Folks, I write today with my crumbling hairline in hand. It's no secret I favor the local team. Ohio State won by 21, but it was a far cry from the 56-point drubbing I predicted Saturday morning.
I figured the Buckeyes would rise up against a team that nagged them the last four years. I figured the Hoosiers offense would only muster three points.
But props to Kevin Wilson. I disrespected his team, and he made my Saturday as fun as dragging a corpse through a cornfield while my team won by 21 points.
That's the #IndianaEffect, folks.
It's Wisconsin week. We'll talk more about it Tuesday through Friday, but I want to make this PSA now: If you're on the fence about a hajj to Madison... liquidate your 401K and book the hotel tonight. Madison is a midwestern gem and Camp Randall is a top B1G arena. You won't regret it.
WE'RE TALKING PASSING GAME, SWEETHEART. I hate critiquing the local team. It's overlorded by elite coaches and its roster is filled with elite athletes from across the country. I'm just a guy with an internet column.
But I couldn't help but be concerned by Ohio State's passing struggles against Indiana. J.T. Barrett missed some throws, and Noah Brown was nowhere to be found for the second week in a row.
That's fine against Indiana, but better opponents loom in the second half of the schedule.
From landgrantholyland.com:
The obvious question from this game is whether the Buckeyes can beat tougher opponents like Wisconsin next week, Nebraska, or Michigan without a passing attack. My guess is probably not -- a 25% passing success rate probably won't be enough to beat better defenses, especially ones that can keep the offense from scoring touchdowns on 83% of their red zone trips and averaging 6.33 points per scoring opportunity.
Against Indiana, the passing game primarily limited the Buckeyes' drive efficiency -- how successful they were at turning drives into scoring opportunities. Last week against Rutgers the Buckeyes' drive efficiency was 89% and it was even 60% against the Sooners, but it was just 43% this week.
But the offense was still incredibly effective when they actually did create scoring opportunities. I don't think they would be as successful with scoring opportunity efficiency against better defenses, particularly if they don't have the same luck for average starting field position. Three out of the Buckeyes' six scoring opportunities started inside the Indiana 40-yard line thanks to the defense or special teams.
I wasn't mad watching the struggles of the passing game. Actually, I was glad.
Think about it. If Ohio State demolished Indiana by 56 points, perhaps it rolls into Madison overconfident with the Badgers coming off a bye.
Instead, Ohio State won by three touchdowns in a game that exposed flaws in its passing game. Urban Meyer admitted it after the game, which means it will be a point of emphasis this week in practice.
Some fans will say, "Well, the passing game hasn't looked good for large portions of the past two years." Maybe, but I trust this staff to figure out.
Plus, there's an ace in the hole...
THAT RUSHING ATTACK THOUGH. Meyer wants his offense balanced. But he didn't need a balanced offense to run roughshod over Michigan and Notre Dame last year.
And if Ohio State can bludgeon its opponents into submission, is there a need to worry about an aerial attack?
From sportingnews.com:
The running game clicked best on two drives. Samuel ignited a five-play, 73-yard drive with a 22-yard run up the middle, and Barrett followed with a 27-yard run on the next play. Samuel finished with a five-yard TD.
In the third quarter, Ohio State milked 6:21 off the clock with 13 plays for 85 yards — and the yardage came on 12 run plays. Barrett had eight carries for 47 yards. Samuel added two carries for 35 yards, and Weber had two carries for 10 yards and a 1-yard TD. That gave the Buckeyes a 31-17 lead, a two-score lead it never relinquished.
[...]
As for the Barrett, Samuel and Weber, the pace is still scary. Through five games, Weber (83 carries, 566 yards, 4 TDs) Barrett (70 carries, 342 yards, 4 TDs), Samuel (50 carries, 410 yards, 3 TDs) are averaging 6.5 yards per carry. That’s more than two-times the required amount for a cloud of dust.
Obviously, J.T. Barrett carried the ball too much. Unfortunately, that seems to be the default setting when the Buckeyes struggle on offense.
Still, it's more satisfying watching your favorite team impose their will on an opponent through the ground than the air. This is an offensive line-driven program, and I'm not worried about any game as long as the Slobs plow.
