OSU questions abound
The 41-23 loss at Troy leaves OSU with red faces and unanswered questions. Many of them at quarterback.
1. If this job is now Zac Robinson’s, what to do with Bobby Reid? This is a team woefully shy of wide receivers, running an offense that requires many wide receivers. Could Reid move to flanker? Who knows if he can catch? And could he adapt quickly? Donovan Woods moved to defense in late September 2005 and didn’t really catch on until when, this year?
2. Speaking of Woods, do you realize Gundy now has benched two straight quarterbacks with decent records? Woods was 10-5 as a starter, with road wins at Pasadena, Columbia and Boulder. Reid is 9-11 as a starter, but that includes 1-4 in 2005, when the Cowboys would have been hard-pressed to win Big 12 games even with John Elway quarterbacking. The Troy game seemed to indicate OSU’s problems are not quarterback-centric.
3. OSU’s most valuable player clearly seems to be Dantrell Savage. The quick little tailback was hurt and missed the Florida Atlantic and Troy games. Maybe it doesn’t matter whether Reid or Robinson quarterbacks, so long as Savage plays. Here’s how good Savage is. When he came out of high school, he was so good, he signed with TROY.
4. I like Larry Fedora, and I like his offense. But it’s not getting the job done. Troy’s offense looked the way OSU’s offense is supposed to look. Unpredictable. Dictating pace. All kinds of weapons. Excellent run-pass quarterback directing the operation. And now the Cowboys take a step back by turning to Robinson, who will have a learning curve.
5. Vance Bedford was not the problem on defense. I don’t know why everyone is always so quick to dump the coordinator when the defense leaks. The Cowboys need better players on defense; doesn’t really matter who coaches them.
Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel.
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Comments
Your #2 Point is the most interesting. Neither of two benched quarterbacks was in the “gundy” style. Both are very athletic in their approach to QB (unlike MG in his prime). I wonder if there is a little jealousy on the Head Coach’s part – he would have been #2 to their #1. Now, I’m not saying he’s petty, but either Donavan Woods or Bobby Reid if given the chance could probably break any and all records set by Gundy and crew during the late 80’s – this offense has the ability – I just don’t know if they have the head coach. I wonder what Les Miles could have done with this offensive group?
Now the real question is – if this season goes seriously south – what will be the reaction by T. Boone? I don’t really think he’s putting that money into OSU to see them embarrassed on national TV. In fact, he might pay ESPN to keep them off next time. So does T. Boone step in and tell Gundy he can’t get it done – and they go out an actually get a head coach that has experience (other than being an OSU alum)?
I most definitely have a comment about this column. Are you saying there was nothing wrong with Bobby Reid. That man is PUNK. And then he doesn’t even play hard. He runs the option like the speed of an old lady power walking. I remember during the spring game a 10 year old boy was sitting about 5 rows in front of us and he screams, “Bobby sucks and he’s scared.” Zac plays harder and brings intensity to the game. He shows so much heart. Benching Bobby is not a loss. The offensive coordinator has to rely on more options. He can’t just run the same dang 5 plays like he did at Troy. He caused one of Zac’s interceptions. How many quarterbacks looks off receivers and checks down? Not very many of them they go with the 1st option and either run or throw it out of bounds. So back to the play. Earlier in the game Zac completed a pass to the tight end down the middle of the field so Fedora calls the same play again in the same dang situation. Everyone knew it was coming. If I am sitting from home and I know what play is going to be called then he had to know Troy’s defensive coordinator knew. If you would have kept Donovan at the quarterback none of this would have ever happened. How you bench a man who one big road games as a redshirt freshman? You haven’t one a big road game since. What year was that again? Bobby never deserved to be the starting quarterback. He hasn’t proved anything to anyone. Having a few good quarters against sub-par teams isn’t going to cut it. When do you recall Bobby showing up in any big time games? And for the defense yes Gundy needs to quit thinking he can check high school offensive players into defensive players. He needs some real linebackers. Somebody that’s trying to hit somebody and isn’t diving at people’s feet all the time. And wants to meet people in the whole. And what the heck is the defensive coordinator doing. There is no intensity from the players or the coaches. The defensive coordinator hasn’t figured out just yet that we aren’t playing prevent defense we aren’t up by 20. Get the corners up on the line and lets get physical. You have safeties. Let Sexton show his ability. Last season I knew he was on the field but this season I can’t even realize it. Quit being afraid of the other teams speed and let those boys throw their bodies around and make some plays. Let what natural talents they do have shine. I have never seen a defense so passive.
Berry your cheap shot at Dantrell Savage is typical of your anti-oSu MO. Just answer this rhetorical question to yourself . . . Does every NFL player come from the BCS college football programs? If Not, why the cheap shot at Dantrell?
Please start an effort to rid ourselves of a football coach that teaches 57 minute effort (2006 season) and soft tackling (2007 swason!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have been graduates of OSU and fans since 1947 and with the backing of Boone Pickens and the years (assistant and head coach) we have given Gundy, it is totally dumb to allow him more time to embarras us He has PROVEN he is not major University program talent. LET US GET RID OF GUNDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!