Tressels,
How fun was the end of the Wisconsin game? Why is screaming at the TV with a big group of people so much fun? Everyone trying to figure out the right spot for good TV karma. Typically, that ends up with too many crowded around a 19″ kitchen TV while a 42″ HD TV is in the next room over. People do strange things. In celebration, I’ve seen people swing from exposed pipes in a loft-type apartment and perfect strangers hug. After the Wisky game, we were passing a bottle of cheap wine for a celebratory chug while chanting nonsensical stuff. No one blamed John Cooper for anything. It was great.
You just had the feeling that was coming. There was something different about the offense as soon as they took the field for that final drive. They seemed to “just go out and play.” All of them (the offensive line included) looked excited about what the next play may bring. They didn’t look winded. The big hits accumulated throughout the game seemed to have no effect. You could see it. You could have almost written the option-for-touchdown script before it played out eleven snaps later. (The only discrepancy — my script didn’t run to the short side of the field.)
That was a big moment for this team. You could sense the potential that everyone expected when the season began. With Beanie back and Terrelle under center, the Bucks may be the best rushing attack in college football. The defensive line will most likely be a weak link for the rest of the year, so the OSU offense will need to keep them off the field to win out.
There’s been a less noticable “blessing in disguise” that may have changed the complexion of the team — outside of Beanie and Terrelle together in the huddle. When Steve Rehring went down, Michael Brewster (a true freshman) took a spot on the offensive line at center. Since he became a starter, the offensive line is improving rapidly. Brewster is doing a very good job, but (more importantly) his promotion signaled that no one was safe. Somehow, the whole line has become magically faster and meaner. Brewster looks like a competitor and it seems to be rubbing off on the whole line. The guy hustles. There was a play where Brewster lost his man in pass protection — his guy was headed right for Terrelle; Brewster ran as fast as he could, caught up to his man and threw himself at the rushing defender buying an extra second for Terrelle to get off a perfect strike. Even when he’s beat, he’s not beat.
The Wisconsin game was the hardest-hitting non-Michigan game we’ve seen in a long time. It was great that Terrelle was unphased. It was a rough game. Beanie had two great quotes after the game. His first quote was to Terrelle as they took the field for the game-winning drive — this is a man’s game…are you going to be a man or a little kid? The second quote was Beanie’s desciption of the first touchdown where he stiff armed a tentative Wisconsin defensive back and pushed him 10 yards to reach the endzone — he wasn’t going to engage me, so I engaged him.
In College Football, attitude is everything. I think the tide is turning.
Touchdowns: Beanie, Beanie, Terrelle, Hartline, Posey
OSU 38 Purdue 7
Go Bucks! Beat Purdue! Beanie Wells for Heisman!
Stocky Pops
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