BuckeyeXtra - The Columbus Dispatch : Now at the same table

Nick Siciliano took a huge step up the career ladder yesterday, officially becoming quarterbacks coach at Ohio State.

[Matt Burgoon]

I hope Im wrong but it will more than likely be the same boring offense that has put us as fans to sleep the last eight years Tressel has been coach. I get excited every off season only to be angry year after year when Ohio U or Kent State play us close because of the conservative Tressel. Blow some teams out one season while coach of Ohio State, please.

[Jon Holsinger]

May God truly bless Coach Daniels and his family during this time and keep them strong. He still is and always will be a part of the OSU family. Awesome guy! Ohio State couldn't ask for a better QB coach than Coach Siciliano either! He has made a tremendous impact and will continue to do so. He is a class act. To the OSU players from all your fans. You guys rock! Keep your heads up and keep pressing. Your absolute best ever game should get you to where you want to go. Don't let down on yourselves or your teammates. You have the chance to be part of something super special. Take us to the NC game and kick the SEC out! Listen and learn from your coaches they're the best in the business. You won't find any better. How firm thy friendship O - HI - O!!!!

[HappyNat]

Matt Burgoon wrote:

Blow some teams out one season while coach of Ohio State, please.

Yup, I miss the days of blowing out Rice and running up the score on MAC teams. Those 70 point September wins gave me comfort when we lost to Michigan every year.

[K Roley]

obviously you have impeccable coaching credentials, so why dont you criticize a real loser like kehres at mt union. you got the tough part done, the jaw jackin, hoss. now go coach some pee-wee team.

[J Sawyer]

While I agree somewhat with Matt, I think our lack of blowouts had something to do with the talent. When Troy Smith was confident we had no trouble scoring a lot, including 41 against Michigan. How many times did Cooper crack double digits vs. Mich? Now, he did get 70 against Rice, but we won't be playing Rice in the bowl game (what a shame:) I hope the former interim, now full-time, QB coach gives Terrelle some freedom to show his talent and the talent of the receivers and the offense should score more efficiently and proficiently. The talent is there, it's time to see the scoring prove their potential.

[Richard in Vegas]

Part of being a dedicated fan is adjusting to new cogs with which most of us are not familiar. Nick S. is no doubt known within the OSU football family and its close followers, and T.P.'s comments give encouragement. Ultimately the big test will come when recruiters sell him to future Montanas and Pryors. He doesn't exactly come from a big program, visibility background. But, fortunately he has a wonderful chance to solidify his value and reputation working with Terrell. Success there will breed success in the future, one hopes.

[Kyle Nowak]

Does anyone realize the last time that OSU lost to a team that didn't end up playing in a BCS bowl at years end? Purdue...2004
2004!! I guess you're right though, I'd rather be USC or M*ch*g*n...you know blow teams out that don't deserve to be on the field, and then lose to Stanford or App State...yeah that sounds like a great plan.
Look, maybe the reason Tressel doesn't blow teams out is because he is building up to letting it loose for Michigan. Furthermore, those teams that come and play us in the shoe'...Tressel is friends with those coaches, and he respects those coaches. He is a respectable coach that doesn't blow out his peers who obviously have a team that doesn't compare to the bucks. So until Tressel has a Stanford or an App State...lets cut the man a break.

[wallymoons]

Is he really qualified, or is he an extension of TRESS

[Woody I]

NS will do what JT says. I don't see any departures from current offensive operating procedures with this promotion. TP may have to be the primary stimulus for incorporating any new offensive initiatives.

[BALDERDASH AND HOGWASH]

This coach has a background for maybe Cincinnati Xavier, Cleveland St. Ignacius, and maybe even Capital although I'm not sure! I would hire the coach at St. Ig or St Xavier before this guy. They actually have experience in winning big games. And without of course a Tressel looking over their shoulders. Without a BIG change (getting rid of Tressel as an offensive coordinator) the first thing; we have NO HOPE of defeating and big name team that even WV has done in the past four (4) years! I am a graduate of OSU and I love The Ohio State University very much! Going to college there changed my lidfe and I'm proud to be associated with this great university.
Sincerely yours,
Paul Cowan/ 1974

[Pam]

Matt Burgoon wrote:

I hope Im wrong but it will more than likely be the same boring offense that has put us as fans to sleep the last eight years Tressel has been coach. I get excited every off season only to be angry year after year when Ohio U or Kent State play us close because of the conservative Tressel. Blow some teams out one season while coach of Ohio State, please.

Leave blow outs to the SEC and Big 12. I am really not impressed when UF hangs 60+ pts. on the Citadel with Tebow still in. I was at the UM game last year and in the 4th, nearly every senior got to see the field. That is what a good, not too mention classy coach does.

[John Stubbins]

We will miss Coach Daniels on the field but he will still be helping out, so we still have his expertise. We also have now a young coach with fresh thoughts that can really help us stay away from predictibility and that is a great thing. Welcome aboard Coach Siciliano! We are rooting for you. Go Bucks!

