Welcome to the Nebraska edition of the Grumpy Old Buckeye, the voice of negativity even when things are generally going pretty great, which they have not been the last few games. This is the place where I write about the things from each game that make me want to walk out onto my lawn in my bathrobe and yell at people about it. This week we’re talking Ohio State vs. Nebraska in blackout conditions.
Noon Blackouts are Lame
Look, if we’re going to do the gimmicky thing and have fancy alternate uniforms and ask fans and students to dress up in non-traditional Buckeye garb for a game, do it at night. I realize the school has only so much power in these decisions and there is no home night game in 2018, but noon blackouts just seem dumb.
I am admittedly biased but I love Ohio State’s scarlet jerseys and grey helmets, and I don’t see a need to break with tradition (does Bama ever do this?). Even though I do think these black uniforms were among the better alternate uniforms Ohio State has had in recent years, I’d still rather go with traditional Ohio State uniforms and a sea of scarlet.
Why FOX Gotta Hate?
The Ohio State-Nebraska broadcast opened with a montage of Ohio State’s lowlights from the Purdue game. That’s understandable. After the first segment, the broadcast came back from commercial to even more Purdue game footage and talk. I don’t understand why they didn’t show footage of the death of my childhood dog or maybe my grandmother’s last words or something. Really go for the throat next time, FOX.
If you Commit PI, Don’t Allow the Catch
Does any team do this more than Ohio State? Tuf Borland tried to stop a fourth down pass on Nebraska’s opening drive and although his positioning was pretty good, he panicked and grabbed the tight end, who caught the pass anyway. Commit a pass interference penalty to prevent a huge play if you must, but in this case there was not only no reason to grab the tight end, because it wasn’t going to be an explosive play anyway, but the first down was conceded either way. Borland would have been better off to just hope the guy dropped the pass at that point rather than ensure that the reception didn’t even matter.
Play Calling Shouldn’t Be This Hard
The play call on third down on Ohio State’s first drive was abysmal. Running wide has been the Buckeyes’ biggest problem all season and so obviously they decided to run it wide with the least likely player to break a tackle in Parris Campbell. Not Weber. Not Dobbins. Naturally, the play blew up and nearly lost a bunch of yards before Campbell got back close to the line of scrimmage.
Then the Buckeyes failed to convert on fourth-and-short on the play they should have run on third-and-short. As we saw throughout the game, the running game was better on the day and there’s no need to overcomplicate short-yardage situations the way Ohio State often does. If you’re going for it on fourth down, minimize the chance of a negative play on third.
In the fourth quarter, Ohio State got the ball twice while up two scores with a chance to put the game away. Instead of running the ball the way the Buckeyes did successfully most of the day, they threw three incomplete passes on the first of those drives and threw incomplete on two out of three plays on the next one. That was an excellent opportunity to shorten the game while holding a two-score lead and Ohio State blew it twice through poor play calling. It likely also kept Mike Weber under 100 yards on the day, as he finished with 91 yards on just nine carries.
I get that it’s easy to sit at home on the couch and call plays, and coaches (rightfully) shouldn’t worry too much about what fans say about play calling, but the above things seemed like pretty basic things to me.
What is Pass Interference?
Binjimen Victor was penalized 15 yards for offensive pass interference on Ohio State’s third drive but it wasn’t anything even remotely akin to pass interference. Victor simply slapped at the defensive back’s hands to keep him from grabbing and there was no real contact of any kind. At least there was a makeup call on Bootle two plays later. Then, in the fourth quarter, there was an obviously early hit that prevented Terry McLaurin from catching a pass deep in Nebraska territory that went uncalled.
What is Targeting?
Everyone involved in creating, determining, reviewing, and enforcing the targeting rule should feel bad about themselves and go find jobs in things other than college football. The rule doesn’t work, isn’t properly applied the majority of the time, and never takes the intent of the player into account. Jordan Fuller did everything he was supposed to do and yet when a tight end stumbles after Fuller already committed himself to his action, it ends up not only being called targeting, but then “confirmed” after video review.
