I want to know, honestly, how this happens.

Submitted by CollegeFootball13 on

How? How does our defense almost dominate in the first quarter, shut them out, force three and outs on the first two drives, and then just lay a complete egg in the second quarter, and allow 24 points in the second quarter?

How does our offense drive inside the OSU 30 on the first two drives, inside the ten on the second, and not have any points to show for it? How does this dominant offense have 7 points at halftime while out gaining OSU with 260 yards?

I'd honestly rather we were playing poorly than showing so much promise and just absolutely blowing it. I don't know what to say. I would think conditioning for the defense, because they are strong in the first and weak in the second, strongish in the 3rd and weak in the 4th. But Barwis is awesome, so it makes no sense.

I don't even know what to think about our offense. It's not that we can't move the ball, because jesus we moved the ball better than Ohio State did in the first half, but somehow we get in the red zone and turn into an inept, turnover prone shell of an offense. I don't get it.

I'm not ripping on any individual player, not any individual coach, I just want your opinion on why this happens. Every single game it's the same tired re-run of a game, where it looks promising after the first quarter if our offense gets going, then our offense doesn't get going and the defense falls flat and it's out of reach by the time the offense starts scoring.

Why does this happen?

EDIT: And now our offense, the only good part of our team, is looking like it'll finish the day with seven points. Sheer torture. I'm on the fence, leaning towards one more year for RichRod, but when the only above-average facet of this abysmal team lays an egg and scores seven points in 60 minutes.. This is the first time I've considered the fact that he might actually get fired. I don't want it to happen, but this one's tough to ignore.

Mannix

November 27th, 2010 at 2:28 PM ^

Like any coach who used to play, he  is competitive. How long before he says, "Screw it, we tried, I'm out?"

This can't be fun for him, either. As much as he tries to make himself believe it will be better, he's got to look at some of it and think, "no way"

MFanWM

November 27th, 2010 at 2:01 PM ^

Waiting for the next famous phrase.....need to evalute the tape.......I guess because watching the team look inept once again on the field isnt painful enough....seeing the same players drop passes, fumble, not learn to switch hands when running.....not execute.....

sorry to say it, but a team does develop the mentality and personality of a strong coach.....unfortunately, they also will develop that personality when it is absent.

Don

November 27th, 2010 at 2:03 PM ^

I'm surprised he's gotten so little action the last two weeks.

And this is about the sixth straight week that Fitz is listed as "probable," everybody gets excited, and then he's nowhere to be found. That's a big reason why I don't pay attention to the injury reports any more.

MFanWM

November 27th, 2010 at 2:03 PM ^

I also hate to say that almost everything Millen is saying at this point in the game is dead on correct.....everything that Spielman stated earlier this week is dead on......and everyone who wants to say we are making significant progress needs to really take a second and think through where we are.

As I say that we just turn it over on the first play of the 2nd half.

maizenbluenc

November 27th, 2010 at 2:27 PM ^

I am beginning to wonder if the spread works until the red zone, and then when there isn't as much space against a good defense ....

As for defense - OSU decided to start passing and we reverted to 3-3-5

mackbru

November 27th, 2010 at 4:02 PM ^

Couldn't disagree more. Turnovers are perhaps the best indicator in terms of coaching (after wins and losses). Well-coached teams secure the ball. Poorly coached ones give it up. One of the maddening things about playing Sabin or Tressel is how rarely their teams fumble.

jhackney

November 27th, 2010 at 2:39 PM ^

meltdown. I find it hilarious that all this squabbling isn't going to make a difference. Save it for after the bowl and then we'll hash it out like civilized human beings.

bronxblue

November 27th, 2010 at 3:26 PM ^

I could only catch portions of the game on the radio while driving through Ohio for a wedding, but it sounds like a sloppy game by UM combined with the cold efficiency we expect from OSU.  I hate to say it, but OSU has been a better program compared to UM since basically the middle of the decade (save for 2006, and even that might have been a bit of a abberation), and it is going to take another year or two for the talent levels to even out again.  I hope and expect RR to be there for it, but today's game was incredibly hard to listen to, let alone watch.