Things are looking a little bit rocky for our defending national champion Buckeyes.
Game 1, it makes sense that it wasn't the expected blowout. On the road, playing at night at one of the hardest stadiums to play in, missing some key guys. Okay, makes sense. Virginia Tech was also expecting us to come out with vengeance, so you know they were preparing for THAT game the entire off-season. Game 1, versus the No. 1 team in the nation, a rematch against a team who we were dismantled by last season? Yeah, you know they're gunning for it. I'll let that one slide, guys.
Game 2 was a bit more frightening. Joey Bosa was back, and it was greatly welcomed. We soundly beat Hawaii, 38-0, and while I did not watch the game because I was working, I've been told that the score didn't reflect the game. Obviously the defense did something right if they pitched a shut out, but according to my sources (my mom and my buddy's dad) the offense looked unorganized.
Game 3 is where I'm starting to become alarmed. Now, I will say, Northern Illinois is probably the best team in the MAC. People forget that a few years ago (2012), they played in the Orange Bowl versus Florida State, losing only 31-10 to a team that would go onto win the national championship the year after. They're by no means pushovers. But, the fact of the matter is thateven though they're a solid team, OSU is the No. 1 team in the nation, and they're not playing like it.
So, in the words of Kenan Thompson, in one of my favorite SNL skits ever, this is what I have to say: "FIX IT! FIX IT FIX IT FIX IT! STEP ONE, FIX! STEP TWO, IT! STEP THREE, FIX IT! REPEAT THE PROCESS AS NECESSARY UNTIL IT'S ALL BEEN FIXED!"
The defense is playing phenomenally, and that's great. But you can't win simply on defense. The recent downfall of the SEC (see Alabama, LSU, South Carolina as examples) is proof that an incredible defense and a mediocre offense simply isn't enough to get it done in today's era of football. Urban Meyer is an offensive genius. His spread-style, run n' gun offense should be the most explosive in the game today. But it's not, and here are three things that I believe are causing that.
Tom Herman is gone. While Urban is a genius, Tom Herman is as well. They worked together last year to produce an offense to explosive, that any player could score at almost any given time. They out gunned Oregon in the national championship, the long-time offensive champions. The new OC, Ed Warriner, needs to get it together because things are broke, and they need FIXED.
Two things in specific are broken, and these are the other two reasons I mentioned earlier.
The first thing that's broken is the offensive line. We graduated a few guys, but c'mon. Watching highlights of them is almost painful. They went from being across-the-board NFL caliber to barely able to handle an under-sized MAC defensive line. I get that it's a new line, and having played football myself, a lot of things change year to year. But geez guys. I think there are a few guys that need some extra time in the film room and in the meeting room. Someone isn't understanding the blocking scheme 100%, and entering Big Ten play, that's unacceptable.
The other glaring issue is the fact that Urban has been giving significant minutes to both JT Barrett and Cardale Jones at quarterback. I was a defensive tackle who personally ruined a few quarterback's days, so I can attest better than most that QBs are fragile beings. QBs are the leaders, and when the leader makes a mistake, he needs to know his team and coach are behind him. He needs others to have confidence in him so he can have confidence in himself. When you play musical chairs with a starting spot, it makes things difficult for both guys. Urban just needs to pick one, and stick with him. It will settle the minds of both QBs, in addition to the collective mind of the o-line -- and ultimately, Meyer's too.
As of right now, it's hard to make a case that Ohio State is still the best team in the nation. Hopefully they will silence the doubts in everyone's minds sooner rather than later.
