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Topic: Bates?
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Corncat6
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Posted: 10/23/2010 10:11 PM
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Where was Bates today?  I think I saw him for 2-3 plays.  So much for the two-pronged attack? Injury?
bobcat695
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Posted: 10/23/2010 10:35 PM
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Frank said in the postgame show that Phil is still nursing injuries.  He was not really needed today.
Monroe Slavin
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Posted: 10/23/2010 10:40 PM
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Boo had it going.  Bringing Bates in for that series stopped momentum.  Not really fair to either guy.  At this stage, there's defintely a role for Bates.  He has skills we can use, mostly his running when he gets a little space.  The challenge is to use him for what he is best suited for at this time.
anorris
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Posted: 10/23/2010 10:48 PM
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Nursing some bumps and bruises.  Didn't need the trickery, no need to bang him up.  I wouldn't expect to see much of him next week either, as he shouldn't be needed for a win, and the game is less than important.
BobcatSports
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Posted: 10/23/2010 11:44 PM
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He served as the perfect decoy on Vince's long TD run, as the Miami defense took the bait thinking Bates was going to get the hand-off!
Mike Johnson
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Posted: 10/24/2010 9:45 AM
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anorris wrote:expand_more
Nursing some bumps and bruises.  Didn't need the trickery, no need to bang him up.  I wouldn't expect to see much of him next week either, as he shouldn't be needed for a win, and the game is less than important.


La-L game "less than important."  Hmmm...I  hope that's not Coach Solich's message - even if merely subtle - to his troops. 

Yes, it's not a MAC game.  But if you're a believer in the importance of surging self-confidence and Old Mo - as am I  - then La-L stands as a very important stepping stone into the three-game MAC homestretch. 
John C. Wanamaker
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Posted: 10/24/2010 11:02 AM
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Phil has an injury that will only get better with rest.  Now is the time to rest him and for others to step up, and the others will step up!  The health and safety of the young man is more important than any game.  Give him a good three weeks before you need him to heal up, and help this football team.
anorris
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Posted: 10/24/2010 12:15 PM
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I'm sure it isn't coach's message, but I think we all realize that Buffalo, Temple, and Kent State have a lot more bearing on the season than Louisiana.  Also, WKU snapped their gigantic losing streak with this team yesterday and it wasn't even close.

We shouldn't need Bates to win it, and I'd rather get him healthy than bang him up.

I guess it isn't totally meaningless -- we should be bowl eligible in 6 days.
Mike Johnson
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Posted: 10/24/2010 11:02 PM
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Right, Ohio should be bowl eligible in 6 days.  But I won't be surprised if La-L plays tough.  The Cajuns surprising shellacking to WKU notwithstanding, they haven't been hapless.  My guess is that their coaching staff believes another 6-6 season is doable (In the last 5 seasons the Cajuns have gone 6-6 three times and 6-5 once).  Beat Ohio, lose to Mississippi and win over FAU, FIU and ULM and it's another 6-6.

It's unlikely the Cajuns will have any jitters against Ohio.  They've already played at Georgia, hosted Oklahoma State and played tough at Troy, losing by 7.  Their upperclassmen last season topped Kansas State and played at Nebraska and LSU. 

 

Bobcat36
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Posted: 10/25/2010 9:45 AM
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Regarding Phil...I want to bounce something off you all for opinions...

I've been worried about his mindset really ever since Boo took over as the "primary starter".  I know the reduced playing time has a lot to do with injury and I hope he can see that the team is REALLY going to need him after LouLa, but I've seen some things that make me wonder if he's fully embraced his new (more dynamic IMHO) role in the O.

When he scores or makes a huge play in general, the celebration always seems to be going on "around" him.  I'm hoping it's just a stoic / focused kind of thing that's typical of him but haven't seen him enough to know for sure.  Obviously not everyone is going to wear their emotion on their sleeves like Boo and Riley for example, I just hope it's not a slow burn kind of thing.

Maybe I only notice these things because I'm already worried about it, but when he went in and ran a 2nd end around decoy (and obviously the first worked like a champ) he appeared to come off the field begging them to hand the ball to him on that play bc he felt (and rightly so) that he had a clear path.  I'm not sure if that's a Boo read decision or pre-designed...I just hope that he's not getting completely disenchanted because his presence amps up an already volatile Offense to a new level not only this season but next as well.

Thoughts?  Comments? 

