Rubbing it in? Running up the score? Who cares? Unnecessary? That's football?
The SB Nation blog Addicted to Quack had a hot take last night: http://www.addictedtoquack.com/2015/1/12/7536317/irrational-natty-though....
Urban Meyer can get f**ked for that last touchdown. Yes, Oregon had timeouts left. Were they going to use them? Probably not. Did you kneel once to find out? No. I get it, you wanted to get Cardale Jones a touchdown to troll the world, and I respect the long con, you vicious wizard-man. Your players will love you for that move, as will the recruits you'll continue to get in order to replenish your death-machine. But still, that stung in a way it didn't need to sting, and I'd like to believe that Mark Helfrich has his guys kneel if he's in that situation. So you can go get f**ked.
I'm not a regular reader, so this could be an intentionally over-the-top post by the author, but it's rooted in frustration. Oregon did, you know, have the opportunity to defend the end zone.
I would have went for two. Seriously. That's Oregon's calling card, and practicing against the swinging gate (Oregon's point after formation) drove me insane in high school.
Comments
Boo frickin Hoo. Its the National Title game, and if Ohio State wants to put an exclamation point on the game and the season by feeding the rock to Zeke one more time, have at it. If Oregon didn't like it, they had 60 minutes prior to stop them and couldn't.
The whining over moments like this makes me laugh sometimes. Oregon's defense has a job to do, and its to stop Ohio State. Don't blame Ohio State for your inability to keep them from literally doing whatever they wanted all game long. They're lucky Ohio State didn't put up 80 on em.
If Helfrich is upset about it, then have him phone Frank, and ask if we can do the same thing to OSU on Sept 7.
I first thought it was a bit much from Urban Meyer. I thought they should kneel after Oregon stopped using their time outs. However, the 2-point formation after the touchdown that Oregon does is a good point. If Oregon didn't like it, they could stop OSU from scoring or try to strip the ball carrier.
Better yet lay some big hits on their players to show the coach that they will play hard and if his guys get hurt in the process, it's his fault for not kneeling. How much bad press would Urban get for continuing to play his QB or RB until they unnecessarily injured. I know us VT fans would be calling for Frank's head if he did something like that (he wouldn't) and someone got injured because of it.
All in all, I think it was unnecessary, but Oregon is in no position to complain with how they play.
You took the words out of my mouth... Oregon has no ethical issue with putting 70 on a team, that's scoreless against them and continuing to drive for scores late in the game. They didn't let up vs FSU when they had a 32 point lead in the 4th quarter, so why do they expect another team to take it easy on them/
I agree there. I think I was low rent for OSU to go for it. It was pretty clear that OU wasn't using their time outs. They didn't after the 1st down play and OSU ran time off the clock for their 2nd down play. So yeah, that was Urban rubbing it in. If that were a team like the Miami teams of the 90's/00s, there would have been a brawl on the field after that last TD (even though Miami did the same thing a time or two). I was kind of surprised they didn't tustle a little after that.
That said,, Oregon has no issue with laying the wood on opponents. They will run up the score on opponents w/o any hesitation. So this guys whining is a little much too.
Oh, be ready, if OSU has us down next year, Urban isn't going to call off the dogs. He is going to want revenge for us coming into their home and beating them rather handily in front of the largest crowd to ever watch a game in the horseshoe.
I don't doubt that they're gonna want to come in and get a little payback. They've probably already circled the calendar for our game. But I hesitate to say that Urban is going to run it up on us. If they get up big on us, I think we'll see the back ups, and if it gets to be real late and the game is in hand, I think Urban will show Frank some respect. I don't think he'd do that to Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin (obviously), or any of his SEC foes, but if we look overmatched and it gets a little out of hand, I'd like to think Meyer wouldn't try to embarrass Beamer.
I say this specifically about Beamer, though. I think Urban would do it to a lot of people.
The question of backups is completely different in the first game of the season compared to the championship, too. He's not going to risk injury or aggravate any strains, and he's going to want his backups to see as much of the field as possible. If OSU is winning big in the 4th Q we will see extended auditions for the young guys.
No problem at all with it. It was a 2 score game and that final TD sealed the deal.
tOSU was already up by 15, a 2 score game. Just sayin'.
Right. The TD made it a 3 score game, a nearly impossible deficit to overcome with so little time.
Yeah but there was less than a minute to go. I think Urban did it because he was pissed they called a TO earlier in that drive. Earlier in the drive they called the TO and you could see that he was a little pissed the clock was stopped. At the point where they were scored the game was over and OU had stopped calling TO. There was less than a minute to go and OU had 2 to (which they didn't burn on OSU's 1st down play). the game was over before that last TD. I think OU had tapped out at that point.
