USC Fallout: Is This Jim Tressel's Rich Rodriguez Moment?

By HD Handshoe
Founder—BlockONation


A year ago, after many fans of the University of Michigan were questioning whether or not RichRod was the right man to lead their program, as they suffered loss after loss on their way to a 3-9 season—the worst ever in UM history—Rodriguez was quoted as saying to those critics, "Get a life."

Fast forward to September 12, 2009.

Michigan is 2-0, "they call me" Tater (salad) Forcier is the next Tom Brady, Rich Rod is a coaching God, and UM fans are regaining their cocky attitudes.

Meanwhile, the Buckeyes are now 1-1, Pryor sucks and is overrated, Tressel is a bum, and OSU fans are PISSED after this most recent setback, an 18-15 loss to USC in Ohio Stadium to a team that lost eight defensive starters from a year ago, and came to Columbus with a true freshman QB at the helm.

This Buckeye team played great, specifically on defense, but in the end, it was the ridiculously conservative hand-cuffing of the offense that led to the final result...

Another loss, on the national stage by Ohio State, in a game that most Ohio State fans truly believe the Buckeyes should have won and would have won, if Jim Tressel was not ultra-conservative has critics coming out of the woodwork, more than ever, and has seemingly turned up the heat on Tressel.

Tressel is well aware that the hot seat is getting warmer, at least in the fans eyes.

Tressel said he has received critical e-mails, but said the fans' poison makes him feel sorry for them.

"When I read some of them I feel terrible for them because there's no way they're happy," he said. "They've got to be some of the most unhappy people in the world, and I feel bad because we just made them less happy, and I hate to be a part of making someone less happy. I mean, they're already miserable."

Did he really just say that? That critical OSU fans are some of the most unhappy and miserable people in the world?

To say that takes, and shows some balls.

Too bad Tressel has shown no sign of having a pair when it comes to his play-calling on the field.

Bob Hunter, a columnist for The Columbus Dispatch, wrote that angry Ohio State fans may want a new coach but no one talks about who that might be. He also brought up the subject of buying out Tressel's contract, which would pay Tressel more than $12 million through January 2013.

Tongue in cheek, Hunter proposed those wanting to get rid of Tressel might want to circulate petitions to build a casino or two on campus so the coach and his biggest boosters, athletic director Gene Smith and Ohio State president Gordon Gee, all could be fired.

With the Buckeyes preparing to play Toledo at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Saturday, the glow of that 2002 national championship game seems light years away.

It's true, many fans are calling for his termination, which is extreme if you ask me, while others, at the very least are demanding that he relinquish his play-calling duties and hire a real offensive coordinator—possibly a young guru, with some fresh ideas on how to jump start the stagnant, dull, and sputtering offense we've seen for the past several seasons in Columbus—one who will put Tressel-ball out of it's misery for good.

I love the Buckeyes and Jim Tressel has been an amazing coach. I'm in what I believe to be the majority, that wants to keep Tressel, but would also like to see him give up play-calling.

The problem with keeping Tressel is, he doesn't want to do that. So, if he won't make some much needed changes with the coaching staff, and he won't give up calling the plays on offense, there's only one option left...

Maybe in just a few short years, Tressel really has went from a top five coach, to outdated and washed up.

I can't stress this enough: I still want Tressel as our coach, but I think he has to find and hire an offensive minded coordinator to give the play-calling duties to.

Nothing lasts forever and if he really is not willing to make these few changes, then I think it could be time for Tress to head back to Youngstown State, or just an early retirement from coaching altogether at the end of the season.

If he finds a way to lose to Toledo on Saturday at Cleveland Browns Stadium, he'll be less popular than Kanye West at the CMA's.

Maybe he can go on Leno and apologize too, and announce he's going to "take a break" from coaching—a permanent one.


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Photo Copyright - Ron Pradetto

OSU-USC Postgame Analysis: Five Things We Learned About Ohio State

Posted by HD Handshoe
Founder—BlockONation


Written by Phil Harrison--BleacherReport.com


It sounds like a broken record, but Ohio State lost another game on the big stage. The played hard and went toe to toe with the Trojans, but at the end of the day, anyone within the program will tell you that a program like Ohio State does not believe in moral victories.

The Bucks lost, plain and simple. After two games, here is what we have been able to discern about this edition of The Ohio State University:

1. Terrelle Pryor still has some major growth to go through

Pryor is an unbelievable athlete to be sure. Still, he is merely a great athlete who just happens to moonlight as a quarterback. All the talk about the great strides that were made over the offseason have yet to show two games into the season.

There were times during the USC game in which his decision making was tedious at best. You could argue that a deer in headlights has a better suspicion of getting out of danger. At some point Pryor has to reach the point where is is a great quarterback that just happens to be a phenomenal athlete as well.

2. Terrelle Pryor is not a drop back quarterback

Staying close to the same point, at some point the experiment of making Terrelle Pryor into a drop back quarterback has got to end. I know he came to Ohio State to become more of a pro style quarterback, but it is time to call a spade a spade. Pryor's gifts are with his feet, not his precision passing.

In order to give Ohio State the best chance to win, it may be time to start utilizing his running ability a bit more. I hope the guy proves me wrong, but from what I can tell thus far (and he is just a true sophomore), Pryor will never be an elite quarterback in the pros unless the NFL evolves away from the stereotypical drop back passer anyhow. Let's open it up and let the man play the way he knows how.

3. Ohio State is young, but good

This was not the debacle in the desert, or the slaughter in the Big Easy. Ohio State played better than good enough to win against probably the toughest team they will face all season.

This team will be just fine. There is still that nasty trip to take to Penn State, but you have to feel good about Ohio State's place among the college landscape this year. There is still plenty to play for the remainder of the season, and enough talent to do some pretty big things.

4. The offense is still searching for an identity

Most championship caliber teams generally can go back to their bread and butter when a game is on the line. They can dial up what they do best when a big first down or touchdown ending nail in the coffin is needed.

Tell me what Ohio State would go to. In several instances in the game when a big play was needed, it was if both the coaching staff and Pryor were just going through plays hoping that something good would happen.

Both the running and passing game lacked any type of consistency to end the game. There were chances to seal a huge win, Ohio State just didn't know what method to use to do it.

5. "Carroll Ball" trumps "Tressel Ball"

On several fourth and short opportunities, Pete Carroll did not show any inclination that he was going to settle for anything less than success. The confidence that he displayed to his team was rewarded with the desired outcome on each accord.

Tressel, on the other hand, waivered on a couple of key forth and short yardage situations. There was the thought to go for it on fourth and goal from the 1 before the nature of his personality got the best of him after a time out. The result: Ohio State settled for a field goal.

Then, there was the opportunity to kick a long field goal and go up by eight on fourth down. Again, the conservative side of the "sweatered one" decided to pin USC back and let the defense hold the fort. Almost everyone in Buckeye Nation in unison had the same collective thought: USC wins on a drive for the ages.

Carroll showed confidence to his team, while Tressel's second guessing has got to do nothing but reassure his team that he is not totally sold on the decision. If he is not totally sold, how do can you expect the team to reciprocate?

I usually rush to Tressel's defense, but the guy does need to learn from time to time that, all things being equal, the aggressor generally will get the best of the passive more times than not.

Nobody can argue that Tressel is a still a very good coach, but I would bet the farm that many fans wish he would grow a pair of Buckeye Nuts from time to time.

Alright, enough pining. It is time to move forward with the season. I only hope that these five lessons can be taken to heart.

One thing is for certain: The lesson that Ohio State has unfortunately gotten used to is moving on after a big loss.

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