I’m sure everybody is tired of hearing me talk about the fundamentals, ball control and turnovers since the Buckeyes obviously haven’t heeded those words from the coaching staff, so I thought I would relate the opinions of my old friend and teammate, Doug Smith (AKA: Mo Mo) whom I had the chance to talk to the other day.
Mo Mo was a highly recruited DB out of Atlanta, Georgia in the early 1980’s.An incredible athlete, Doug was moved over to WR to stabilize that position and had some great moments as a Buckeye.Doug’s first memory as we talked was in 1983 he and I had a chance to mop up against a Sam Wyche coached Indiana team late in the fourth quarter.Our job was to basically get first downs and run the clock and get some of the younger players some experience in game situations.Near the end of the fourth qtr with a 50 something lead, Coach Bruce calls a pass play where Mo Mo’s pattern is to run off the safety for an underneath route but as we came to the line of scrimmage the IU defense checks to man to man coverage.I see the check and look out to Mo Mo and all I can see is a huge smile on his face and his eyes lit up because he knew against “man”, he was the first look.He broke from the line of scrimmage and immediate beat the CB.I put the ball up and he caught it for a 60 something TD.Doug remembered that after the game, Coach Wyche was so teed off, he charged across the field to give Earle a piece of his mind and maybe some other business.It really wasn’t our fault, we were just doing what we were taught and unfortunately his guy was never going to stay with Mo Mo.By the way, the reason for Doug’s nickname (so he says) is when he used to get in games in high school and do something great all the girls would scream, “Mo Mo”.
Anyway, I digress.Doug really called because in watching the Penn St. game down in Georgia with a handful of Buckeye Legends, he was very curious as to why the Buckeye offense doesn’t look to the TE in the passing game.He said the several times he noticed the TE running wide open in the middle of the field but the QB would look to the outside and never get back to the middle.I really have no answer for him because in our day, the TE (John Frank, Ed Taggart) were an important part of the passing game and opened up the WRs for inside patterns.Doug also mentioned the predictability of the play calling.He said that he and the other Legends could tell from the formation (from Georgia) what the play was going to be, especially pass or run.Obviously, Mo Mo would love to see the WRs get more into offense and run routes that give them an opportunity to use the speed and skill to run away from the DBs across the field to put the defensive backs on the defense and get the LBs off the line of scrimmage and start to worry about the middle of the field behind them.He said that the LBs can wait longer at the line because the rarely have to get deep in pass protection until third down.
Now Mo Mo is a Coach Tressel fan (Tress coached QBs and WR when at OSU) but he is wondering why, with so many weapons and modern offensive schemes, the Bucks are so predictable.I didn’t have any answers for Mo Mo (only my own opinions) and couldn’t argue with any of his comments.
It was great to talk to Doug and hear about how some of the other guys are doing.I urged him and any other former Buckeye Footballer to send in their comments to BuckeyeLegends.com so the rest of us don’t think we are completely crazy.
I can say with 100% reliability the Buckeyes can’t lose this week. Ha
Former Buckeyes are found throughout the NFL……Here are some stats for the eighth week of NFL action by our beloved Buckeyes. This information came from a variety of sources, including OhioStateBuckeyes.com and The Columbus Dispatch. My apologies if any information is inadvertently forgotten.
Baltmore Ravens - 29 , vs. Oakland Raiders - 10
Smith, Troy (QB): Substitute QB- Passing 1 for 1, 43 Yds.; Rushing 3 for 13 Yds.
Buffalo Bills - 16, at Miami Dolphins - 25
Whitner, Donte (S): 2 Tkl.
Youboty, Ashton (CB): Not Active
Denver Broncos - , Bye -
Peterson, Kenny (DE):
Indianapolis Colts - 21, at Tennessee Titans - 31
Gonzales, Anthony (WR): Substitute Wide Receiver- 4 Rec., 27 Yds.