But taking a knee instead would run the clock out since Oregon wasn't using their TO', that seals the deal in a non-douche way.
Urban Meyer is a douche. Great coach, but yes, a huge douche. Frank wouldn't have done that. Just take a knee and end the game. You can get started partying earlier that way too.
Honor your opponent with your best performance. That was the mindset I was taught when I played pretty much every sport as a kid. You can't blame the other team for leaving everything on the field and playing to the whistle. It was a two score lead. In the same position I hope CFB would go for the TD to ensure the win.
Exactly, its the National Championship. You dont know when you'll ever get back. You dont leave the game to chance whatsoever. Crazier stuff has happened.
We have scored late and threw the ball when up big late. I do think we would have taken a knee though.
I don't have a problem with it because let's be real, Ohio State was AT least 22 points better than Oregon last night. If it weren't for the turnovers they could have won by more than 40.
I wonder if Oregon will ever will a national championship. It seems like their offense comes apart against a good front seven that can get behind the LOS quickly. Marriotta would have been the first Heisman winner to win a national championship too, correct?
Cam Newton did it, ironically against Oregon four years ago.
I mean, Jameis did it last year, but other than him, only a handful have accomplished it. I think something like <10 have won the Heisman and the national championship in the same year.
+1 leg. Yep, brain fart. Not enough coffee yet. #mybad
2010 Cam Newton, Auburn over Oregon NCG . 09 Mark Ingram bama over Texas, 07 Timmie Tebow Florida over da ohio state.
The 07 gators didn't win the National Championship. They went 9-4. Tebow won the national championship, then won the Heisman, then won another national championship. Everything was in a different season.
Actually it was the 2007 NCG , but that is the 2006 season. And that 2006 season Tebow played, but wasn't the starter. Started the 2007 season and won the Heisman that year. I wasn't 100% accurate, but thank you for inaccurately correcting me.
And Mark Ingram in '09.
Leinert and Bush both did for USC, correct?
1938 Davey OBrien TCU
1941 Bruce Smith Minnesota
1943 Angelo Bertelli Notre Dame
1945 Doc Blanchard Army
1947 Johnny Lujack Notre Dame
1949 Leon Hart Notre Dame
1964 John Huarte Notre Dame
1976 Tony Dorsett Pittsburgh
1993 Charlie Ward Florida State
1996 Danny Wuerffel Florida
1997 Charles Woodson Michigan
2004 Matt Leinart USC
2009 Mark Ingram Alabama
2010 Cam Newton Auburn
2013 Jameis Winston Florida State
Reggie Bush lost to Texas
Bruce Smith
O.o
I want to point out, respectfully, that you just described every offense ever.
The "all screen, all the time" offense might have some luck against it.
If I'm the head coach, I would have taken a knee. If Oregon uses a timeout to try to play games, punch it in on the next play. The game was done at that point, anyone that thought otherwise was nuts. It's not like Urban was up by 30. When it was happening live, I kind of thought Urban was being a jerk, but it's not as huge a deal as it's being made out to be. It was an insurance policy and he may have ended the game faster than taking a knee if Oregon had tried to actually use timeouts.
That's football, run your offense. Not like it was 52-10 or anything.
Put me in the "who cares?" category because I'm more than sure Oregon would have done the same (probably passing instead of running, even) and maybe even gone for two on top of it. The Ducks can't cry about getting a dose of their own medicine.
Jimmy Johnson said he would stop trying to score when the other team stops trying to win.
Which is a good philosophy to prevent being on the wrong side of a historic comeback.
Should OSU have taken a knee? Probably. Does Oregon like 2 run up the score? YES!! Would I consider either team classy? Probably not.
I have no problem with it at all. Oregon gave OSU the ball at their own 14 yard line and OSU ran 5 running plays. All Oregon had to do was stuff them but they couldn't. It's not like OSU was throwing the ball into the end zone each play.
Oregon couldn't stop the run the entire game, why should they start once the game is essentially over.
Im in the Urban is a douche either way column so the final touchdown doesn't matter to me
I don't like it. I know Oregon had two timeouts, but there were 33 seconds left in the game with a 15 point lead. Sure, if Oregon uses a timeout on the first kneel down, then by all means run it down their throat. But, I seriously doubt that happens. We didn't like it when Harbaugh played games with us in the Orange Bowl, and I don't blame Oregon for being pissed. Now, I think Oregon has run up the score on plenty of teams, but that still doesn't make it right. Urban Meyer has a huge ego on par with Harbaugh, so that will be entertaining to watch once Harbaugh gets the Michigan machine rolling. Furthermore, I don't recall Urban saying anything about Oregon being a quality team after the game, like most coaches do. All he talked about was " a great team wearing Scarlett and Gray". Sorry, just don't like the guy. He's a great coach, but NOT a great man.
