The Season That Ended and Started Again

So that USC game a few weeks back didn't so well, eh? Seriously, this Ohio State vs. Michigan blog has always had more of a recruiting bent to it. We let the experts breakdown the X's and O's, and there was a sizeable autopsy to be performed after the Buckeyes tragic performance. For many fans and media members, this cemented Ohio State's reputation as a school that cannot compete an an elite level against other national powerhouses. It also further damaged the Big Ten's credibility when its three-time champion and highest ranked time gets spanked on national television.

There was no use in the aftermath in going back to evaluate the specifics - the holding penalty that brought back a touchdown, Maualuga's pick six or either of Williams' scores during the humiliating second half. This was a soul-crushing defeat for Ohio State, who desperately wanted a win after back-to-back title game losses. At the very least, they needed a strong performance to hold the critics at bay and keep them in the national title hunt. So what do we take away from this?

I think conceptually, we have to concede that this particular Ohio State team is not as good as fans hoped or believed. Let me be clear - this is a talented team, a top 10-15 team, full of top-notch individuals that work their butts off. But this squad - last year's 2007 team and this year's edition - are not going the ones going to bring home the next national championship. College football runs in funny cycles, and I think it's important to look at the evolution of this OSU team.

Coach Tressel took over in 2001, and there are three distinct teams during this era:

(1) The Post-Cooper, '01-'03. This includes the transition year of 2001, generally forgettable save for the stunning upset of Michigan. It would become a theme of Tressel's reign - beating Michigan in some ways take precedence in the fans minds and covers up other blemishes. This first era primarily used player Cooper recruited, with some notable exceptions like Maurice Clarett. Obviously 2002 was a magical season that ended with a national title. 2003 could have very easily been a repeat had Clarett been around, or perhaps even if Craig Krenzel's elbow hadn't been injured all season. This period ended with another BCS win, as OSU took down a Kansas State team that beat #1 Oklahoma. An incredible number of players from this team ended up in the NFL, some as stars (Will Smith), some as solid contributors (Matt Wilhelm), and others for a cup of coffee (Dustin Fox?).

(2) The Glenville Connection, '04-'06. Ohio State struggled in 2004 to find an identity with its young talent. A loss to Northwestern was the low point to a season played under the spectre of the alleged Clarett scandal. Troy Smith replaced Justin Zwick at QB and brought an end to mind-numbing "Tressel Ball", teaming with Glenville buddy and freshman phenom Teddy Ginn to lead the Buckeyes to a solid finish. But his suspension for accepting booster money tainted the Alamo Bowl win, and the subsequent suspension fundamentally changed the Texas game next year.

The loss to eventual national champ Vince Young, in which the Buckeyes led most of the way, may be the most frustrating of Tressel's tenure. The conservative offense failed to capitalize on turnovers and field position, and the Ryan Hamby drop will live in infamy. Still, the Buckeyes recovered enough to thrash Notre Dame in a hyped Fiesta Bowl and enter 2006 will title aspirations. The Buckeyes exacted revenge at Texas, beat a game Iowa team, and beat undefeated #2 Michigan a day after Bo Schembechler passed away. It has basically been downhill since.

We blogged more times than I care to remember about why the Florida game was lost. Suffice to say, it still seems like an outlier; the gap was not in talent at all, but a perfect storm of factors from the long lay-off, lack of intensity, the Ginn injury, etc. Still, this three year period was filled with uber-talented players like AJ Hawk, Santonio Holmes, Donte Whitner to name a few. And it was the first time we saw the vest open things up - with great results.

Great Expectations '07-'08. By all rights, Ohio State was due for a good-to-great rebuilding season in 2007, perhaps a healthier version of 2004. But with a "cupcake" schedule featuring Washington as the main non-conference attraction, the Buckeyes had a shot to "reload" quickly. And it happened, as they pummeled inferior teams all the way to the #1 ranking. It didn't last, as Juice Williams and the Illini pinned a late season loss on them at home. But mighty Michigan, with Henne hurting, lost its fourth straight in the rivalry. And a series of crazy upsets left the Bucks back in the title game at LSU. You may remember how this ended.

So 2008 was the real redemption year, with Malcolm, Boone, Robiskie, Freeman and most of Laurinaitis coming back for another crack at the prize. After the USC debacle, that dream is for all intents and purposes dead, though a Big Ten title and beating Michigan again aren't such bad consolation prizes. And the insane recruiting classes Ohio State has put together, including last year's bonanza of Terrelle Pryor, Mike Brewster, JB Shugarts, Mike Adams, Etienne Sabino, Devier Posey and Lamaar Thomas mean great things could be coming.

But that's for the next period of the Tressel era. The shortcomings of this team are well-documented - the offensive line has struggled in pass protection against speedy defenses. QB Todd Boeckman lacks the mobility to escape a fierce rush. The skill position players not named Chris Wells have been somewhat pedestrian in big games. The defensive line cannot generate a rush with 4 guys, the linebackers may be overrated and the defensive backs have not looked good covering top flight receivers. Perhaps worst of all, Coach Tressel seems to to be back in his shell with the gameplan; it's very conservative on both sides of the ball. And opposing players and coaches are openly calling it predictable, which sounds a lot like what they said about LLLLLLoyd Carr at the end.

So what next? Clearly, the Pryor era is upon us. He's young, he's inexperienced and his throwing mechanics and progressions need a lot of work. But he oozes talent - I hope the coaches bring him along slowly, but continue to open things up as he learns. Right now, it's pretty easy to figure out what's coming. Superior talent can overcome that, but only for so long.

I think Ohio State has an great opportunity to win a title in 2010. Next year might be a bit early, with USC coming to Columbus and visits to Ann Arbor and Happy Valley on tap. But the quality of the program, the players and the coaches is not in question. Most schools would kill to have this type of success. But any fan will tell you, it's unpleasant right now to have a conversation about college football with a fan of the SEC. It's unbearable to watch Mark May and college football announcers. Ohio State will have many chances to rebuild its reputation, but that loss was a bitter pill to swallow. Ohio State fans will have to take their medicine for awhile, and hopefully the promise of the future (and the chance to beat Michigan again) will be enough in the interim.