Needed more of Jermaine Matthews. 

Needed to give a better rotation to the Dline. 

Everything else was decent, IMHO.

The drop snap did hurt a lot. I chalk that up to the crowd noise/away environment. He was not ready for the ball. Not an excuse. Just an observation.

It's weird to just get that sinking feeling and watch good teams milk the clock. No pash rush. No turnovers. No explosive defensive plays. No punts. 

To your point, maybe the cheating affected their mentality.

Maybe they feel hopeless or anxious or something themselves. Is there a lack of belief or confidence? 

The Silver Bullets used to strike fear into people. Demoralize them. I just don't feel that against good teams. 

Had Trey not reverted to 2022-2023 form and tried to bounce outside when he already had a clear shot at the first down, we're likely looking at a different result, too.

This team often seems snake bit at the worst times. They've got to get mentally tougher in those moments. 

Yeah, the cheating affects it. Good point.

It's just also a vibe, man. Like, I just don't feel confident in our d to do anything in the 4th Quarter to get a stop. I've never felt that way as an OSU fan in 25 years. 

Yeah, I feel that on offense against Oregon. All those creative run plays and different screens we were using this season, as well as better RPOs and what did we get?

+ Bubble screens (GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR)

+ DUO, Boundary stretch run plays

+ Lots of classic dropbacks (TBF, Howard did great at this). 

I think it would still be a big story. Anything more than one game suggests something troubling is occurring against top opponents in the 4th quarter. I think it was already big after the first two TCUN losses but blowing the lead against Georgia and not being able to stop Oregon at all make it a bigger deal.

A good perspective. Let’s hope they figure it out. 

I think not forcing a punt in the 4th quarter of talent equated games is a big story. A definite trend. It’s nice to hold a team to an FG, but it feels like doom in these games when the defense can’t get off the field and always surrenders points.

It’s so demoralizing. Just not OSU Silver Bullet football. Something has to change.

Care: In Big games, Jim Knowles defense hasn’t forced a 4th quarter punt. That’s horrific.

Care: our unwillingness to sub leads to fatigue. It’s also insane that Jermaine Matthews didn’t at least get a couple series. WTH are we doing with five stars all around when Denzel was getting torched?!? 

Care: OMG we lost Simmons for the seasons this is really gonna hurt. We have no tackle depth. As we all knew. 

Don’t Care: the loss sucks and we honestly should have won.  Unless we lose to another big 10 team, nothing has changed. We’re still at #4 in the polls.

Right? I mean did you ever think in your lifetime that an OSU defense couldn’t find a way to force a punt in the 4th Q?  It’s damning. And unsustainable.  
 

That is one of the reasons why I am frustrated with the lack of rotations. We are getting bullied at the end. Of course, there are more than a few that think Mick’s strength and conditioning is antiquated and leads to this.

Best Will Howard game yet. He’s the reason we were in this game. The fumble hurt a lot though. The crappy PI call wasn’t his fault.  I wish he would have got down earlier and it looks like on some screenshots he did but you can’t leave room for doubt.  Still, I feel even better about him as our QB.

I've felt the defensive backs and LBs were struggling in coverage and booooooooooyyyyyyyyyy I was right. Denzel was buuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrnnnnnnttttttttt. He personally gave up over 200 yards.  And they never switched it up.  

Weird game. Felt we were gonna win until that last sequence of OPI (not) 12 men on the field, etc. I thought we were gonna get a TD and then that weird 15 yard penatly. The time running off the clock. 4 second disappearing on Oregon's penalty.  

Nevetheless, Oregon shouldn't have been in the game at that point. Defense is a massive letdown. Chip Kelly and Ryan Day wasted two drives trying to throw screens.  We have the best WRs in the nation and the best RBs in the nation and THAT's what we did? Dumb.

Cocaine whites (circa 2014)

Chrome Helmet.

black face mask.

larger stripes on the helmet, sleeves, and pants.

—————

Sub-Zero:

our normal away uniform minus the gray pants… instead they’re white.

Yes, but JT Barrett was thrust into starting duty after Braxton’s injury and they were doing that triple option offense at Navy which no one ever sees. We played conservative and won 34-17.  Weird game. 

