I'm watching the OSU/IU game and am half-speechless. When will someone other than Deshaun step up on the offensive side of the ball? There are so many mental errors for a big game I don't know how to figure this team out. I have hopes that the gauntlet of the B1G schedule will prepare them for the tournament, but can still see them getting knocked out in the second round. Thoughts? Are we just not that good this year?
PHONE'S RINGING -- IT'S URBAN ON THE LINE
•Football Schedule•Basketball Schedule•Forum•About•Contact
11W Poll
Buckshots
Buckshots Block
-
Fifty is Nifty
Happy Birthday, RichRod!
-
Oct. 19 Homecoming Game vs. Iowa Slated for 3:30 p.m.
Hawkeyes make first trip to Ohio Stadium since 2009.
-
Ray Small Apologizes to His Coaches, Teammates and Buckeye Nation
“My former teammates were the world to me and I treated them like they were nothing.”
-
Dante Booker: What This Means
How does the commitment of 2014 Ohio star Dante Booker impact Ohio State moving forward?
-
50 Twitter Accounts Every College Football Fan Should Follow
It must be Twitter list day around here. Also: humble-bragging.
-
The 8 Most Entertaining College Football Assistant Coaches on Twitter
#KINGOFTHEHASHTAG makes the cut.
Recent Blog Posts
- So... You've Encountered an Internet Troll
- My Interview with Al Borges
- Wrestling: A Look Back at the Career of 4-time NCAA Qualifier CJ Magrum
- 2013: The WR Rotation
- The Dontre Wilson Impact
- Better know a ... Mountaineer?
- Joey Bosa = perfect OOS recruit!
- Wrestling: Stieber defeats #1 Ranked wrestler in the world at Rumble on the Rails
- Response to Johnny's "There's so much money going around, well, mostly"
- My Worst Ohio State Football Experience Ever
Active in the Forum
- First 9R 11W Award!
- Former TOSU WR Ray Small apologizes to Buckeye fans...
- Deshaun Watson visited Auburn today
- Aint Nuthin but a Gee Thang - Snoop Lion's Kid is a top 100???
- A part of me just died..
- Quick Bits 5/24 (Jonathan Haden to Arizona)
- Alabama Offers Kyle Berger
- 11W Community Interview: Detroit Cass Tech CB Damon Webb
- Taj Griffin
- Mike Mitchell Is A Freak
- Bama's Key Departures More Significant Than They Appear
- 2014 QB Brandon Harris Will Visit Columbus Next Week
- Football Weather
- Initial Top 247 for 2015 Out
- BUCKSFAN changing icon
Want to say hello?
We love hearing from you! Whether you want to work with us, discuss advertising opportunities, or pass us a hot tip, you're more than welcome to drop us a line.
You could turn the tv off and just think about the recruits we got today?
"There is a force that makes us all brothers, no one goes his way alone, all that we send into the life of others comes back into our own." -WWH
I thought about it... But then I realized that most of those recruits have to watch this as well... Plus that would be a pretty weak move to dessert your team just because they're losing.
Painful
We lost to a top 5 team. It's frustrating because we played so well against Michigan. The reality is this isn't a top 5 team, but I think they have started playing better and can do damage in the tourney. I am not going to give up on these guys just because of a few losses to very good teams.
craft had 16 and was in foul trouble. pretty sure q had double digits. deshaun only scored as many as he did because he put up 25 shots. williams wasn't allowed to touch zeller or it was a foul. we got beat to every loose ball until it was too late. 2 people fouled out and i am pretty sure that that is the first time someone has fouled out for ohio state the entire season so yeah
I couldn't believe the fouling calls, especially w/ Zeller... I know sometimes the higher ranked teams/players get a 'courtesy call' or whatever, but it was ridiculous today.
