(09-02-2017 06:06 PM)megadrone Wrote:  

(09-01-2017 10:06 PM)JRsec Wrote:  

(09-01-2017 10:08 AM)ohio1317 Wrote:  We are finally back to real football. Any thoughts as you guys watch the games?

My early ones:
That Indiana game set-up was one I was saying for a long time I did not like from an Ohio State fan perspective. First game are always tricky as you have not worked out the bugs with limited practice so I prefer the first game of the year to be the easiest. Add in making it a night game, on the road, and a conference game and it was a recipe for trouble. Then add in that was a senior laden team going against their old coach with Ohio State breaking in far more freshman.

All of that said, I will certainly concede the game was the most exciting first game we have had in some time and there was far more build-up to it than there would have been in October/November.

On the game itself, Indiana was tremendously good at very quick passes in the first half (and into the 3rd quarter). There biggest problem was not taking full advantage of that early momentum. They played better than OSU in the first half, but only led by a point at half time.

I am still not liking the fact we did not see the long ball from OSU. I am not in a camp that is blaming JT, but that was our big issue last year and OSU at least has to be in a position to credibly threaten it as time goes on. That said, the running game was great even without Weber and 2nd half was much better.

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Other games: Never saw the line, but would have guessed Minnesota would have won more. Not a big deal though.

I think Michigan is very underrated for the season, but think with all the youth needs to be very happy Florida has so many players out now for the first game.

Would like to see Rutgers at least stay close for awhile and would like to see Maryland push Texas even though do not expect wins.

I pretty much agree with your whole post. I will say though as an independent observer that Indiana is much improved both offensively and defensively. What kept them from keeping it tight was depth.

Your Buckeyes run the ball well enough. I agree on the deep passing game for the offense. But what you didn't mention were your corners. They were vulnerable all night and the quick tempo gave them problems (like with Clemson). They need to quit playing the receiver and play the ball. In a quick passing game reading the eyes of the QB and reacting to the ball will yield greater defensive success than playing the receiver who knows when to break off the route and turn for the catch. You may need twin safeties so that they can cover a route that fakes short to go long.

So far tonight I'd say Rutgers is improved, but also lacks depth. Wisconsin wasn't ready to play, but they don't really look complete either. Their O line was pushed around by Utah State a smaller defensive front. But they are establishing their dominance in the 2nd half, but still not very impressive against a much smaller and less deep opponent.

That's going to take a few years -- Flood really left nothing behind outside of Janarion Grant. Happy with how the game went last night, perhaps next year we can dream about 6 wins.

Even the Newark Star-Ledger was happy with RU's performance. And they hate us.

5 or 6 wins this season would be great for Rutgers. To get that they will have to build on wins over Eastern Michigan, Morgan State, and Illinois. They would have to pull three wins out of Purdue who looked good, Maryland who looked great against Texas, Indiana somewhere around Rutgers level, and an upset of Michigan State if they can get to six wins. I would hope they would at least look respectable against Nebraska who struggled somewhat in their opener against a Sunbelt team, I believe, and against Penn ST, Michigan, and Ohio St who annihilated them last year. At any rate anything better than that 2 and 10 record last year would be an improvement.

Cars were fortunate to come out with a win over Nevada. Wolf Pack outplayed the Cats in the first half and NU was lucky the score was as close as it was. Cats got themselves in gear offensively in the 2nd half and their size wore Nevada down, the game was closer than the score indicates as the Cats scored alot of their points in the final 5 minutes.

Illinois very lucky to get the season opening win. BSU is a decent but not that good MAC program. Lovvy better get the Illinl playing to their potential or they will have another 3 win season.

Maryland woke up the country with their 51 on Texas on the road. How did TX get preseason ranked anyway, they haven't done squat in 5 years but still for a fledgling program like MD to win like that is a huge boost to the Terps.

For Purdue to come within a TD of a ranked Lville program is also a surprise. They may not win many more games than last year but you have to crawl before you can walk

Minny also lucky to beat Buffalo and only by 10, a better MAC program such as Toledo or WMU (Fleck's old program( would have trounced them.

Fleck has alot of work to do in Minnesota