Normally, I would say that Ohio State would never cover a 44 point spread. No matter how much they outgun the other team, it’s just not their style. Unlike Florida or other schools who seem feel a desperate need to run the score against some hapless, non-conference opponent, the Buckeyes usually pull back before things get really ugly.
However, the past two weeks at Ohio State have been anything but normal. Only a week ago, Buckeye fans were calling for Tressel’s head and lamenting the fact that our top recruited, soon to be great phenom Terrel Pryor hadn’t chosen another school to play football.
And then came Minnesota. Thankfully, the Gophers provided the slumpbust we needed giving Pryor a chance to showcase his skills, the defense a chance to redeem themselves and tossed a big ass bone a bone to the raving mass of insanity that had become Buckeye Nation.
The Buckeyes saw their opportunity and took it. All of a sudden, Pryor was throwing off his front foot. The offensive line seemed to understand the snap count. Wide receivers found themselves in wide open spans of green with nothing but the glory of the end zone standing in their way. And the defense, those insatiable monsters that we’ve looked to again and again this season, returned to the quarterback eating behemoth we knew they should be. Even the play calling — if not different, at least hearkened to a better day of Tresselball.
Sure, it was Minnesota but it felt good. There was the oft looked for improvement that we’ve awaited all season and for one moment, one brief shining moment, I started to find my confidence in this offense.
So as we look to next weekend and the game against New Mexico State, suddenly the 40 point spread is not all that absurd. If we had beaten Purdue, I’d say never but the loss is still to fresh. The criticism too painful. New Mexico State and their 75th ranked defense and 120th ranked offense are looking pretty tasty. The Buckeyes have paid too high a price already and they are ready to feed.
Tressel even showed signs of the hunger in today’s press conference stating that they will come out, “…all barrels blazing.”
And while that’s all well and good, the one thing I want to see more then anything is confident play calling. It’s time for Tressel to turn the offense lose. Let them take the chances they’ve been prevented from taking all year. This is a time for all to develop and grow. This season is not over, there are big games on the horizon and the Buckeyes need to build upon the strength we saw last week.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Go Bucks!! Does anyone know if OSU ever played New Mexico State before? Well, they’re on the schedule, so I guess we better play ‘em now. I like the idea of turning everything loose. If not now, when? OH-IO
I’d love to see Tress allow the team to score 70 points. Turn them lose should be an every week accurance. I’ll take the over against these Aggies.