Maybe it is time for the Big Ten to realize

[rodjor]

Maybe it is time for the Big Ten to realize they can't compete outside of the conference anymore.  Ohio State is getting some 5-star athletes but the likes of USC and LSU are getting most of them.  Either the Big Ten and OSU wakes up and starts making some changes or we will be facing 35-3 lossses anytime we face a Top-10 school outside of the Big Ten.

[Tech 1]

I don't want to say anything to upset die hard buckeye fans, mainly cause I am one myself, but I asked the question should JT be fired because, yes he did a great job the first few years he was there, but the last few years it's like we have a glass jaw that we didn't use to have. It honestly looked to me like the team as asleep on that field all night. I don't think they quit, I think they just didn't show up to begin with. I think Jim Tressell has not done enough to instill confidence in his players. We all saw it against Youngstown State (well at least those of you that had the big 10 network before they came to an agreement with Time Warner saw it) Whatever the score was it was mostly due to field goals. This is the issue I've seen develop and go from being bad to worse these last few years, yes OSU can drive the ball down the field, they can throw, they can catch, they can grind it out on the ground, but once they get to the red zone they can't punch it in. When playing schools like Youngstown State thats when you need to experiment, thats when you need to test the mettle of your team. After the first few FG's he needs to grow a pair and let his team go for it. If they get it great, if they don't so what, it's Youngstown State after all. This is one of the prime examples of why I'm wondering if Jim Tressell is passed his prime at OSU. I like him too, but if he can't win on a national level all we will be is a great white in a guppy pond, is that really what we as buckeye fans want or do we wanna kick some butt on a national level? That's what I want to do and I'm thinking maybe it's time to get someone who is willing to trust his team enough to do that.

[Dave5]

Ohio State is 4-2 in BCS games.  They lost to the best college football had.  Ohio State is good enough to compete with anybody.  Just because they were not National Champs doesn't mean they suck.

[buckeyesMJ]

Bottomline, Tressel is a gentleman and too nice a guy. Have you really ever seen him lose it or go off on a player? Sometimes that needs to happen to get your team focused. I dont think tressel needs to go, BUT he needs to grow a set and FINALLY tell Bollman & Heacock goodbye. I dont think Tressel has ever fired a coach while here at OSU. Sometimes that has to happen to be successful. Coaches get complacent just like players. Once it was 14-3, our team was done and that is pathetic!

Our schedule also does not help us. No way in the world Tressel is ever going to put the hammer to a school like YSU or Ohio for that matter. Tressel has class and would never score more than 49 on a YSU team. Sometimes you need to open it up and try stuff and maybe that puts 70 on the board. Those games are no win situations for OSU. What do we have to gain if we beat YSU and OU? You are suppose to and suppose to by large margins. Plus, those teams are so fired up to play us that one day they will knock you off. Almost happened this year. I'd rather play a team like Fresno St, Wash St, Pitt, WVU, Louisville ect than to keep playing the in state schools. I know I know, it keeps money in state to those schools. Let's make sure we keep everyone happy!  BS

[Buckeyes1]

The Big 10 is always going to be at a disadvantage when it comes to recruiting, cold weather schools always are.

Tressel recruits and builds his teams to compete in the Big-10, and that’s why he’s been so successful in beating Michigan and winning the conference over the last few years. But to compete on a more national stage, and beat the SC’s and LSU’s of the world you need to match them in speed and quickness. Now by quickness, I mean elusiveness, the ability to move laterally with your hips, to juke and jive and throw off your opponent. Not 100 yard dash or 40 time straight ahead speed.

A perfect illustration of this occurred in the first quarter last night when the Bucks were still in the game. Our running backs would break thru the scrum at the line of scrimmage, hold down their heads and bull straight ahead. Inevitably, one of SC’s backers or safety’s would quickly run up and tackle them for a modest 1 or 2 yard net gain.

Contrast that with SC’s main back, he’d break thru the line of scrimmage, immediately look around always keeping his head held high, and shake his hips one way then another while he ran through our slower backers and safety’s for an 8 or 9 yard pick-up.

2nd and 2 is a huge advantage as you advances down the field than 2nd and 8 or 9.

On that touch down right after the half that made it 28-3 the Trojan wide receiver caught that ball at the 9 or 8 yard line and danced between 3 Buckeye defenders who looked like statues. He scooted in trailing white jerseys who couldn’t lay a hand on him due to his speed and quickness. That’s the kind of player you need to compete for a Nat’l Championship year in and year out, and you don’t find too many playing in Minnesota or Indiana or Wisconsin or unfortunately, in Columbus either.

Yes, we’ve recruited some very good “skill” players that have gone on to have fine NFL careers, but last night we had maybe 5 or 6 players that had that kind of speed and skill out of our starting 22, SC had like 16 or 17.

Where are the top High School systems in the country right now? So Cal, Texas, Florida and Ohio. Tressel gets the bulk of the in state talent ‘cos most of them grow up wanting to be Buckeyes and that’s one of the main reasons his recruiting classes have been ranked so high. But what are Tressel’s chances of recruiting a player out of the Los Angeles area? Or out of Texas or Florida?

Sure, he can pick off one or two every few years, but how many kids from around the country want to come to Columbus to play when they can go to SC or Florida or LSU?

