The defense has been an over looked problem in these big game losses. Yes, 13 points is not enough to win but giving up 41, 35, 34, 37 points AND the game winning drives (Wisconsin ’03, Texas ’05, Penn State ’08, Texas ’08, USC ’09) is not enough either. We are living and dying with Tressel ball right now but I am not impressed enough by any Brian Kelly type right now to light the sweater vest on fire….yet. The time when we will see legit fire head coach Tressel talk will end up being losing to I-AA schools, MAC schools and of course Michigan. Or if the Terrelle Pryor era lives up to a Steve Bellisari type era. No reason for the talk until then. Point being this could be legit talk in due time.

I wish people would stop citing the number of Big Ten titles as a reason to keep him. Either the Big Ten is a second-tier conference and can’t beat anyone, or it’s impressive to win it. It can’t be both. In looking at the bowl record and the non-conference record, there’s no denying that the conference stinks and therefore it’s no great feat to win it.

Does he win the games he’s supposed to? Sure. Does he win games against tough teams with equal or better talent? He did once, seven years ago. Other than Miami, there hasn’t been a single good team that Ohio State put away. Don’t tell me Michigan in 2006 because they got crushed by USC. Texas that same year was breaking in a QB in diapers. Notre Dame? Please. Florida? Blow out. LSU? Blow out. USC? Blow out. Texas in 05, Texas in 08, Penn State in 08, USC in 09? Over-reliance on defense and a refusal to take risks to score points, so the games were lost on the last drive.

I hate it that expressing displeasure with Tressel means we’re suddenly demanding championships every year. What’s wrong with expecting Ohio State to win a big game once in a while? Or wanting to score more than 13 points against good teams?

I’d be the first one to go back in his corner if he’d just recognize his offensive limitations and hire someone who scores points. But I don’t ever see him doing that, so Ohio State will have an anemic offense for as long as he’s around.

By the way, my choice for head coach is Brian Kelly from UC. There’s a guy who understands that the team with more POINTS, not PUNTS, wins every game.

great point.

I agree with much of what you said, but the bucks do get NFL talent, and some of the nations best players. It may not be all SEC national talent, but I believe we can compete as we did against usc. My problem with Tressel is he could be more creative within his style, and use the talent and skills of his players better. More play action and a little more open passing game is just a matter of “playing harder to win, rather than play safe not to lose”. Maybe I’m wrong, but I’ve seen Tressel do it at times and it is great. Another example, I feel we beat usc, even with an average offensive performance, but with our defense playing so great, why quickly change formation on the last drive when pressure defense had them on the ropes. I understand the threat of the long pass, but coaches must be smart and make sure the middle of the field is covered with the right guys. usc had 3 minutes and exploited the middle which led to momentum and a score. I feel that more “play to win” decisions on both sides of the ball would have secured a victory against #3 usc and proved we can win against anyone!

His sweater vest is akin to a superman outfit.

Only great coaches can get away with the sweater vest.

1) The great coach Dungy (yes, I am a Colts homer)
2) Coach Tressel

Settle done Buckeye nation. You are in the midst of greatness. Don’t run him out of town, you’ll be sorry.

Yeah who the hell do they want Rich Rod?

Pryor took blame for the loss after the game and he is young so I don’t want to lambaste him here but there are several poor decisions on his part that has nothing to do with Tressel. Like running out of the pocket on a passing play, getting strung out toward the sidelines, and instead of throwing it away he just runs out of bounds for a six yard loss. Icing on the cake, out of FG range on that as well.

A one hop pass to a wide open WR on a short out pattern and on the third down before half (which they punted and gave up the FG).

There were way too many penalties on offense too. It was a poorly coached game, yes, but it was poorly executed at key points as well.

If mistakes like these are repeated all the way into November against Michigan, yes easy time for criticism on the coach. But this loss should be pointed to immaturity on offense which tOSU has a lot of.

For those crazies calling for Jim Tressel’s head, hear this out. 1) He always beats the teams they are suppose to beat, which all great coaches do. 2) He runs a conservative offense because he has too. Teams from the PAC 10, SEC all out recruit Ohio State because Ohio State is not a great place to recruit. There is no warm weather, no beaches, no major attractions. Just imagine how hard it is to recruit a 18 year old kid from San Diego California to come to Ohio. What are you going to tell that 18 year old, “Hey I know your use to the 85 degree weather, women half undressed for a majority of the year, and you probably surf about 30 times a year…I understand that you could do and see all of these things if you go to USC or Florida, but hey why not give Ohio State a shot, when you will be playing in November it will be 8 degrees and snowing, it’s gonna be fun.”

He doesn’t have the same talent as these teams and that’s why he gets beat by them. He has to call conservative games hoping that the other teams make mistakes and his team can cash in on them, thats the sign of a great coach that doesn’t have the players. He has won at least 10 games a year for the last 4 years, and you want to fire him…good luck, and when he lands in a SEC school or a PAC 10 school, you will see what a great coach you had.