You tell your kids ALL DAY long play till the final whistle and that the game is not over until you see the 0.00 on the score board and weather your on offense of defense that is and should be the philosphy of the players and coaches. We as fans are very quick to point on when a player quits in a game because we as fans still believe hey anything could happen. But i very rarely ever hear anyone complaining about a coach quiting on his team. Its football. your job is to play the game. its not like OSU was pulling out trick plays and throwing it to the endzone at that point. they kept the clock moving, all they did was keep playing football until the refs and clock said it was over not when oregon said it was over or fans said it was over or anouncers. THE CLOCK AND THE FINAL WHISTLE is when the game is over until then you keep playing! I give more credit to urban (even though im not a fan of him) than i do to oregon for giving up the last TD.
I wouldn't care at all if I was an Oregon fan. If anOSU wants to increase their chance of turning the ball over ever so slightly then let them.
To me the plays worth getting upset over are the ones that will make you still feel bad/get angry ~5 years down the road. Had FSU scored late to beat us by 24 in the Sugar Bowl nobody would still be saying "I'm so angry they beat us by 24 and not 17." If that happened, I doubt many of us would care because it was going to be a loss and ended up a loss and nobody really wants to think about that. Best to save your anger for Pac-12 refereeing crews that don't understand the word indisputable and wipe probable game-winning TD catches off the board even though the receiver caught the ball.
I have to say, you make a damn good point about Pac-12 referees.
It cost me $200...I was tied in a bowl pool and I had 54 total points as a tie-breaker. Without that final TD I win the tie-breaker. But with TD someone else had 62 points and hit it dead on.
That sucks but it happens.
I was in the same position. I picked 54 points as well for the tie breaker. Fortunately the other guy picked 36 points, so I was lucky enough to win.
Tough loss.
Pretty douchy move from a pretty douchy coach but Oregon should know better than anyone about running up the scoreboard. The game is the game
I agree 100%
Not sure if I'm aroused or disgusted...probably a little bit of both!
WTF? Can't stop laughing at this for some reason.
im dead!!!! tinkly winkly what are you doing!!!!!
If you read the whole Addicted to Quack article, it's actually pretty funny. Cardale went all Jameis Winston...LOL. I can sympathize with the guy, because we've all felt the same way and acted irrationally after our beat downs. We've also made the same comments about the Vick and post-Vick era that this guy is making about Oregon winning a National Championship.
No biggie to me. Now if they were in victory formation and then did like a fake kneel then throw it in the endzone for a TD or something cheap like that then that would have been a dick move (Funny but a dick move)
But it can also sometimes go both ways. We have seen teams go for a QB Kneel to run out the game and the defense blast through the line to try to cause a fumble. So i say what ever
Did anyone get the feeling OSU was going to win before the game started?
I got the feeling when they showed both teams walking down the tunnels. OSU looked loose and ready to play -- Oregon really looked stifled before the game even began.
Also, I've never really rooted for an Urban Meyer coached team before -- but after reading more about his struggles and how he overcame them -- it just made me want to pull for the buckeyes. (Whom I've resented ever since Miami was robbed with that bogus late flag)
I've never understood the "Urban's a douche" mindset. When Joel Caleb called Urban Meyer and told him he was going to commit to VT, Urban's response was, "You're going to play for a great man in Frank Beamer."
A lot of the Urban hate to me boils down to "you aren't us and you're good so I hate you."
At least I can understand hating Harbaugh because of the Orange Bowl shellacking. Urban's never done anything to us.
Urban was very, very classy in the way he handled losing to us. Never made an excuse, never belittled us. Straight up owned the loss and the fact that we beat them, and was very complimentary towards VT in the aftermath.
Absolutely would not mind a guy like him to replace Frank.
Religious guy, family man, high energy, high enthusiasm, absolutely loves the game of football but was willing to walk away from it when he thought it was affecting his health. Figured out it was just stress (which is nothing to laugh at), reprioritized and reorganized the way he coaches and took a job outside of the batshit crazy SEC fanbase.
I'm not like a huge Urban fan but I do respect the man, and a lot of the hate strikes me as petty.
The stress thing was a cop-out if you ask me. He ditched Florida because they were losing the talent edge and he knew it. Even Muschamp (who couldn't turn it around) said the same thing when he took that job over. He left that program on a downturn by taking the easy way out.
http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2012-04-09/urban-meyer-f...