Hall, Roy (WR):
Miami Dolphins - 25, vs. Buffalo Bills - 16
Ginn, Jr., Ted (WR): 7 Rec., 175 Yds.
New England Patriots - 23, vs. St. Louis Rams - 16
Vrabel, Mike (LB): 1 Tkl., 3 Ast.
New York Jets - 28, vs. Kansas City Chiefs - 24
Golston, Vernon (DE): Substitute Linebacker
Mangold, Nick (C): Starting Center
Nugent, Mike (PK): Not Active
Pittsburgh Steelers - 14, vs. New York Giants - 21
Holmes, Santonio (WR): Not Active
San Diego Chargers - 32, at New Orleans Saints - 37
Wilhelm, Matt (LB): Substitute Linebacker
Tennessee Titans - 31, vs. Indianapolis Colts - 21
Nickey, Donnie (DB): Substitute Safety- Special Teams: 1 Ast.
Atlanta Falcons - 14, at Philadelphia Eagles - 27
Fraser, Simon (DE): Not Active
Hartsock, Ben (TE): Starting Tight End
Jenkins, Michael (WR): 3 Rec., 50 Yds.
Stepanovich, Alex (C): Not Active
This was sent to me from the National Kidney Foundation and I thought it was worthy to pass on:
Hey, Buckeyes! Let’s get ready for the “big game” and beat Michigan in 2 ways! Show your support for Ohio State and help save lives at the same time.
In 2006, The University of Michigan initiated a community–based, life-saving competition between the Buckeyes and Wolverines to register the most organ and tissue donors before the big game. Proving once again that The Ohio State University has the best fans in the land — the Buckeyes have taken home the trophy for the two years in a row!
You can help Ohio State beat Michigan again this year by simply registering or confirming your decision to be an organ and tissue donor at www.buckeyesforlife.com! Nearly 100,000 Americans are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant and one donor has the potential to save eight lives through organ donation and enhance the lives of 50 others through tissue donation.
You can help Ohio State beat Michigan by:
Registering or confirming* your decision to be an organ and tissue donor by filling out the commitment form at www.buckeyesforlife.com by noon on November 21st. *Even if you are already a donor on your license, you can still participateForwarding this email to all of your friends, family, and fellow Buckeye fans to encourage them to register as an organ and tissue donor!
Show your Buckeye Spirit! Become a Buckeye for Life! Do It Now!
The Buckeyes’ 13-6 loss to Penn State Saturday could generate a second-guesser’s smorgasbord of ammunition.
Let’s start with the general question: How can Team A that returned 20 starters and whipped Team B 37-17 ON THE ROAD a year ago lose at home, managing only two field goals, to that same Team B, which had returned 16 starters, a year later?
Seriously, that baffles me.
Were defensive end Vernon Gholston and offensive tackle Kirk Barton THAT valuable?
Or is it the change at quarterback, replacing senior Todd Boeckman, who by the way lit up said Team B with 253 passing yards and three touchdowns a year ago, with a true freshman the difference?
If so, then an adjustment needed to be made Saturday night, with the freshman quarterback, Terrelle Pryor, being benched as the offense struggled. The game dictated that Boeckman should have played as play progressed.
Now, the specific questions concerning the offensive debacle:
In noting that Chris “Beanie” Wells carried 22 times for 55 yards. Something is seriously wrong with those numbers. In fact, they should not occur. If Wells has nowhere to run over the first 10 or 12 or even 15 carries, it eventually becomes obvious that the defense is geared to take him away. DO SOMETHING ELSE. It should never get to the point that he receives 22 carries (out of 61 total plays), when he is averaging 2.5 yards per carry. Did anyone notice Penn State’s so-called “box?” It was filled with seven to eight white jerseys throughout the game.
