The Buckeye Blame Game

The feeling just isn't the same this season around Columbus, Ohio. The season started with great promise and with an unusually high amount of returning starters, including several no-doubt NFL first rounders. Todd Boeckman had apparently filled in Troy Smith's Heisman shoes at quarterback last season with the exception of the BCS game, but the offense looked anemic against any type of opponent with him at the helm this season.

This week, the news had surfaced that a rift has developed in the Buckeye locker room, apparently over the topic of quarterback. Many of the older players felt loyal to Todd and were not sure if allowing Terrelle Pryor to solely run the offense was the correct decision.

This leads to an intriguing situation that Tressel has seemingly answered, allowing his freshman stud QB to grow on the job. And the most puzzling situation to all of this is the continued loyalty to Boeckman despite his awful play. I have been a Buckeye fan since birth, and this is one situation where I can say, without a doubt, the right coaching move was made.

First of all, Boeckman did lead the Buckeyes to the BCS title game last season. But look at the situation. He looked pitiful against Illinois and Michigan, with Juice Williams easily outplaying him in that game last season. On top of that, Todd followed up those two awful performances with a third garbage showing in the title game. The offseason brought questions, but many just looked to Beanie Wells and the impending success he was to have this season. His toe injury cost him a possible Heisman run, and the team looked like a D-II squad without him.

That was the time when Boeckman could have stepped up and made a stand as a senior QB, instead folding like a cheap lawn chain. Granted, the offensive game plan of middle run, draw, and shotgun rollout pass lacked any imagination. The throw Boeckman made that was picked for a touchdown was a mistake no senior QB should make in that big of a game, as he should have noticed Malaluga closing in on the receiver and reading the throw. He has a weak arm and makes poor decisions, with his QB rating over the last seven or eight games as proof.

Enter Terrelle Pryor, who has been talked about as a savior of the offense from day one. I was in the stands for this seasons' opener, about 10 rows from the Bucks bench, and when Terrelle began to warm up, there was a buzz that radiated around the Shoe like I have never been before. While it has been a tough learning curve, as he still needs to learn that defenses are faster and that he CAN throw the ball away, he has won every start.

And, I find it hard to believe there are players that would prefer Boeckman under center; he simply played his way out of the position and would not be starting for any other ranked team either. Pryor has the intangibles to be great, and anyone who watched his performance against Wisconsin during primetime would agree that he looked like a great one in the making. The poise and decision making ability he showed on the final drive for six looked like that of a veteran, not an 18-year old kid.

The Buckeyes have two tough games on the horizon, with an upstart Spartan team looking for some respect this weekend in East Lansing. The following week is the real show down, with now No. 3 Penn State. Hopefully, the Bucks don't look past this weekend to the primetime PSU game, or else it will lessen the importance of the showdown.

And on a more important note, hopefully Tressel opens up the offense and allows Pryor to grow in the passing game, which is ranked 107th nationally. Pathetic. Purdue out-gained the Bucks last week, and if not for the blocked punt for six, it might have been a different game. We will see what tricks Tressel has his up his sleeve, or vest, and I can only pray he gives OSU fans nerves a break as we head into the PSU showdown in the Shoe.