There's no denying he's a good recruiter. I'll give him that, but he seems to be the very antithesis of what we Hokies seem to pride ourselves on when speaking about Beamer. Meyer will do anything for a win...I don't necessarily believe everything in that article, but the sheer volume of content leads me to believe that some of it is true. That's not to say that every program doesn't have their problems, we know from experience that we're not immune, but I'm not ready to say he has a lot of respectable traits from a football perspective. He's pretty much in the same boat as Jimbo.
We'll agree to disagree. I've read that sticker l article and a dozen others like it, and none of the accusations about Meyer's departure from Florida strike me as anything other than character assassination that relies on circular logic and conjecture. There will always be people who believe he ditched Florida for reasons other than his health, but I've never read anything that makes me find reason to believe his motives were anything but sincere. I think there pressure of an SEC job after coaching at a place like Utah pushed him to the brink and he couldn't take it. I think he's much better suited to coaching in one of the other P5 conferences, and I think he's happier at OSU than he ever was at Florida.
I have to admit I found it kind of coincidental that the talent at Florida fell off significantly right after his stress attack. With that said, I still think he is probably one of the best coaches in the game today. I also respect Urban's version of the spread more than the air raid attacks. I can't wait to watch him and Harbaugh battle.
The talent at Florida fell off for one reason.
I don't get the "Urban's a douche" mindset either. Maybe I've missed something, but I don't see why some of our fans loathe him so much.
in these parts (north florida) i know alot of gator fans are bitter about the way he left UF. when things started to fall off some alot of people say he jumped ship sighting needing to spend more time with his family and at home and that the stress was causing him health issues only then to become a loaded OSUs head coach months later. thats kinda A D-bag move in my opinion lind of like when nick saban left the dolphins.
I'm sure the Florida fans are unbiased in their opinions and have examined all the facts in a calm, rational manner to arrive at their conclusions.
The only issue that I've ever had with Urban is running up the score, late in games vs cupcakes. It's one thing to pay The Citadel to come to your place to be a punching bag for your team. It's a different story to have your starters (Tebow) in the game in the 4th quarter with a 60 pt lead and trying to get the Heisman candidate qb an additional TD (during an era when winning margin wasn't supposed to be part of the selection process for the NCG, I might add).
I don't even mind that. In the BCS age, style points were everything. If you beat the everliving hell out of someone, that made the rounds. It made your school look better nationally in the standings page and on the scoresheet. And when you evaluate what 2 teams were at the end of the season, and you put a team that hung 80 on a poor opponent in comparison to a team that eeked out a 28-3 win against an equally poor team, the one that hung 80 will get the nod.
Some of my dislike for the guy is simple jealously. He's a great coach, clearly knows how to recruit and gets results. Some of it is because he coaches anOSU, a school that turns out very arrogant fans. Also his handling of the playoff discussion and personal campaigning for Florida back in 2006 http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2013-07-15/sec-bcs-good-....
Petty? Yes. But Im sure many of you would say Jimbo is a douche for covering for Winston or Kiffin for jumping at a much better job offer.
Actually I can't begrudge Kiffin for jumping to USC. It was his dream job, and I think it was the one program he would have ditched Tennessee for. The timing was just wonky.
Don't get me wrong, I think Kiffin's an ass clown based on multiple soundbites and instances of uncouth behavior on his part. But taking the USC job isn't one of them.
I didn't care. But if it happens against Tech next season, all of you can count on a thousand-word diatribe burning the entire state of Ohio to the ground.
If there was such a desire for Ohio State to end the game and take a knee, then why did Oregon prolong the game when they got the ball back after that score? Mariota was still throwing until the clock hit zero. If you're expected to win with class, then you should also be expected to lose with it.
so...Oregon should have taken a knee? I don't think so. I've always hated victory formation ever since the 2005 sugar bowl. You want to make sure you win the game? Put up points. You know what kills just as much time as taking a knee? Running out the play clock and running the ball. Yes there's a little more risk, but it's more honorable in my opinion (notice: opinion, not saying everyone who disagrees is wrong)
Oregon didn't run the ball. They were throwing down 3 scores with under a minute to play. If they ran the ball, that's fine. But they didn't.
Ohio State ran the ball and Oregon couldn't stop them. How is that Ohio State's fault? It's not like they were throwing 50 yard deep passes to put the score at a 3 possession game.
Oregon has no space to whine about that.
33 seconds left and 2 TDs to win, if 2 pt conversion are counted, no, you score when you can because you know Oregon will say it was only a 2 possession win.