As the game progressed, and the offense generated a yard here and two yards there, I pictured … a reverse? A screen on those obvious blitzing downs (and Penn State blitzed often)? A tight end delay? Boeckman in the game with Pryor, executing a double-pass? The playbook is unlimited, if you have watched enough college football and have witnessed what the Steve Spurriers and Mike Leaches have done. Heck, even Jim Tressel has used them all before, but he obviously didn’t have them on his playsheet Saturday. The fact remains that the Nittany Lions needed to be loosened up, because they all had eyes on No. 28. The bottom line is that on Saturday night, the Ohio State offense was as vanilla as a banana split.
I hate the fact that Pryor’s fumble received so much attention. If the offense had executed and Tressel called the game he should have been calling, there wouldn’t be so little margin-of-error that one fumble would lead to a loss. I mean, even Michigan scored 17 points against that defense. That said, Pryor under-threw two deep passes just before halftime that would have resulted in touchdowns if he had hit either receiver in stride.
What can I say about Ohio State’s offensive line? It is offensive, alright. It is collectively overweight and under-achieving. Slow and ineffective define it best.
I have attended two Buckeye games this season (USC and Penn State) and haven’t seen a touchdown in person yet.
But this will make you feel better — I am selling my Michigan tickets.
In 2006, I was a senior Defensive Lineman (#98) for the Ohio State Buckeyes. In the midst of our undefeated year, several of my teammates and I decided to hold a large event in St. John Arena to show all the fans how much we appreciated them by sharing our personal life stories. Members of the band, cheerleaders, and Jim Tressel joined us for our display of gratitude. We had no idea how many people would come to “The Main Event,” but when all was said and done, more than 13,000 fans packed out St. John Arena. Everyone had a great time and we left with the feeling that we had truly given back to the fans that had given us so much.This year, the team approached me about helping them organize “The Main Event 2008.” We quickly reserved St. John for Monday, Oct. 27th at 7pm, and for months things have been falling into place for another great event. However, after Saturday’s crushing loss to USC, some may feel that this year isn’t the best time to hold another Main Event. We have heard that maybe fans won’t be interested in attending a event because the team isn’t undefeated. As a current fan, I feel the need to speak up. Now is the time when we most need something like “The Main Event.” The country is looking at us to see how we will respond. Will OSU fans finally shut up about the Buckeyes, or will we cheer even louder? It is when we are cut that we find out if we truly bleed scarlet and gray. With that in mind, we are moving forward with our plans for “The Main Event 2008.” On Oct. 27th at 7pm in St. John Arena, members of the team, band, cheerleaders, and Jim Tressel will again show the fans how much they appreciate us. As fans, lets overflow the arena on Oct. 27th to show our Buckeyes how much we appreciate them.
Please forward this on to everyone you know who bleeds scarlet and gray.
God Bless,
Joel Penton
Steve Brown – Men’s Lacrosse 1982-1986
We have added another girl to the Brown family.
Jessica Anne Brown was born Tuesday, Oct 21 at 7:44 AM . She came in at 8lbs 5oz and 21 inches.
Katy and Jessica are doing great and will be home no later than Saturday. Two year old Emily seems to be warming up to the fact she is a big sister. We will see what happens when the “competition” actually invades her home!
As for me, I am well despite now being outnumbered 3 to 1 !!
Brent Long - Football Manager 1987-1988
Greetings all! We want to thank you all for your continued prayers and encouragement as we come closer to our scheduled departure date for the Amazon. Aaron and I got our shots today - I sure do hope we don’t damage any wildlife while we’re there!
Only 10 days remain to buy raffle tickets - the funds will all be used for the trip and you just may win the OSU vs. Michigan tickets, and a chance at OSU Bowl Tickets. Thanks to all that have contributed through this means.
