First, I think it's rather accepted at this point that Ohio State will hire a new coach next year. Urban Meyer is the #1 candidate - in the minds of pundits and fans, but who else out there is a possibility? He may take the Penn State job or possibly stay with ESPN. Even then, who knows if he has the health to be a head coach again. I like Dantonio, but I don't know that he will ever get a team over the top. Don't even get me started on Beckman and his non-existent defense. Bo Pelini is a nut-job who shouldn't represent any universtiy, especially one as visible as OSU. So, who else is out there?
Second, regardless of the HC job next year, what happens with the offense? Where will they look for an offensive system? It seems most of the best offensive systems have been proven to either not work in the B1G or are already at BCS schools. I like what Boise State does, but their OC already left for Texas this season. Do we really want anything related to the air-rade from the Mike Leach tree? I certainly don't want anything Oregon has to offer. Which direction should OSU go on the offensive side of the ball, regardless of who's in the HC spot?
Why anyone would be opposed to Oregon's offense is beyond me. Why wouldn't you want a scheme that makes it as easy as possible to drop 50 points a game.
And leave your defense gassed so they give up close to 50 as well? How have they done against the elite teams? Ohio State? Boise State? The SEC?
Because we couldn't go for three.
We leave our defense gassed anyway..after 3 and out after 3 and out after 3 and out...
Run_Fido's favorite word is strawman.
I've said it before- Josh McDaniel as co-Offensive Coordinator and QB Coach. plus LeCharles Bentley as O-line coach, co OC. Let the two of them game plan off each other. I like Luke Fickell as head coach, even though it's painful to watch the on-the-job learning.
Jim Heacock needs to be allowed to keep his job. He doesn't have the star talent/experience this year, the defense is truly rebuilding for the first time since 2003 or 4.
Josh McDaniels? The same man who drafted Tebow in the first round for Denver?
No thanks.
Also, how many of Belichick's former assistants have panned out?
I'm not sure that I buy that certain systems won't work in the B1G. I just think that teams who have used the systems haven't really had the talen that OSU can put on the field, and that the teams that typically use "gimmick" offenses don't have any talent on D. I believe Rich Rod would've had success last season at Michigan if they had any competence on defense at all.
Let's face it, Tressel's offensive system wasn't exactly successful. The team made a BCS bowl with a kicker supplying most of their offense for goodness sake. Won a championship with a pretty anemic offense as well. So, I'm not sure that Ohio State's offense was neccessarily always very successful in the B1G either.
To your first question, I think Meyer is the #1 target and IF he decides to come back and coach it will be at Ohio State. His father just passed away so that could throw a wrench in things, but I have a feeling Urban will be the coach here come December. As for second options, I think they look to Bo Pelini next, who I also feel would take the job if offered. After that I think it's a crap shoot and I'm not really sure who would get the gig.
I think OSU wants to run a Pro-Spread offense if possible. This is basically the offense they ran with Troy Smith, where everything is still based off OSU's bread and butter, the running game, but allows for the QB to make plays with his legs as well. I think the 2006 offense is what would be best for the Buckeyes moving forward and I think if Meyer gets the job, you would see something similar, maybe a bit more shot gun.
I got excited the first game when Meyer was talking about Braxton. You could hear in his voice that this is a QB Urban would love to coach. If he took over the keys to this program, with the pieces in place, this team will be very good, and it may not take too long. Not to mention, he'd secure this recruiting class, and get a great jump on 2013.
Idealy, I'd like to see Meyer take over and retain the defensive staff with Fickel as the co-DC. With Meyer in the fold, there's no need to recruit big-time OC as Meyer can leave the defensive staff alone. Also, retain Dick Tressel on special teams as they have been the only consistently good part of this team (aside from that one missed extra point).
I may stop watching the Buckeyes if Bo Pelini gets the job. He has been a hair above mediocre at Nebraska. I live in B12 country and can't say that the Nebraska program is on the brink of returning to their glory years. His temper is a real turnoff. I can't see OSU putting up with that image on the sideline. His hire reminds me of the potential Glenn Mason hire in 2001. Never going to happen.
Because we couldn't go for three.
Oregon's problem against elite teams has been their offensive line--not their defense. Getting dominated on the line of scrimmage cost them their last game against Boise State, us, Auburn, and LSU. Ohio State can recruit much better athletes than Oregon and can put the kind of lines than Florida had with Tebow on the field.
The notion that the defense will be gassed because the offense scores so fast in insane, and at the very least it is ballanced by how gassed opposing defenses get by using the no huddle to minimize substitutions.
Fair enough, but who would OSU hire other than Chip Kelly to run the offense? Do they go after one of his assistants? I suspect the reason that offense works so well is because Chip Kelly is the coach.
Because we couldn't go for three.
OK, I was in a Debbie Downer mood on Saturday when I posted. I'm not now.
So when I say this I'm not trying to be a Cassandra -- I think the NCAA wants to make an example of us. We're going to get hit with a bowl ban of at least 2 years and between 15-17 scholarship reductions. I don't have anything to back it up other than the public outcry that happens everytime something gets revealed about us and pretty much is non-existent for every other school (especially Miami). And this WILL cause Gee to pull the trigger on Gene Smith. (Haven't got a clue as to who would replace him though.)
