I just saw that RichRod lost another commitment. Good Lord. That place is like a fire sale.
I didn't expect him to do much this year (though I certainly thought they'd be 7-5, and bowl-eligible), but this trend toward decommitments is really interesting. Something's not right Up There.
I was there for that game. I stumbled out of the stadium at some point to go smoke a square, after an usher said I could get back in. Not really. I roamed around for a while showing all the ushers my stub and got no sympathy. I finally bumped into a Penn State fan having the same problem. He took off his jacket and went up to an usher and said that he left the stadium and his 12-year old nephew to go out to his car and get a sweater. The usher had sympathy and let him in and I just ran in behind him. I was in the concourse when Gamble picked that pass and got to my seat right when he crossed the goaline. Man that season, so many memories.
I was there, too...only things I remember was how cold it was, and the interception for the TD.
Good picture of Larry Johnson. Seconds after that was taken he spit his drink in the girls face and had his body guards tackle the poor girl and drag her out of the club.
Congrats Joe-
Great piece of history there. Even tho you might be the most pessimistic Buckeye Fan ever. LOL
I was there but suffering the middle stages of alcohol poisoning while trying not to fall the 10,000 feet from the top of C Deck. It was a very exciting day and Gamble played so much I think he even switched jerseys and played some downs for PSU.
"Though Joe rarely thinks the Buckeyes are much better than a 9-3 team"
Should this be referred to as the Earle Bruce effect?
'02 PSU was an awesome game. The intensity was at an all-time high.
Only the Buckeyes and Herman Edwards have proven capable of shutting down Larry Johnson.
ah, memories. I was front row in Block O for this game. The Gamble INT-return was absolute bedlam and the loudest I've ever heard in Ohio Stadium. It just kind of seemed like he was dancing towards us from our end.
I see a honest writer, why in world would you think this more then a 9-3 team with aleast four first rounders that are undercoached. Pessimistic is how you should be when a Tressel coached team is going against a good team. I am waiting for a response when has anybody thought the Buckeyes won a game because of coaching and when the other team was more talented. I can't remeber only thing i hear is how Tressel has done in the Big Ten and if your honest Big East and Big Ten are about the same conference because if its pans out you could play Florida in a bowl and do you relly think Tressel can coach you guys to beat them. When your coach has no karma neither will your team, evident by this years team and QB's scared totrhrow a pick but Sanchez throws one every game and NFL teams want Carroll and others but not Tressel just want a honest Buckeye fan to admit your coach belongs in Divison 1aa or Divison 2
Hey Les - nice hat.
Just off the top of my head, I think beating Miami for the title would qualify as such a win.
Brotherbuck wrote:
"Should this be referred to as the Earle Bruce effect?"
It could be, since I'm old enough to remember almost all the Bruce era, but I think it's because I'm just not sold on this team yet. I'm not sold on the program yet.
Beat someone. Anyone. Beat someone with a pulse, and we can talk. I hope OSU runs the table and knocks the snot out of some poor victim in a BCS game. I'm always hoping OSU does that. I just don't see this team being capable of that kind of effort.
But a win over p*nn st*t* would go some way toward making that scenario plausible.
one win not bad how many times have you lost to team you should have beaten i can name aleast fiv,e not counting when team were evenly matched and you got waxed. I give you that game but it went to OT when you clearly should have won in regulation, but stay on the bandwagon it will become clear that Tressel was at YSU for so long for a reason. I guess a watered down Big Ten makes it easy to be fooled but nationally people know and what you are hearing is deserved, i say it again its a shame talents like Beanie and Pryor get coached like they do but I guess aleast Beanie will call him out, also how is Bollman the OC when Tressel calls two runs a pass then a punt that is his legacy.
I was just answering your question, Les. Damn, you seem about as smart as Perriloux.
Nice job, Joe. I appreciate the honest assessments as well. In retrospect the last two years' teams were probably really only 9-3 teams, so you would be right on. If they had played in the Big ten of the 90's they wouldn't have made the title game.
Bringing you aboard is just another reason 11W is the best Buckeyes spot on the web (not just the best blog)
I, too, am far from sold on this team and really, the present state of the program. Too many questions yet to be answered.