With all the shenanigans Oregon pulls with lining up in strange formations to see if you can adjust on the fly and other PITA moves, no, there was no problem with a simple rush up the middle for a last minute TD.
Now, if it was a trickeration or something, maybe I'd have a problem with it. But not with time on the clock with the explosive Oregon offense that already scored on a single play drive and the simple play of running it between tackles.
Ohio St. has been disrespected for the past few years, poor rankings with undefeated seasons while excuses are made for losses by other conferences, etc. Ohio St. had a lot to prove against the vaunted Pac 12 and SEC West.
Now one of those teams is trying to squeal of unsportsmanship because Ohio St. scored on a QB run through the middle? Not only no but 4ell no.
By the way, Egbert, I paid attention to the kickoffs during the championship game. Seven or eight of them were fielded in the end zone, about half of those only 2 or 3 yards deep. I don't think a single one was run back. Doesn't mean you and Coach Beamer are wrong, but with everything on the line, the two best teams in the country took a knee every time.
Thanks for looking but, how much practice do you think any of those teams in the playoffs needed in order to become competent in doing runbacks?
Compare that thought to VTs need to practice special teams.
Then again, maybe Frank is ahead of the curve on this.
smh
I really didn't have a problem with it myself. That's big boy football. All we heard this year was how the Ducks now have a defense. Well, if that's true, put a helmet on a helmet and stop'em. The Ducks didn't have a problem hanging 59 on the Noles......even after the game was clearly over. So my take is quit cryin' and accept the fact that you were dominated by a clearly better football team.....on both sides of the ball.
Under a normal game situation it could have come across as dickish, but if I'm coaching the National Championship I'm putting every point possible on that board. Not to mention, it kinda made the score look a bit more like it would have minus some of their turnovers. It was the right call and I have no problem with it at all.
I will be honest, I have less than perfect respect for both coaches over this issue. Both Oregon and OSU have a well documented history of running up the scores as high as they can. I am not sure why either team does it in an era where the margin of victory is NOT supposed to play into rankings.
A lot was said over the duck's injuries and suspensions. But lets look into that a bit, the players were suspended from the game because they BROKE the law. They should have been suspended, if they wanted to play they shouldn't have used drugs.
As for the third string line on OSU's QB, that is lot of BS. Jones was their backup all season. Miller was eliminated from consideration the first practice of fall camp. OSU only used two QB's all season, he was the backup.
LOL, yeah, on the 3 string QB thing.
Brewer was our 3rd string.
We were gonna start Mike Vick and then Durkin's dad but they didn't show to camp so we were already on our 3rd string QB on the first day of fall practice.
Paging Mr. Warrick, paging Mr. Warrick!
I'd say the margin of victory certainly comes into play. Running the score up on Wisconsin is what got them into the playoffs in the first place.
I would have had my second string guys in at that point.
Give them some actual playing time in the National Championship.
The TD wasn't necessary, but as its been mentioned, Oregon doesn't have a leg to stand on here.
The same Oregon that likes going for the 2 pt conversion after the first TD to go up 8-0?
When another team keeps their foot on the gas till the end of regulation against them, it doesn't bother me one bit.
From a personal standpoint it hurt because I was watching the game with someone I really care about who grew up in Eugene.
That said, I do not mind them running the ball up the middle to end the game. Especially after Oregon went for it on 4th down and turned it over at their own 14. It's not like they drove it down the length of the field for the score. I'd have preferred it if they put in their 2nd or 3rd strings at that point, though.
Edit to add:
a lot of comments here seem to be lumping the Oregon team with a small subset of fans. From what I can tell, none of the team or coaching staff has said anything negative about OSU's final drive.
I didn't have any issue with the TD. They didn't run some trick play or try and rub it in. They ran the ball up the middle. Stop them and it wouldn't be an issue.
Oregon didn't just run the clock out when they got the ball back. Maybe they should have kneeled the ball to end the game more quickly?
Just open up Oregon's record books and you'll see pummeling after pummeling laid to their opponents. No problem with this at all.
OSU had first and goal with enough time left that they'd have to either run the ball or kneel it down. I have no problem with them running the ball.
Could they have kneeled it down? Yes. Did they have to? No. Did Oregon have timeouts left? Yes. Were they going to use them? No one will ever know.
Do I have a beef with this? Not at all.
