Grading the Bucks--The Sugar Bowl: Bama

I'll be honest with you, I should have done this earlier.  I don't remember all the finer points of the game a week later but I'll give it a whirl.

Offense: A-
Can't say enough about Zeke and the O-line.  Immediately postgame, Mr. Hoying and I talked about how we may have actually seen an upgrade at the running back position after losing Carlos--and this is nothing knocking El Guapo's ability.  Zeke has been able to find, hit, and explode through holes while simply blowing by people.  The fumble was no good but 2 huge runs set the tone and ended the game.  The O-line has also matured in ways I never thought possible.  And speaking of maturation...Car-Dale Jones.  For a guy who looks like he's waiting for his mom to pick him up at the playground, he is playing like a man.  Still not the polished passer that JT was, but he can sling it and bowl people over.  The downgrade is for the 2 turnovers.  Can't do that against the Ducks.  Need to score with them.
I want to make one additional comment here: the double reverse pass for the TD before the half isn't getting nearly enough pub.  I saw it rated as the 8th or so best play of the bowl season---um, no.  This play was UNBELIEVABLE.  Let's break it down.  Evan Spencer, a WR, throws an absolutely perfect pass to the corner of the endzone over the outstretched fingertips of an Alabama DB.  Pretty good...but that's not even the best part.  The catch by Michael Thomas is an all-timer.  He catches it with the fingertips and still manages to contort his foot to stay inbounds! Uncle Keyshawn couldn't have done it better.  Odell Beckham Jr.'s catch was better, but that's about the only one this year (2014-now) that can top it.  The body control was phenomenal.

Defense: A-
Read my posts from earlier this year, I was hyping up a Mr. Darron Lee as the next great OSU LB.  Nailed it.  The defense gave up some runs that could have broken the spirit but they kept coming.  Steve Miller with the pick 6 (he's a picker, he's a grinner, he's a lover, he's a sinner) to seize momentum and the overall frustration of Blake Sims.  Michael Bennett has been the unsung player the last 2 games for this defense.  He's been eating up space on the interior line frustrating a downhill rushing attack.  Amari Cooper struck efficiently, but couldn't get free to open the game for Bama.  Credit the young secondary for holding up.  And a final thought: Go down Tyvis.  I know that may not be 'what Prime would do', but let's be serious.  All he does is make game ending interceptions.  The differences was holding Bama to 2-13 on 3rd down.  Best defense gets off the field.

Special Teams: A-
No returns but another great kicking performance.  It's not often that Cameron Johnston is upstaged by the opponent, but JK Scott was fantastic for Bama.  Nuremburger made his 2 chip shots and Johnston was solid as usual.  I believe it was Spencer who made a fantastic recovery of an onside kick at the end in what should have sealed it.  The return game was fine but nothing special (although I seem to remember a big hit on Bama on a kickoff return...might be remembering wrong).  After a week, if I don't remember the special teams, it was usually a good week.

Coaching: B
The playcalling was still avoiding the run a bit too much when Zeke was getting it done early.  10 yards a pop but Herman really wanted to get Cardale going (especially near the goalline).  Sometimes, you need to ride your stud (give it to Hyde--still having PTSD from the B1G Championship vs. MSU). Defense was called very well and the halftime adjustments were strong.  Then the final OSU drive came... Zeke was still chugging and a first down ends the game.  Something tells me that with the emotion and momentum of the game, Zeke gets 10 yards on 3 carries even if we tell Bama the plan.  But... Meyer/Herman/whatever (Bollman?) decides to 'go for the ballgame on a bomb on 1st down... I get the idea of shaking it up and being aggressive, but there's aggressive and just plain dumb.  Sure the defense is stacked for the run, but that play has way too many bad outcomes.  Cardale could have simply misthrown the deep ball even if Devin was wide open.  3 straight knees gives Bama the ball back at the 20 (at worst--just tell Cam to punt it through the uprights) with about 40 seconds.  No way they get that shot they had at a Hail Mary.  Now, I'm not advocating the kneel down, but I run Zeke on the safest play and tell him his first 10 priorities are not fumbling and the 11th is to get yards.  Odds are pretty good that Bama doesn't even get the ball back.  As it stands, the Bucks triumphed over this obstacle, but in my mind, it was an obstacle that was self imposed.

Overall: A-
Week 2.  A devastating loss at home to a mediocre team.  We at Let's Go Bucks said: 'Win, and it will work out.'  Now, the Bucks head to Jerry World for all the Dr. Peppers.  Let's make it count.  I expect a shootout but whatever happens, this has been a fun ride...and, one final thought, this Buckeye team is going to get better next year...Have fun 'OTHER CONFERENCES'.

GO BUCKS! BEAT THE DUCKS!!