Keys To The Iowa Game

After last week’s performance against the Nittany Lions, I have to confess that the game against Iowa has me a little worried. Watching that horrendous first half against PSU, I was convinced that we had a Wisconsin 2.0 on our hands. Penn St. really seemed to have the buck’s number in those first 28 minutes. The corner’s were getting burned on the short passing plays, PSU’s running attack was able to move the sticks and the “moxie” of McLovin was on full display as he was calm and collected against the Buckeye defense. On a side note, I want to point out that I was calling him “McLovin” well before that turd Desmond Howard was. Anyway, after a HUGE stop on 4th and 1, Ohio St. was able to escape the half with minimal damage and go into the locker room down only 11.

AP Photo/Al Behrman

We all know how it turned out in the second half. McLovin’s “moxie” (seriously… how many times did Herbstreit and Musburger use that term?) took a swan dive into the Olentangy with 2 (!) pick 6’s. OSU would rattle off 35 unanswered points on PSU to turn a white knuckle affair into a laugher. My question is… did the 2nd half explosion make you feel and better about the lethargic first half? There are some big concerns I have about this team heading into the last couple games.

The Buckeye’s have owned the month of November under Jim Tressel and they look to continue their dominance as they head to Iowa City this weekend. There will be a ton on the line (mostly for OSU) when these teams take the field on Saturday. The Hawkeyes are sure to be in a lousy mood coming off their upset defeat at Northwestern. They will view this matchup as a way to salvage their season along with playing spoiler to OSU’s BCS hopes. I am sure that everyone’s favorite super coach Kirk Ferentz will have a few tricks up his sleeve. There are a few things that Buckeye fans would like to see this weekend in order to ensure victory against Iowa:

Smarter Pass Plays/More TP on the edge- The pass play selection for the Buckeye’s has made me cringe lately. I don’t know if it is Pryor’s shot put delivery or if it is Jim Bollman’s presence on the sideline that makes me shudder more. Look, I think we all agree that TP is a tremendous athlete but I can’t envision him playing behind center at the next level. Can you? Dialing up the 7 step drops with multiple check downs may not be the best way to utilize his talent. Pryor’s numbers are good this year but that can serve as a distraction to his overall quarterback skills. Some of the throws he is asked to make are not in his arsenal. Hopefully the play calling for this game will focus on his strengths rather than highlighting his weaknesses.

I realize that Pryor came to Ohio St. because he wanted to play in a pro style offense. He has worked a lot on staying in the pocket and going through his progressions. That is a very important part of the position and he has shown progress in that area. But at what cost? His rushing numbers are down from last year which is taking away one of the most dangerous parts of the Buckeye offense. Everybody remembers that the guy is 6’6” and runs a sub 4.4 40 right? I know his quad has bothered him at times this season but we need that extra offensive threat the next 3 games to be successful. There is nothing better than watching him do the gazelle run for 60 yards while throwing stiff arms. Let’s get back to more of that if possible.

Ride the Herron train while it’s Hot- Oooooh Baby! Boom Herron can do no wrong in C-Bus right now. After topping the century mark for the first time against Minnesota, Herron decided to run all over the Nittany Lions to the tune of 190 yards. I have to give the guy credit. He has found another gear out there along with better vision and patience. Whoever this new Herron is, I want him to stick around for the rest of the season. His confidence must be at an all time high right now and I am sure JT will take full advantage of it. If Herron doesn’t hit the 15-20 carry mark against Iowa, you can find me outside the WHAC with a torch and pitchfork.

Can he be a big factor in the Iowa game?
AP Photo/Al Behrman

Stoneburner returns- It was nice to see Jake Stoneburner grab another touchdown late in the game against PSU. He had been sidelined for much of the season with a nagging injury and his contributions had been missed. At the outset of the 2010 campaign, many felt he would be good for 30-40 grabs this season. The former TE out of Dublin gives the Buckeye’s a big target in the middle of the field along with a dangerous red zone option for defense’s to worry about. I look for Jake to have a big game against the Hawkeyes if for no other reason than to draw coverage away from Posey and Sanz on the outside. Glad to have him back for the stretch run.

Pressure on Stanzi- Anybody who watches college football knows the legend of Ameristanzi. He LOVES his country and he LOVES to throw picks at inopportune times. The Buckeye’s are hoping that he continues his favorite pastime this weekend. Cam Heyward and the boys will have to get in his face early and often which hasn’t been as easy as some thought it would be this year (me included). As with any quarterback, especially one that likes to throw to the other team, the D line can cause havoc and bad decisions if they are in Stanzi’s face all night.

Additionally, the OSU corners will need a stellar performance against a good Iowa receiving core. If Torrence has another “PSU 1st half” performance or Chekwa has another “entire Wisky game” performance, Stanzi has more than enough weapons to make them pay. Ricky can be a good QB and when given enough time, he can pick you apart.

Tressel shows his Dark side- From all reports I have read about Tressel during halftime of the Penn St. game, he was really fired up. What I wouldn’t have paid to be a fly on the wall in that locker room. Usually you are hard pressed to get a fist pump out of the Senator on the sideline. I love this new Tressel and I hope he shows up in Iowa City if the Buckeye’s get off to a slow start. The team obviously responded in the second half to ”evil” Tressel after coming out flat off the bye week. I hope that we don’t need him again but it is nice to know that this alter ego exists within our beloved coach.

Obviously a quick start would be beneficial to OSU’s chances in Kinnick Stadium. That crowd is right on top of the field and can be quite nasty the longer the Hawkeyes hang around. Usually I would be worried about this team looking ahead to “The Game” but I think that 1st half scare against Penn St. served as a wake- up call to this team. Unfortunately, I don’t think this one will be a blowout though. I really had a tough time predicting a score for this one and finally settled on a 27-17 Buckeye victory. It will be a defensive battle and OSU’s line will have its hands full with Clayborn and that talented Iowa DL. I do believe the Buckeye’s have the better athletes across the board but they had better come ready to play. If OSU gets behind by a couple score here, it won’t be as easy to get back into the game. All in all, should be a good one on Saturday.