Once or twice a year, we like to do a “stream of consciousness” game recap, where we put instantaneous thoughts in “writing” as the game action unfolds. The Buckeye/Illini tilt offers us our first opportunity of 2011…
Noon games are in the books. Michigan State doubles up on TBGUN 28-14 to take the lead in the Legends division. Sparty hosts Wisky in prime-time next Saturday night. That’ll be one to settle in for…
Bucks get the ball to start the game, as soon as kicker Derek Dimke can keep the ball on the tee…welcome to Champaign…Looks like Dan Herron, the greedy tattooed thug, is gonna start…great…nice message to send to your team…Miller and Herron combine for an opening first down on the ground…Mirror look on second set of plays- Herron 8-yard carry followed by a Miller option keeper for the first…Nothing in the middle for Herron, so outside left he goes for 9. I don’t know how many solid running plays the Bucks have this year thanks to the back bouncing out from the original, unimaginative play call of stuffing it up the middle…Jordan Hall getting in on the ground action…no passes yet…option keep right by Miller loses two; nowhere to go…Heat on 3rd-and-9 forces Braxton to scramble, shy of the first…Holy cow, Drew Basil drives his 43-yard FG to the right of the goalpost and the Memorial Stadium gales blow it through. 3-0, Buckeyes…I’ll take this timeout to clarify- I flat don’t think Dan Herron should be on this team. He’s involved in “Tattoogate”, and then picked up who knows how much dough from Uncle Bobby D up in Cleveland, yet he’s not only still on the team but starts today. Great message sent to the rest of the kids…
Tyler Moeller breaks up a floater on third down and the “D” forces a quick three-and-out…Illini defense a bit more stubborn initially on this drive, bringing up 3rd-and-5…Whitney Mercilus blows right by Mike Adams and rings up his ninth-and-a-half sack of this season, leading the nation. Also forces his fifth fumble; Brewster gets on it. Adams got beat like a drum…Ben Buchanan gets a nice roll and chalks up a 53-yard punt…
Jason Ford gobbles up 16 yards on two carries, but Nathan Scheelhaase tries a draw and John Simon blasts in and drops him for a three-yard loss…Bucks bring the blitz on third down and Scheelhaase can’t connect with Ford in the flat…Justin DuVernois drills a 66-yard punt into the endzone…Miller and Herron bump into each other on a handoff, and Herron loses 5, but he gets 9 of it back with a darting run. Bob Davie alludes, correctly, to fresh legs…Miller tries to run but too much traffic in the middle and Miller is stopped short…Ryan Lankford fields the punt and Zach Domicone makes a nice man-on-man stop. If that had been Jordan Hall, he lets it hit and it rolls for twenty more yards…
Illini once again get the ground game going, but a holding call has them in a pickle as the first quarter comes to a close. Lots of running= quick clock…
Wow, A.J. Jenkins makes a great catch down the sideline for a first down, but he had stepped out before the catch. Stripes missed it…Scheelhaase had Spencer Harris open down the seam for what probably would’ve been a score, but too much air under it…Illini break out the “Tresselball” and punt from the OSU 32- same spot on the field the Buckeyes were last week in Lincoln when Fickell passed up a field goal. Punt drops at the 8…And here we go- Corey Linsley with the game’s first- and I emphasize first- false start for Ohio State; back to the 4…Two Herron totes get nothing, although I swear I might’ve seen a play designed to go outside. I’ll wipe my eyes and make sure I’m not imagining that…Herron (yawn) to the middle and Buchanan’s lined up deep in the endzone…Good kick from Ben; Orhian Johnson drops Lankford immediately around his 40. Zook’s conservatism is working, so far…
Boy, Aflac Trivia question’s a real toughie; these teams play for the Illibuck trophy. ABC’s play-by-play guy Bob Wischusen (yep, spell check) pretty well sums it up- “Well, it’s not the Stanley Cup, but it’ll do”…Harris drops a third-down pass right at the first-down line and it’s four possessions, four punts for the Orange and Blue. Sheesh, is this 3-0 score gonna hold up?.. Hall works the left side for 9, and then sidesteps a defender to get the first down. Still no throws from Miller, but he’s got the wind at his back now…Draw to Hall gets 5, and then Braxton finally puts one up that Corey Brown can’t snag…Miller fakes out of the shotgun, and Jonathan Brown and Mercilus (or is that “Merciless”?) make a sandwich out of him. Guys in the ABC booth are scratching their heads, but obviously they haven’t seen this team play…
