As I watched the OSU game with friends, I realized there are just several different categories of which one can watch a game. Last week, I watched it "live". You don't get too many replays or breaks, but you get the feel of the game. Most of the time, I watch it at home and I rewind it all the time to see what happened. Last night, I did another category. It is the one where you watch it with friends and all of their kids along with yours. I do not recommend this style compared to the others. 
- Well, a statement was made. OSU went into a tough setting and played a historical program and walked away with a big win. You don't have to like Okie or Stoops, but you have to recognize his record at home and the winning the program has enjoyed. For OSU to win by the score they did and put up some great numbers is just a big statement this early in the season.
- All kinds of things happened in the game. What I felt was the most impressive was the way several YOUNG players for the Buckeyes stepped up. To go on the road and perform at a place like Norman is a tough assignment. To do it in only your second or third game? Pretty much unheard of. To have kids like Brown, Prince, Jones, Jordan, Webber, Baker, Hooker, Webb, and others play to that level is a sign of the leadership of the program.
- Another sign of a great program, and one which I love to look for, is to see guys who have waited their time and perform when they get in there. Most do not know how tough it is to sit for 3 or 4 years with maybe some special teams snaps if you are lucky. Yet OSU had Lattimore, Worley, Wilson (injuries have kept him off), and Durbin fit into that category. We know OSU recruits the best talent out there. So you will get studs who can contribute right away. These guys show that they also develop players.
- I was very impressed with the OSU offensive line. The Okie DL was good. All OSU did was put up almost 300 yards rushing. The only play that stood out was Jones holding after he got beat with a wicked spin move. At the end, they just grinded out that clock when everyone knew that Webber was getting the ball. They worked over that defensive front.
- Cameron Johnston does not get enough credit. He hasn't had to punt too much. Well, he went for 50 a punt yesterday and flipped the field on a huge 68 yard punt. It killed any momentum Okie had just made with stopping OSU. He doesn't get too many opportunities, but that kid sure does make the most of them. He is undervalued.
- I loved a lot of the play calling OSU had. They kept using motion and flipping formations. Many times Okie was in flux when the ball was snapped. OSU also used unbalanced to throw off the defense. When Okie adjusted, OSU ran it to the weak side. The Okie DC was playing catch up all night. When Okie would load the box to stop the run, they would leave Brown one on one and that didn't work too well. Then, when Okie played soft coverage, OSU finally started using the bubble screens. It forced those DBs to come up and those OLBs to get out of the box. Then they went back to running the ball. Great game plan and execution.
- That last thing about OSU is this: they are young and inexperienced and will get better because of that. With experience, many of these kids will get better. The more film they see, the more they will improve.
- Since I am not watching a bunch of scouting film, I actually got to watch college football all day Saturday. That hasn't happened in a long time. I noticed a few things from that. Louisville is a lot better than FSU. I have never seen FSU get beat like that before. How did Louisville out athlete them? I got a text last night asking how long it would be until Louisville got busted for recruiting violations. Also, Mark Dantonio can coach. More importantly, he can motivate. They are at their best when they aren't ranked in the top 5 and such.
- I did laugh when earlier in the day the football media were ripping the B1G, calling it a bad day for them. We even had guys on this forum posting on threads how weak the conference was. Then you had huge wins by Nebraska, MSU, and OSU. UM even won a game. For a conference to be considered weak, they can't have 4 teams in the top 10 like the B1G might have tomorrow.
- Maryland might not be very good, but they could be 6-0 going into MSU. A weak schedule and playing some defense has helped.
- Why didn't Saban chew his defensive guys on the sideline yesterday like he did his OC last week? They gave up 43 points. Can you say hypocrite? I think the USC coach is done. UWash is top 10 without having played anyone. Well, they get Stanford and McCaffrey. If you want to beat Stanford, just make sure you always have two guys on McCaffrey and cover the TE. Its not rocket science. The glow in Texas went out late last night.
- I always like to check in on the MAC. It looks like the state of Michigan is doing well. Even Eastern is over .500. Not sure that has ever happened. Northen Illinois is 0-3, wow. I am eagerly awaiting the firing of the Miami coach at the end of the season. That one is personal.
- The one thing I really noticed is that the spread offense has really made the game more even for the "lesser" schools. You don't need great offensive linemen or RBs to score points in the college game. You don't even really need to read things nearly as much. You go no huddle and the coaches make the audibles and calls. The thing now that teams have a difficult time with is the pro style. You just rarely ever see it. Stanford is so tough to immiate and defend now as no one has TEs or that big physical OL anymore. UM is doing it now too.
