PREGAME
What’s Drew doing? A last minute study of the Single Wing Wishbone Spread we ran last week against Penn State! THE POWER SPREAD IS EVERYWHERE! .
What’s Kurt doing? Waiting for Drew at Stout NYC near Madison Garden. New home for the Buckeye Faithful to watch the games on Saturday.
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ILLINOIS at OSU
1ST QUARTER
Ok, a better start. We held first on D with a big play by Hankins on the first play from scrimmage. (Far different from the Purdue game) Our first series ended in a sack by Illinois star end, Akeem Spence. Illinois got some good PS short passes and runs to steadily move the ball down the field. Drive stalls with a nice Passive Aggressive (PA) package by Fickell and good execution by our players. Illinois held to FG.Illinois 3-0
Now the fun starts. Our 2nd series – a big run by Hyde followed by great play action pass down the seam to our new A-Back Stoneburner for 24 yds! Runs Miller/Hyde. A POWER TD by Hyde!OSU 7-3
Another bad SpTeams play! Big KR. More short passes and runs out of the PS and another bad penalty by Bryant. Another FG.Illinois 6-7
.2ND QUARTER
MIiller Runs, one by Rod Smith, then Illinois Star LB Brown jams it up. FG by DREW!OSU 10-6
Troy Smith being interviewed at the game! Kurt loves the hat. I’m wondering what Troy’s up to now?
Shazier another big game – run stop, then pass defense on 3rd down short throw. Three and out finally.
Runs Braxton, 32 yd pass Brown, another TD Hyde!
OSU 17-6
Big Illegal Blk penalty stymies Illinois. Orhian Johnson having a good game. Hankins and Boren too! Play of the WeeK: 51 yd pass to Rod Smith down the left sideline.OSU 24-6
NOW HERE COMES SIMION GETTING IN THE ACT! One 1st dn and another punt Illinois. Miller Run, Hyde Run – 2 1st Downs. Then after handing to Wingback Nick Vannett (backup TE – top recruit) earlier in the game, now we fake to him, then Miller dumps it off to him in the flat for another first down. Miller run. Hyde another TD.OSU 31-6
INTERCEPTION HOWARD! Half not over with Meyer. Tries for more but 3 plays and HalftimeHALFTIME
Everyone at Stout’s watching the game!
We are doing better on the, 1-Less Mistakes and 3-Faster Start. Now, #2 – don’t give up a bunch of points with a big lead. Can we get 3 out of 3?
As for Illinois – a new DC is in order. Can’t imagine a Beckman lead team will continue to have this bad of defense next year. We are playing better, but the Defense seems all out aggressive or passive – no mixes or hidden coverages. That’s not going to work against the Power Spread.
3RD QUARTER
2 drops on the first drive by Stonebrunner. ugh Nate Williams stops a run. Shazier the short pass. Illinois needs to stretch deep , but can’t seem to do it. Two big runs Hyde. 9 Pass to Spencer. 4th&1 run for a 1st by Hyde. 9 Pass DSmith. 12 run RSmith. Rollout easy TD Miller Time!OSU 38-6
Big hit on a screen pass Shazier for a 6 yd loss. Then great spin move Simon for a sack! NOW WE’RE EXECUTING FICKELL’S DEFENSE! 3 for 3 ? A different kind of 3 & out. All three plays were substantial gains, but the last 2 were a 15 yd hands to the face by our Center LIndsay and the last a fumble by Rod Smith after a nice pickup off a left swing pass. The mistakes continue, but its certainly less than prior weeks. A couple of runs by highly recruited TE Jon Davis, playing RB. But after another nice stuff by Shazier its 3rd and long. Planned rollout as Fickell showed blitz, then dropped 7 and his PA defense foiled Scheelhaase who had no one to throw to, but yet another penalty. This one, though, was a real bad late hit call on the Senior Nate Williams Ticky tack foul. From there 3 more Davis runs – the last a TD and 2 more penalties on us – unnecessary roughness and illegal sub. Gotta wonder. Then a trick Wildcat play-action pass to an eligible receiver lined up at LT for the 2pt conversion.Illinois 14-38
