The OSU Defcon Level Is Set To Maximum.
A good friend of mine is a Buckeye slappy and he is beside himself over the Purdue loss and overall look of the program. He like many are noticing Michigan and the noise they are starting to make. Many of them won't outwardly admit it, but they are concerned that the football landscape is being reset by Jim Harbaugh and Michigan. The threat level has been set to Severe, link below from Eleven Warriors.
October 23rd, 2018 at 8:58 AM ^
This pains me to say - like, “tiny zit on the spot where your lip meets your mustache” pain - but OSU has a ton of talent and Urban Meyer is still a great coach. They may have slipped a peg, but we have no reason to be cocky. Time to prove it on the field!
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:01 AM ^
I am just glad the game they slipped up on wasn't the one immediately before the Michigan game. I feel like too many times they will make Urban the playcaller or fix whatever major issue they had right before we play them...
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:07 AM ^
Getting blown out by Purdue certainly gives Meyer all the evidence he needs to alter the offense going forward and stop being a pass 70% of the time team.
Too late in the season to change things up to give them a credible run threat? Can they do it with a QB that is not a great runner?
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:11 AM ^
I really am not sure. I could be wrong, but in the past when Urban has had to make a mid-season offensive gameplan adjustment, it's been going back to the read option "bread and butter"... running it more, etc. I've never seen them have to adjust in this direction, but I am sure they are capable. What makes me wonder is if Haskins' arm can stay attached to his body.. he threw what, 75 times against Purdue? thats a lot.
October 23rd, 2018 at 10:05 AM ^
In the past it's always been with a QB who could run like a gazelle. Haskins isn't that. If they bring in Martell and bench Haskins and lose to anyone else... Let the couches burn.
October 23rd, 2018 at 11:37 AM ^
How do u justify benching a guy playing at an all American level, especially when it's the running game and defense that are the problem...
October 23rd, 2018 at 12:12 PM ^
Absolutely no way in hell they'd bench Haskins. Nor should they. The guy is likely going to break a bunch of OSU single season passing records, and would probably be the Heisman front-runner if not for Tua. He's already thrown for almost 3,000 yards, which is a huge accomplishment for any college QB, and has at least five games left to play.
If they benched him for Martell, and then managed to lose again, Meyer would be crucified.
October 23rd, 2018 at 12:45 PM ^
Nick Saban would make the switch to Martell at halftime of The Game.
October 23rd, 2018 at 2:30 PM ^
No way does he bench Haskins, however, would not be shocked to see a Martell series at some point in the Nebraska game, if they struggle to run. I think the main reason they are struggling to run, is that his offense is based on having a running threat at QB to keep defenders at bay. W/O that threat, defenses can just crash and not worry about Haskins running. And even if he does pull it and run, he is not fast enough to break a long one.
Urban is a system coach, I feel their personnel is better suited for a Pro Set rather than what they are currently running.
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:11 AM ^
The right move honestly might be to bring in Martell... But benching a Heisman contender will not go well with the fan base if they don't end up winning every game afterwards.
October 23rd, 2018 at 11:03 AM ^
Haskins isn't a Heisman contender if the team keeps throwing up Purdue-level stinkbombs, so they wouldn't really be losing anything.
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:14 AM ^
I don't get it. Urban wins a NC with a 3rd string QB, who was an OK thrower, but an absolute bulldozer (and Zeke) and then decides to become a passing spread attack? Why? He even has a credible running QB.
Also, lol at wanting the OC Ryan Day to replace Urban. Guy has never been a HC anywhere and apparently is cool with the passing spread (welcome to Don Brown's wheelhouse!).
October 23rd, 2018 at 10:39 AM ^
Ok. This is creative and funny. I like it. Mad props to the creator here.
October 23rd, 2018 at 10:52 AM ^
The descriptions are really funny. I like the Touting SAT scored the best.
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:59 AM ^
Maybe they should just give the ball to their barn full of super good running backs? Maybe Urban?
I know, crazy idea.
October 23rd, 2018 at 10:52 AM ^
For Urban it is a crazy idea. His offense is centered on a running QB to get man advantages. If he doesn't have a running QB, then DCs like DB can use that extra man for either coverage or to blitz. This bodes well for M, whether they hand it off to Webber or throw it.
Without a running QB, Urban seems lost. He has a system he's rigidly maintained over the years. Not having a good run QB seems like a big recruiting gaffe right now.
October 23rd, 2018 at 11:07 AM ^
Their OL isn't great this year, and Urban's running scheme for the last 15 years has been based around a QB who is a running threat, which Haskins ain't.
The only other times Meyer has had an offense without a running QB were his first year at Florida (2005, with Chris Leak) and his last year at Florida (2010, with John Brantley). Both teams had mediocre offenses - the 2005 team was 49th in the country in scoring, and the 2010 team was 43rd. Two years isn't a lot to go on, but there's at least a bit of evidence that Meyer can't build a consistent offense without a running QB.
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:16 AM ^
I know what you mean, Paps. But the Bucknuts fans feel it is different than the Iowa debacle last year, which really was an anomaly, or even that asinine game v. Sparty in 2015 where they ran Elliott like 8 times and lost to Sparty's backup QB. In those years, the Bucks had been playing well. Their passing game this year had covered up significant flaws in their run game and defense, and both have only gotten worse in 2018. Going to be tough to "fix" those in a short period of time - especially with an absentee team captain and a hateable head coach who looks like "death warmed over" these days.
With all that being said - you know we are going to get their best game. Going to be a war in Columbus, but we are going to take them this year!
Go Blue!!!
