The 2002 Homecoming at OSU was a success. Our passing game
looked sharp. Maurice rolled for a bunch of yards and a bunch of touchdowns. The
defense was forcing turnovers. The tailgaters seemed to bring their
"A-Game". Even the college games on the tube seemed to have huge
implications. Life was good this past Saturday.
Okay, enough of that. We just turned the corner of our 13
game season. It is not a case of "let's just gut-out these last few
games." Instead, we need to open an entirely new chapter. We need to set
sail on a new journey. Do we really have to play Alvarez on the road, the
winningest coach of all time, an angry Gopher squad led by a former Buckeye, Joe
"I don't lose many games in West Lafayette" Tiller, the defending
outright Big Ten Champs, and Michigan? These teams will keep getting better, and
by the way, these teams don't like Ohio State very much. But the good news is we
are getting better. On top of that, we don't like them very much either.
I can see how San Jose State would be scary if they were
winning the turnover battle. They entered the game as the best team in the
country in terms of giveaway/takeaway. That offense was actually neat to watch.
They could not bully our defense, so they tried to play the game on the
perimeter. That is a good philosophy if you are out-manned.
In the end, it showed why a great program tries to win
with offensive balance (Miami, OSU, Oklahoma, etc.). We beat to death the saying
"three things can happen when you throw the football and two of them are
bad." Well, maybe it is actually five things can happen when you throw the
football and four of them are bad.
1.) You can complete the pass (good).
2.) You can throw an incompletion (bad).
3.) You can throw an interception (bad).
4.) In the case of SJS, you can have your quarterback get trucked over when he
is not looking and fumble (bad…Cie Grant blew him up and Kudla recovers).
5.) And finally, you can complete the pass but you now have a 170 lbs. skinny
receiver carrying the ball with defenders teeing off on him (bad…all the SJS
fumbles).
Don't get me wrong, passing needs to be a HUGE part of your offense. You can
even lead with the pass, but it is tough to go through the course of a season
and have a pass-only spread attack win every game.
You have to feel good about Michael Jenkins. Experts throw
the word "project" around with certain recruits. I put Jenkins in that
category a few years ago. He was 6'5" and molded like the great receivers.
On the other hand, he hadn't completely grown into his frame when he walked on
campus. He wasn't immediately fluid and smooth with his movements. Quick
defensive backs, new pass routes, and just plain youth often frustrated a young
Michael Jenkins. You could always see the potential though. Well, throw
potential out the door with Jenkins now. Potential just means they are not
living up to their abilities. He has lived up to all expectations the past two
seasons. He has grown into his frame and completely petrifies defenders. He is
blocking. He is going deep. He is leaping. Trust me, when you see opposing
receivers that look like Jenkins come out the locker room, your first thought is
"oh #$@&". Tall, fast, experienced, and athletic is a scary
combination. When that combination includes soft hands, it is even scarier.
Michael Jenkins has really come a long way at OSU. I guess those coaches know
what to look for when recruiting. It is not always "who will be good next
year." It is often "who will be great in 3 years."
Buckeye Leaves…
Craig Krenzel - His three incompletions were a Jenkins drop, a Vance drop and a
ball thrown into B-deck to avoid a sack.
Mike Kudla - Doesn't look like a youngster to me. Even
before the Will Smith injury, Kudla appeared to play like he belongs there.
Alex Stepanovich - Without a doubt, the leader of our
offensive line. He is the anchor. Great game. Great leadership on the field. He
really took command when he needed to.