Bauserman to start for tOSU
Title says most of it, but it does sound like Braxton Miller will be given snaps early in the season in an attempt to see if he can take the job as a True Freshman.
August 30th, 2011 at 3:36 PM ^
I see a hard choice for Ohio this year. go with the senior and run a solid yet predictable offence, not much big play threat but won't make alot of mistakes ethier. or go with Miller and have the threat of the big play and the flexablity a dual threat guy gives you but also have to put up with the freshmen mistakes that will cost you a game or two.
ethier way I don't think OSU will be much more than an 8 or 9 win team this year at best
August 30th, 2011 at 3:39 PM ^
I see this being somewhat similar to the Boeckman/Pryor situation. I think Bauserman starts in the beginning, but eventually is overtaken by Miller's playmaking ability, even if it comes with a few mistakes on the way.
August 30th, 2011 at 8:55 PM ^
An Ohio "friend" of mine dubbed it "Pryor 2.0."
If he is right, is Braxton on the take too?
August 30th, 2011 at 3:40 PM ^
hmm idk about that.. I saw bauserman play last year and he was awful.. I think it was the ILL game when he played a decent amount. I will be interested to see how much better he is.
August 30th, 2011 at 3:40 PM ^
That realllly bummed me out, I can't believe it's gotten to that point.
August 30th, 2011 at 3:43 PM ^
don't worry we'll be at least that this year.
August 30th, 2011 at 3:43 PM ^
I was thinking about this choice last night: Does OSU go with the proven commodity for the first few games because its safer or play Miller early to get him experience for the B1G season? Part of me thinks that the senior has earned it and deserves to start. The other part of me says that the program needs a complete fresh start, to get some non-NCAA violation chatter going and begin a new era in an exciting way. If I were Finkel I think I'd start Miller to show everyone that this is a new OSU and its his team not Tressel's. Of course, Tressel recruited Miller but that's neither here no there . . .
August 30th, 2011 at 3:50 PM ^
The fans wanted to see what Pryor could do but Tressel went with the "safe" choice in Boeckman. Pryor saw some playing time and was the starter by game 4. I predict much the same this year.
August 30th, 2011 at 3:56 PM ^
Did you see the Illinois game last year? I think OSU made a great choice, even though Braxton Miller will probably be starting by the time they play us.
August 30th, 2011 at 6:02 PM ^
Stepping in as a first year coach, after the OSU stuff? Or steppin in at MICHIGAN? Been a diehard for 39 years but when I bet my money, Im going Ohio State.
August 30th, 2011 at 3:36 PM ^
thought they would give it to braxton.. how has he looked in spring ball?
August 30th, 2011 at 3:40 PM ^
Some analysts think he's the second coming. He's a better throwing TP. On the other hand, he's been missing timing routes in practice and he just said the other day that he's trying to learn about 5 passing plays a day. I'm surprised he hasn't learned more of the playbook since he enrolled early, especially since Ohio will probably be running TresselBall part deux this year.
August 30th, 2011 at 11:30 PM ^
is that Miller appears to be more injury prone.
As we know all too well there is a risk sending QBs a lot smaller than Pryor running through Big Ten defenses. Miller is thought to be a better pure passer than Pryor and a more elusive runner, but Pryor knew the OSU offense better and hit gliding speed quickly.
If Miller can stay healthy he'll eventually (when he learns the offense and calms down) be quite a weapon.
August 31st, 2011 at 7:00 AM ^
Miller better be because he's awfully small compared to Pryor. FWIW, it doesn't take much to be a better pure passer than Pryor.
August 30th, 2011 at 3:47 PM ^
No need to rush the frosh out on opening day for the first snap.
August 30th, 2011 at 3:55 PM ^
I agree. You wouldn't want to let him build some confidence against a 1-11 MAC team. I think you only start Bauserman if you'll stick with him for the season, unless he's just God-awful. Otherwise, why not start Miller now?
August 30th, 2011 at 11:32 PM ^
(which he probably will) Miller will get more than a quarter of playing time, I'd bet. If he does very well he might get even more the next week vs. a much better team, Toledo.
August 30th, 2011 at 3:55 PM ^
with the money he made from playing "Whitey" on Me, Myself, and Irene he wouldn't need to pursue a professional football career.
August 30th, 2011 at 4:01 PM ^
This guy seems legit.
August 30th, 2011 at 4:23 PM ^
He looks more like a European soccer player to me. Austria? Throw another shrimp on the barbie!
August 30th, 2011 at 4:34 PM ^
You mean Australia.
August 30th, 2011 at 4:46 PM ^
Dumb and Dumber?
August 30th, 2011 at 4:49 PM ^
Dumb and dumber.