I do not think Saturday will answer that many, unfortunately. While I think Penn St is really good, I am not sure they are on the level of FL, USC, etc (in fact, I seriously doubt it) and they have struggled really badly in recent years against decent teams on the road - not just at the shoe. Nevertheless, this is a really good team and will be a challenge.
I do think, however, that after the bowl game many questions will be answered about the program and this team. Whether it is a BCS game or the Cap one bowl, if we do not show better athletic ability, I will question whether we are recruiting enough talent to win nationally. I will wonder if the higher standards for admissions (the stuff Conley talks about) has hurt us or not.
I don't care what recruiting services say, we look slow compared to other "elite" teams ... something is up
before you all jump on me for the slow thing, that is not to say that Beanie and TP aren't fast etc of course they are. My point is that on the whole we lack team speed compared to other teams, IMO after observing the teams. I do not have a stop watch and neither do any of you
I think you are confusing "Speed" with "Execution".... Proper execution will make a team appear quicker. This is why a team like USC looks so fast - not because they are individually quicker. Our MSU game is another good example! We looked a lot faster last Saturday than we have in a long time and it’s because we executed much better than we have in a LONG TIME – (Actually may have been this game last year…)
It has been well documented/proven (even on this site I believe) that head to head, our skill position players were actually quicker on the clock than Florida.
Hey, I am not saying it is not execution ... in fact I hope so.
Believe me, for years I was saying the same thing and I hope it is true. Although, what does that mean for our longterm prospects that recruiting better players will not fix it - basically, it means we'll need better coaching then, right?
With respect to head to head speed with FL, are you talking about timing at the combine, or how has that been proven?
Because I don't necessarily care about the combine speeds. When I played there was a difference between the fast guys with and without pads. There were guys we would say "carried their pads" and guys that don't carry their pads well ...I'm sure others that played (maybe you) remember that concept.
Believe me, a guy that was half a second slower in shorts can actually outrun someone in full pads
I don't believe its a talent issue, i truly believe its coaching, just look at the NFL, our players do pretty damn good. I am starting to doubt Tressel's coaching ability everybody talks about Heacock and Bollman well its the play calling since day one with Tressel and he is to blame. I also think everybody is crazy if they think the Big Ten is anything like it used to be because its not. I think Les is a idiot but i will agree that its not talent based because watch the draft this year and you will know we have talent. I think this team is not well coached they don't seemed to get hype up and i am sure the play calling affects our star players and 2002 only last so long and we got lucky several times that year because our play calling sucked then too. I think if the weather sucks this weekend we will be in great shape if its nice then i will be worried.
I remember before this season Joe was calling for 9-3. So where are the two more losses coming from? I don't see it.
This team is peaking late. Penn St. has been snake bit in Columbus and I don't see why with the team they have this year anything will change. The pressure is on them to win the game as they are the favorite. Smart money is on the Buckeyes as they have started to play their best football of the year. At night in Ohio Stadium with Beanie, Pryor and the defensive line stepping up their game the Buckeyes will roll 31-17.
Les Miles very rarely do the Buckeyes even face equal talent. That being said in 03' vs Miami for the title would be the major one. 06' at #2 Texas 24-7. 06' #2 Michigan. As of late the Buckeyes play in alot of big games and when talent is equal there is a small margin of error. The two national title games we did lose came after long layoffs which caused some rust without question. Can you imagine if the NFL had a 40 to 50 day layoff between the AFC and NFC title games and the SUPER BOWL? Bottom line is college football needs a playoff. It would only be good for the game and end this caddy bickering back and forth between fans. So how bout instead on getting on our boards you put your energy into writing your congressman about getting a Playoff system in college football.
JBeveridge,
I want to believe that, I really do, but I am trying to think of a Tressel recruited skill player having an impact in the NFL and I can only come up with Gonzo and Holmes.
Ginn is getting better but is not a good NFL wideout by anyone's measurement.
I know there are a bunch of Cooper recruited skill players still making an impact (mostly at DB and some at WRs), but really, I am having a hard time thinking of any other skill players drafted in the last 5 years that have made a pro bowl ... most of them seem to just disappear in the league.
anyone else??
