Buckeyes Deserved the Booing Today

Congratulations to Ron Zook and Illinois. Out coached, outplayed and Ohio State goes and proves everyone outside of Ohio correct. Ohio State's defense got pushed around more than Bonnie Bernstein during the post game raucous.

Illinois was giving Ohio State the ball, giving it to them by punting on 4th and 1 with seven minutes left and what does Ohio State do? They call time-out because they don't have the right personnel on the field. Who in the world cares what personnel you have on the field during a punt? You need all the time-outs you can get and they are kicking the ball to you. The ball will be in your hands. You get the ball! Play with 5 guys on the field for Pete's sake. Just let the ball die and it's up to your offense to drive to victory. Horrible coaching.

The Buckeyes defense had all the chances in the world to make a stand in the second half. But not one 3rd down or 4th down stop at all. The number one defense in the country was just getting pushed around. Whatever happened to learning from the past? How many times does a team have to run a QB draw on 3rd down for a defense to figure out their is no chance the ball is going in the air? Evidently the Buckeyes defense and coaching staff is still trying to figure it out.

This is one of the most frustrating loses I have ever had to go through with Ohio State. Not because of the #1 ranking, being undefeated or because the other team was that great. It was just stupid decision after stupid decision all night long. Very poor management of time-outs on defense - one here, one there, another one here and now your all out.

Why throw the ball deep on the last interception? No need at all. Run, run, run, run, run, run! The running game was clicking full steam just as it has done all year in the second half of games. Get down and pound a defense to victory. But not today.

The season is far from over though. Ohio State should beat a weaker Michigan team on the road. They should roll them and with that, the Buckeyes will be in the Rose Bowl in a big time BCS game against a big-time opponent, possibly USC if Oregon goes on to the National Championship game. Would make for an interesting game and set-up for the home and home the Buckeyes have with the Trojans in 2008 & 2009.

I hate, hate, hate when my teams lose. No different than anyone else I guess. I'm going to bed. Yes, it's 4:40 in the afternoon.