OhioCatFan
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Posted: 10/25/2010 10:34 AM
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From what I've been told the young man is extremely emotional.  Frank has called him a "perfectionist."  After the Ohio State game he posted on FB or Twitter (can't remember which) that he was going to transfer because he was so upset at how things went in general and his own play.  At Iowa State he transferred a week before he would have been the starter (because of injury).  I think it's a maturation thing and that the coaching staff is working with him to have a more mature perspective on both the good and bad things that happen to him on the field.  I suspect, but don't know for sure, that they probably are working with him on the same issues when it comes to classes and off-the-field activities.  I'm personally optimistic that he's learning a lot as the season progresses and will be a better man and a better QB come next season.  Go OHIO!
Bobcat36
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Posted: 10/25/2010 10:37 AM
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Thanks OCF...That brings a good deal of clarity and makes a lot of sense...I'll certainly 2nd this!


OhioCatFan wrote:expand_more
I'm personally optimistic that he's learning a lot as the season progresses and will be a better man and a better QB come next season.  Go OHIO!
Bobcatbob
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Posted: 10/25/2010 1:51 PM
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FWIW, Bates IS essential.  His running, his ability to decoy, not to mention that he was the starting QB have all contributed to team victories and Boo's success, too.  We don't handle BGSU without Phil and the Akron game would have been much closer without him, too.

It isn't just that he "can run" as posted above.  He brings absolute unpredicatability to the offense and opens things up for everyone.  No one else on this team can fill that role.

I want him healthy down the stretch even if it means we limit the playbook for La-L.
anorris
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Posted: 10/25/2010 5:00 PM
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Bobcatbob wrote:expand_more
It isn't just that he "can run" as posted above.  He brings absolute unpredicatability to the offense and opens things up for everyone.  No one else on this team can fill that role.

I want him healthy down the stretch even if it means we limit the playbook for La-L.
Exactly.  Said it much better than I, but exactly what I mean.
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Posted: 10/26/2010 10:02 PM
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At the end of the EMU game, where Phil didn't play and Boo had a great day, I remember seeing Phil congratulating Boo on the sideline and walking off the field with him.  Classy move by Phil, especially since you know he wanted to be the guy out there making plays that day.

The fact is that there simply aren't enough footballs to go around on Ohio's offense this season.  Two great QBs, tons of playmakers at WR, dangerous receiving threats at TE, the much improved play of Davidson, the young backs and now Harden who looked incredible last week.

Phil has been huge already and will, I predict, be indispensible in multiple games down the stretch.  The Ohio offense over the past four games, opposition notwithstanding, has been the best of Solich's career by far.  The fact that the QBs can set their egos aside when necessary is a major part of what makes the 2-QB system work, I imagine.
Last Edited: 10/26/2010 10:03:43 PM by Cats-22
Doc Bobcat
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Posted: 10/26/2010 10:22 PM
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catatonic wrote:expand_more
At the end of the EMU game, where Phil didn't play and Boo had a great day, I remember seeing Phil congratulating Boo on the sideline and walking off the field with him.  Classy move by Phil, especially since you know he wanted to be the guy out there making plays that day.

The fact is that there simply aren't enough footballs to go around on Ohio's offense this season.  Two great QBs, tons of playmakers at WR, dangerous receiving threats at TE, the much improved play of Davidson, the young backs and now Harden who looked incredible last week.

Phil has been huge already and will, I predict, be indispensible in multiple games down the stretch.  The Ohio offense over the past four games, opposition notwithstanding, has been the best of Solich's career by far.  The fact that the QBs can set their egos aside when necessary is a major part of what makes the 2-QB system work, I imagine.


Hard to believe, but probably true on the dynamic O comment.

I'm not knocking the o-line or the running backs.....but imagine what this offense could do with an experienced o-line and a dynamic game breaking runner. Davidson has played above my expectations and Harden could be that dynamic runner if he stays healthy (and out of trouble..duh).
Paul Graham
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Posted: 10/26/2010 10:38 PM
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catatonic wrote:expand_more
At the end of the EMU game, where Phil didn't play and Boo had a great day, I remember seeing Phil congratulating Boo on the sideline and walking off the field with him.  Classy move by Phil, especially since you know he wanted to be the guy out there making plays that day.

The fact is that there simply aren't enough footballs to go around on Ohio's offense this season.  Two great QBs, tons of playmakers at WR, dangerous receiving threats at TE, the much improved play of Davidson, the young backs and now Harden who looked incredible last week.

Phil has been huge already and will, I predict, be indispensible in multiple games down the stretch.  The Ohio offense over the past four games, opposition notwithstanding, has been the best of Solich's career by far.  The fact that the QBs can set their egos aside when necessary is a major part of what makes the 2-QB system work, I imagine.


So true, this offense has been tremendous lately despite the loss of Brazill. Who would have thought that we would have FOUR very capable backs and not enough footballs to go around? Every time Boykin and Brown show up in the fourth quarter I think, "MY GOD! Both these guys could start for us and we'd be fine." If this offensive line keeps improving...and with these backs (plus Hammonds)...the future looks bright.

I hope Phil's injury is not at all related to playing time. We need that dude!
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