Fuller didn’t launch himself and didn’t lead with the crown of his helmet. He did make forcible contact with the receiver’s head but only because the tight end stumbled and he’d already committed to going low on a much bigger opponent that he couldn’t possibly have known would stumble at that exact moment, thus putting his head in the hitting zone. Given Fuller’s size, if the tight end catches that and doesn’t stumble, that’s possibly a long touchdown if Fuller hadn’t done exactly as he did.
It didn’t make me any less grumpy on the next Ohio State drive when a potential targeting on Nebraska was denied due to Johnnie Dixon supposedly making a “move” after the catch. His move was to duck. He may not have been considered a defenseless receiver but the hit looked precisely the same, with forcible contact to the head.
What’s Wrong with Dre’Mont?
What is going on with Dre’Mont Jones? He had two pre-snap penalties in this game after his egregious roughing the passer against Purdue. Jones is a veteran player and is supposed to be a leader on the defensive line, but he’s making freshman mistakes. You can’t have those kinds of errors by your top players and it’s a microcosm of the team as a whole throughout this season.
Fumble-aya
Ohio State kept Nebraska in the game in the first half, and in fact gifted the lead to the Cornhuskers with a pair of turnovers in the first half. Dwayne Haskins’ second-quarter fumble was the result of both he and protector Mike Weber missing a blitz from the non-blind side. K.J. Hill’s fumble was the result of playing stupid football and not protecting the rock when the tackler approached. If I had won the Mega Millions, I’d have just shattered my television and brought out a new one after that play, but I couldn’t do that and it only made me even more angry.
Haskins Not Right
A couple of terrible passes to end the first half seemed to be an aberration when Haskins led the Buckeyes right down the field to start the third quarter. Then he decided to throw into double coverage in the end zone with a wide open McLaurin underneath (and Hill available wide, although it would have been a tougher throw). This is the kind of thing I expected more of early in the season with a first-year starter but, with two-thirds of a season under his belt, it’s a new problem that shouldn’t be cropping up now. The perfect recipe for losing to a 2-6 team is to help them beat you with dumb plays like that. Haskins’ numbers overall weren’t terrible, though (18/32, 252 yards, two touchdowns, one interception), so maybe he’s spoiling me at this point.
Find the Dang Ball
At times, Ohio State’s receivers seemed to not understand they might be the recipient of a throw from Haskins on Saturday. Sure, they were out there running routes, but that’s just fun exercise, not a necessary part of the passing offense or anything. There seemed to be at least five or six times a receiver didn’t look back at all or did so late enough to where it looked like they thought they were a decoy on the play or something.
Werner One-on-One
Nebraska climbed back within a score late in the game because linebacker Pete Werner was lined up in coverage on the Cornhuskers’ best wide receiver, JD Spielman. It’s not the first time we’ve seen that this season and it’s never a good thing. Werner was picked on the play and it probably should have drawn a flag, but he’s not the man you want on the opponent’s most dangerous weapon in space. This is a schematic problem that Ohio State must either find an answer for, or if it happens in a crucial situation it would be beneficial to call a timeout and change up the defensive call. Better to give up a timeout than seven points.
* * * * *
Those are the things that made me want to punch puppies* on Saturday. Which ones bothered you the most and what else did you see that made you want to rampage? Let me know in the comments section below and we’ll be back to do this all again after the Michigan State game.
*Important note: I have never punched a puppy. Do not @ me about it.
Watching B White have a breakout performance was maddening. What took so long to give him a try? Does he suck at practice? I cringe when Urban says that we don’t see what the coaches see because we are not at practice. While that is mostly true, anyone who has played the game knows that some great players are not always great practice players and vice versa. White looked like a veteran. Conversely, all the talk about about Sheffield being so fast and built like an action figure but he gets lost when the ball is in the air. If I were the opposing coach I’d target him four times a game with long throws.
Having a great arm doesn’t cut it anymore, so desperate for a passing game we went from one extreme to another and got no where, we don’t have the receivers either which we should have know before going with Day, watch the elite programs (which we are not) and all their QB’s can move outside the pocket with ease and even run a little and their teams get behind them. They still give Tate no snaps? Alabama would handle our offense even with a better O line. Expected more out of Day, he is no Herman and Haskins is no CJone or CKrenzel
Pathetic linebackers,pathetic secondary,pathetic o-line,and the QB doesn’t show me anything,pathetic coaching all adds up to a pathetic team and get ready to play in a pathetic bowl!