October 23rd, 2018 at 3:10 PM ^
I disagree that Ohio State was playing well in 2015 prior to the Michigan State game. That team was a mess on offense all season with the oddest playcalling from Ed Warriner/Tim Beck. There was no identity or congruency to the offense. Up until the MSU game, OSU's MO was to look like crap on offense for 3 quarters, and then feed the ball to Zeke in the 4th quarter to bail them out After the MSU loss, Urban Meyer took over playcalling for the Michigan and Notre Dame game.
October 23rd, 2018 at 4:13 PM ^
This is true. OSU was not playing well in 2015. They basically has a 10-game exhibition schedule before finishing with MSU & The Game. The early portion of the season was a mess with Cardale starting & Barrett on the bench. They were not sharp entering the MSU game and were especially unsharp in that game.
...they were pretty sharp the following week, however.
October 23rd, 2018 at 8:51 PM ^
You're pretty clever. Go fuck yourself Chuck.
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:26 PM ^
Then maybe the difference is Zeke Elliot isn’t walking through those doors to bail you out. It also stands true that even though you may not have had a true identity in 2015, you still had a qb that could run and a somewhat consistent running game. You don’t have either this year.
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:45 AM ^
Yes! We need to just maintain the mentality that we have as a program. I don’t believe Harbaugh would let his guys take those bastards lightly and dam well shouldn’t.
October 23rd, 2018 at 10:35 AM ^
I can only hope they play a terrible game like that game vs sparty or even the game last week, but they always seem to play a great game against us. Man it would be nice to beat them this year.
October 23rd, 2018 at 11:15 AM ^
It WILL be nice to beat them this year. They haven't been able to run the ball all year; they're aren't going to learn how in a month. We are their worst nightmare; pressure team that doesn't have to worry about a running game. Bucks goin' down...
October 23rd, 2018 at 10:58 AM ^
I thought so, too, but something really isn't right. He has so much talent but has been making really odd choices recently. His prior teams never looked this sloppy. Half the coaching staff are his buddies; half are chosen because of their questionable ethics; there aren't that many muscle-flexing top-of-the-game poachings (Larry Johnson) like he used to get.
Of course they're still very good, but he really has lost a step.
October 23rd, 2018 at 11:01 AM ^
I don't think any Michigan fans are counting our chickens, but it's nice to have a perspective on The Game other than "we can maybe win if every single little thing goes right."
October 23rd, 2018 at 12:23 PM ^
For real, Michigan just has to win this game no matter what. If Ohio State loses all its games by then, so what? Just win the game. FIND A WAY TO WIN. GO BLUE!!!!!!
October 23rd, 2018 at 8:58 AM ^
My god those idiots are so spoiled. That program has been a dynasty since 2002. They have absolutely nothing to complain about. I mean, come on. They have two titles this century, a bunch of big ten titles, and only two losses to Michigan since 2003.
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:05 AM ^
They are incredibly spoiled. They don't know how good they have had it for so many years now. And they are STILL having it good.
A bunch of spoiled brats.
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:18 AM ^
I think their problem is they see how successful Alabama has been. OSU fans think they should be at that level. The truth is no program can be at their level right now. Alabama has more bag men than any program in the country...oh, they also have the best coach of all time. As good as Meyer is, he isn't on Saban's level.
October 23rd, 2018 at 11:02 AM ^
Pretty much any Buckeye fan under 30 can barely remember when Ohio State wasn't dominant.
October 23rd, 2018 at 8:58 AM ^
So you decided the OSU post directly under this one wasnt a good place to deposit these thoughts?
Please God please. Let's not replace our 6-7 MSU daily threads with 6-7 OSU daily threads.
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:04 AM ^
6-7 MSU posts is fitting, as I predict that will be their record this year when all is said and done...
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:43 AM ^
It’s the Tuesday of a bye week, chill old timer
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:04 AM ^
This is one of the articles I love to read on that site, thanks for the heads up. That being said, beat bye week!
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:05 AM ^
Okay threat level Low being defined as “Michigan Twitter touting SAT scores” is pretty damn funny.
October 23rd, 2018 at 11:44 AM ^
What made me laugh was Desmond Howard predicting a win.
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:08 AM ^
I think it would be hilarious if they ran a guy out of town with a total of 9 career losses there. I mean, Urban is a scumbag and all that but that would be funny.
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:12 AM ^
Elevenwarriors is blocked by our IS people. Because they went to Michigan.
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:12 AM ^
They won the big ten last year and the psuedo-rose bowl vs USC. just fan overreaction.
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:30 AM ^
And have the most star power in the conference.
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:12 AM ^
With the state of their offensive line right now, I would not be surprised to see Michigan State push them to the limit.
They have plenty of talent, but I don't think their issues in the secondary or OL are fixable this late in the season.
October 23rd, 2018 at 3:54 PM ^
So I watched MSU play last week and ......no, no they will not.
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:16 AM ^
This comment made me laugh:
"Just the thought of Harbaugh celebrating a win makes me sick to my stomach. Only good thing that might come of it is he returns to the NFL."
He will not return to the NFL after beating OSU. That is one of the dumbest comments I have ever read.
October 23rd, 2018 at 10:19 AM ^
Well, he is an tOsu fan....
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:21 AM ^
Hypothetical here, if OSU loses to MSU and we are guaranteed to go to Indy, do you think a lot of those players give up quick in The Game if we take a lead? It's a side of players who have never lost to Michigan and would essentially have nothing to play for at that point, essentially quitting on their HC.
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:28 AM ^
We haven’t beaten Ohio State in 7 years. We haven’t one a game in Columbus since 2000. We lost last two years when we should have won.
No, I don’t think the players are going to let their foot off the gas for this one.
October 23rd, 2018 at 9:40 AM ^
He's asking about OSU