Ohio St v. Michigan observations

The Michigan Wolverines defeated Ohio State Buckeyes 30–24 and notched their 3rd straight win since the three peat 95–97. Below are my observations from the game.

• As I wrote earlier this was going to be the battle of the QBs and McCord stunk up the joint, while McCarthy did just enough to win and not make any mistakes. McCord played like he always has so it wasn’t surprising but still disappointing. Ohio St hasn’t had such a drop off in QB talent like this in awhile. There’s been comparisons to Joe Bauserman who was god awful, to Todd Boeckman who was solid but nothing special and even going to turn of the century to Steve Bellisari who might be the most apt comparison, the more I thought about it. Either way, McCord was just never good, always had this look on his face like he couldn’t lead or want to be there. It was different compared to the Braxton Millers/Troy Smiths/JT/Cardale/Dwayne/Fields, even Stroud. I thought maybe McCord grew up after the Notre Dame game, but it was more of the same and Ohio St probably never had a good QB on the roster.
• However, I still believe in a conspiracy that Lincoln Kleinholz, a true frosh, was the best of the three but Ohio St coaches didn’t want a true frosh at QB with the talent around them. Nothing else makes sense and the fact they couldn’t even commit to a starter even as the season started should have been a huge warning sign. Was there outside pressure? Did Day overrule assistants? Did Day get overruled? We will never know, but the QB is always the engine even at the collegiate level. Ohio St just never got it right.
• Defensively I was shocked how passive this defense was in the passing game. Felt they played very well against the run then had soft coverage or really no coverage in the pass. Apparently they didn’t want to cover tight ends or saw any film where McCarthy always targets tight ends when he’s in trouble. Literally every tight end catch was either wide open or very loose coverage. I think the Wolverines punted once the whole game, I don’t believe they had a single 3-and out. This defense was better, but still just not good enough.
• Overall I think the physicality was slightly better, but simply, Ohio St didn’t have a QB. This was like Ohio St having Wilton Speight or John O’Korn or Shea Patterson and every other below average QB Michigan has had in the last decade. Not like McCarthy is anything great, but he did just enough and played smart enough. Ryan Day may ultimately get one more year and again as I wrote last year, they gotta stop talking about recruits like the second coming, especially when they don’t use them. Jaylen Ballard must suck cause apparently he’s the fastest guy on the team and they don’t use him for anything. Carnell Tate must have done something wrong, because while he was the most talent frosh WR they’ve had, he never got a snap. Trying to redshirt Dallan Hayden even though he may be the best back OSU has, just isn’t a winning strategy. All this talk of talent and most of the time its right, but OSU can’t figure out how to use the talent. In the last three years OSU has gone with the same schemes and concepts, never changing anything up, never throwing something crazy out there they haven’t done before. Michigan has done trick plays all three years. It’s not just trick plays but you see where I’m going with this.
• In the end, I’ve been on relieving Ryan Day. Harrison Jr got 8 targets against a chief rival. You don’t even spread 4–5 wide and run hurry up until its too late. You never put your struggling QB in a spot where he can just dump it off quickly for a few yards a time. It was always the same scheme every time because of a coach who is afraid to risk against a rival. Day got outcoached by a coordinator nobody knew until Harbaugh got suspended. The same assistant who was mocked nationally for crying on national TV like Harbaugh was dead after they beat Penn St. Day stupidly didn’t want Dallan Hayden to play against Michigan the last two years to ‘save him’ just in case Hayden actually might be good, until its too late. Day/Hartline have a weird relationship still as I find it hard to believe Hartline is cool with his stud WR pipeline just hanging out on the sideline and not getting any snaps in any manner. Day wasted time with the QB decision and didn’t adjust when he knew it may suck and formulate a plan to make it not suck. Buckeyes could have run 5 wide where every guy is open constantly and I don’t think McCord or Devin Brown or even Kleinholz fuck that up.
• So Ohio St waits for the field to shake out and will get into a premier bowl and probably play lights out cause that’s what Day does. When there’s no pressure he looks unbelievable. In the end, lets hope he gets the vaunted win or the ghosts of John Cooper will linger. GO BUCKEYES!