Give that game ball to the offense. While all phases of the game contributed
in a big way, who would have thought the offense would take control like that?
They took care of the ball. They sustained drives. They had big plays. They won
at the line of scrimmage. They did it all.
It was great to see Gonzalez capitalize early. It is one thing to make that
catch. It is another thing to keep your feet and score once you make that catch.
Poise and concentration from a guy that will be around in the future.
Troy Smith looked sharp as he navigated over 440 yards of Buckeye offense.
Smith just made a mark that no one can erase. He was special with his throwing,
running, and most importantly, his decision-making. Great composure and presence
from someone that comes back for two more years.
After he and Santonio had a casual conversation about who was going to catch
the darn football while the punt was on its way down, Ted Ginn provided us with
another memory. Those Michigan coaches emphasize pursuit angles, but Ted is Ted.
We look forward to great things from Ginn Jr. in the coming years.
Ashton Youboty had his hands full with some big-time receivers getting off
the U of M bus. What great instincts and body control with that pick! You
manufacture your own luck. He was in the right place at the right time for a
reason. Ashton should continue to dazzle Buckeye fans in The Game.
We all saw the same pattern on Saturday. There comes a time when players need
to step up. If you wait for tomorrow, you will be running out for Senior Day
with lost potential. The time is now. After losing 14 to the draft, I wondered
at times, "Are these youngsters going to make it happen?" I'm happy
and proud to say they made it happen. We want Big Ten Championships and National
Titles. These guys are good enough to get there. The recruiting experts told us
these youngsters were special, and we saw them take over the college football
world for a few hours on national television. Tressel will get the consistency
and improvement from these guys. It is just thrilling to see we have the talent.
3-1 for the seniors. Awesome. They will all tell you they wanted 4-0, but I
must congratulate them on beating good Michigan football teams when they had
their doubters. Those seniors should be proud. The first two victories were
special to them. This victory, in their senior year, was the one they wanted and
the one they will cherish the most.
All in all, just a solid football game from OSU. We had great kickoff
coverage, which showcased much of our young speed. We had Turano with one of
many "plays of the game" booming a 71-yard punt after a snap came back
low and to the left. We had 99 and 97-yard drives. We had a great blend of
return attempts and block attempts from our punt return unit. Smith rambled for
145 yards rushing. Santonio, Ted, and Tony caught nice passes. AJ was his usual
"best linebacker in college football" self. Bobby Carpenter punished
Michigan with his hitting. Our DB's rotated and played fresh and crisp and
effective. The list is endless. Throw out the notion of "Well, this
Michigan team almost lost a few along the way…just how good were they?"
Hey, they gave us their best shot. We made them look very average at times. We
made them look out of sync. We created their misfortunes.
Buckeye Leaves…
Ted Ginn - The film of Ted Ginn was maybe enough for a Buckeye Leaf. His
three punt returns for TD's leading up to the game made Lloyd go to bed thinking
about his speed. The future is real bright. Can he break his own records next
year?
Troy Smith - If we needed anyone to have a big game, it was our quarterback.
I thought 21-24 points would be enough. Troy apparently thought I set the goals
too low. He was very deliberate and effective with every move he made. His arm
and feet were nothing compared to his great thinking on the football field.
Mike Nugent - His field goals affected the Wolverines psyche more than they
affected the scoreboard.
Defensive Backs - They were beat up going into this thing. They weren't even
healthy. Little kids should take notes on the DB's emphasis of "one play at
a time" in that Michigan game. They had short memories when they made
mistakes (which wasn't that often). They just kept competing every single down.