Buckeye Deja Vu

I don't think it's time to freak out about this team just yet for a couple reasons. First and foremost, the year we won the Title we lost our second game to Virginia Tech and yes, that still leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Secondly, We are only going into Week 3 against an Army team, which basically serves as a rebound for the loss. Third, I don't think the issue is JT, but instead the coaching staff. When we signed Urban and he became our coach, Ohio State fans saw National Championships on the horizon because that is what Urban is known for. I think Urban's offense has been figured out, meaning the QB Option and QB runs are easy to diagnose so the plays are not successful anymore.

I want to draw attention to how Ohio State beat Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon; Cardale sat back and threw the ball downfield or handed it off to Elliot and we all know what happened than. Herman sat back and called traditional plays. There was very little option or trickery so-to-speak. It was old-fashioned football and we beat everyone with it. Every time JT runs the ball I cringe because we have two great running backs in Dobbins and Webber. Both received the ball against Oklahome and broke some pretty good runs, but for whatever reason we threw the ball afterwards.

I don't think our offense has an identity because it seems like every game we take what the defense gives us and a way we go. We don't impose our will on people. After the game Cardale Jones tweeted about how the last time we lost our second game we won the National Championship. I won't go that far in labeling this season for what it is, a mystery. I say it is a mystery because even with the coaching changes and supposed change in philosphy JT seems to have slipped back into second guessing himself.

I won't say that we won't get a Title this year, but JT has to stop thinking too much. It took Herman three years to get JT where he was. Are we to suspect it's going to take that long for another Coordinator to get him back there. News flash, JT is gone after this year.

I think the coming years will show Ohio State much as they are now, not understanding what kind of football team they are. Jim Tressel was famous for "pounding the rock" and we saw a lot of success with that philosophy. However, Urban came in and it became a "spread option - we are going to open things up" When he said that, that is when we lost our identity because the spread option is not a one size fits all formula. I will say it again, we won the National Championship with Cardale sitting in the pocket and throwing the ball or handing it off to Elliott. That's what we did, without the gimmicks of the spread.

In the years to come Urban has to decide what we are and stick with it or we will continue to have let downs like we did with Oklahoma.