August 30th, 2011 at 5:12 PM ^
Lloyd! You can't triple-stamp a double-stamp!
August 30th, 2011 at 7:55 PM ^
Man he looks so old! Older than Chris Weinke!
August 30th, 2011 at 11:34 PM ^
Greg Oden
August 30th, 2011 at 3:40 PM ^
he wasn't that impressive last year
August 30th, 2011 at 3:44 PM ^
Enough with the little t in front of ohio. It's annoying as hell
August 30th, 2011 at 3:44 PM ^
in one game that wasnt mop up duty against the backups of a scrub team.
That was against Illinois when he came in for an injured Pryor and put up a -45.8 passer rating going 1-2 for 1 yard and an INT...
August 30th, 2011 at 3:50 PM ^
I forgot about that game. it says a lot that a non mobile pryor was a better option then bauserman
August 30th, 2011 at 3:45 PM ^
Hitler is not happy upon hearing this.
August 30th, 2011 at 3:46 PM ^
I can't believe they are starting Bowser, Man...
August 30th, 2011 at 3:54 PM ^
This is very surprising to me, because OSU would win both of their first two games with me playing QB.
So if they wanted to get Miller's feet wet, that would be the time to do it.
I know that Miami and Colorado aren't great teams, but you certainly don't want your true freshman to have to make his first start in one of those games. The same can be said for the MSU and Nebraska games after that.
Maybe they are going with the senior experience because of all the other talent that won't be on the field for the first 5 games?
Going with Bauserman seems to be a move for getting 8-9 wins this season but will not help them for the future like playing Braxton would.
It seems like Fickell is playing for everything he can get this season because he doesn't know if he'll get a chance next year if he doesn't get to 10 wins.
August 30th, 2011 at 4:53 PM ^
Toledo is a good team. They would beat Colorado and the lower tier teams of the Big Ten.
August 30th, 2011 at 5:13 PM ^
Just ask a Michigan fan... wait.
August 30th, 2011 at 7:11 PM ^
Sad part is, Michigan lost to the worst Toledo team in 20+ years.
August 30th, 2011 at 7:27 PM ^
Toledo's coach got fired the year after doing something no MAC coach had ever done. :-(
August 30th, 2011 at 4:04 PM ^
That was announced last week. Old Old News. Go ahead, troll. That would not be new news ....
August 30th, 2011 at 4:08 PM ^
When you don't have any QBs with experience, you need to get a couple of them some game time. I don't think it matters much who starts. They'll both play, and will both need to get some reps, especially if one has a history of injuries (like Miller).
The "start the senior, play the underclassman" thing also seems to be popular among coaches, though it's probably more common in basketball.
August 30th, 2011 at 7:41 PM ^
If your QB's are 1A and 1B and you have a senior and an underclassman, you start the senior. If you don't you send a message to your entire team that hard work and sticking with it gets you nothing. The only reason to start the underclassman in that situation is if he definitely gives you a better chance of winning.
In other words, you don't start an underclassman on a guess or a coin flip. There has to be legitimate separation. It doesn't sound like there is legitimate separation in Columbus right now.
Since it IS Ohio, I hope they start the freshman and piss off the seniors.
August 30th, 2011 at 4:13 PM ^
Handoffs!
August 30th, 2011 at 4:13 PM ^
That is interesting, but any intelligent person knows that Braxton will be the starter eventually and I can guarantee you he will be starting against Michigan. This will be 2008 all over again for Ohio. Upperclassman QB being chosen as the starter only to show that he can't get the job done. Ohio coach will realize that he has a highly ranked recruit, stud freshman waiting to just be told to get on the field to start and the upperclassman will be history.
August 30th, 2011 at 4:27 PM ^
I actually thought Bauserman might have had a shot at replacing Tressel. This is a perfect situation for OSU. Not only do they have him as their QB but he is also a father figure for the rest of the young men on the team to look up to.
August 30th, 2011 at 4:27 PM ^
This just proves The Vest is still running the show, probably from the basement of an undisclosed location in Upper Arlington or Bexley
It should be Miller. And eventually will be. He barely lost as a starter playing in the highest class of Ohio High School football. Sadly, for us, he has the goods. Hopefully he keeps him on the bench long enough and it costs them somehow.
August 30th, 2011 at 4:31 PM ^
Joe Bauserman is not good at football. I doubt he makes it past the State game as the starter. Miller will be a good one but he is not Terrelle Pryor...regardless, I feel pretty good about the quarterback situation in Columbus (I think they go 9-3, FWIW).
August 30th, 2011 at 4:35 PM ^
Starting Bauserman, eh? If only Manningham was still around, we could make tons of Super Mario jokes. *sigh* just a few years off...