My point is, yeah we have had a lot of guys drafted recently, but not many recently making pro bowls or even starting or even staying in the league very long. Remember most of the guys drafted JT's first two years were not recruited by him and the standards have changed.
Anyway, I have no problem being wrong, just throwing it out there.
I see your point ultra about skill postion players but i guess iam thinking there no college that has a ton of good skill postion from any university and i think talking more about this year's team which there is talent i think i maybe over critical of Tressel but his coaching does anything but make me confident. I hope i am wrong but the fact is the Big Ten has not been good during Tressel era and in the big games against good coaches and teams we have been getting embarrassed and the LSU team last year had no NFL skill postions players nad we had Beanie and i think Robo will play in the NFL and LSU QB last year sucked and throw 4 TD's against us and i know we have aleast two maybe three first rounders on our defense. I also think Sanchez from USC will never play in the NFL but he is coached to look great. I am just tired of looking like shit against good teams and its a trend that is growing. I do see your point though
Fair points ... it probably is true that no school has a bunch of skill players making probowls (in other words, the great skill players are dispersed amongst all the schools)
I am really starting to question the coaching as well and I do totally subscribe to the belief that the big ten has been kind to tressel by sucking more than he has dominated it.
we'll see ... in the end this is OSU afterall and no matter what the problem is, it is only a matter of time before the Bucks are feared again by the nation and not just the midwest
Well put i just want some silver bullets flying aroung and not have some of the worst games to watch and lately our games are anything but exciting . I hope we represent this weekend
Ultrahomer, Chad pennington can make any wideout look awful. Living down here I get to see alot of Miami games. They do not use Ginn as the featured guy like they should. Some games he gets thrown to less than 2 times! I don't care how good of a wideout you are if you don't get the ball you can't make plays. Almost everytime they do throw to him he makes the play if its catchable. That combined with the fact that they took him off returns sucks. I still believe he has avg. numbers so far this year and considering they now are running the wildcat offense half the game that just makes my point stronger that Pennington is not the answer. Ginn will have to wait till Henne gets his shot before you'll see Pro Bowl numbers and Ginn will be a Pro Bowler one day if Henne gets him the ball.
JBeveridge - I am actually fairly optimistic about the team playing really aggressive this weekend and I hope it happens ...much more fun
Tampa - I am not knocking Ginn at all. And certainly the QBs that he has had throwing him the ball in his very brief career thus far hamper his production. Perhaps he will mature into an all-NFL-type player. Personally, I thought his move to WR would only be a college thing when we did it, but the NFL thinks he has the skills to play it ... we'll see
I know the team has talent, it is just frustrating that we look like we are not as talented as less talented teams, if that makes any sense. My only point is that no matter what type of buckeyes fan you are, I think everyone can agree that either we need better players or better coaching because the last few big games were not dreams or mirages ... something is definitely wrong
Perhaps the bad play is simply fluky bad luck in recruiting. Meaning, these guys in the 2005, 2006 "class era" really are great athletes and were great HS players, but for some reason they never developed into great college players the way other classes have
I Dunno
NITPICK: Taliaferro got injured in the 2000 matchup, a scant two years before the game in question, not five.
Thanks for the tip, Jack. Fixed now.
It would be great to see Pryor throw for 200 and Beanie to rush for 200 this weekend, that would be a national showcase but i imagine if the weather is bad then i know our play calling will match it. Back to the talent issue i don't know how all these other big schools QB's loook great and are not drafted but are coached to be great in college and other then Troy our QB's look like shit in college and Troy's run was alot of talent around him. Also what about the two loss team that should beat Texas and PSU when we had twice the talent. Making a list of my least liked Buckeyes 1. S. Bellarsi 2. R. Hamby 3. Stanley Jackson 4. Maurice Wells 5. Lydell Ross/ Donnie Nickey remeber the kickoff classic Chris against Mami
Memo to Tressel bench Russell and play Hines only safety to make plays at the LOS
"NITPICK: Taliaferro got injured in the 2000 matchup, a scant two years before the game in question, not five."
Wow. Where'd I get five?
Strike one against the new guy.
Maurice Clarett stole my gun.
No worries, Joe. I think Jason, Corey and I are each on at least strike 37.