From: doel@bae.bellcore.com (Michael Doel)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college
Subject: Ohio State game thoughts
Date: 12 Oct 92 16:44:19 GMT
Distribution: rec
Organization: Bell Communications Research


Well, the Buckeyes managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory on
Saturday against the Illini.  This was truly a heartbreaking loss since it
seemed that the Buckeyes outplayed Illinois for most of the game.  Two
fumbles by Eddie George on the goalline resulted in a 21 point swing which
proved too much to overcome.

Some impressions:

1. Although we lost, I was much happier with the effort I saw this weekend.
My take on the Wisconsin game was that we lost simply because we weren't up
for the game.  This weekend, we lost because of a few bad breaks.  It's
frustrating, but I can't really blame the players or the coaching staff on
this one.

2. The boo-birds were out at the end of the game again.  Despite the second
loss in a row, this was uncalled for IMO.  Ohio State fans do have a right
to expect nothing short of excellence out of their team.  But there's a
difference in my mind between booing a team for uninspired play and booing
because of a loss.  I don't think anyone can fault the effort or heart of
the team on Saturday.  The crowd's (unfortunately predictable) response can
only hurt this team even more.

3. I'm a little confused about Ohio State's goalline strategies.  Why is it
that we only see Eddie George around the goalline?  If the coaches believe
this guy is the best we have for getting it in the endzone, why doesn't he
see more time out in the middle of the field?  Why doesn't Robert Smith or
Raymont Harris get more chances around the goalline?  It's starting to get
predictable that Eddie George will be carrying the ball near the endzone.
In addition to working out the mental breakdowns around the goalline, I
think OSU needs to rethink their strategy a little and add a little variety.

4. I'm impressed with Herbstreit more and more every week.  I didn't hold
out much hope going into this year, but he's played wonderfully.  That run
at the end of the game for the first down was nothing short of spectacular.
He's got more heart than anyone else on the entire team and probably more
than any Buckeye since Spielman.

5. Why did the team give up at the end?  I'm not saying that there was a
great chance for a victory, but it was at least plausible that we could
force a punt before the clock ran out.  After the field goal miss though,
the defense came out and played soft allowing Illinois to get a
game-clinching first down with two running plays.  Ohio State played
too conservatively at that point.

6. What does Cooper have to do to keep his job?  I know this loss wasn't
really his fault, but there will be growing pressure to oust him.  He's now
0-5 against Illinois and will probably be 0-5 (as a Buckeye) against
Michigan at the end of the season.  I think he's got to either beat Michigan
or win a bowl game to stave off the wolves.  He'll be in real trouble if we
lose to Iowa, Michigan, and a bowl game (a real possibility).  If so, start
getting those short lists ready.  I'll go first and suggest Glen Mason.  He
was one of the leading contenders when Cooper was hired.  Since then, Mason
has turned Kansas around while Cooper has struggled at Ohio State.

7. The ESPN announcers goofed at the end of the game.  They said that this
was the first time in like 50 years that OSU has lost to the same team at
home three times in a row.  Actually, we lost our third in a row at home to
Michigan two years ago when Greg Frey got stuffed on the option.  Here's
hoping we don't make it four.

8. What's the status on Tim Walton?  He looked pretty out of it when they
carted him back to the locker room.  In my mind, he one of the best hitters
on the defense and losing him too would not be good.


--
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Mike Doel				<doel@bae.bellcore.com>
444 Hoes Lane RRC 1B-209
Piscataway, NJ 08854

"For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat
 and wrong." - H.L. Mencken
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Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college