If you don't like getting beat, play better.
i think it was unnecessary, but also not something anyone should get worked up over or upset about. My thoughts are that it was obvious Oregon wasn't going to call TO (the clock was running afterall), and 1 knee brings the stage out onto the field, so why not just end it? instead, we got 2 more plays, a PAT, a Kickoff, and then Oregon ran 3 more plays (i think). that's 7 opportunities for someone to get hurt on a meaningless play. If Oregon had concerns about player safety, then they would have ended it when they got the ball back, so if their only complain is that their feelings were hurt, well, i have zero sympathy...
so, yes, it was completely unnecessary, but no, it wasn't "wrong" IMO...
Honor your opponent with your best performance. That's what I was taught. Ohio State did nothing wrong. They played to win to the whistle. Whoever wrote that article is in a bad place because his team lost. I understand it, we have all been there.
I believe there is nothing wrong with running up scores. You cannot blame another team for being better than you. This is'nt pee-wee football. We shouldn't call out a player or team because they didn't intentionally play beneath their skill level to avoid hurting the other teams feelings.
Urban and the Buckeyes probably couldn't help themselves. Elliot was ON FIRE last night. That running game was one for the ages. They probably just wanted to watch him run over somebody just one more time.
Also, I'm sure this is just whiny fanboy dribble. 100 % guaranteed that nobody on the actual Oregon team has a problem with this.
Seriously though, let's think about a man we all love and respect. What do you think Frank would have done in the same situation? Whatever he does, I would want to do too.
Without a doubt, Frank would have had his QB take a knee. I have no problem with running the ball in that situation. I wouldn't have thrown it, just because it wouldn't run the clock (plus there's always the "only three things can happen when you throw the ball, and two aren't good" philosophy). It's the other team's job to stop you. If they don't do their job, you get what you get.
Oregon did the same to Michigan State.
Oregon did the same to hapless Colorado (on a PASS, at that).
Oregon arguably did the same to Arizona in the PAC12CG (4 minutes left, but they were already up by 37).
Until the clock hits all zeroes, it's your job to play football.
"Oregon does it, so that makes it ok to do it to them" <- that's not how sportsmanship works.
I'm sure it wasn't a "Oregon did it, so it's okay to do it back."
I'm sure it was more of a "Oregon dishes it but can't take it."
Well, I couldn't care less about Oregon getting butthurt over it, because frankly, they run up the score plenty. I just think the whole thing reflects poorly on Meyer. That's what I think the argument is about.
EDIT -
I'm just glad he and Harbaugh are stuck with each other now, because I think they're both uber-competitive super-jerks who will both eschew any form of sportsmanship in the name of making themselves look better. They both deserve one-another, and I'm sure will cause each other much heartache.
Has anyone from the actual Oregon team complained about that last TD?
This, exactly.
Just like how the Cowboys (fans, anyway) defended the refs to the death against Detroit, but then they were ready to kill the refs against Green Bay. Sometimes the pendulum swings the other way, so you gotta take the L and move on to next year.
Arguing with the thread, not with you, because several people have made this argument:
Oregon's last scoring drive started with 7:56 on the clock. Their last play was a running TD, but at that time they only had a 12 point lead.
Oregon did not score in the 4th quarter. The ran 13 running plays and threw 4 passes in that quarter.
Their last scoring drive started with 10:19 on the clock. Their last possession was run-run-run-delay of game-punt.
Others have said Oregon did the same to FSU
Their last scoring drive started with 12:36 on the clock. Their last eleven plays were runs, and they took a knee to end it.
That's what the coaches tell the players, but the coaches have a different job. There is a world of difference between quitting and taking a knee. I am 99% certain Frank Beamer takes a knee in that situation, and I think that's the right call. No point Oregon whining about it, but Urban Meyer made the wrong call.
And yes, if OSU takes a knee and Oregon calls timeout, the next play is a running touchdown.
I had a problem with it. You're on Oregon's 5 yard line, you're up 15 points. Take three knees to burn the clock and then kick the fieldgoal if Oregon is still using its timeouts. They'd probably let the clock expire, but even if they didn't a FG still makes it a 3-possession game (with less than a minute left), and you don't subject athletes (who aren't getting paid) to more hits than necessary.
It's poor sportsmanship, and Meyer has done it his entire career. I remember Tim Tebow's senior year, when he was still in while Florida was up like 30 in the 4th quarter, passing (it was against some crappy SEC team... Kentucky, maybe?). Tebow got drilled in the ear on a blitz, and got a concussion. Why was he out there running up the score? Because Meyer lacks sportsmanship.
I say if you don't want them to score then you gotta stop them. This whole country/culture has grown soft with the "everyone gets a participation award" mentality. If you get butt-hurt over a team trying to score during regulation then you need a reality check IMO. It's a game. The kids prepared hard and then they showed up and played. Let them play.
