but me.

First and foremost--and I get no pleasure in pointing this out, but it's the truth/reality:  Remember the Marshall game?  How until we put Boo in it just wasn't working?  Why today did we break our offensive rhythm and momentum by continuing to insert Bates?  When he's in we have about zero chance of passing.  So, no deception.  Yes, he has blazing speed and if he gets thru a hole and is headed up field, he's gone.  But where's the power or shiftiness or ability to throw?   Yes, he brings an element of surprise/gotta account for him.  But to insert him in the middle of every series for a few plays just kills our momentum.  I don't see first string there.

That breaking of rhythm was instrumental in four penalties on that one drive on our offense, then penalties on 2 of the next three plays we ran on offense.

Up 21-0, we lose the rest of the game 13-17.  We check out for minutes at a time.  Beefs stinks--their qb oughta learn to throw it away instead of taking sack.  And, what's next year gonna be like for 'em if their four db starters are seniors now?  But if their guy doesn't drop that 25-30 yard pass in the first qtr and they don't drop that easy td right before half (the one where the guy was behind our defenders right at the goal line), it might be other than 21-7 at half.  Can we have let up moments like that against Temples and prevail?

Beef recovers the fumble at our 7 early in the 4th quarter.  Everyone everywhere knows that their qb is gonna run it on first down.  Except our defense...waltz in for 6.

Need to work on punting and place-kicking.

That said, we did what he had to do.  Our receivers catch the ball and make plays.  Boo actually threw a couple of balls away instead of forcing 'em.  In potential moments of danger, the defense turned 'em around.  No one seemed to have gotten injured.  And, save for the penalty riot, our offensive line brings it.  That td Boykin scored and Boo's running td were about our O-line blowing 'em away.


No.  It's not enough for me that we're not Beef or 'kron any more, that we're the team beating those teams.  We have so much more potential than that.  Maybe in 12 days we'll play our first solid 60 minutes, end-to-end game this year.

I understand your concern, but I trust Frank knows what he is doing out there.  This team has matured significantly from when we played Marshall.  Bates still isn't 100% healthy and I'm impressed with what he can do with the injuries. I thought the offensive game-plan worked well today, but Bates has to learn he is not going to break big runs on every attempt.  Him running east to west won't work against Temple.  I think Bates now has a better understanding of  this offense now and is going to get better and better.  Right now, he is basically a running back out there that keeps the defense on their heels.  If you think he is going to tuck the ball and run on you every time, then good luck to ya.   I see Bates encouraging Boo out there and vice-versa.  This team is on a mission and you better believe it.

I used to skip over any Monroe post, but now that they are depressive you've really got the double whammy. Just stop.

Mid70's, I will take all of that bet that I can get.

On TV that pass looked thrown off his heels under pass rush heat, having too much air on it (instead of being zipped in there).  A very athletic toss but not a passing qb type throw.  Maybe it looked more directly to the receiver viewed from inside Peden.

The substitution got us a lot of east west.  Not sure that will work against Temples.  It didn't against columbus and stupd cow.  And no consistent pass threat at all.

I get no pleasure from it but you all are way off base on this count.  Really missing this by a mile.

To be fair, though, that wasn't with Bates under center.  Plus that wasn't the prettiest of throws...

News Flash:  The other team is also on the field and has an effect on the play.

Here's the one thing that doesn't make me happy:

                                                             UB       OHIO

Penalties: Number-Yards

5-58

11-91

Granted, the personal foul call on Leftwich was 100% bogus - a clean hit all the way. But what was up with all of the false starts - including two straight on two attempted snaps? One drive lost about 25 yards on false starts and a chop block. I was completely across the field and couldn't see whether the personal foul penalty called on Carrie on the punt was legit, but the second half was a flagfest. Seriously need to clean that up before Temple.

The attendance was unfortunate, but I think it had more to do with the opponent.  If it had been another team from OHIO or say it was against Temple I think there would have been much better attendance.  But since it was a 2-win Buffalo team on a cold night you aren't gonna get the people to really come out unfortunately.

As an aside take a look at the Columbus Crew, I know it soccer, but this is a team that for the last three years has been winning a lot of games and trophies, unlike the Blue Jackets.  Yet they still don't ever hit a sellout, even in their playoff games.  Sometimes is just hard to get people to come out, they will find problems with price, time of game, or the weather but at least the Crew try to use some innovative campaigns.  I would really like the university to do some twitter, facebook, or some kind of online campaign if we are able to make the MACC.  It would be really nice to get locals and students even more pumped up; give away some shirts, maybe even do like the Crew and start giving away some free tickets.  Currently they have had a couple days on twitter where they have given hints to the location of a Crew scarf and playoff tickets to whoever finds them first.

Sure, Ohio's play was sloppy at times in the second half. I do think that this being the team's second game in 5 days had something to do with that......

While we are bitching, not that we ever need a good reason, I'm going on the record about the dumb ass commentary from the TV analyst regard the marching one hundred and ten.  Not "one ten" but one hundred and ten.  

He went on rambling for about two minutes how we only have one hundred and ten members in the band and "that's the difference between a big-time and small-time school...."  

He then went on about how some "big" school calls their band the 100 and have over 300 actual members in the band.  Not sure the guy could even count higher than 110 based on the complete lack of knowledge that the 110 hasn't stood for the number of kids in the band in ?? many years?  I can't even remember the other school he was talking about, but I'm sure the 110 would probably kick their 300+ ass.  He must have been too busy doing his "picks of the week" with the studio guy to actually see any of the halftime performance.

Sometimes it takes teams some time to gel find the right combo's, get their groove.  But I do agree Monroe, I think we should fire them all since we have lost three games!

We'll go as far as our defense takes us.

Everyone would love to be 9-1. But the problem is...you don't get do-overs. It would be great if you did because I'd like Ohio against Toledo and Marshall.  But if you're trying to lay the blame on Bates for those losses I think it's misguided. One could argue that you can lay the blame for Toledo on Boo. I mean Bates didn't even play. Two of Boo's three interceptions led directly to 14 Toledo points. Against Marshall, Bates rushed for a 5.5 average and completed his only pass attempt for 46 yards.

I'm a huge Boo fan for many of the reasons listed in another thread. But the fact is Ohio is one of the worst teams in the nation in terms of the number of turnovers committed. The Bobcats have been good enough to overcome Boo's late turnovers at EMU, late INT at Miami, 4 first-half INTs vs. Louisiana and his fumble last night that allowed Buffalo to pull within 27-17. However, I think he'll need to keep a clean sheet if Ohio hopes to beat Temple.

Bates is a huge weapon in the MAC. He looks to be the fastest man on the field in the MAC games I've seen. Ohio coaches have been creative trying to move the "fastest man on the field" around enabling him to make plays. I would submit that Ohio's first TD against Miami was helped just by putting Bates in motion. In limited play, the guy is Ohio's leading rusher and averaging 7.8 yards per carry. How doesn't that help you?