Apparently OSU has the best 2nd string D in the country.
Or maybe the Heisman commitee should wait a bit before engraving TP's name on this year's trophy.
OSU had their "jersey scrimmage" on Saturday and the offensive results were not pretty. TP was 10 of 24 for 151 yards with 1 TD and 0 INTs. His backups: Kenny Guiton was 6 of 16 for 40 yards and Joe Bauserman was 2 of 6 for 14 yards.
Well, that is just a sign of how awesome OSU's starting defense is, right? Err...well, not so much, as 5 of OSU's projected starters on defense did not play including Cameron Heyward, Ross Homan, Chimdi Chekwa, Devon Torrance (that is both starting CB's, btw) and Nathan Williams.
Maybe we should swap our first team D for OSU's second team D...or maybe, OSU/TP is not going to be the offensive juggernaut that some members of the MSM are predicting based solely on TP's good-but-not-great Rose Bowl performance.
August 22nd, 2010 at 11:45 AM ^
they should start their 2nd string then
August 22nd, 2010 at 11:46 AM ^
Considering OSU's defense hasn't missed a beat since the 2005 season (they range from really good to great defenses) I think it's safe to assume that Tressell has done a pretty good job of stock piling talent and making sure the backup's are ready to play when given the opportunity.
I'm guessing OSU's QB's aren't to go up against to many defenses as good as they saw Saturday even if OSU was mixing their 1's and 2's on defense.
August 22nd, 2010 at 11:50 AM ^
While 10 for 24 is pretty bad (below the completion percentage of DR last year), 15.1 yards per catch and 0 interceptions is not bad. Also, what were his running numbers? and what is your source?
TP is the type of player who will have good days and bad days that are extremes. You should always expect OSU to be up for Michigan, though. While I don't think he's close to be a true heisman contender, I don't think you can necessarily write him off because of a mediocre-at-best spring game performance.
August 22nd, 2010 at 1:14 PM ^
It was a controlled scrimmage. They were substituting in the middle of drives and sometimes ran the same play 3 or 4 times in a row. Also, Pryor was in a black jersey and not allowed to run. It's much easier to defend when the defense knows it does not have to account for the quarterback.
August 23rd, 2010 at 2:20 AM ^
Don't look at yards per catch. Look at yards per attempt. An average performance is about seven yards per attempt. Pryor averaged 6.2. Not a good day for him.
August 22nd, 2010 at 11:56 AM ^
It was just a scrimmage.
It's like getting excited about spring training or NFL preseason stats.
August 22nd, 2010 at 11:58 AM ^
we probably have a couple ourselves. Tate was right with Pryor in every stat except rushing last year, and D-rob had better rushing stats than Pryor. Here's to our 2 or 3 headed QB attack! Maybe the heisman will go to Tate Robinson
August 22nd, 2010 at 12:03 PM ^
or denard forcier
August 22nd, 2010 at 12:09 PM ^
I'd be willing to bet OSU's 2nd team defense is the best in the nation and probably better than our first teams D. However, do agree that Pryor Heisman talk is still completely unsubstantiated.
August 22nd, 2010 at 3:19 PM ^
In terms of talent, I'd put Alabama, USC and Florida easily ahead of them.
August 22nd, 2010 at 7:02 PM ^
You mean the Alabama d that gave up almost 600 yards in the air in last weeks scrimmage? I don't remember what the yard per qb were but all 3 had near perfect games. Wait it must be that their passing attack is that good. It's the same with osu, their offense isn't that great and they are known for their d. It make sense that the d preformed well.
August 22nd, 2010 at 12:11 PM ^
Its just one scrimmage against a defensive powerhouse, let's wait and see before we rank their offense as horrible.
August 22nd, 2010 at 12:13 PM ^
Didnt he suck in their August scrimmage a year ago?
He still led them to another Big 10 title and, this time, a Rose Bowl win.
He best attribute is, without a doubt, the Posey kid. He's a stud and if TP can get the ball near his hands, he'll go up and get it.
He had the most catches of any WR in the Tressel era a year ago.
August 22nd, 2010 at 12:18 PM ^
As has been said above, OSU's second team defense is probably as good or better than a whole bunch of teams first team D. We might hate them, but we should sure as shit respect them. There's a reason they haven't given up more than 15 PPG in conference play since 2004.
August 22nd, 2010 at 12:38 PM ^
A comment that OSU's 2nd team would be better than a "whole bunch" of teams first string is wickedly ignorant of reality. The next comment in that line of reasoning is that OSU could beat some bad NFL teams.
August 22nd, 2010 at 12:52 PM ^
How is it 'ignorant of reality'? All Tressell does is put one of the best defenses in the big ten and the country on the field every year no matter who many players he lost from the year before. You don't do that unless you have stock pile of talent and backup's ready to play.
Part of it may depend on what the definition of 'whole bunch' is, but if that means that OSU's 2nd string is better then 1/4 to 1/3 of the starting defenses in the country, I'd say that's probably not to far fetched.
August 22nd, 2010 at 2:09 PM ^
The question is what does "whole bunch" mean. I bet they would be better than the bottom 10 or so team defenses, but I took it to mean at or near half the teams in D-i.
August 23rd, 2010 at 11:54 AM ^
By a whole bunch, I mean like the bottom 20 or so defenses in the NCAA.
August 22nd, 2010 at 12:53 PM ^
Actually no, that's not even close to where that line of reasoning heads.
August 22nd, 2010 at 2:05 PM ^
... of a strong team's talent and an underestimate of other teams relative talent. OSU has had a great defense in the B10 and a solid defense against other BCS conference teams. Taking all the starters away from a solid defense does not leave much. If OSU was so vastly superior to everyone else, then it would be different.