Pathetic attitude.
Tony’s right. Quit being a wet blanket
Pathetic is pretty harsh Debbie Downer!
If more is demanded, more is given. That includes players and coaches. Yes, asking a linebacker, (unless we are talking about Jack Tatum when he played linebacker at Ohio State), to cover J. D Spielman is not a smart scheme. BUT, constantly being out of position, missing tackles, sliding down with 3-4 yards of open field in front of you, and PENALTIES and FUMBLES should not be happening this late in the season. I am not a coach. I do not have the answers. Sure hope Coach Meyer and his staff can finally come up with them before
Michigan State.
First if I am wrong I will be the first to admit it, but Haskins run looks like a guy who is planning on leaving after this year and has been told by someone not to get injured.
Second I am not a practice so have to defer to coaches, but looks like Dobbins gets better with carries, I believe he needs to stay in not alternate series, Weber can come in to spell him.
Third not sure this is not first but this team is still feeling the effects of Urban not being there all of August. I think the coaches did a good job in his absence but the toughness he brings seems to be lacking and that is when that is where it is formed.
1) I agree the black uniforms should all be thrown in the garbage.
2) I am more upset with the defensive play calling than the offensive play calling, but both need to be improved. I love me some Haskins, but teach the big fella the QB sneak and lots of our problems go away. Offense at least added wrinkle of 3 TE to run the ball. You are right on Werner covering the # 1 receiver on a drive where Nebraska had to pass so why the F does the defense have him in the game at that point? First half Nebraska has a 3rd and 6 from our 10 yard line and our db lines up at the end zone, and of course Nebraska completes a wide open 6 yard pass in front of him for first and goal.
3) Not only Dre’ Mont but what is wrong with Robert Landers and Chase Young? Why is safety # 25, White, not seeing the field more? Am I missing something?
4) What I learned about officials is if OSU is on defense pass interference and targeting will get called if we are on offense it will not get called. Did anyone watch the hit by LSU on touchdown catch by Alabama? Targeting not called and not called on Nebraska on worse hits than the one by Fuller. Might as well have couple of patrons at a bar call targeting.
5) Michigan is growing and we are playing worse as season progresses. Never thought I will say this, but Michigan is going to destroy us in the Shoe this year. Anyone see what they did to MSU and PSU?
6) I to am angry as we finally have a passing game and one of the highest paid coaching staffs in the country and I am seeing very little coaching, poor tackling, blown assignments, and players with no fire. Michigan is going to punch this team in the mouth and this team is not going to get back up and fight back. I think we need to recruit a few more 3 and 4 star Ohio Kids to play Buckeye Ball. GO Bucks!
We are what we are, 8 and 1 but not looking good. On another note, we missed the last two minutes of the game because Fox switched to Texas, WVU pre game. Don’t blame them because the game had already been on for 3hrs, 45 min.
Is there any limit to the amount of interruptions for advertising? Almost ready to just record and zip through the commercials.
I did strain my voice on the third and goal call with Campbell running sideways……. geeze….
So because “bama doesn’t do it” they shouldn’t do it? do we really care what bama does or doesn’t do? the blacks are nice, just enjoy it!
First to Mark, then to Grumpy-
Mark- the point is that the alt unis are crass and reek of sellout. The black alternate unis are NOT nice, they are ridiculous, no joy there. Keep worshipping at the feet of Nike, I’m sure they love it…
Grumpy- many valid points:
1) Noon blackouts are not merely lame, but impossible (unless they find a way to “black out” the sun.) Stupid notion contrived to draw interest.
2) No one knows what targeting is, including the officials. It is inconsistently called not only conference by conference, but game by game within the conferences themselves. Its a PC “penalty” that was already covered by “Personal Foul/Unsportsmanlike”, and it is being “enforced” by officials whose main concern is not stepping on each other’s toes due to professional courtesy.
