All the talk about OSU's ground game made me think about our lack of big-chunk running plays.

The problem isn't that we're getting blown up in the backfield (we're tied for 4th in the nation for fewest TFLs allowed).

But in six Big Ten games so far, we've run the ball 204 times, and only two (2) of those plays went longer than 17 yards. I checked some of the other Big Ten schools - Oregon has 16 run plays of 20+ yards vs. Big Ten teams. Indiana has 12. USC has 8. We have 2 (both of which came in the fourth quarter of games that were basically over already).

I don't know whether the right answer is the pessimistic "our OL and RB have stunk" ... or the optimistic "our play-calling is purposely conservative and every team has two deep safeties back there which prevents the breakaways."

I looked up last year - we had 6 runs of 20+ yards in 9 Big Ten games (not good, but better than this year) ...... then we broke out with 6 more in the 4 playoff games. Like everybody else, I'm hoping for continued improvement. I think a couple of long runs (like the one called back Saturday) could make a big difference.