EDIT: I want to add that I despise anOSU and I was rooting for Oregon to win that game all the way but I stand by the fact that Urban did nothing wrong and if Oregon didn't want them to 'run up the score' they should have stopped them. It's that simple
Regardless of my feelings on Meyer, I have no problem with it at all. If Oregon didn't want them to score they should have played better defense. It's big-boy football, you go full throttle until the clock reads 0:00.
IMO the FG argument is ridiculous. FGs are inherently much riskier than simple running plays. There's an old saying about passing plays that applies: there are three potential outcomes and two of them are bad. How stupid would Meyer have looked if UO blocked the kick and returned it for a TD, with time left on the clock for an onside kick? Extremely unlikely, of course, but not impossible.
ETA: Leg to InEnemyTerritory for beating me to it on the "three things" quote.
How would Meyer have looked if Elliott tears his ACL on the TD run? Or breaks his leg?
Or some other unpaid athlete gets a concussion?
I'd say that's way more likely than a blocked FG for a TD, followed by a recovered onside kick (and a 2-pt conversion thrown in there for good measure). OSU wasn't losing that game.
Players can get hurt doing anything. What if he decides to take a knee and some disgruntled Oregon lineman takes a dive at one of his OL knees? What if he decides to take a knee, and Jones accidentally steps on a blocker's foot, and ruptures his achilles? What if he decides to take 2 knees and Oregon calls 2 timeouts gets the ball with 26 seconds left in the game, hit a bomb on the first play for a TD, get the 2 pt conversion, recover the onside kick, and then Oregon has the ball with about 15 seconds to go from midfield?
Running it in was the right call. Its the dagger. Yes, it was a 2 score game, but it was 2nd down and Oregon still had 2 timeouts left. If he takes a knee, Oregon still gets the ball with arguably enough time left to make a miracle comeback. And its not like he ran a tricky play. It was a run up the middle with Elliott. It wasn't anything fancy, it didn't involve multiple shifts, it wasn't rubbing their nose in it, it was icing the game on a simple HB dive.
If an Oregon lineman takes a cheap shot and takes out the knees during a kneel down, that's on them. You can't force other people to be sportsmen. But taking a knee is way safer for everyone involved than a running play, and I'm not sure that's really disputable.
Oregon getting back into it requires them to call two timeouts, you to miss an extra-point distance field-goal, them to score a TD, get the two point conversion, recover the onside kick and then score another TD in 27 seconds, without a timeout. And then you have to lose overtime. It wasn't happening. Furthermore, you could argue the odds of a stripped football being returned for a TD during the running play were greater than the above. Scoring there was running up the score, plain and simple.
I fail to see how scoring a TD on a HB dive on 2nd down when Oregon has 2 TOs left is running up the score, but taking 2 knees and then kicking a FG isn't.
Ohio State needed points to ice the game. They got those points. Ballgame.
You take the knee. Then Oregon has the option to call a timeout or not. If the do, you kick the fieldgoal, pushing it to 3 possessions and the lead to an insurmountable one. If they don't call the timeout (because the lead is already insurmountable), the game ends, and you're not rubbing their noses in it.
I have zero problem with the last score.
who cares, and if it really bothers you, then you have too much time on your hands. If you dont want them to score, then stop them, its that simple.
Keep in mind the scenario- a O DL shoots the gap, strips the ball and goes for 6, O is a onside kick and a big play from tying the game.
Take a knee, and its game over.
It's the National Championship game, it's Urban Meyer, and it's football we're talking about here. I hate the stupid unwritten rule that you should be nice to the other guy, sportsmanship above everything else yah yah yah. Play some defense Oregon. All we heard all week was how great their offense was and how there was "no stopping that offense." Turns out the only thing that was stopping Ohio State last night was Ohio State shooting themselves in the foot with turnovers at times. I have no problem whatsoever with the go-ahead touchdown and Oregon's defense flat out got smashed in the mouth.
Yes Urban is a total douche, but Oregon has been known to RUTS, so issue is not what their team thinks, but rather what it shows children out there watching the game about playing the game with class (or without class). The classy thing to do would have been to take a knee (and that's what Beamer would have done). If Oregon calls a TO, then you run it in next play. VT is lucky to have Beamer because he knows how be classy. Let's hope Beamer gets a chance on Sept 7 to make a similar call against Urban.
So do you guys think that the "victory formation" should never be used and everyone should just keep trying to score then?? That just confuses me and I really don't think anyone here thinks that's the way VT should play the game and just say that "well it's just their job to stop us". (not that we could run up the score recently anyways...)