I was at the VT game and JT just had no idea where to go with the ball sometimes and the offense looked like it never saw a Bear front defense before. Totally screwed up our inside-zone.  Still we had at least one TD dropped. WRs just weren’t elite… yet.

The 2014 didn’t really start to gel until the MSU game when all of sudden, JT meshed with Devin Smith and Michael Thomas and this dudes couldn’t be defended.

I wonder how long it will take 105k fans is sustainable… anywhere… given technological advancements and other nuisances like parking and obstructed views.  
 

Aim for 85k with dramatically improved experiences inside and outside the stadium (like SJA) so more fans can choose to be a part of the total experience on campus even if we can’t buy $200 tickets for 4 people every home game.

For example, improve the viewing experience and concessions in SJA for fans.  Massive video boards.  Live music during commercials. Have a family pay $90 for 4 seats and we can watch the game with 10k plus fans. 
 

I’d like us to fix our terrible turf like, yesterday. I’m sure Gene picked an Ohio company for donor reasons but their product suuuuuuucks. We are Ohio State. Give us the best grass or fake grass.  Not this crap.

Id like to see if we could get a retractable or inflatable roof….only use when needed. It can still be cold and gray but being wet and stuck in an old stadium with bad bathrooms  isn't exciting. 

I still don't like giving massive cushion with our corners, how TEs seem to be open in the flats, and when our safeties at 20 yards off the ball.  BUT you can't argue with the overall results. They figure things out and lock teams down.

I just need to see how we defend a team that can run AND throw...and that has athletes. So, basically, Oregon or PSU. Then I'll believe we are championship caliber. 

TCUN's season is now down to the razor-thin opportunity to only have 2-losses and make the CFP. While I think some 2-loss teams will make it, I only think TCUN can make it by beating us and winning the B1G.  

If (when) they lose one more game, we'll start to see them "settle with the NCAA" or "resign themselves to their fate."  As of now, there is still a slim glimmer of hope - thanks to the REFS that robbed Minnesota and Lincoln Riley's coaching stupidity in not realizing that TCUN can't throw.

Not entirely.  

Will is more of a conductor whose job it is to make the right decision to keep the offense on schedule. More than a game manager, but similar. 

We have such amazing skill players, we don't need will to go play hero ball.  

He's doing his job very, very well. And it's allowing the stars to shine. As it should.

I've said for a while that Will Howard is a bigger, stronger, more accurate JTBIV. Having watched him play now for 5 games, I feel that checks out - including that once a game or so head-scratcher INT or decision. 

His accuracy on intermediate throws, crossers, screen passes, etc., are great. Better than McCord, better than Fields, and I think, more accurate than Haskins on certain intermediate throws (DH was a touch late on some of these, like in the PSU game 2018). I think CJ is the most accurate passer I've ever seen at OSU and perhaps will see. I'm just very impressed with his accuracy. 

His deep balls are always about a second too late and generally underthrown by a yard or two. Since he's throwing them to JJ, I'm not worried too much about that. I think Justin Fields is the best play-action deep-ball thrower I've seen at OSU, CJ is a close second.  If Howard can see these deep routes developing a little sooner and trust his WRs, he'll start getting the ball out faster and farther. 

Importantly, Howard runs the read-option game like JTBIV, nearly always making the right decision. And like JT, he is a willing runner who has some deceptive speed.  

CARE: we ran for over 200 yards against a stout run defense, and it looked easy for much of the game. I love the diversity and the power of this run game. Thank you Chip Kelly.

DON’T CARE: Iowas final rushing stats…we shut down a stout running game save for 1 play and then the backups letting them score.

CARE: I’m not yet as optimistic about our pass coverage as you are.  I feel like we are wasting the talents of these DBs having them play 10-20 yards off the ball. And I’m still not sure we have a good plan to cover short yardage passes to the flats. 

Frank was a TE. But I thought about him too. Since Paul went on to play WR for the Browns I picked him.  
slim pickings for sure.

They called Woody’s offense 3 yards and a cloud of dust for a reason!

My All-Time Wolverine Killer List (cannot have lost to TCUN to be on this list): 

QB: Troy Smith

RB: Zeke Elliott 

WR1: Teddy Ginn

WR2: Michael Thomas

WR3: Devin Smith

TE: Jeff Huermann