I wish that were the logic but if that were the case Sullinger would have fouled out people every game.....it got to a point teams were fouling him every time knowing they wouldn't call it every time.......still upsetting bc it looks like Q is starting to understand and could be a real scorer but we don't seem to switch up who we are running plays for and who decoys...it's all deshaun all the time and it is very easy to defend as we have had trouble scoring against the top teams.
Refs were too quick to blow the whistle, for both sides. Appartenly they are worried that zeller will break if someone touches him. Idiana made all their big shots, and the bucks had one of their terrible shooting games. sounds like a recipe for a good, ol'fashioned big ten asswhipping
p.s. - I really want to punch tom crean's buckteeth out of his mouth
I think we have become spoiled as OSU basketball fans. This team was clearly overrated early in the year. Its still a top 15 team. The B1G is just brutal this year. Should make for an epic conference tourney.
Wayne Woodrow Hayes
the team that showed up against michigan is a top 15 team. the team today, not so much
No. the team that played against scUM was top 10. Today we lost to the #1 team coming off a loss when they shot over 50% from the field. Still a top 15 team.
Wayne Woodrow Hayes
This was one reason I was not happy to hear about Illinois beating IU this week. They played like they wanted it more today. I was glad Aaron had a better scoring game than usual, just hoping for more consistency.
I think Thad has some real soul searching to do on the type of player he is recruiting. At any time, we could have 3 to 4 guys on the floor that are not threats to score. IU just showed us what stretching the floor means. Their 5 at any point, can score from anywhere at any time. We were outclassed today.
Thad recruits the right guys, the argument is whether or not he brings them along and gets them the minutes they need early in their careers.
Thompson, Q, Scott and Amir, didn't get the minutes they needed last year to have the confidence, experience etc that they should have at this point. They have the in game experience level of freshman not sophomores.
This has always been the knock on Thad... not playing the young guys enough early in their careers, unless they are the one and done talent levels of a Oden, Conley, Sully etc. I understanding going with only 6-7 guys who really get meaningful minutes might have given us more wins those years, but it does delay some growth of McDonald's High School All-Americans who sat for the vast majority of their freshman years.
This years team (outside of Thomas and Craft) for the most part, looks like all freshman, because none of them got big minutes last season...not in the B1G games anyway.
D. Anthony
Agree w ur assessment. The person I feel sorriest for is Shannon Scott. He has amazing tools but has been given very little chance to establish himself. I love to see him on the court w a real 2 guard not just Craft. I think our offense could really him w Scott at the point, Thompson or smith at the 2, Ross at the 3, Thomas 4, Williams or ravenel 5.
We've been spoiled and IU was just better. I see us making it to the sweet 16, top 4 finish and the semi finals of the B1G and that's all I can ask for. I haven't had my hopes up all year long for our team so no disappoinment or frustrations here.
Ohio State's band SLAUGHTERED Michigan's band. If this were a football game, it would have been Florida State vs. Savannah State. - SB Nation following OSU vs. UM 2012
When we are in desperate need of a run why do we have Craft AND Scott on the floor at the same time? It should have been Craft, Thomas, Smith, and Ross out there for the most part with Williams or Ravenell. Having Scott out there when we are leading is fine, but when we need points all he is doing is keeping a scoring threat on the bench.
We need plays designed for Sam Thompson to get him alley oops and back cuts on the baseline....his shot would be nice to improve but he still has a long way to go with it.....scott is more of a 1-4 set to take his man to the bucket 1 on 1.....this team is hit or miss and has been outcoached a lot this year......the team is athletically amazing but fundamentally just horrendous at times.....and we still have to go to Northwestern where we constantly play bad every year.....we very well could end up 6th or 7th if we don't start getting drastically better asap..
Yeah just can't fill it up. This team needs more out of Thompson and Smith Jr. Amir is coming around, and Q has played a lot better as of late. Scott has been trending down since the MSU game.
I'm more frustrated by the lack of intensity, offensive game or basketball IQ that Lenzelle Smith has given us this year. He disappears only to reappear with a bad foul or turnover. Has made some really questionable decisions this year and hasn't appeared to have made much improvement. I expect more from a 2 year starter and a Jr in college.
