I don't get why OSU fans are so down on Barrett
It's weird to say this makes me sad in a way, but it kind of does.
Not that I think of him as a world beater, but that someone would think of all of those three ahead of MSU in 2014 (and some of his other games), just feels very glass half empty. You play 44 games. Six are losses, and half are the standouts.
It perhaps speaks to something that in this effort where players sacrifice their bodies for our joy, we are designed in some ways to dwell on the times they did not bring us joy.
As
@NorthernOhioBuckeye said, it wasn't JT, it was more a play calling complaint and JT just got caught up in it.
It also extends beyond Barrettes tenure. A couple years earlier in the only B1GCG I've attended the Buckeyes two leading rushers were:
- Braxton Miller, 21 for 142, 6.8 avg, 2TD, 48 long
- Carlos Hyde, 18 for 118, 6.6 avg, 18 long.
The Buckeyes lost that game by 10 but I would argue that the game was closer than that:
It was an odd game in that it never really "felt" close. Instead the teams took turns looking dominant:
- Michigan State dominated early. They scored on three of their first four possessions to open up a 17-0 lead. Concurrently the Buckeyes had three possessions for combined totals of two first downs, 36 yards, and three punts.
- From about midway through the second quarter until late in the third quarter the Buckeyes dominated. They scored on four of six drives for a total of 24 unanswered points and a 24-17 lead. During this stretch the MSU offense couldn't get out of neutral. They had four possessions and the best resulted in 16 yards and a punt. The other three were two three-and-outs and an interception.
- Starting late in the third quarter Michigan State dominated again. Their last five drives resulted in two TD's, one FG, a punt, and a knee as time wound down on their 34-24 win. Meanwhile Ohio State's last four possessions resulted in a grand combined total of two first downs and ended in two punts and turning the ball over on downs twice.
Anyway, the playcall that still bothers me occurred with just over five minutes left in the game and MSU clinging to a 27-24 lead. The Buckeyes got the ball in great field position thanks to a nice defensive stand and a shanked (19 yard) punt. From the MSU-47:
- Braxton Miller rushed for four, 2nd and 6
- Carlos Hyde rushed for three, 3rd and 3
- Braxton Miller rushed for one, 4th and 2
- Braxton Miller rushed for one, MSU ball.
Going for it was an easy call. The 4th down play was at the MSU-39 so it would have been a 56 yard FG from there and punting might pin MSU deep but it is just as likely to result in a 19 yard net.
My objection was calling Braxton Miller on three out of four rushes when Carlos Hyde was available. I realize (see above) that Miller had a slightly higher average but he was more feast-or-famine. Note that his long was 48 yards. Hyde was more consistent and a first down here puts tOSU at least on the fringes of FG range for a tie.
Braxton Miller was an explosive player who could score on any given carry from any distance but he was also stopped for minimal gain a lot more often than Carlos Hyde. Hyde was a punishing bruiser who wore opponents (even MSU) down and was rarely stopped for no gain or a minimal gain.
In that game and not counting sacks, Miller had at least six carries for one yard or less each. Hyde had none. His worst carries of the evening were three for two yards each and all three occurred early in the game when MSU's defense was fresh.
IMHO, getting the ball near midfield down by three with about five minutes to go the Buckeyes should have pounded the rock with Hyde. Maybe throw a pass or run Miller once in a while if you see an opportunity but otherwise run it down their throats.
On the series noted above Miller had three carries for six yards while Hyde had one for three. Hyde's three yard average beats Miller's two yard average and notably 3*4=12 while 2*4=8. Four three yard carries from Hyde make it 1st and 10 on the 35 (52 yard FG).
Hyde was wearing down MSU's defense. His 18 yard long came on carry number nine of 18. None of the eight prior to that went for more than eight yards, three went for only two yards each, and the average was just 4.6. On Hyde's last ten carries four went for 10+, none were stopped for less than three, and the average was over 8.
Urban Meyer is a really smart guy so I don't mean this to run him down, I just felt that he treated the QB run as his safety blanket a little too much. It worked extremely well when he had a QB built like a FB (Tebow) but not as well with Braxton Miller whose skill set was very different. I'm not even saying that Tebow was better than Miller, just different. Miller didn't have Tebow's size and power but Tebow didn't have Miller's speed and elusiveness.