Our prayer has been that God would be glorified through us and all those involved in helping make this trip happen. Thanks to those from the Xingu Mission, and from Thirst Relief International. These folks have been a pleasure to work with, and we are all excited to see what God is going to do once we get down there. Learn more…
We are praying that our VISA’s show up any day. We are also requesting prayer for family members at home while we are gone. We are praying about all the details of the trip - our packing list looks a little intimidating! We are praying our flight itinerary doesn’t change again - twice thus far - as we have a small window of flexibility catching a plane and a boat once we get to Brazil.
Almost all of our needed funds have been provided. As of today, we are roughly $800 away from the total need. Any contributions outside of the raffle can be made directly to the Xingu Mission (tax deductible contributions) and mailed to Patty Fultz, 44 Morning Street, Sunbury, Ohio 43074. (Just mark Aaron & Brent Long on the memo line.) The raffle drawing outlined on our website will take place on October 31.
Here’s the report card for the 2008 OSU - Penn State game:
The Opponent - B. Contrary to what we’re hearing from the national sports media, Penn State does not belong with college football’s elite this year. I’m sure most of the hype is due to the hope among some of the media that the season will deliver a storybook ending to Coach Paterno’s long and impressive career. But while they play solid, mistake-free football, Penn State doesn’t have the weapons or offensive strategy to generate the points they’ll need against the best SEC and Big 12 schools. I know, I know. Prior to the Ohio State game, they were lighting up scoreboards all the way from the sandy beaches of Coastal Carolina to the cheese farms of Wisconsin. Then they played against a credible defense and managed all of 13 points. As in two field goals and a short-field touchdown. And this wasn’t even a great Ohio State squad. Does anyone really believe that Clark, Royster & Co. could hang with Texas, USC or Florida? If they play in the National Championship game, will the result really be any different from that of Ohio State’s last few encounters on center stage? Although I’d like to believe otherwise, we have to be honest and admit that, with Penn State as the conference’s representative, the Big Ten probably won’t have the firepower to compete in January this year.
The Defense - B+. With outstanding efforts in back-to-back games, it’s safe to say now that the defense has, in fact, turned the corner. The unit played its best game of the year against a competent Penn State offense. The defensive line, in particular, delivered a superior performance, with Thaddeus Gibson and Cameron Heyward leading the way. I’m sure the complex twists and stunts helped, but the real difference was attitude. This was an Ohio State defense that at long last showed confidence in its ability and determination in its execution. I don’t know why it took so long. Coach Heacock called a great game as well, finally applying pressure with several effective blitz packages. The secondary mostly limited Penn State’s big play receivers, but made mistakes at critical times that gave the Nits opportunities to breathe. We’ve had entirely too many pass interference calls this year. It’s true that Penn State ran through Ohio State’s defense in the 4th quarter when it mattered most. But the effort would’ve been enough if the Buckeye offense had been able to contribute more than six meager points.
The Offense - D. Six points off of two field goals. With arguably the best running back in the game, veteran receivers and the number one recruit in the nation, that’s all the scoring the Buckeye offense could generate. What’s going on? As I’ve said on several occasions, it all starts (and stops) up front. We haven’t been able to compete at the national level for several years because our offensive line doesn’t have the athletic ability and aggressive attitude required to be successful. At the snap of the ball our centers and guards seem to be playing a yard deep in the backfield, and our tackles always end up chasing faster defensive ends from behind after getting beat on the edge. As a result, our talented skill players have been largely ineffective, if not invisible. If the line had played better, Boeckman wouldn’t have been benched, and we would’ve seen a wide-open attack this year. But with an underperforming offensive line, Coach Tressel had no choice but to find a quarterback who could run. Unfortunately, that meant he had to start a freshman quarterback who couldn’t absorb the complexity of an offense designed for a sixth-year senior. So with limited confidence in his freshman quarterback, Coach Tressel had to eliminate the deep game. This, of course, put more pressure on the running game and allowed teams such as Penn State to frustrate Beanie Wells with 8-man fronts. The switch to Pryor also committed Tressel to a ball-control, mistake-free style of football. Unfortunately against Penn State, one big Pryor mistake sealed our fate. Only Sanzenbacher, who’s emerging as a play-maker, stood out in an otherwise forgettable offensive display.