Also think that's going to turn off Meyer and pretty much every other "big" name HC candidate. I really think we're going to end up with a "Jerry Kill"-type coach. Someone who has a proven track record but hasn't been overly exposed.
If that happens, I think we'll be OK. Because it's obviously going to take him a couple of years to absorb the impact of the sanctions. It also will be good because, I fear that the talent on this team has taken a big dip. It will take the replacement a while to fill in the roster IMO.
Defensively - have you ever seen an tOSU LB crew that is as bad as Sabino & Sweat? And our secondary: Howard, Barnett, Brown, Bryant, & Roby -- sometimes it looks like they're improving. Then it looks like they're not. And yes, I know that they are young. (Howard's a RS JR, BTW.)
Offensively - the guys on the OL that have had to fill in for Adams, Brewster, and Shugarts have not looked very good this season. So what happens when those guys graduate? I see the run game being moot next year (as well as Miller running for his life on what seems like every single play). As far as the WR corps - Williams, Smith, & Brown have had the occasional great play but are nowehere near consistent. Maybe Drayton is not a good WR coach because all of them have not shown that much improvement as the season has progressed.
Or maybe Bollman's playcalling has retarded everyone's development. You wouldn't have a hard time of convincing me of this.
Just my 2 cents.
#fistpumpgobuckeyes
I agree pretty much with everything..except I'd remove the comment about Sweat and add in Klein. Sweat hasn't been Hawk or Lil Animal but he's been good for the most part. I'd move Sweat to Mike and keep Shazier at Will. Sabino is just terrible. Talk about overrated recruits.
Run_Fido's favorite word is strawman.
Yep, you're right BJ. I was thinking Klein and typed Sweat. Good catch.
#fistpumpgobuckeyes
I figured that's what you meant but I thought I'd chime in lol.
Run_Fido's favorite word is strawman.
The "other" OSU (Oklahoma State) is in the "air-raid Mike Leach tree" through former OC and current WVU head coach Dana Holgorsen. I'm sorry but I really like what Ok. St. and WVU do. If we got someone from that tree I could see them tweaking the system to include more of a rushing attack with both the QB and RB positions contributing. I would welcome this.
I am also on board the Chris Peterson bandwagon. Seriously, they probably aren't a top 5 team, but he gets good players to come to Boise freaking Idaho.
I like the Oregon style of offense. If our defense is going to be gassed, I'd rather them be gassed with a large margin of error from rapidfire touchdowns by our offense, as opposed to being gassed from 3 and outs. Offensive football is so advanced today that you can't expect to win all the time without scoring a lot of points. Our Buckeyes have defied that logic more than probably any other program over the past decade, but it still has cost us in many games. We don't have to drop 50 per game like Oregon does, but upper 20s/low 30s on average would work wonders for OSU.
Even as good as OSU has been defensively over the last several years, we haven't always been able to rely on them to hold an opponent down and win a game where we score less than 25 points. When's the last time you've seen us lose a 52-45 type of game? In fact, I got a nice factoid for everyone. Out of 26 total losses our Buckeyes have suffered since the start of the 2001 season, only in 4 of those losses did OSU score more than 25 points - 28 once, 27 three times. We've allowed more than 30 points in less than half of those losses.
So in conclusion, as well as we play defense, I'd welcome an offensive system that can score us a lot of points. Oregon's style or our 2006 offense pro-spread. I wouldn't want an air-raid type offense, though - you have to be two dimensional, because you'll run into a game or two where one dimension isn't going to work.
Class of 2010.
If they are going to make a change, Meyer better already be waiting in the next room to be announced when they do it. I am not saying that is best. I am saying that there is a lack of candidates that look good in comparison to the status quo. There is no sense coming up with a dream staff. It does not work that way.
As for Oregon, that fancy little offense never looks so good against real defense. The PAC? is a farce when it comes to D.
JLP36
I like Gruden if we can't get Urban to be HC. If I have to watch another season of moronic play calling I am going to rip out what little is left of my hair. It's really pathetic that their idea of being creative this year is running the f#cking wildcat. The wildcat!
A fool and his money are soon parted.I would pay anyone a lot of money to explain that to me. -Homer Simpson
I first off have no interest in getting rid of Fickell and even less in hiring Meyer.
But IF we HAVE to?
Why has Josh McDaniel's name not been mentioned?
Gruden would obviously be a great get.
Or hey if you could pry Jim Grobe from Wake, that man is a wizard.
Butch Jones?
Am I crazy or does Gruden have a brother named Jay of Arena League fame who is now the OC for the surprisingly good on offense Bengals???
If we can keep Fickell, why not hire a guy as OC like Matt Canada, the guy who made Indiana more than competent on offense? The guy has been in the Big 10 and has worked a lot with the pistol, or Mike Bajakian from Cincinnati? Or Scott Satterfield, who brought the spread to Appalachian State and beat _ichigan? Blake Anderson from Southern Miss? How about Chad O'Shea, the WR coach from the Patriots? Is there anyone from the Canadian League who is doing anything awesome offensively?
There are competent people out there, this is a super young defense and perhaps the best defensive staff in the country. Why is everybody so set on cleaning house? The offensive staff needs a shake up, sure, but jesus man these guys have presided over 10 real good years for us.
Andrew