But again, the Hoosiers forced Meyer's staff to ask questions, and I expect they'll sort the rushing loads this week. Too much of OSU's offensive fortunes rest on J.T. Barrett to run him that much.
PARRIS CAMPBELL, YOUR TABLE IS READY. As a world-renowned authority on football, I believe most games are decided by a handful of plays.
Meyer said last week he believed his team was close to "busting" a kickoff return. He also lauded Parris Campbell.
One day, the national media will give the Buckeye frontman the props he deserves.
From cleveland.com:
Ohio State gave up an 18-yard touchdown pass from Richard Lagow to Mitchell Paige with 1:03 remaining in the first half. That score cut the Buckeyes' lead to only seven.
That's when Campbell explosive return happened, one in which he scampered down Ohio State's sideline -- which is where his mom was sitting -- before being caught inside the Indiana six yard-line.
Campbell's return set up five-yard touchdown run for J.T. Barrett to extend Ohio State's lead to 14 at halftime.
The coaching staff preaches Event + Response = Outcome. What if Campbell gets tackled at the 25? Maybe we're mourning the first loss to Indiana since 1988.
Instead, we're fake mourning the lack of a kickoff return:
Parris Campbell was a state champion in track and somehow just got run down after that long kick return. First and goal for Ohio State.
— Tim Shoemaker (@TimShoemaker) October 8, 2016
Granted, I can't remember anything before the release of GoldenEye 007, but that was the best Indiana team I've seen in my life.
HERMAN HEADED FOR PAY DAY. Navy dumped No. 6 Houston this weekend, which, barring a miracle, means my Cougars playoff prediction lies at the bottom of Gulf of Mexico.
People forget Tom Herman founded MENSA, the organization for geniuses, so Power 5 schools will still offer him generational money to coach their amateur football team.
If the Southern California and Texas job come open, we could see a historic bidding war.
From 247sports.com:
“Texas, he will take that all day long … unless USC comes calling,” a current Power Five assistant told 247Sports this week. “Yes, Texas is the better job. But he’s from California and so is his wife [Michelle]."
Added somebody who was on staff with Herman at a prior stop: “Texas is his dream job. He’d crush it there. That’d be the best thing ever for the University, for Austin. He loved his time as a GA there. I’m getting excited for him just thinking about it.”
Bob Stoops would probably forfeit 30% of his salary to fund USC's war chest to make sure Herman doesn't land in the Big 12.
And if USC and Texas don't fire their coaches and try to Godfather Herman, they deserve mediocrity for the next 50 years.
DEATH MARCH TO 0-16. My mom visited me in the Atomic City yesterday. The Browns were down 14-7 when we went out to lunch. I forgot my phone, and the Browns were down 30-7(ish) when I got back.
Afterward, I realized I had more fun at lunch than I did watching the Browns for the last seven years. At this point, the only reason I watch is Terrelle Pryor Sr.:
Per source, Terrelle Pryor is the only player on #Browns that is absolutely untouchable. They'll trade any All-Pro, not him. Value too high.
— Courtney Fallon (@CourtneyFallon_) October 9, 2016
This joke front for a quarterback morgue won't trade him. Instead, he'll join a credible franchise this offseason and leave the Browns with nothing.
Nobody in Cleveland will blame him. This is what the Browns deserve.
NOOOOOOOOPE. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope.
From flowrestling.com:
Former Ohio State 133 pounder Johnni DiJulius is what you might call a height enthusiast. Others could describe him as a daredevil, or simpler still, a crazy person.
Recently, JDJ free-climbed (as in, no harnesses or cables) a 300-foot cell tower. As though that wasn't thrilling enough, the four-time NCAA qualifier hung off the side by his arms and then just one arm. Jake Ryan, the 157 pounder for Ohio State (and son of TOSU Head Coach Tom Ryan) shot much of the climb with his drone.
Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope.
THOSE WMDs. As a father of daughters, we should treat all women like my daughters... Florida's source for synthetic drugs: The China pipeline... Juno takes on Uber... My son, the prince of fashion... Every body goes haywire... 86% of over-55s think they're safe from cybercriminals.