August 22nd, 2010 at 4:46 PM ^
Over our first string defense. You must be forgetting, because it's been awhile, but good teams have this thing called "depth". They're young, lacking experience, but very talented, with 4 and 5 star guys waiting their turn. We're young, lacking experience...and really not very good at a lot of positions. Considering we're hoping to be a bowl team, and about half the teams make bowls, even if we were the very worst bowl team, that would make their second string better than about half the country's.
August 22nd, 2010 at 8:25 PM ^
So Michigan's bowl expectations and that other teams make bowls.... That OSU's second string is better than these other teams.
You jump about 4 steps to avoid the problems with making the sequence work.
I would stack our D against a similarly experienced D any day of the week and twice on Saturday
August 23rd, 2010 at 12:12 PM ^
That's actually not accurate. Since 2004, OSU has played 14 team from BCS conferences. They've given up an average of 19.5 PPG. Is that spectacular? No. But it's much better than "solid." That's a good defense.
August 23rd, 2010 at 12:36 PM ^
do the 48 Big Ten games not count as BCS opponents? Are you just counting bowl games and teams like USC (twice), Texas (twice)?
August 23rd, 2010 at 3:02 PM ^
No, I'm just responding to the comment that OSU has a great defense in the Big 10, but is only "solid" against other BCS conference opponents. If I added the Big 10 schedule in, their defense would have given up about 13-15 PPG since 2004. So yea, they're pretty good.
August 22nd, 2010 at 12:56 PM ^
I think it's Petr Klima.
/s
August 22nd, 2010 at 1:04 PM ^
They have won the recently downtrodden (and essentillay sans UM) B10 and got beat by most of the other teams they played who had a pulse.
OSU ðid well last year --alomst despite TP's passing. He is not a great QB (could be but not yet).
I love the hype he is getting. If there is a head case who will be worse for it, its him. I will enjoy the Buckeye fans disappointment in him as he fails to meet lofty expectaions (just like last year).
August 22nd, 2010 at 1:11 PM ^
Dammit, we're screwed. I wish we had your defense and QB's instead of ours.
August 22nd, 2010 at 1:50 PM ^
not even in jest. QB's? you most certainly would trade yours for ours
August 22nd, 2010 at 4:47 PM ^
You're not really saying he'd trade Pryor for Denard/Tate, are you?
August 22nd, 2010 at 5:19 PM ^
tate AND devin. you wouldn't take that trade?
August 22nd, 2010 at 5:30 PM ^
Pryor and Braxton Miller for Tate/Denard and Devin Gardner.
I don't think you'd get any OSU fan to agree to that.
August 22nd, 2010 at 5:33 PM ^
Can I take Pryor's back-ups? And the number one QB in the Country who's already committed to them? Because they don't need more than one guy right now. The fact that we do, kinda proves my point. But yes, I'd take one proven upperclassman vs. a former freshman starter who's probably going to get beat out by a guy who hasn't shown he can throw a lick in a real football game and a true freshman. Knowing with a big time program, and a star QB who will be a senior next year, I can get my pick of QB's to redshirt behind him next year (which is what they're doing). I'd take my chances with that.
August 22nd, 2010 at 10:22 PM ^
that "number 1 QB in the nation" was pulled for a freshman QB last season and isn't even on the team yet to boot. can you name any of TP's backups? meanwhile we have tate, denard, and DG. it's not that we NEED all three of them, it's that we have options. OSU does not as any buckeye fan would tell you. if TP goes down they'll look like we did in '08 offensively
August 23rd, 2010 at 8:58 AM ^
He's looking at making it 3 in a row vs. us, with all 3 of our QBs.
And if you're counting future QBs, I can too. I mean, only one can play. And as this week has shown us, it's not like there's any guarantee that being on the roster, but not playing today, means you'll be on the roster tomorrow. All 3 of our QBs staying 4 years probably has equal or less likelihood to them landing a committed QB.
August 23rd, 2010 at 1:10 PM ^
It normally doesn't exactly pan out perfectly. Best case scenario is you take your lumps and figure out the starter after a few losses. If you prefer not knowing who will start game 1, 2, 3 etc and a TF you NEED to redshirt...personally, I will take the incumbant Rose Bowl MVP. I can't believe this still comes up. I like both of your options (DG is not an option unless you are seriously desperate) but you are saying you will take split Qb system based on potential over a QB that would detroy in the RR offense. Really? If you could trade straight up, you wouldn't? I just don't believe that, I understand why you might say that but I don't think you would.
August 22nd, 2010 at 1:52 PM ^
I actually like our quarterbacks better than yours, but few would probably agree with me. Your defense is rad, though
EDIT: Apparently Obes agrees
August 22nd, 2010 at 2:18 PM ^
I agree. I honestly believe that halfway through this season it will be clear to all we have the best QBs in the B10.
August 22nd, 2010 at 1:34 PM ^
Miami and FSU in their heyday didn't have 2nd string defenses better than most starting D's in the country, so how in the world would OSU? Common sense would be that either Pryor and the offense had an off day, or (more likely) this isn't an ultra dynamic offense with exceptional talent everywhere. What it is though is an effective offense that compliments a stout defense and makes them a title contender. The thread starter made a sarcastic comment about OSU's 2nd string and multiple Michigan fans actually argued as to why OSU's 2's are REALLY the best 2nd string in the nation. It's like I'm in the twilight zone.
August 22nd, 2010 at 2:10 PM ^
Always find it funny that opposing fans feel the need to charge over here and defend their team...seriously what do you expect to get out of it? I doubt you will be changing many minds but by all means indulge if you wish!