Well, I don’t know about you, but it’s been a long time since I saw an Ohio State team rebound and dominate like this. Especially after a crushing loss to the Miami Hurricanes and no plays in the end zone. Especially just one week later.
The score was -to a Football Fan- an “acceptable” 37-17 Buckeye Victory. Looking at the score, it seems that this game to the unbeknownst eye was actually competitive at some point. But those Scarlet jerseys covered the field the entire game, in all the right places. Now, yes, the score does make the average fan do a double take. It seems like every play was huge, causing Ohio Stadium to erupt into a euphoric cheer. But it was still, despite the excitement – executed strategically and conservatively.
A lot of critics will jump on Fickell for being too conservative on the offense. Especially when it was 4th & 1 and he decided to punt. Some even blast the defense for allowing 17 points.
Let’s go back to the football basics. To win, there are a lot of ways to win – but a game cannot be won without two things – Confidence and Motivation.
That’s where the Buckeyes made the decision to focus on the Defense. Besides the incredible immense pressure on Braxton Miller, the Buckeye Defense has just as much – maybe more. Help relax the Freshman Quarterback starting his first game after an embarrassing loss down south.
The defense that Saturday was not the defense so many Buckeyes love and know. They were completely confused in the secondary with poor pass protection and was not able to get some pressure put up front. They had some good plays, but yet the final score 24-6 Miami showed something embarrassing. A team who couldn’t beat Maryland, and later Kansas State, scored 24 points against a top-ranked Defense.
That defense that was at the Miami game did not return to Columbus. Instead, returned a defense ready to make the “ALL IN” decal on their helmets mean something. Four defensive players (Bryant, Shazier, Klein, Barnett) had 3 solo tackles (not mentioning assists). The one I remember the most was Storm Klein striking Colorado quarterback Tyler Hansen for a loss of 9 yards. Our secondary, for the most part, played relatively well. In fact, they has some great coverage not allowing Colorado to get it’s flow going. Crushing their screen play ability allowed the Buckeyes to set the pressure to rush, and only allowing 76 yards total Rushing. Smart.
Eventually there was a bit of lack in the secondary, when Colorado realized the ball can be thrown somewhere other than the sideline. Even though the Defense let Colorado score 2 touchdowns (Second and Fourth Quarter) and one 47-yard field goal completion, it was overshadowed by an incredible Defensive Line, unwilling to quit.
So, indeed. Finally, the defense wasn’t defeated and moping. The Buckeyes looked motivated and truly passionate. This young group of men, on either side of the ball, wants to win. Maybe Luke Fickell and Mike Vrabel taught them the true meaning of playing football at Ohio State. The youth and athletic talents by coaches doesn’t hurt, either. But what about Braxton Miller? A Freshman put on a spotlight and very similar to the now hush hush Ex-Buckeye Terrelle Pryor. The Buckeye Nation demanded he play. Fickell answered. Braxton Delivered. One word to use to describe Braxton’s game would be “Growth”. Unoriginal the word may be, but something is incredibly original with this young man.
The entire game was the construction of a staircase, and testing it’s strength.
Let’s start at the ground level, first quarter, first step. It was quite obvious at the beginning of the game Luke Fickell was really counting on big Defensive plays. Fickell allowed Miller to run, loosen up, and get a feel for the field and the atmosphere. Why rush the game almost all of the 1st quarter? Miller is fast and athletic. This is fact. He was starting his first game as a Freshman. That is fact. He is only the fourth Freshman (Behind Cassidy, Schlichter, and Pryor) to ever start an Ohio State Football game. This is fact. Fickell is a fact man. He knew all these facts. He also knew another – Miller can run. Fickell decided to let Miller find confidence on the things the Offensive Coaching staff was certain he would succeed in.
In fact, Miller ran the ball himself quite a bit. It almost seemed Ohio State made him a Quarterback and Running Back. He was the second leading rusher with 83 yards, one yard shy of the top rusher Jordan Hall, with 84. The more Miller rushed, the more he could see open receivers exist if you give them time.
Of course, a team can only do this so much. This is where Braxton Miller took his second step. Luke Fickell and the Offensive Coaches slowly but surely began to integrate some option plays into the game. Well, Miller ran. At this time, that was his go-to option. That is, until he was Quarterback-turned-Gymnast after being hit after a long run and flipping in the air.
No no no, Braxton. The quarterback is the leader of a team. Luke Fickell even said “Ultimately, when it comes down to it, one guy has his hands on the ball every play besides the center, and that’s the Quarterback.” This couldn’t be more true. Sometimes, you gotta just get down, even lose a potential 2 extra yards. Do it – it isn’t worth a broken neck. He did have a few passes, but the ball looked shaky, just like his throw. But Braxton Miller’s arm eventually loosened up, allowing him to reach that third step. The next half, so far coming out to the field with no major stumbles. The next half began with mostly option. Miller went to his never-seem-to-fail run quite often, and it worked. Many times though, Stoneburner was wide open just in the distance, not even a glance. Alas, Millers throwing game began to improve, as he would step back to throw and actually did. Thirteen times total. Five total completions (the Receivers, honeslty, are partly at fault) with two of the completions resulting in touchdowns.
Alright, Miller has planted himself some roots. He stands firmly upon the third step. But that fourth step must be reached. It was time to step up. That he did, making the Buckeye offense look solid and executed sharp. Not only was he rushing the ball, he was handing it off, and throwing. The Triple Threat. What a quarterback needs to be to be successful.
Sure, there were times when Miller needed to throw to the sideline and didn’t resulting in a loss (but the Colorado Buffalos did enough of that for an entire season) But for his first start – from the first step up from the ground until the game end, improved with every drive.
For a Freshman start, and the rate that Braxton Miller is climbing, it won’t be too terribly long before he reaches the top. Please don’t run too much, though. Step by step.
It’s official: The Ohio State Buckeyes are back. That is, if they start throwing more. The Big Ten (twelve) shows no mercy up front.