.4TH QUARTER
2 BIG RUNS HYDE. 3RD DOWN SCRAMBLE MILLER. 1ST DOWN INCREDIBLE 37 YD CATCH AND RUN TD BY PHILLY BROWN! COMPLETE INDIVIDUAL EFFORT. Reminded me of the old Pitch&Catch Ram offense with Kurt Warner in the late 90s/early 00s. Isaac Bruce or Az-Zahir Hakim. Herman got Brown into space, using Spencer with a little pick. Also, Illinois had bizarre double coverage on a TE/AB on the short side of the field, laying off Brown on the wide side. Partly due to the 5 WR Spread with Hyde split the furthest. But part of it also just an old school defensive “read&react” Zone Defense set. Again, the players and schemes of today are too good for this.OSU 45-14
True Frosh Adolphus Washington busted up a big sweep with Davis for 3 yd loss. This lead to a 3rd dn incomplete with big time coverage by Shazier. Again, Illinois not stretching the field deep – OSU just gathered near the LOS and using their speed. Guiton in at QB. True Frosh Brionte Dunn in at RB. Runs by Dunn. BIG QB SNEAK FOR 23! Then a nice flair for 11 to Fields. Dunn runs again. Nice drive going THEN DISASTER STRIKES AGAIN! Just a simple Pitch Option Left, but the Illinois was all over it and DE Justin Staples busted thru on his knees, arms flailing, he flubbe the pitch. Ashante Williams picked it up and ran 77 yds for a TD. Adding salt to the wound – there was more trickery by Beckman on the xtra pt. But they were bluffing this time, got into a kicking set, only to have the holder fumble the snap, pick it up and slowly weave his way into the endzone as whole kick block team seemed dazed and bewildered.Illinois 22-45
THESE PTS ARE NOT ON THE DEFENSE! After recovering the onside kick, the Buckyes gave it to Dunn for all 7 plays of the drive, off the Read Option. He scored on play #7. He runs hard and is shifty. Almost reminds me of a Terrell Davis of the Denver Broncos. Dunn seems to pick holes like that. Ater Adolphius Wahsington gets a sack. Also pressure from soph Steve Miller. And that’s it.
OSU 52 ILLINOIS 22
WRAP
THE BUCKEYES ACCOMPLISHED ALL 3 THINGS I WANTED TO SEE! 1-LESS MISTAKES 2- DEFENSE NOT GIVING UP TONS OF POINTS AFTER GETTING A BIG LEAD 3-HAVE A BETTER START We still made a lot of penalties and other mistakes, but believe it or not, it was better. Our D was great! Yes, Illinois didn’t stretch the field deep – making it easier. But there was not a big letdown, finally, by the D with a big lead. And last, but not least, we started ok. It wasn’t great – sack on 1st series. But a TD on 2nd Series and a blowout by Half. First real big blowout of the year. EXCEPT, we still made it closer than it should have been with penalties and turnovers. But to be fair, there were some bad calls and unlucky bounces. In the end, that was our best performance. The Bucks accomplished everything I wanted to see. But there’s still a ways to go. But not nearly as far as Illinois, who needs more bodies, talent and possibly a new DC. The offense was timid also – all signs of inexperience. But I think Beckman has a chance. He just needs to get the right staff and players and work his system. This is his first time at a big school. Its not Urban Meyer’s first time.~PS
POWERSPREAD 
[…] my live commentary of our last game I mistakingly said we still are not running enough of the no huddle/hurry up. […]
[…] credit, their new coaching staff actually ran some good schemes on both offense and defense. In my live commentary I erred in my put down of the DC. But with the talent difference of the two teams and the injuries […]