OK coach, another big game is upon us, against another big non-conference opponent. This is your team's chance to remind us of all the reasons we love you as a coach.
When you first arrived, we loved you simply because you weren't John Cooper. That in itself was a victory for the school. Then you brought back some of the traditions Cooper ignored, and we loved you even more. Then you went ahead and started winning big games left and right, and infatuation spread throughout Ohio, and even to the Jersey Shore.
You recruited well and, most importantly, started beating Michigan. A national championship and some terrific bowl game victories followed, and the Buckeye steamroller was well on it's way.
But somehow, two years ago the steamroller stalled. It wasn't just losses, you've accrued so much equity that we should be able to shrug off the inevitable losses that are bound to happen sometimes when you play the best teams in the country.
It was more the way your teams lost. They seemed unprepared, mistake-prone, and unable to cope with the big stage. And your in-game coaching decisions left you open to second-guessing.
Against Florida I was sure Ted Ginn returning the opening kickoff for a TD was a sign we were going to blow them out. Against LSU I was glad for the chance to redeem ourselves, and it was just as bad as the Florida game. Against USC I was nervous, I wasn't sure if we could handle them in LA. Now as we head into tonight's game, I'm very nervous.
To be fair, you had some bad luck. Ted Ginn getting hurt on the first offensive play from scrimmage was bad. Beanie Wells not playing against USC was bad too. Neither injury probably affected the outcome, but they certainly didn't help.
Now is our chance to show the college football world Ohio State is still a force. Texas is a very good team, but so are we, so hopefully it'll be a good game. I'm not saying we need to win...although that would be nice. Losing to Texas would not be a disaster. But beating ourselves again, the way we've done in those previous games, would be.
Here's hoping for a game with limited mistakes, solid execution of the game plan, sound coaching decisions, and putting the team in the best possible position to win. If we do that and don't win, we'll tip our hat to the other team.
This could be an important springboard into the 2009 season.
Sandra
When you first arrived, we loved you simply because you weren't John Cooper. That in itself was a victory for the school. Then you brought back some of the traditions Cooper ignored, and we loved you even more. Then you went ahead and started winning big games left and right, and infatuation spread throughout Ohio, and even to the Jersey Shore.
You recruited well and, most importantly, started beating Michigan. A national championship and some terrific bowl game victories followed, and the Buckeye steamroller was well on it's way.
But somehow, two years ago the steamroller stalled. It wasn't just losses, you've accrued so much equity that we should be able to shrug off the inevitable losses that are bound to happen sometimes when you play the best teams in the country.
It was more the way your teams lost. They seemed unprepared, mistake-prone, and unable to cope with the big stage. And your in-game coaching decisions left you open to second-guessing.
Against Florida I was sure Ted Ginn returning the opening kickoff for a TD was a sign we were going to blow them out. Against LSU I was glad for the chance to redeem ourselves, and it was just as bad as the Florida game. Against USC I was nervous, I wasn't sure if we could handle them in LA. Now as we head into tonight's game, I'm very nervous.
To be fair, you had some bad luck. Ted Ginn getting hurt on the first offensive play from scrimmage was bad. Beanie Wells not playing against USC was bad too. Neither injury probably affected the outcome, but they certainly didn't help.
Now is our chance to show the college football world Ohio State is still a force. Texas is a very good team, but so are we, so hopefully it'll be a good game. I'm not saying we need to win...although that would be nice. Losing to Texas would not be a disaster. But beating ourselves again, the way we've done in those previous games, would be.
Here's hoping for a game with limited mistakes, solid execution of the game plan, sound coaching decisions, and putting the team in the best possible position to win. If we do that and don't win, we'll tip our hat to the other team.
This could be an important springboard into the 2009 season.
Sandra