Teams that can't score easily always struggle under pressure. The Bucks don't score much in transition, in the post, at the basket via dribble penetration or off the O boards, and do not get to the foul line with regularity. Because of this, the pressure to make perimeter jump shots increases, which is increasingly difficult to do when the pressure to score is greatest.
As many things as there are to like about this edition of OSU basketball, the inability to score easy baskets has been and will most likely be their downfall when it counts. Go Bucks!
And I'm tired about hearing about Amir coming around. We need him now. Getting toward the end of his sophomore season. Other people recruit freshman that are ready and win national championships.
Who do you think we are? We do not have the profile of IU, MSU, Duke and the rest of the big time basketball programs, yet we have scored good recruits. We had an excellent freshman class in '07 that got us to the title game. You're ripping a raw big man in his second year in the program. Not every big man we get is Oden.
Wayne Woodrow Hayes
Come on. We have been a top 10 program for a number of years and have the highest athletic dept budget in the country. Don't give me that crap that we don't have the draw of an IU, Duke, or MSU. Amir Williams is a pathetic excuse for a big man.
What does having the highest budget in the country have to do with you ripping Amir and comparing us to IU, Duke and MSU? Those schools are basketball schools. OSU is a football school. Amir Williams is a SOPH! You expect him to be the next coming of Oden? Give the kid a break you sound bitter about his development.
Wayne Woodrow Hayes
I probably wouldn't be bitter about his development if there was any. The kid plays exactly the way he did his freshman year, and it really looks like we should be exploring some other options at the 5.
And anyone attributing this to a down, rebuilding year better save that for next year. It will be Ross and 4 guys that can't score. And Ross will probably get a pass for it being a "development" guy in his 3rd year.
You are a troll of the highest form. If you want to bash our program and spew nonsense about our young players then you can have a job at MGOblog.
Wayne Woodrow Hayes
Fair criticism is not trolling.
Meant for my thank you to be here.
How can you call this a down year at all? We are a top 15 team in the country, and have shown the potential to play like a top 5 team. Yes, we played like a top 5 team in the game in Michigan (at least during regulation). So if being a borderline top 10 team is your idea of a down year, I'm just glad you're not a UK fan, as this year would have fans like you in pure meltdown mode.
In regards to next year however, I am essentially in agreement with you. Unless we see some serious development out of Ross, Amir, Thompson, and Mcdonald, next year's team will struggle to get to 20 wins in a tough big 10. If Deshaun leaves we simply won't have enough scoring. I look for 2014 to be a big bounce back year though, shuold be a killer recruiting class coming in as well as possibly having Scott, Q, Amir, and Thompson as seniors assuming all stay
Sorry Urban, Woody is still my favorite
We have some solid scorers coming in, so I wouldn't worry too much about the future.
Thank you
This team will just struggle offensively. Smith disappears in games against quality opponents and he is the one most hoped would provide a second option on O. He just hasn't been up to the task...and that is being kind to him.
I love having Matta at OSU but he hasn't recruited a 5* in his last two classes. Scott is a disappointment as a 5* and Williams, as a McD AA, is as well. This sophomore class just hasn't developed. Scott has shown a little improvement, Williams gets to play more (that does not = improvement), Thompson remains a liability on offense, Q is coming along slowly...etc. etc.
Matta has to step it up. Yes, he is the best coach OSU has had in awhile but he was winning the B1G titles when he was getting the elite players. The rest of the conference is recruiting better and Matta falls to the middle of the pack. This time next year we still won't have a decent post player and our elite scorer will likely be gone.
I know it sounds petty to complain about the lack of getting 5* but we need them to keep up with the rest of the league. Urban said as much in regard to football.
I laugh at people who consider 4th in the B1G with a legit shot to finish 2 or 3 (probably won't be 1, would have to win in Assembly Hall). 4th in B1G is good enough for top 15 in the country, not exactly "middle of the pack."