- Well, a statement was made. OSU went into a tough setting and played a historical program and walked away with a big win. You don't have to like Okie or Stoops, but you have to recognize his record at home and the winning the program has enjoyed. For OSU to win by the score they did and put up some great numbers is just a big statement this early in the season.
- All kinds of things happened in the game. What I felt was the most impressive was the way several YOUNG players for the Buckeyes stepped up. To go on the road and perform at a place like Norman is a tough assignment. To do it in only your second or third game? Pretty much unheard of. To have kids like Brown, Prince, Jones, Jordan, Webber, Baker, Hooker, Webb, and others play to that level is a sign of the leadership of the program.
- Another sign of a great program, and one which I love to look for, is to see guys who have waited their time and perform when they get in there. Most do not know how tough it is to sit for 3 or 4 years with maybe some special teams snaps if you are lucky. Yet OSU had Lattimore, Worley, Wilson (injuries have kept him off), and Durbin fit into that category. We know OSU recruits the best talent out there. So you will get studs who can contribute right away. These guys show that they also develop players.
- I was very impressed with the OSU offensive line. The Okie DL was good. All OSU did was put up almost 300 yards rushing. The only play that stood out was Jones holding after he got beat with a wicked spin move. At the end, they just grinded out that clock when everyone knew that Webber was getting the ball. They worked over that defensive front.
- Cameron Johnston does not get enough credit. He hasn't had to punt too much. Well, he went for 50 a punt yesterday and flipped the field on a huge 68 yard punt. It killed any momentum Okie had just made with stopping OSU. He doesn't get too many opportunities, but that kid sure does make the most of them. He is undervalued.
- I loved a lot of the play calling OSU had. They kept using motion and flipping formations. Many times Okie was in flux when the ball was snapped. OSU also used unbalanced to throw off the defense. When Okie adjusted, OSU ran it to the weak side. The Okie DC was playing catch up all night. When Okie would load the box to stop the run, they would leave Brown one on one and that didn't work too well. Then, when Okie played soft coverage, OSU finally started using the bubble screens. It forced those DBs to come up and those OLBs to get out of the box. Then they went back to running the ball. Great game plan and execution.
- That last thing about OSU is this: they are young and inexperienced and will get better because of that. With experience, many of these kids will get better. The more film they see, the more they will improve.
- Since I am not watching a bunch of scouting film, I actually got to watch college football all day Saturday. That hasn't happened in a long time. I noticed a few things from that. Louisville is a lot better than FSU. I have never seen FSU get beat like that before. How did Louisville out athlete them? I got a text last night asking how long it would be until Louisville got busted for recruiting violations.
Also, Mark Dantonio can coach. More importantly, he can motivate. They are at their best when they aren't ranked in the top 5 and such. - I did laugh when earlier in the day the football media were ripping the B1G, calling it a bad day for them. We even had guys on this forum posting on threads how weak the conference was. Then you had huge wins by Nebraska, MSU, and OSU. UM even won a game. For a conference to be considered weak, they can't have 4 teams in the top 10 like the B1G might have tomorrow.
- Maryland might not be very good, but they could be 6-0 going into MSU. A weak schedule and playing some defense has helped.
- Why didn't Saban chew his defensive guys on the sideline yesterday like he did his OC last week? They gave up 43 points. Can you say hypocrite? I think the USC coach is done. UWash is top 10 without having played anyone. Well, they get Stanford and McCaffrey. If you want to beat Stanford, just make sure you always have two guys on McCaffrey and cover the TE. Its not rocket science. The glow in Texas went out late last night.
- I always like to check in on the MAC. It looks like the state of Michigan is doing well. Even Eastern is over .500. Not sure that has ever happened. Northen Illinois is 0-3, wow. I am eagerly awaiting the firing of the Miami coach at the end of the season. That one is personal.
- The one thing I really noticed is that the spread offense has really made the game more even for the "lesser" schools. You don't need great offensive linemen or RBs to score points in the college game. You don't even really need to read things nearly as much. You go no huddle and the coaches make the audibles and calls. The thing now that teams have a difficult time with is the pro style. You just rarely ever see it. Stanford is so tough to immiate and defend now as no one has TEs or that big physical OL anymore. UM is doing it now too.
