Picking up the pieces...

[revefsreleets]

I gave props to USC (and voiced my disgust at OSU) in the OSU/USC thread, and this is something else entirely. If you're OSU, now what? You enter each season with the expectation of NC game, and now that that possibility is all but eliminated, what now?

The team needs a shot in the arm. There is only one way to do that: Turn the team over to Pryor. He's probably only going to be there two years, so why not ride on his back now? He was the only player on the offense that produced Saturday, and he's clearly got the skills. Throw out the Todd Boeckman playbook (and that means throw out Todd Boeckman as well...), bring back the spread they ran under Smith, and fire those offense weapons up. Hartline claimed the WR's were running open all night but the D had so much pressure there was no chance to throw the ball around. Well, with Pryor, spread 'em out and make 'em pay if they blitz 6.

If the offense gets invigorated again, it should get the defense motivated to play, and maybe the team builds some momentum and who knows how far they can go this year? Point is, this years dream is already gone. Why not start shooting for next year?

[atlsteelers]

You all still have a lot to play for. you are still the favorite to win the big 10 and most likely still go to a bcs game. i would give more plays to pryor but i think that they will stick with beckman.

[revefsreleets]

I'm no fan. He's statuesque back there, and he hasn't seem to have progressed much from last year. He bears some blame for the Buck's losing the NCG last year, and Pryor is the future. I say the future is now...

That being said, Tress is loyal to a fault, and Boeck is like a 12 year redshirt Sr. so there's little chance he makes the switch. But the way that offense is playing right now, I think they'll get beat next week by Troy, and I'm not joking. Troy runs a spread, and although they don't have the talent that USC does, they will still give OSU all it can handle. The Ohio game was clearly no fluke.

[atlsteelers]

I agree with you that boeck looks frozen back there at times. i would give the ball to pryor. you have what 22 seniors or something like that on this team. let them show the young kid how to play because he is going to leading a young team next year.

[Lone Wolf]

I totally agree about putting Pryor in there. Even in the midst of a beatdown, they were a totally different team when Prior was on the field. Boeckman was just way to hesitant, and was expecting to get hit every time he dropped back into the pocket...he had no confidence at all.

[lilyoder6]

pryor did show that he can play as a freshman.. i might give todd one more game but if he struggles too much against troy.. i would go w/ pryor

[revefsreleets]

This is Tress' call, but his popularity is wearing thin with the Buck faithful. The team is WAY too talented to be taking 35-3 drubbings like that.

Pryor can tuck and run at will...and the kid has a rocket arm. He should get at least half the snaps against Troy, and, for the love of Christ, give the QB's whole series. No more retarded shuttling them in and out from play to play...

[atlsteelers]

Watch out for Troy this weekend too. they play folks tough. It took us unitl the second half to pull away from them last year. If i was a betting man i would not hesitate to pick the trojans and take the 21.5 points they are getting, thats a sick number for a game that will be a lot closer. i am thinking 35 to 24, but i would not be too suprised to see troy with the upset.

[revefsreleets]

As the game approaches, I am changing my tune a bit for a variety of reasons:

-Wells looks like he's playing
-Pryor is supposed to be getting equal snaps as Boeckman
-OSU is back home and anxious to get that awful taste out of their mouth
-Troy may be the victim of a sleeping giant finally awakening

[revefsreleets]

Wells is not playing, but Pryor took the bulk of the first team snaps this week. Tress is also talking about opening up the playbook (read: Smith's spread option is back) and he's also talking about playing 7 different OL this week (and Rehring is out, so that means 3 new faces). I think we'll see more Boom Herron as well.

I'm interested to see how they play in a rebound game against a capable team.