So it was funny a few days ago where we saw a post about what would you rather have happen, winning an NC, beating TTUN, or doing both.
The answers were interesting. A lot of the NC choices were no doubt from the fans that were not old enough or alive during Cooper’s time as coach.
Well, now you know, this is how it felt. We named our Thanksgiving turkey after the coach that lost to TTUN because it was tradition. Many a turkey named Bruce and Cooper.
There are a ton of parallels here to Cooper era; great recruiting and individual playmakers, not Ohio born and bred, teams that soared earlier in year and then crashed back down, flashing greatness but like clockwork late season inexplicable bouts of lack of execution at critical moments.
Right now there is no way around it…they have Day’s number. Two losses won’t lose the job and his contract is through 2028…but a third consecutive loss and it’s all but guaranteed that he will be looking at a hot seat and likely buy out. The money and boosters will come down on Gene like an anvil. No more Cooper 2-10-1, that doesn’t happen in this day and age.
As much as it pains us, we have to look at what they are doing right and what went wrong and has been going wrong.
We can laugh about Hairball all we want, he’s a weirdo, etc. He takes the lower rated players and he fits them into the system. He gets the most out of them. He’s been doing that since he was coaching at San Diego. Right now, his teams not only believe they can beat us, they go out there and dig in and execute. No flash, no gaudy stats outside of Corum’s, just do what is asked and believe. He will start getting higher rated players, but by no means will he give a damn bout the ‘recruiting’ rankings. Right now there is really nothing TTUN needs to change, they are happy to win how they are, damn the ‘eye test’ and post season awards. It’s a very large problem and this rivalry is now back in full 10 year war mode. And if you’re still in the ‘NC means everything’ camp…I don’t know what to do for you.
This is a program level issue now. It wasn’t but I don’t know how anyone can say it’s a team/year by year thing.
QB/Stroud - his post game comments kind of tell the tale. He will be in the record books, but he will also join Steve Bellisari as an OSU QB with an 0-2 record against TTUN. Looking back, I can totally see how Fields bailed out the head scratching play calling in season 2, save for the Clemson reckoning. Whether it was his decision or Day not unleashing him to use his feet, it was a problem and guarantee you it will be an issue that NFL teams will raise in interviews. His likely destination in the NFL will be to a team that is picking high and most likely have an O line that is not stellar, it won’t be a choice not to run. McCord era begins…
O line. Let’s face it Stud had some big misses and the few he landed were not developed. There are some good ones, NPF & Paris, but largely not good enough as a unit. It’s still a big problem and Frye has to get this in a better spot next season. It’s not getting fixed, but progress must be made and not just for the run blocking. The cupboard needs to be refilled and developed. If he truly has some say so with the run game scheming, it’s time to dump the stretch crap and go with what you have on the roster. TTUN has it going, we need to close that gap ASAP.
RBs - Tre and Williams should return next season, the injury issues almost dictate that they come back and prove they can hold up for a 12 game season, the NFL is an absolute meat grinder for RBs, ask Zeke. Evan coming back will be huge, I’m sure there were probably a lot of plays on tap to take advantage of his catching. And while we’re at it, let’s see a few more RB screens next season, especially if the blocking isn’t strengthened, that was MIA this year and a damn shame. Dallan had a good season, he will get some carries and has earned that, too bad he got little to no time today, another head scratcher.
TE - this is an issue next season. Cade flashed, but he is gone. Portal? No Ruckert, and after Gee Scott’s absolute let down today, who is stepping up? If Thurman sticks, can we play a true freshman at that spot? When was the last time that happened?
WRs - Be honest how many of us had a ‘oh crap’ moment for this year as soon as JSN was hurt. Well, this is where we likely had the first major fork in the road for the season. Who knows how the season and this game would have turned out. Yes MHJ had an amazing season and is absolutely a top 3 WR and 1st round shoe in, but he can’t do it alone. Egbuka flashed and was a solid WR2. Fleming had a great start and then a mid season slump, he has a chance to get better in offseason and needs to join Marvin at the JUGS machine. Hartline bringing in another amazing group and the youngsters on roster have a chance to separate themselves, hopefully emerging as a deep threat. JSN…we’ll always have the rose bowl, but man…would be nice for you to come back and put a season on the books. Will the NFL GMs care about the injury concerns, absolutely, but will he wow at pro day, yep. We hardly knew ye.