Also wouldn't consider Scott a disappointment. He's one step away from being an elite point guard, and that step is an offensive game. Scott is one of the best defenders in the COUNTRY, has a very good Assist to turnover ratio, and handles the ball extremely well. If he develops somewhat of a jump shot in the off season (his shot improved drastically from last year already) then he can be a huge player in the coming years
Sorry Urban, Woody is still my favorite
Matta blows!
No dude, you do.
Before people respond to this, just know he's intentionally trying to get a reaction because he's a little angry over a few people posting their opinions on OSU related topics on an OSU blog. Just get him a few more DVs and he will be banned. Don't feed the troll
Sorry Urban, Woody is still my favorite
Post here if you have frustrations watching the Wisconsin game that have carried over from the Indiana game.
My quibbles....
Ohio State's band SLAUGHTERED Michigan's band. If this were a football game, it would have been Florida State vs. Savannah State. - SB Nation following OSU vs. UM 2012
Everyone knows that OSU is one demensional on offense and it has been exposed as of late. If we don't play lights out defense and get scoring from others then we usually will lose. This is a 6 seed in the big dance and probably an early out in the tournment. I figured this out weeks ago.
Trust me I knew this earlier, I've accepted when I saw we were #5 and I'm just coping with it now. All I wanted was a #4 finish in the B1G standings, play in the semi of the B1G tourny and get a sweet 16 this year. I don't think I'll even get that.
Ohio State's band SLAUGHTERED Michigan's band. If this were a football game, it would have been Florida State vs. Savannah State. - SB Nation following OSU vs. UM 2012
I could see a senario where OSU doesn't get in the big dance. We have a pretty tough schedule as does pretty much everyone in the B1G but I could foresee another 3-5 loses and not only falling way out of the rankings but having 11-12-13 loses? The way we are playing this last 10 days we are not as big of a lock as once. I do predict that we get in with a 6-8 seed and end up having a tough first round match-up.We better finish strong.
we have some pretty bad hands too..can never secure tough passes/rebounds
we have some pretty bad hands too..can never secure tough passes/rebounds
Is it football season yet?
Sorry Urban, Woody is still my favorite
Time for someone to start kicking some tails at practice. I don't care if it comes from a player or the coaches but it's time to dial up the heat and demand some mental toughness or turn in those scarlet and gray jerseys.
Agree...but I don't think Matta is that kind of guy. Imagine if Matta had Meyer's personality, he'd have lit a fire under the players' butts a long time ago!
I'm getting sick and tired of watching Matta not make many ingame changes. I'm currently watching the Minnesota/Iowa game, Minny was up by 16, then Iowa's coach changes up the gameplan on defense and now Iowa is up by 11 within 10 minutes of game clock... Why is it impossible for us to do this, this year?
This team is painful to watch. And I keep hearing people say "At least they play great defense" when they really don't besides Craft
OSU is an incredibly easy team to beat
I think that's a bit overstated. We are easy for a top 20 team to beat at their place or for a #1 team to beat us at our place I guess... We are a top 20 team in a conference with 6 of them. I don't know if we are the 4th best or 6th best out of those 6 but this is how this conference was always going to go this season. We weren't going to go 13-5 no matter what happened. All I know is if we end up being a 5 or 6 seed we will be underseeded. Same with Minnesota. Whoever ended up losing the most out of the top half was going to be underseeded in March. But all 6 teams are good-to-great (Indiana might be great)
I knew it wouldn't be long until my frustration thread reappeared! I literally had to stop eating while I was watching the team today because it was so nauseating to watch.
Could be worse...
Our honor Defend!
I sleep or do something else during the games, dvr them and then check the score to even see if i want to watch.......and if they lose or get blown out i just delete the recording.....that is how disgusting this season has been
Bandwagon is leaving. Better go hop onboard.