Ford fumbles on first down, but manages to grab it. Great play by Storm Klein to rip it out…Illini get the lost yardage back on a short drag across the middle that Ohio State will never learn to cover, and then Solomon Thomas roughs the QB. Thanks for that, Tatt…Big Hank stops Donovan Young for a loss, but Scheelhaase finds Jenkins at the sideline for a first down into OSU territory…Scheelhaase tries a keeper but C.J. Barnett plants him after a yard gain…Scheelhaase can’t handle the snap, and then the wind gets a hold of a floater into the far right flat and the Illini can’t convert. They would’ve had it with a crisper snap and pass since once more, Travis Howard was lined up in the next town…Illini punt down to the 9; less than 3 minutes to the half. Don’t look for any fireworks…This game’s an hour old and we’re near the break…Herron getting totes and Fickell, as usual, is standing over there with 3 timeouts in his pocket… Herron gets loose bouncing a draw outside left and gets near midfield. Clock is stopped with 1:09 to go, Bucks at their own 47…Miller throws an absolute dart deep down the middle for Corey Brown but misses him…Jordan Hall gets the call on a draw and gets 10; timeout called at :49…Miller tries again down the middle for Stoneburner but the ball wobbles badly out of Miller’s hand and falls incomplete…Jonathan Brown gets through on a blitz and down goes Miller…Ron Zook, for some unknown reason, lets the clock bleed. I’d swear Jim Tressel has taken up residence in Champaign…Miller calls for the snap right as the clock drains away, but any chance of a Hail Mary gets buried under a pile of Illinois defenders who meet at Braxton Miller…Buckeyes lead 3-0 at the half and good grief, with the way this is going, that score might hold up…
As is the case with any given Saturday when the Bucks play at 3:30 Eastern, you watch their game, and then flip over to CBS where the SEC plays and it’s like switching from a dish of molasses to quicksilver. I hate the SEC, but this is night and day. Heck, even the Aflac Trivia question was better- Tennessee has never had a Heisman winner, but they’ve had four runners-up. For those of you who didn’t see it, think you know them?
Quick strike to start the second half- Scheelhaase has a receiver wide open but airmails it right to Bradley Roby, who maneuvers his way back to the Illini 12…Herron gets the call and follows a great block by Reid Fragel around the left side for a touchdown. 10-0, OSU and with the way Illinois’ offense is playing, that’s a monumental score. But I’ll say it right now, and I promise I won’t go back later and delete this- we will lock down this already painfully shackled offense, and if Illinois figures out a way to stop the run, Illinois will get back in this…
ABC notes that A.J. Jenkins only has 36 yards receiving, when he’s averaging 136 a game. Jenkins promptly catches two balls for first downs…Jason Ford goes airborne after getting an option pitch and gets the first, but he comes down hard after getting upended by Christian Bryant. He goes off…A short pass and a Troy Pollard pop get another first down to the OSU 38…Scheelhaase gets nothing on first down as Big Hank ropes him…Coverage holds up on second down and Scheelhaase has nowhere to go…3rd-and-14…TE Matt LaCosse can’t get a handle on a third down completion, and the punting brigade continues for Illinois…
Herron gets OSU out of the hole with a 15-yard run. Again, the play is designed to go up the middle, but Herron bounces outside and works for the 15. Every stupid run call practically is designed to go inside. God, I can’t wait for this offensive staff to hit the road…Proof in the pudding on the next two plays- Herron hits the middle and gets a net of 3…Miller gets loose on 3rd-down for a 35-yard scamper. He is fun to watch when he gets to the secondary and kicks it up a gear…Herron and Hall work draws for another first down. Ball at the Illinois 24, and Jordan Hall adds to the false start parade by leaning early…Hall back with a draw for nothing, and then Herron tries to hit the middle and gets swallowed up. Did I mention I can’t wait for this offensive staff to leave?...Great, handoff to Herron and he loses yardage. And guess what? The ball’s right around the 32, making it a 49-yard field goal. And to absolutely no one’s surprise, this free-wheeling coaching staff takes a delay, which Zook denies…Lankford fields it around the 12. Can Illinois’ offense make anything happen?
