Grading the Bucks: Week 10 -- Iowa

Well....that sucked.

Offense: D-
I'm the first to rush to JT's defense when he is unjustly blamed, but he shoulders some of the blame for this loss.  He had a pretty terrible game.  I will say that ONLY 2.5 of those interceptions will be his fault (yeah...only...).  The one by the endzone was a freak play by a stellar corner and the 3rd int was ripped out of a receiver's hand (although I give JT half the blame for that one).  The first two were all JT and there is simply no excuse.  He looked tentative in the pocket and seemed to force throws to his 3rd or 4th read when they weren't there.  The running backs were similarly invisible (more on that later).  O-line was eh as were receivers.  This 24 points isn't terrible but this offense needs to be better than that, especially when the other team is spotted 4 extra possessions.

Defense: F
JT was bad, but the defense was infinitely worse.  I was embarrassed watching this defensive performance.  This is a team that scored 10 points....TEN... in an OVERTIME game versus Northwestern...and they drop half a hundred on OSU? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!  The defensive line never got home.  Early in the game, I commented on how well Iowa's O-line and QB were playing, but I always thought they'd tire and the Bullets would wear them down...never happened.  Nick Bosa deserved to get ejected for that stupid hit (and that was the turning point of the game by the way--it would have been 4th down in a tie game).  The glaring problem is the linebacking corps which was just terrible (something I never thought I'd write about OSU).  Akrum Wadley ran all over the Bucks and the tight ends couldn't be covered.  Inexcusable.  Our linebackers can't cover (3TE TDs and one to the freaking fullback!) and they can't stop the run if the D-line isn't plugging holes.  This unit was worse than any unit in any game this season which is really saying something with our special teams.

Special Teams: A-
And then? Special teams was actually the best part of the game? Kickoffs into the endzone, a made FG, decent punts and coverage (one semi-shank).  Overall, nothing to complain about here.  This game is almost bizarro Penn State.

Coaching: D-
Once again, the running backs disappear in a big game, inexplicably. Sometimes, the coaching staff looks like geniuses and others, they faceplant.  The defensive scheme was totally confusing and the linebackers play hasn't improved throughout the year.  Talent only goes so far.  Offensively, nothing made sense.  Where the first quarter had punch/counterpunch, later quarters saw the offense crawl into a shell and stop playing.  Interestingly that the Penn State game had the best adjustments and motivational coaching of the year, followed by this travesty.  Running JT is fine, but let's let Dobbins and Weber get the rock as well. 

Overall: F
What can you say? The game was a failure on nearly every front: turnovers, failure to stop the run and pass, no heart, bad scheme, etc. etc. This may have been the worse loss since I've been at OSU when considering both teams skill level and the situation.  It was a flat out embarrassment and all sectors deserve the blame.  That being said, next week is another week.  Win the rest and the B1G is ours.  Not what we wanted the end goal to be, but here we are.  Beat Sparty, Beat Blue, Beat Wisconsin, and win a NY6 game (yes, get the Illibuck too....woo).  It may be a consolation prize but that's the motivation now.  Get it done.