Right: Um, coach, you might want to flip that over every now and then, there might be some better plays on the back side.
Getty Images

Well it’s that time of the season where I hand out the interim reports cards on the progress of the 2008 Ohio State Buckeyes

So far, the Buckeyes are 5-1 on the year, just as I expected them to be through six games this season. While I did predict that USC would beat OSU, never in a million years did I think that that the Trojans would take them to the woodshed like they did.

A lot of things have happened in those six games as well. Offensively, Beanie Wells miss three contests due to a toe injury, and sixth-year senior Todd Boeckman was replaced in the starting lineup by freshman Terrelle Pryor four games into the season. Defensively, the line was overhauled as ends Doug Worthington and Cameron Heywood moved to tackle, with Thaddeus Gibson joining Lawrence Wilson at end.

With as many returning starters back from last year’s team, the Buckeyes were in a state of flux, but it seems that Tressel has steadied the vessel.

Offense

Here are a few interesting numbers:

As someone who studied Political Science at The Ohio State University, the term always used with surveys was “sample size.” Yes, Beanie was only played on three games, so this is all I have to work, but the numbers below demonstrate how valuable Beanie is in the lineup, who is arguably the best player in college football. Even the passing numbers are better because at times there are safeties creeping up to stop the run.

More numbers:

Offensively, the Buckeyes have fared slightly better with Pryor as the starting quarterback, though for one game he had to do without Beanie against Troy.

Even more numbers:

As you can clearly see, the offense is more potent with Terrelle and Beanie in the same backfield. With just two games under their belt, things can only get better for the Buckeyes. I still think that the passing average has to improve to make Ohio State more balanced.

While I feel all of those numbers will improve, statistically Ohio State is at the bottom of most categories. The Buckeyes are 10th in the Big Ten and 81st among the 120 teams in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in total offense (337.3 ypg). Even worse, OSU comes in 11th in the Big Ten and 105th in the NCAA in passing offense (151.3 ypg). In scoring offense, Ohio State ranks eighth in the Big Ten and 65th FCS (25.7 pgg).

Those are absolutely awful numbers for a team that still clings to an outside chance of making it to a third-straight BCS title game.

One other blemish, Ohio State is also dead-last in the Big Ten and 106th in the NCAA in sacks allowed, giving up 2.67 per game.

Offense’s Grade: C-

Defense

In Tressel’s seven-plus years as head coach of the Buckeyes, the defense has always been a notch above the offense statistically. But this year’s D has not been as dominant in recent years.

Never mind the fact that Ohio State gave up 35 points and 348 total yards against USC, but the Buckeyes have also given up huge chucks of real estate to Troy (315) and Wisconsin (326), too.

Last season, the Buckeyes were tops in the nation in both scoring defense (12.8 ppg) and total defense (233.0 ypg). So far through six games this season, Ohio State is tied for 18th in scoring defense (16.2 ppg) and 18th in total defense (262.2). Those stats are good for second and fourth, respectively, in the Big Ten.

Another problem is penetration and getting to the quarterback. The Buckeyes are dead-last in the Big Ten in sacks (1.50) and tackles of loss (4.50).

Defense’s Grade: C+

Special Teams

Wow, what a mixed bag here. Ohio State is second in the Big Ten in net punting, first in punt returns, but 10th in kickoff returns. Ryan Pretorius is 11-of-14 kicking field goals, and 16-of-17 on PATs. A.J. Trapasso is averaging 44.9 yards per punt.

Special Team’s Grade: B

Tags: Football by Matt Barker, Publisher & Editor of BuckeyeBanter.com
View Comments

Right: Senior quarterback Curtis Painter is second in the Big Ten in passing yards.
AP Photo

Purdue
2-3, 0-1 Big Ten

Known as the Godfather of spread offense in the Big Ten, Boilermakers’ head coach “Average” Joe Tiller is entering his final year at the helm, going 86-56 in 11-plus seasons and became Purdue’s all-time winningest coach after their victory over Central Michigan more than two weeks ago. His 85 victories tops the previous mark of 84 set by Jack Mollenkopf from 1956-1969.

Tiller has already handpicked his successor, hiring Danny Hope from Eastern Kentucky, who was an assistant coach under Tiller from 1997-2001. Hope is the offensive line coach this season before taking the reigns next year.

One benefit Tiller thought he had entering this season was senior quarterback Curtis Painter, who threw for 3,846 yards with 29 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2007.

