That would require Doeren having done something of substance. Solich and staff simply threw up all over themselves.

The "turtle shell offense".  Get a lead, hide in your shell, watch the game slip away.  Pure Frank.

Certainly the coaching could have been better but most of the "conservative playcallling" criticism is off-base.  Ohio had 17 rushes and 12 pass plays in the second half, by my count.  That's not a turtle shell.

The problem in the second half was getting sacked for a 13 yard loss on 3rd and 3 and other failures in the passing game (an INT when passing on first down, only four completions the whole 2nd half) while being unable to move the ball in the running game all that well, either.

The Ohio coaches didn't out-scheme NIU in the second half (obviously) but I wouldn't say coaching was really the difference, either.  NIU made several outstanding offensive plays in the second half, and Ohio didn't.  Overall both teams did things well at some point in the game, it's just that all of Ohio's positives were in the first half, and all of NIU's positives were in the second half.  A strange game in that respect, and a tough loss, but not the end of the world.  On to the next one.

Credit to NIU. In the second half first downs became rare. A certain DE began owning our best OT. I am sure TT would have loved to have thrown it to Riley, heck, everyone, but, credit to NIU.

NIU sure as heck tried to give us the game last night and we dropped it like a hot potato. I don't blame the loss on any one thing or even on Solich. He isn't out there playing. I didn't like us sitting back before the half. If ever there was a time to throw it downfield, that would have been it, up 20 and if we make a mistake it's down at their end and not enough time for them to score. You knew NIU would make some plays in the second half. They are too good not to, and they sure did. The interception at the 8+ minute mark was bad. I know Solich thought it would finish them off if we make that play, instead it finishes us off. I don't know that I want Tettleton throwing downfield too much, as he is a runner first, IMO and would like to see him with a mix of short stuff and runs. But I'm not the coach. It kind of reminds me of the OSU loss a few years ago in Columbus. All we really had to do was make a few plays in the second half and we win. In both cases we don't. Congrats on a good season.

Perhaps you were in the pisser when TT took a few shots down the field in the 3rd and 4th quarter,. Your post is absurd.

I'm certainly in favor of more runs by non-power running backs right up the gut for no yardage at all.

However I have conditions for such calls.

First, this play is best called after we repeatedly prove that it doesn't gain more than a yard and a half.

Second, we have to call this play almost exclusively, ignoring our excellent short and mid-range passing game.

Third, we have to do it with little deception.  Just a straight ahead run with not much dazzle or faking.

Fourth, we have to do it more and more when it's not working and when we need to grind out some clock by getting first downs.

Fifth, we have to do it out of a one back set.  We should never think of going to a two back look.  Because that would be so different from what we usually do.  (Different is bad.  Don't we all regret going to the hurry -up this year.)  This different look might give us a momentary advantage over the defense...like, for instance, when we had first and goal at about the four in the third quarter.  Momentary advantage could yield a moderately big play (such as a four yard gain at first and goal from the four).  So, this must be avoided.

SIxth, don't pass to the tight end when we are in a 2nd or 3rd and short yardage; stick to the non-power running up the middle for 1.5 yards.


In a game of teams that are quite evenly matched, I feel that coaching and the mental approach can give us an advantage.  But this is the holiday season.  The season of giving.  Let's give them a steady dose of nothing runs up the middle.

So, we can give them the ultimate gift.  Championships wrapped in a bow.

I have no problem with the interception on the long ball to LaVon that was intercepted.  He was well open, with the ball underthrown.

My grudge is the nothing running plays up the middle, the timidity and abandonment of our identity in the second half.  Never seen a team go into FETAL POSITION protection of a lead mode with 30 minutes to play.

I'd say 80% coaching and 20% players. Yeah, we were balanced in the 2nd half. But the plays were way too conservative, ie run up the middle for no gain. We didnt throw in any misdirection and Phil Bates was no-where to been seen n the 2nd half. He had one play and he threw a TD!!! Put him back in and let him do it again in the 2nd half! But no, instead we got so vanilla that it made me sick. Why take OUr foot off the gas at half time? We should have buried them and their chances. No Killer Instinct. Ex- not taking a timeout to stop the clock at the end at the 1st half. We had them on the ropes big time!  We prolly could have gotten at least 3pts, but no, b/c Our staff thought the game was over at the half. How could we possibly believe 20pts was enough to win this game? The proof is there; 20pts 1st half- 0 pts 2nd half.

Ugly game.  I think both teams put pressure on themselves due to past history in MACC games, and it showed.  For NIU in the first half, and Ohio in the 2nd half, once the momentum started to turn.  Tettleton's a good QB and he's only a sophomore so he has 2 years to get back to the MACC.  Teams that do well against NIU tend to be very efficient in the short passing game, and Ohio was doing that at first, but not later in the game. Not sure what changed.  I'm not surprised they decided to throw a bomb on 1st down with 8:55 left to play - NIU was trying to stop the run, and had stopped Ohio already, until the dumb offsides penalty on the punt.  The WR was open, the ball was just underthrown. I'm sure they felt they couldn't afford to be that conservative and still sustain a drive.  Anyway, that's my take on it, FWIW.

Ohio's been consistently pretty good, I'm sure they'll end up back in the MACC before long. 

Maybe the coaches were dedicating the 2nd half to Jim Tressel? As a Columbus Bobcat, I've been forced to sit through eerily similar play schemes from O$U.