The countdown to The Game continues. Three full days left before our Noon date with destiny. As the excitement grows, we look back and ask our BBC staff about what constitutes success for this year. Today’s question;
Compared to what you thought at the beginning of the season, how has this season fared? Can it be considered a success yet?
Jeff at The BBC
Every team goes through rebuilding years (or as we call them at Ohio State, “reloading years”). We knew heading into this season that this was one of those years. Despite that knowledge, this team was stronger than expected. Yes, we “expect” to win the Big Ten every season, but logic must dictate that we will have down years every once in a while.
The reality is that even in “down years”, we’re still highly capable of winning ten games.
Knowing that this was a rebuilding year, and the fact that we’re 9-2 at this point, yes I can say that the year has lived up to expectations.
However…..
NO SEASON is a success if we don’t defeat That Team Up North.
MaliBuckeye
As a fan, I have five goals for Ohio State every year (yeah, I know- fans who have goals are irrational. I’m also a blogger. Deal with it.) Those are:
- Represent the University and the State with class and excellence
- Run a clean program (both from the NCAA and legal perspective)
- Graduate players, or provide them the opportunity to get a job (go pro)
- Influence players and others impacted by the program to be better people
- Beat That Team Up North (1-11 is something I can live with, as long as that one win is the one that matters)
To be looking at Roses in incredible – I thought we’d lose to State Penn or Iowa in addition to U$C. Since we’ve met many of the goals above, and since this is a rebuilding year, I am satisfied (for now).
There’s still weasel stomping to be done.
Jim
At the beginning of every football season, I think the Buckeyes will go undefeated. Some years I am more confident about this than others, but I will never go into a year expecting to lose a single game. This year was no exception. I would place my confidence at the beginning of the year on the verge of high that we would not lose a game, with USC and Penn State being my largest concerns.
Most of my confidence was centered around my belief that with an entire offseason under his belt and an offense tailor made for his skill set, Terrelle Pryor would be an unstoppable force on offense. Turns out I was a little too optimistic on that front. I also bought into the hype of some of the young offensive lineman a little too much. I expected them to fill in seamlessly, and honestly, I expected them to be better than last year’s line. I was a little too optimistic there as well.
I think I learned a valuable lesson about young players this year, however. Thanks to the internet, you hear and see about a lot of really good prospects coming out of high school and a lot of people get really excited about these players (including me). Well, just because you see and hear about high school players more doesn’t mean that more of them will be instantly great than in the past. And in the past very, very few players are ready to dominate as freshman and sophomores, especially when you compete against elite competition or face adversity. Lesson learned.
So the season didn’t quite meet my expectations, mostly because I anticipated more development from some young players on offense. That doesn’t mean that it can’t be a successful year. Is it a successful year yet? No.
I wrote after the USC loss that the best case scenario for this season was a mirror of 2005. I stand behind that, and things are shaping up very similarly to 2005. If the team this year can finish strong with a win up north and a bowl win, I will consider the season a success. If they can win the last two games like the 2005 team won, I will be stoked.
It is my opinion that the momentum that we built up at the end of 2005 helped us role through 2006 the way we did. If we can do that this year, well, let’s just say that my confidence level going into next season will be pretty damn high. I won’t go too much into that now though, I have all offseason to set up how ridiculously high my expectations are going to be.
First things first though. Just win.
Eric
This season has fared well. It has not fared quite as well as what I thought at the beginning of the season. To be perfectly honest, I saw this team laying waste to this schedule with the possible exception of Penn State. Surprise! The further we go along, the more disappointed I am that we weren’t able to take out USC when we had the chance. I am, however, happy with the way the players have matured over the course of the season, and the way the prospects look for the future.
We all know that it can’t be called a success unless we beat TTUN! To say otherwise is blasphemy! Ok, in all seriousness, yes, this season has been pretty successful all told, regardless of what happens in our next two games. Remember, this is still a rebuilding year, and a rebuilding year where we get to go to the Rose Bowl is a pretty damn successful rebuilding year!
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