While Painter is second in the Big Ten in passing yards with 1,225, he’s completed just 57.5 percent of his throws (110-of-191) with five touchdowns and five interceptions.

Last Saturday against Penn State, Painter was 13-of-22 passing for 112 yards and a pick before he was pulled in the fourth quarter in favor of 6-foot-2, 220-pound junior quarterback Joey Elliott, who lead the Boilers’ to their only scoring drive of the day.

While Painter is expected to start against Ohio State on Saturday, don’t be surprised if Elliott gets into the game if he struggles.

The ground game is handled by 6-foot, 206-pound senior running back Kory Sheets, who has 498 yards in 98 attempts (5.4 ypa) with eight touchdowns. No other back has more than seven carries.

Purdue’s top receivers are 6-foot-3 senior Greg Orton, who leads the team in receptions with 30 for 330 yards, and 6-foot-1, 199-pound senior Desmond Tardy, who tops the roster with 393 receiving yards and two touchdowns while haling in 25 passes.

Three starting offensive linemen returned from last season’s team which is anchored by 6-foot-7, 325-pound senior left tackle Sean Sester, who has made 43 consecutive starts for the Boilermakers.

Last year, the Boilermakers led the Big Ten in scoring offense (34.3 ppg) and total offense (435.9 ypg). But this year, Purdue has struggled to put points on the board. Through five games, the Boilers’ are ninth in the Big Ten in scoring offense (25.4 pgg) and seventh in total offense (371.4 ypg).

And it’s not only that Purdue can’t score, but they can’t stop a fat lady from an all-you-can-eat buffet, either. The Boilermakers are ninth in the Big Ten in scoring defense (25.0 ppg), and dead-last in total defense giving up a whopping 435.8 yards per outing. And they are equally as bad at the stopping the run (196.0 ypg) as they are the pass (239.8), since both categories also rank last in the conference.

The defense is led by 6-foot-2, 230-pound senior linebacker Anthony Heygood, who has 44 total tackles. Defensive tackles Ryan Baker, a 6-foot-5, 280-pound senior, and 6-foot-4, 293-pound junior Mike Neal share the top spot with four TFLs. Neal also shares the lead with 6-foot-4, 295-pound senior defensive tackle Alex Magee, who both have two sacks.

Purdue got off to an easy start to begin the season, facing FCS-member (Division I-AA) Northern Colorado, a team that went 1-11 in 2007.

Painter passed for 286 yards with two touchdowns, Tardy caught three passes for 112 yards while Sheets ran for 81 yards and two more scores as Purdue defeated Northern Colorado 42-10.

Week two was a much tougher challenge for the Boilermakers, facing then-16th ranked Oregon in West Lafayette, losing to the Ducks 32-26 in two overtimes.

Purdue led at one point 20-3 early in the second quarter, and went into the locker room with a 20-6 advantage at halftime. But Oregon tied the game late in the third, rattling off 14 unanswered points before both teams traded field goals in the fourth quarter. Boilers’ kicker Chris Summers missed a 44-yard field goal as time expired in regulation.

Both teams scored on field goals in the first overtime session, and Purdue go the ball first to start the second, but the Boilermakers had to settle on a 47-yard field goal that was no good. Oregon won when LeGarrette Blount rushed up the middle for 3-yard TD with their chance with the pigskin.

The following week, Sheets broke loose for a 46-yard touchdown run with a minute left in the game to lift Purdue to a 32-25 victory over Central Michigan, as the Boilermakers narrowly avoided a huge upset.

The Chippewas scored a touchdown and a two-point conversion with 1:18 left to play that appeared to give Central Michigan the stunning victory.

Week four had the Boilermakers traveling to South Bend to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish where Purdue was handed a 38-21 defeat.

The game as tied 14-all at halftime, but the Irish scored 14 unanswered points in the third quarter and never looked back.

Last week against Penn State, Purdue’s defense played much better holding the Nittany Lions to just 20 points, but offensively the Boilermakers struggled to put any crooked numbers on the scoreboard and lost 20-6.

For the game, Purdue managed to get just 224 yards of total offense, with 83 of those yards coming on the ground.

Sept. 6 vs. Northern Colorado: Won, 42-10
Sept. 13 at Oregon: Lost, 32-26 (2 OT)
Sept. 20 vs Central Michigan: Won, 32-26
Sept. 27 at Notre Dame: Lost, 38-21
Oct. 4 vs. Penn State: Lost 20-6

Tags: Football by Matt Barker, Publisher & Editor of BuckeyeBanter.com
Comments Off