Tim May of the Dispatch with some potentially positive news:
There were times last Saturday when it appeared Ohio State assistant head coach Darrell Hazell was calling the offensive plays instead of head coach Jim Tressel during the Buckeyes’ 38-0 win over Toledo.
When asked after practice today whether it was true, Hazell paused.
“I don’t know, I’m not sure,” he finally said, then offered no further clarity.
Tim notes that at times when Pryor was confused about a call, he would seek out Hazell instead of Tressel. This might go a long way towards explaining the aggressive game called against the Rockets.
Comments
It's happening!!!
Aww and I thought we were seeing Evil Tressel finally! But kudos to him for giving it a shot, I hope he noticed how well it worked (Pryor's confusion about the calls aside).
That definitely sounds like the Tressel way to do something big......try it out against a MAC school, quietly, without any one really knowing that it happened.
If it works, he'll heap the credit on Bollman and Hazell, if it doesn't, he takes the blame himself because he is still pretty close to untouchable at OSU.
Is this why we are always snapping the ball with 3 seconds or less on the play clock 90% of the time? I do realize it happened when Tressel was supposedly calling the plays. During the Toledo game, however, I counted at least 10 times in which the call was snapped with 3 seconds or less on the play clock in which we DIDN'T get a delay of game penalty. While I would like to see the gameplan we used against Toledo, I'm a little concerned about letting prior read the defense and audible at the line when we are cutting the plays so close to the play clock's expiration.
Sorry, anyone else agree with me??
Me likey
Hopefully this turns into a slow transition into full play calling duties for Hazell.
Makes sense to give him a shot, I always thought he is probably the only offensive coach who looks talented enough to lead a program one day, kind of like how fickell is probably the only defensive coach young and talented enough to one day run a program of his own.
"I don't know. I'm not sure." Are you kidding me? Any answer that isn't "no" is an automatic "yes."
hahah hazell has yet to earn a black belt in tressel's dojo of media-fu
If you recall one of the most curious moments in the game was just before the end of the half. The Buckeyes were a fair distance from scoring and if I'm not mistaken they were still on their side of the 50.
Normally this would be the time when Tressel would have Pryor take a knee and run out the clock, but the Buckeyes actually made an effort to advance the ball?
It was a very unTressel-like moment...so perhaps there is some truth to Hazell calling the plays.
I dont know, I'm not sure..... classic..... classic. He was there, did he or not?? LOL
I'm a big fan of Hazell. He is a stand-up guy who has big things in his coaching future.
this goes hand in hand with some inside info that some changes were being made although they wouldn't be revealed to the public
The Ozone has the video posted of Tim May asking Coach Hazell the question, the look on Hazell's face is priceless!
Brett, I've also been frustrated with frequent snaps inside of 3 seconds on the play clock. I was at the USC game, and on multiple occasions the crowd was counting down the play clock in an effort to get the ball snapped. This shouldn't happen, period.
I don't know what the reason for it is, but at the USC game it seemed like a combo of 3 things. First, it seemed like it took slightly longer for Pryor to get the play from the sideline then normal. Second, the team was in the huddle slightly longer than normal. Third, Pryor almost always used a long snap count. Combined it used the whole play clock.
that was nowhere near being Evil Jim. Evil Jim drops 50+ on Northwestern like it's his job! He fake punts, he throws vertical passes when up 30. No mercy!
Still a skeptic of "tressel ball"...
I would have love to hear them with a mic on. It would have sound like this
Hazell: X 60, Y out in up on 3
Tressel: hmmm... i was thinking iso behind boren... Ummm.... shoot only 4 seconds left on the clock.
Pryor in the huddle: X 60, Y out in up on 3
After the 75 yard touchdown....
Tressel: Hmmm...You see we have to pace ourselves here, now we have to kick the ball off to them, and they might run to the 45 yard line. we don't want to give up field postion.
Kick off: They ran it to the 45 yard line like 3 times.
Tressell: Lucky there was holding penalties
2002 national title. it has worked pretty well in our favor since 2001.....
i can debate that!
But, i was just poking fun... That's all!
I don't know who called the plays, but hopefull we just see
more of what we saw against toledo...
QB sneaks, pryor actually trying to run making defenders
look like they were toledo recruits...
I agree with the title...But, hey lets grab a couple more.
I would love to piss off espn, mark may, sec, colin, and USC.
i think we all want another title or 10. i don't think the system needs to be changed completely, still need sound special teams and defense but some tweaks on offense are welcomed.
Agreed!!!
This is what happens when you turn this shit over to a Muskingum College grad, good stuff!
lol