Penn State Game Thoughts: The Morning After

Now this picture of Pryor deserves a t-shirt! (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Drew Thurman (11:09 am)

Halfway through the third quarter, as the Buckeyes narrowly held onto a 10-7 lead, I had a bad feeling this was going to turn out like the last three big games the Buckeyes have battled in. It looked like Tressel was again going to place all the pressure on his defense, and I was starting to have flashbacks of the late game scores from Penn State, Texas, and USC.

Then Tressel, who had called a very solid first half, opened things up in a way I haven't seen since No. 10 was taking reps under center. A 62 yard bomb to Posey and a 47 yard drive capped off by a Saine touchdown reception later, the Buckeyes proved to be much more of a contender than anyone (including Buckeye fans) thought they could be in 2009. Here is what stuck out...

Pryor is growing up before our eyes. A few weeks ago everyone had written Pryor and the Buckeyes off after the Purdue loss, and many wondered if Pryor was ever going to play to his potential. It was a dark time not only for fans, but for Pryor as well.

That loss seemed to have helped Pryor finally put the pieces together though, and he has responded well ever since. Especially yesterday on a huge national stage, and in his home state in front of 110,000 angry "country folk."

Pryor's stats were solid (8-17 125 yards, 2 TD; 50 yards rushing, 1 TD), but they were not mind blowing. But what was so impressive was how calm Pryor played all afternoon. He played his smartest game yet, and didn't force anything.

A few weeks ago I would have never thought this performance was possible, but give credit to the staff and Pryor himself for never allowing the criticism to win over.

Oh and by the way, try to name someone that deserves Offensive MVP of the Big Ten more than Pryor. Clark doesn't after his performance yesterday, Eric Decker is hurt, so that leaves...Pryor? Craziness! Pryor looked like the biggest disappointment of the league a few weeks back, but I think last night pushed him back to being the premiere player in the league. Weird year in the Big Ten all around, and this just solidifies it!     

The play calling allowed the offense to succeed. I am not going to act like the staff is suddenly a bunch of offensive gurus after putting up 353 yards and 24 points on Penn State, but they deserve some credit. They came out early and called plays that allowed Pryor to get confidence, and didn't put him in situations that would cause him to force things.

I loved the screen passes and the fact that they ran the backs outside the tackles, both of which kept the Nittany Lion defense on its heals. What I really appreciated though, was the play calling in the second half.

Tressel and staff have been notorious for super conservative calls in the second half of big games, but they instead actually built on the success of the first half. They picked moments to open things up, they got Pryor out of the pocket to throw the ball, they had Pryor throwing to running backs and fullbacks, and they even threw in some of the "Wildcat" formation. Some solid play calling, and I really hope the staff builds on what they did in this game!

I would not trade the Buckeye defense for anyone. I know there are some great defenses in the SEC, like Florida or Alabama, but there is no way I want to trade guys like Gibson and Heyward. The Buckeyes have the best defensive line in the country.

Sorry "Mount" Cody, I still want the guys in Scarlet and Gray! When healthy the Silver Bullet defense flat dominates, as they have now proven in the biggest games of the season against USC and Penn State.

That was the defining aspect of the game. Daryll Clark had no time all afternoon, and even when he got rid of the ball he was thrown to the grown by the Buckeye defensive linemen and linebackers. I honestly had a smile on my face watching the defense do its thing, and I hope we all see more of the same the rest of the season.

The offensive line finally played with some attitude. Once again, I am not going to act like we have five All-Americans, but the offensive line flat got the job done. Not only did the Buckeyes compile 228 rushing yards against the Big Ten's top defense, but the offensive line gave Pryor time all afternoon.

In fact, I only remember him being touched one time behind the line of scrimmage. While Clark was running for his life when he dropped back to pass, Pryor was able to set his feet and make smart throws. Herbstreit spent so much time promising on GameDay that the Buckeye offensive line would break down (and that they always do), and I hope he admits they proved him wrong. On the road in a loud environment against a tough defense, they kept penalties to a minimum and helped put Pryor and the backs in a position to succeed.

Some other quick thoughts: 

* Cam Heyward's 11 tackles, 3 TFL, and two sacks were incredible to watch. The guy dominated the game by himself, and is one of the best defensive lineman I have seen wearing Scarlet and Gray in awhile. I think his draft stock surged again, and I have a feeling we better enjoy him the next three games.

* Anderson Russell needs to finally be replaced by Jermale Hines for good. I think Russell has great heart (and looked solid against IU), but he gets burned way too much. He personally made Graham Zug look like Usain Bolt, by taking some terrible angles at the ball. Hines has better instincts, and he proves it every week.

* Boom and Zoom got the job done. Everyone talked about how much better Jordan Hall is, but both of these guys responded by running the ball hard. Neither had a rushing touchdown or even had an impressive average, but when compared to the running backs in blue, they ran much harder.

* Zach Boren is becoming a beast at fullback. This guy has the attitude of his older brother in a smaller body. He threw Penn State defenders around time and time again, and he actually caught another pass (a big one I might add)! Just another youngster that has a major upside!

* Finally I got to give some props to Ray Small. It has not been the easiest road for him, but he has kept his head up and is still making plays for the Buckeyes. Many had hoped he would have 40-50 receptions or more by this point in his career, and while he has disappointed at wideout, he does have an important role on this team right now. Small has stayed out of the headlines this season, and I think all Buckeye fans can appreciate that!