The Special Teams - B. The kicking and punting teams did all they were asked to do. Two field goals by Pettrey and solid punting from Trepasso kept the Buckeyes in the game. The return teams looked a little shaky, and the gaffe by Mo Wells in the 4th quarter put the offensive in difficult field position. I like the explosiveness of Lamaar Thomas and expect him to go the distance before the season ends.
The game everyone has been pointing to is here with the Nittany Lions posting as slight favorites. The big question? Was last weeks trouncing of MSU the Buckeye team that’s ready to become the first team in Big-Ten history to take 3 consecutive undisputed crowns, or was last week an anomaly, with a big assist from MSU with their what seems like, traditional flop? It was obviously a great TEAM win for OSU as all phases of the game contributed. Though our passing game still leaves much to be desired it’s apparent that this IS our passing game and not to expect much more from it this season. Was the output in the second half of last weeks game based on the fact that we had the game in hand and why risk letting MSU back into the game or was it a “back to what we’ve seen for much of the season” scenario?
We’ll DEFINITELY find out on Saturday night. It goes without saying, OSU must play their best game if they expect to come out on top.
Chris Wells must have another BIG game. The OL played perhaps their best game of the season last week. They must continue to improve.
Pryor must continue to protect the football though I sure would love to see him learn to throw it away instead of taking a sack. Minus yardage plays on Saturday night will hurt.
Defense will have to generate turnovers. This group is really coming into it’s own. They are making plays and playing with energy and purpose.
Special teams and defense must provide good field position for the offense. 80 yard drives are always few and far between. This week will be no different.
If more than one participant guesses correctly, then the first one to submit their score wins.
To submit your answer simply submit a comment in the comment section of this blog. Winner will be announced on Monday. Please make sure you have a valid email address in your submission, for notification of the winner. Don’t worry, your email address won’t be displayed.
You must be 18 years old or older to participate in the contest.
The contest will close with the game’s first kickoff.
Thirty years ago, there was a much-anticipated football game to be played at Ohio Stadium.
The Penn State Nittany Lions arrived in Columbus with a No. 5 ranking. The Ohio State Buckeyes were ranked No. 6.
Silver-haired and silver-rimmed-glasses-wearing Woody Hayes was on one sideline, while a dark-haired Joe Paterno stood on the other.
The Buckeyes were pinning their hopes on a freshman quarterback whose future was as bright as a comet. But he spent that day being pummeled by two defensive tackles named Matt Millen and Bruce Clark. His five interceptions led to Penn State’s 19-0 win.
A former Baldwin-Wallace quarterback was a little-known, 26-year-old graduate assistant coach at Akron.
Now, fast-forward 30 years…
The giant Horseshoe holds almost 20,000 more fans than it did then. Ironically, Millen is in the headlines again, with news breaking that he had gone hunting with Brett Favre while still working as an executive for the Detroit Lions after having a fine career in the NFL, as did Clark. Art Schlichter did become a superstar quarterback, leading the Buckeyes to 36 wins in four years before enduring a lifetime of troubles off the field.
Ohio State is still pinning their hopes on a freshman quarterback who surely will become a superstar.
That certain G.A. from Akron, a guy named James Patrick Tressel, has become one of college football’s finest head coaches.
And Hayes and Paterno have both moved upstairs — although our beloved Woody has moved up a little higher than JoePa, who will coach his Nittany Lions the press box Saturday night.
Bear in mind, Paterno hasn’t won a game at Ohio Stadium since Woody did, losing all seven of Penn State’s subsequent games at the Horseshoe by an average of 21 points.
Isn’t it funny how time and change surely show, how the game of football rides along with us through life?
Filed under: Football by Jim Karsatos
Jim Karsatos has written 35 posts. Read other posts by Jim Karsatos.
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