Can you imagine a kid from New Jersey flying in to Columbus on a recruitment trip in January or February and seeing the campus in 25 degree weather with 4’ of snow and dead leafless trees all around? Then the next week he fly’s into LAX and as he steps off the flight it’s 85 and sunny, blue skies and green mountains. The Hollywood sign looms over him and the women are all blonde, tall, thin siliconed out and don’t own a hair below their eyebrows! If they even still have eyebrows!?! In Columbus or Ann Arbor it’s all clouds and parkas and breath you can see while in Miami or Gainesville its bright sunshine and tank tops and thongs.

Where would you spend the next 4 years of your life?

And every week Tressel spends pursuing some player in Arizona or Louisiana he stands no better than a one in ten chance of landing he’s letting another Big-10 coach potentially steal a player out of his own back-yard he has a better than 50-50 chance of getting.

What would you do?

So there it is. Expect the SEC and USC in particular to hold on to their advantage for the foreseeable future. We can always strike lightening in a bottle like we did in 2002 but year in and year out we’re going to be starting out behind the warm weather teams in the south and southwest.

That’s just the reality of it I’m afraid.

[buckeyesMJ]

I have to disagree somewhat. Just a little. We have those kids coming in from everywhere. OSU is consistently in the top 5 to 10 in recruiting (currently #1 for 09) You mentioned a kid from New Jersey flying in and seeing 4 inches of snow on the ground and then going to LAX and seeing palm trees, sunshine, girls ect. WELL, insert Malcolm Jenkins as a name from New Jersey and saw the 4 inches of snow and committed to OSU. How many corners would you trade Jenkins for in ALL of college football? How many RB's would you trade Beanie for? Laurinaitis? The list goes on. ITS OUR COACHES AND SCHEMES we run. You have to utilize that talent. Jaamal Berry will give us that elusive RB we need in the future. I'm tired of hearing that Tressel favors Seniors. BULLCHIT, you play who is best. You look at the roster now and see how many kids we have from Florida, Georgia ect. We have our share. And more coming. We have a soft team and it shows. We need coaches in there to light the fire. Kids need motivated. We have Cadillac bodies with Pinto engines!!

[Buckeyes1]

And I have to disagree with you a little too, MJ. That was a long post (Sorry gang, I got a bit carried away there) but if you go back and re-read it again you'll see I addressed all your points in it.

I said about Tressel... "Sure, he can pick off one or two every few years, but how many kids from around the country want to come to Columbus to play when they can go to SC or Florida or LSU?"

I also wrote that "Yes, we’ve recruited some very good “skill” players that have gone on to have fine NFL careers, but last night we had maybe 5 or 6 players that had that kind of speed and skill out of our starting 22, SC had like 16 or 17."

And it's 4' as in feet, not 4" as in inches. But I know you got my point.

A good coach like Tressel will always be able to snare a top 20 recruit now and then and bolster his recruiting class and that's exactly what I said. But the difference is that we have 1 linebacker like Laurinaitis and 1 DB like Jenkins, SC had 8 or 9 guys with that kind of skill on their defense last night.

And that's the difference. And playing in So Cal gives Carrol a huge recruiting advantage which is one, but not the only, reason we lost 35-3.

[FlaBuck]

I don't want to say anything to upset die hard buckeye fans, mainly cause I am one myself, but I asked the question should JT be fired because, yes he did a great job the first few years he was there, but the last few years it's like we have a glass jaw that we didn't use to have. It honestly looked to me like the team as asleep on that field all night. I don't think they quit, I think they just didn't show up to begin with. I think Jim Tressell has not done enough to instill confidence in his players. We all saw it against Youngstown State (well at least those of you that had the big 10 network before they came to an agreement with Time Warner saw it) Whatever the score was it was mostly due to field goals. This is the issue I've seen develop and go from being bad to worse these last few years, yes OSU can drive the ball down the field, they can throw, they can catch, they can grind it out on the ground, but once they get to the red zone they can't punch it in. When playing schools like Youngstown State thats when you need to experiment, thats when you need to test the mettle of your team. After the first few FG's he needs to grow a pair and let his team go for it. If they get it great, if they don't so what, it's Youngstown State after all. This is one of the prime examples of why I'm wondering if Jim Tressell is passed his prime at OSU. I like him too, but if he can't win on a national level all we will be is a great white in a guppy pond, is that really what we as buckeye fans want or do we wanna kick some butt on a national level? That's what I want to do and I'm thinking maybe it's time to get someone who is willing to trust his team enough to do that.

I have to disagree with you whole heartidly tech.....................

College football has highs and lows..............we are kinda in a low. Tressel's record and recruits speak for themselves.

Tressel did not lose the game last night for us. The numerous turnovers and penalties is what led to our demise. But I will say Tressel needed to abandon the rotating QB's .............from what I saw the Freshman looked more willing and able to not run away and lay down like Todd showed ( he was pathetic ). Heck , Pryor was on the sideline trying to pump  everyone up.

Are we down emotionally, yes.............is the yr over.........No.   On to next week.............minus Todd under center.

[eatdirt]

Is it really Tressel's Fault? or is it the team?  A coach can only do so much.  The team is who is playing on the field.  No matter how many 12yr old Pee Wee football players you have you can't teach them or coach them to play like an NFL team. Nor could they ever beat an NFL Team.  They could have the best coach in all of history and it wouldn't happen.  Maybe we need to look at the Team and see what they are doing wrong.  Not what the coach is doing wrong.