Play calling/General offense - wow. Before this season, Day and Wilson were lauded as a brain trust. Now….eh. Great spurts of calls and then absolute wtf spurts in games and moments this season. Now of course it also comes down to execution, but for the love of all that is holy, nuke that stupid WR screen and flat passing garbage. Unless David Boston suits up next season to block for these, burn those plays and never call them again. The stretch run needs to be tossed as well. Pay someone to come in and get the run game fixed, don’t let your ego get in the way, it needs a complete retooling/overhaul. This doesn’t get fixed with current staff, GET IT DONE. Also let Hartline do more of the passing game planning, if anyone knows what his room can do and excel at, it’s him.
On to Knowles and the D. Ok, today was crapola, no way around it. When we blitzed we didn’t get there. Was JJ sacked at all? Once again the soft 7-10 coverage reared its ugly head.
D line - Yes the TTUN did a complete Wisky today holding every single series, but you have to expect that and mix up what you throw at them on the line and that did not happen. We were setup to stop the run and for the most of the game save for 4th quarter (when the bottom dropped out), that was the game plan. On passing downs Harrison put in some good work as did JTT. The interior did not have a good day. Mike Hall and Tyleik come back and should be even better next season. I was so upset that I didn’t pay attention to rotations from Larry, did that happen again?
LB - first of all, amazing season for Tommy and Steele. If they both come back we are truly blessed, and it will absolutely be an area of strength next season. Not a lot to say other than, the bright spot on a dark day. If they both come back we’re set, if not, it gets really interesting and will be a very young unit. Does Chip move back? Very likely if Tommy and Steele move on.
CB - wow. Yes Kerry doomed us here, multiple misses and no development just crushed this unit. Sophomore slump 100%. Walton definitely on warm seat, but willing to give it another season as the unit had injury issues and needs incoming players in a bad way to begin rebuild. It’s funny now, but portal transfers scares from earlier this season seem ridiculous given how bad this was this season. DBU/BIA needs a transfusion ASAP. This group made JJ look like late era John Elway today, it’s still just head shaking how bad the D backfield looked today. Again, pay some outside talent to come in and rework this in the offseason.
S - if this is a safety driven D, then we need to land all the players we can in this cycle and the next. Outside of Ronnie and Lathan, this unit was decent this season, but needs to be much better next year. Again, willing to give Perry more time and bring in new players to get this right. Ronnie and Lathan were excellent this season. But not good enough today. Tanner is one and done, glad he was able to finish out as a Buckeye and he had some moments this season. No other way to say it Cam did not have a good day and not sure if injuries played a part but yikes. Was there a rotation again, I was not focusing on that, but it seems like there was.
General Defense - well, statistically this was a much better D this season. Yes today was a risky and well burnt mess and was well over the 5 broken plays that was ‘noted’ with its style and execution. There were improvements most notably in middle and overall run D. But the pass D against teams that could throw and today against JJ and Hairball abusing the overcommitted run looks is looking very poor. A far cry from BIA/DBU just a few seasons ago.
Why am I talking in terms of ‘season’ review? Well let’s be honest, with a USC win tonight and likely win against Utah/Washington next week, this team’s season is over. Regardless of destination and bowl game, there will be opt outs galore and at this point why would JSN play? Yep all you “NCs are the only thing that matters folks”; THE GAME is ALWAYS the most important game of the season and like the Cooper era, you’re about to be immersed in it. Yet again another 364 days of disappointment and those aholes up north gloating and rubbing it in our faces. Like it did decades ago, it will ‘get to you’ and hopefully you’ll come around and realize that it always matters, every single time.
As for postseason, TTUN will probably smoke Purdon’t and a TCU team that doesn’t have enough firepower on offense. But for the second year in a row, they will get flattened by the Dawgs this time in SoCal.
Go Bucks!