Whoops! Scheelhaase bobbles the snap and John Simon is all over him at the 4…Pollard punches ahead for a couple…Scheelhaase steps up in the pocket and finds Jenkins for a desperately needed first down at the Illini 22…End of the third- Bucks still lead 10-0…
Jenkins makes a first-down catch, but Tyler Moeller pokes it loose and Storm Klein gobbles it up. A personal foul against the Illini puts it at the 22…Herron ahead for 4…Herron outside for one…Bucks take a timeout just as the snap was due…And whaddya know? The first OSU pass completion of the day works for a 17-yard touchdown pass to Jake Stoneburner, who badly juked safety Steve Hull. 17-zip…
Just got a text from Buckeye 50’s Gregg Watson, who’s on the scene in Champaign. Told him Ohio State won’t put the ball up the rest of the day…Scheelhaase tries a keeper and John Simon’s having none of it…Simon has another shot at him on second down but Scheelhaase escapes and forces third-and-1, which Donovan Young converts…Nate pulls it down on first down and gains 9. Illinois has been here before, their offense seemingly getting steam, but they’ve shot themselves in the foot all day…Scheelhaase keeps for the first…Bradley Roby draws an interference flag guarding A.J. Jenkins…Illinois gets a completion to Jon Davis, but a low block negates it…First down, Illinois at the OSU 48…Donovan Young gets the screen pass but Christian Bryant shakes off a block and keeps it to a one-yard gain…3rd-and-15 now…Scheelhaase stays alive scrambling left and throws back across his body to Davis for the first down…Scheelhaase sees Roby coming on the corner blitz, dodges it and scoots to the 17..8:33 to go and OSU takes time to try and stem the momentum…Scheelhaase is doing a nice job of avoiding the initial pressure and getting yards; six on first down…Pollard fights for the first but Etienne Sabino brings him down short…Donovan Young barrels through to the three; clock at 7 minutes…Young for nothing into the middle…Scheelhaase comes out of fake left, takes a few steps right and finds Evan Wilson in the endzone…17-7, Bucks with 6:22 to go…
Bucks from the 20…Norwell, false start, and then Carlos Hyde finally sees the field and gets nothing…Herron gets the draw call and Tavon Wilson comes from the backside to stop it for no gain…Miller gets loose on a keep and gets all but 2 of the needed yardage. Zook, who apparently went to the Luke Fickell school of keeping timeouts, holds on to all three. Bucks take a delay, but Buchanan only gets his boot to the Illini 47…3:55 to go…Scheelhaase tries to go downtown to Lankford but the ball’s underthrown and Travis Howard picks it off and returns to his 35…Hyde picks up 6, and again Zook refuses to call time. He gets a break on second down- Hyde is stood up, and Mike Adams draws a personal foul flag some twenty yards downfield…The Bucks bleed a bit more time and look to punt with 2:23…Buchanan manages to corral a low snap and Lankford makes the fair catch at his 43…Illini need instant lightning, and the secondary’s gotta be licking their chops…Lankford gets free for an 8-yard catch, and then Jenkins comes free on the opposite side and gets out of bounds at OSU’s 40…Harris open at the sideline for 5…Davis free in the middle to the 24…Scheelhaase had Harris open in the endzone and he tries to lay out and snare it but it’s off his fingertips. 1:25 to go…Pollard swings open for 8…Scheelhaase throws incomplete and for some absolutely unbelievably insane reason, Ron Zook doesn’t try the field goal. Illinois goes for it and Scheelhaase throws behind Jenkins and that’s that…The guys in the ABC booth are beyond dumbfounded. You’re down 10 points and it’s a 34-yard field goal. I would’ve told anyone who would listen that Jim Bollman would be the dumbest coach in Memorial Stadium on this day. Sorry, I want to re-vote. An epic, colossally stupid decision…Bucks burn the clock…
The cameras capture Luke Fickell embracing Dan Herron on the sideline, and then the coach gushes about him to ABC’s Heather Cox. I’m sorry, but don’t look for any celebrating or gushing coming from me. I will, as part of my duty of reporting on the game, certainly point up when he does something. But that will be it- Herron has no business returning to this team. And I feel for a guy like Carlos Hyde, who has been the most effective runner this team has had this year and more importantly has played by the rules unlike the two backs ahead of him, and yet he’s relegated to mop-up duty. This win should assure OSU gets a bowl bid unless they screw it up, and the underclassmen need that extra few weeks of practice, but honestly folks, I’m looking ahead to next year when the stench of Posey, Herron and Adams will be gone, along with Jim Bollman, Nick Siciliano and everyone else who’s kept this offense in the Dark Ages for long enough.
Illinois, who joins Michigan this particular day as a now once-beaten team, will head to Purdue for a noon tilt next Saturday. The Buckeyes will have next week off and no doubt will be glued to the set, as most of us will, next Saturday night when Michigan State and Wisconsin tee it up at 8PM.
RANDOM THOUGHTS - Alright, the answer to the Aflac Trivia question from this afternoon’s CBS SEC game - The four Tennessee players who have been Heisman runners-up are Hank Lauricella (1951), Johnny Majors (1956), Heath Shuler (1993) and Peyton Manning (1997). Lauricella finished second to Princeton’s Dick Kazmaier, while Shuler lost out to Florida State’s Charlie Ward. Manning was upended by Michigan’s Charles Woodson, while Johnny Majors joined the ranks of the 1972 Olympic basketball team by receiving a screw-job of ultimate proportions. Majors finished second to Notre Dame’s Paul Hornung, who “led” the Irish to a 2-8 record. Hasn’t been a bigger joke in Heisman history since…
Ohio State 17 (16)Illinois 7
Click B50 Logo to return to Home Page
Memorial Stadium
Champaign, IL
Attendance 55,229
October 15, 2011
2000-2011 Buckeye50.com, All Rights Reserved
By 'Joe-S-U' Hylton
OSU March '90
Buckeye50.com