3) Werner and Borland are a dumpster fire. It’s all Borland can do to get himself within 10 feet of a pass, and Werner is…well, who knows?
Drive, drive on down the field. Men of the Scarlet and Gray…
It doesn’t say Men of the black and black or gray and gray.
Besides the comments on Haskins in this article, I would add that his one dimensional play hurts too. On one of his scrambles it was disappointing to see him slide so early and leaving several yards on the field. He is too easily rattled and avoids contact like the plaque.
After two weeks of preparation for this game and after an embarrassing loss at Purdue, I was expecting the buckeyes to look a little more focused. What did we get? I think we won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Nebraska got the ball and went down the field and scored a td. They then tried an onside kick that failed miserably and we got the ball on a short field. At that moment I told people around me at the game watch us screw this up and not score. Our team ran the ball 3 times and got 8 yards. Then on 4th and 2 we didn’t kick a field goal and went for it and failed.
All the talk in the stands yesterday was how ugly the Ohio State alternate uniforms were, and that they should have the scarlet/gray on, especially at noon. These were not just old fans saying it, but young people too. You are right! Ohio State doesn’t need gimmick uniforms. Alabama is #1 and playing for a title. No gimmicks… just good players. If you think it helps recruiting with these alternates, then you would be wrong. I am a teacher, and polled my students. Most say that Ohio State’s alternate uniforms are just bad. They look like Texas Tech in the uniforms. Kids like tradition and winning. Three of your top four teams will NOT wear alternate uniforms this season, only ND vs. Syracuse.
Penalties in general continue to be a problem at the worst times. So are missed tackles despite it being a focus on bye week.
Unlike most, I’m not happy with the running game either. Yes, Weber got about double what he has been and Dobbins triple BUT running was supposed to be a focus for this game, Haskins had (for him) a sub-par game and finally Nebraska was before the game tied for 71st in run defense in the nation with such luminary football powers Syracuse and…wait for it…KANSAS?! Next week the Buckeyes travel to East Lansing to face the NUMBER ONE rush D in the nation and in 3 weeks host the #9-in-the-nation rushing defense owned by TTUN.
Yes, it was nice to see improvement, but what I saw – especially putting the ball on the ground SIX times (even though they only actually lost it twice) is a recipe for getting SMOKED (especially with penalties and missed tackles helping other teams along).
TSUN is on their Revenge Tour and are getting better every week beating three ranked teams in Wisc, MSU, and PSU. They are ready to beat us and run up the score in 3 weeks. I really don’t see how the buckeyes can even come close to beating this team based on what I have seen the past 9 games.
I’m not seein’ it either, Don BUT if they somehow manage it it will be one for the ages! If there’s been any TTUN team that SHOULD take us down in Columbus the last time that was true was 2007. All that said, they’ve ruined enough of our championship seasons, this is a perfect year for a little ‘revenge’ of our own!
*2006, not 2007.
If Boreland Werner and Knox are starters, you shouldn’t be surprised we can barely beat Nebraska.
Wyatt Davis and keandre Jones need a shot. Clown show has gone on long enough
At some point fans have to consider that it may not just be the coaching, bad play calling and refusal to put younger but better players in games when the veterans aren’t performing well but actually consider that these are 18-23 year old young men whose mental ability to learn and execute may still be developing at a slower pace than desired. How often have we seen Urban get a uber athletically talented recruit who doesn’t get a sniff of the field until their senior year or play only on special teams. Big time programs have more complicated schemes and reads than many fans realize. Poor coaching fails to realize this and simplify the scheme. Often hard to tell how much of this years team issues are due to poor coaching (teaching) and poor execution (learning and application). What is your take Michael?
Look at the picture of the team that accompanied the article. I don’t know when it was taken, but it looks like someone just asked them to give the answer to a hard math question. The way the walked on and off the field is not a good sign.
Agreed. I thought we seemed to lack focus and intensity. Admittedly tough to maintain rhythm and momentum with all the time spent on the sidelines for commercials. (HUGE distraction in my mind.)
Bucks just didn’t seem to want it that much. Not really fired up. We will beat MSU and TTUN. We may have a challenge with MD. Yes. Not a rational prediction.