[TMD]

BALDERDASH AND HOGWASH wrote:

This coach has a background for maybe Cincinnati Xavier, Cleveland St. Ignacius, and maybe even Capital although I'm not sure! I would hire the coach at St. Ig or St Xavier before this guy. They actually have experience in winning big games. And without of course a Tressel looking over their shoulders. Without a BIG change (getting rid of Tressel as an offensive coordinator) the first thing; we have NO HOPE of defeating and big name team that even WV has done in the past four (4) years! I am a graduate of OSU and I love The Ohio State University very much! Going to college there changed my lidfe and I'm proud to be associated with this great university.
Sincerely yours,
Paul Cowan/ 1974

I can appreciate you wanting the Buckeyes to be more offensive minded. However, remember JT won Division 1-AA NCs in '91,'93,'94, and '97. We also beat Miami in 2002 for the NC, and we won the Big10 championship in '02 and '05-'08.

tOSU in head-to-head competition since '01 is:
5-3 against PSU
7-1 against UM, including a 42-7 beatdown last year

If you want scoring, how about a 58-7 beatdown of NWU in '07. How about the 33-7 plastering of OK St in the '04 Alamo Bowl.

tOSU doesn't have a problem with conservative play calling. They have a problem with conservative play EXECUTION. How many times have you seen wide open receivers drop balls/TDs for no apparent reason? How many times have you seen RBs get stuffed at the 3-4 yard line and force tOSU into a FG? The most creative offense in the world won't help if you don't execute.

One last thing. Scoring lots of points is great, however DFEFENSE wins championships. Last year tOSU held the second best team in the country to 14 points below their season average and was 16 seconds away from beating them. One defensive lapse ended that.

I'll take a great defense over a great offense any day of the week.

[Ed Christoffersen]

I still am amazed at the lack of diversity in the Ohio State offense. They do a very poor job on running mis direction,Screens and draw plays. I cannot understand why they cannot maintain any consistency in moving the football. Frankly if they do not learn to run these basic plays, then Prior will not be able to make the difference I think he can make. Hopefully their new offensive line will not be anchored in cement like the past lines over the last 4 years.

[Kyle Nowak]

Ed Christoffersen...

it is Pryor...and we don't run those plays because your line often times has to pull and shift...and like you said, our lineman are quite cut out for those plays...nice contradiction

TMD...execution IS the key

[Matt Burgoon]

I think we can still blow some teams out and beat Michigan. Why does it have to be one or the other? Ohio University has no business taking us to the wire with their inferior athletes. It happens year after year and it has nothing to do with Tressels class. It has to do with play calling or lack there of. With that said, I like everything about the Senator except his boring offense.

[TMD]

Matt Burgoon wrote:

I think we can still blow some teams out and beat Michigan. Why does it have to be one or the other? Ohio University has no business taking us to the wire with their inferior athletes.

If I'm not mistaken, we DID beat Michigan (42-7) and blowout some other teams:

Youngstown St 43-0
Michigan St 45-7
Northwestern 45-10

Ohio University is not a typical MAC school. Their coach is Frank Solich, the former coach of Nebraska, with staff and recruiting ties from that period. The worse loss they had all year was to Bowling Green 28-3. That's the same BG that beat Pitt earlier in the year 27-17.

OU has a VERY large starting defensive front that averages 6-3 290, with 2 DE that average 6-4 255. That's very large for college players, especially in the MAC.

Yes, tOSU had a mediocre game, but they were playing without Beanie and, to be fair, the defense played VERY well. Seven of OU's 14 points came on a fumble recovery in the endzone. The combination of playing a big defensive team, without Beanie, and against a big-time coach, made tOSU look much worse than they actually played.

.

It happens year after year and it has nothing to do with Tressel's class. It has to do with play calling or lack thereof. With that said, I like everything about the Senator except his boring offense.

From what I've seen, JT has tried to open up the offense. He can't go out there and block, throw, catch, or run for the team. Opening up the offense doesn't mean calling plays with reckless abandon. Coach Tressel has to call plays that will end successfully. I think, under the circumstances, he has done very well.

What I would like to see is more speed on the line, both offensive and defensive. And not just the "skill" positions. The lineman need to be quicker, and the O-line really needs to work on execution.

Having said all that, I expect Pryor, and the Buckeyes, to have a breakout year, and live up to their billing.

[Rob S]

I think Nick will do fine, the only thing that might be a problem is if Pryor can't adjust to the Defenses he is going to face and road head of course.

[krohiofan]

I am really getting sick of all of the Tressel bashing; if you think they can do a better job of coaching Ohio State then apply for the job and lets see how well you do. Jim Tressel has out classed John Cooper hands down, it turns my stomach to think of how badly OSU looked under Coppers guidance. I would rather have a Tressel leading my Buckeyes then Copper.

[Buckeye31]

Read TMD comments and you get a true picture of what's going on with the Bucks. Thanks, TMD.