Here's when I think you should take a knee:
1. When the half is almost over and you'd rather head into the locker room vs. risking a negative play.
2. When you have an insurmountable lead against an obviously overmatched opponent.
3. When the other guy raises his hand and says "I quit". (figuratively speaking, obviously)
At all other times, full throttle. Of course, if I've got a big lead I'm going to get my backups some quality reps, but even then I expect them to go 100% every play.
I have no issue with the victory formation but I'm not about to go out there and whine about a team running up the score either. If they choose to take a knee and win that way that's fine by me. If they choose to play football for a full 60 minutes what the heck is wrong with that?
100% bush league.
If I were an Oregon fan I'd be pissed. If I was an OSU fan I'd say "why not 2 final touchdowns?" As a Hokie fan I say that partially dipped is not a proper way to play football. Fully dipped or emptily dipped-there is no try.
(I would not complain if we dished one out to the Buckeyes this fall)
Didn't they both get their trophies last week anyway? Shouldn't be any hurt feelings, we're all winners anyway. /s
I would've kicked a field goal.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I think a lot of this criticism is unwarranted. I prefer the old school approach but let's be honest - there are probably only 2 "old school" coaches out there anymore - Beamer and Snyder. The new school coaches have a different code and as such should not get upset when they are on the receiving end of a butt whipping because what goes around comes around.
Lots of good points have already been on both of the "Urban Meyer debate" but I will throw my two cents in anyway.
Full disclosure - I have a graduate degree and am a Buckeye fan when it does not interfere with my Hokie support. I was disappointed when Jim Tressel was forces to resign and I was not all that crazy about the Meyer hiring....he has had to win my support over the last 3 years. He has now down that and not because he brought home a National Championship. He won my support because he understands and honors the Buckeye traditions - Script Ohio, respect of his players, fans, opponents and the University, Carmen Ohio, etc. - in short he understands what it means to be a Buckeye just like we honor our Hokie traditions.
I also believe the guy has evolved and is not the same guy he was earlier in his career. Those that think his illness at Florida was a sham are mistaken. Urban had things out of perspective and the pressure he put on himself was affecting his health and his family. When he came back to football he made a contract with his family. I see him honoring this contract in tangible ways - his wife and son are at his side at every post-game interview, something that did not happen in his days at Florida. And if you watched the interaction of the player with his family members with players like Elliott it appears that his family is part of the football team. Urban also is much more in control of his emotions, he delegates more and trusts his players and coaches. He is much more of a motivational and focus guy than a control freak and play caller that he once was.
One thing that impressed me a lot in this championship run was the way he advocated for the families of his players. On several different occasions Meyer made the case that the the new playoff system put a lot of financial pressure on players families because they might well have to travel to a conference championship, a major bowl game and National Championship if they were to be part of the experience. He was an advocate for NCAA making a special ruling so players families would have the ability to attend this special event. The NCAA made an allowance for championship game to provide travel fund to allow families to attend the game. I am not sure Nick Saban would make a similar appeal on his players behalf.
When considering his decision at the end of the game, please remember that his clock management at the end of the Sugar Bowl was criticized and almost cost him the game. the situation was different but I think he was making sure would go wrong at this critical moment. For those that question leaving the first string in - in reality he was rotating player at the end of the game and a little used RB, Sherman, had several goal line carries. It is not like OSU was running trick plays, everyone knew what was happening and I think the real decision was to let the guys have their moment and cap a great game and season for Elliott.
He may not be an old school coach but I think he is classy compared to Pelini, Saban, Holgorsen, Rich Rod, the Mad Hatter, Mora, Spurrier, Petrino, Jumbo Fisher and many others that dominate the game today..
I have never wished for a player that doesn't play for UVA to fumble as badly as on the last touchdown run. Show some class, take a knee, and celebrate the win.
I really didn't have a preference of teams going into this game, but as it wore on, I became more and more opposed to Oregon.
For one, they are probably the school with the largest bandwagon following in college football, and really, it's only for their jerseys.
Second, you're playing in the national championship game, the biggest stage in college sports. Why not represent your school by wearing the school colors? Instead, they came out wearing grey. That may not bug a lot of people, but it certainly bugged me.
Three, they went for 2 after almost every first touchdown they scored this season, but chose not to in the national championship game. From what I understand, the players are told to identify whatever defense the opposition is in and judge whether or not they should run the 2-point conversion or not, but why change it for the national championship game? Also, they kicked way more field goals than we're used to seeing them kick in this game. I think at one point last night it said their kicker had only attempted 10 field goals all year. Of course, this is partly due to the fact that they almost always scored a touchdown, but they also went for it on 4th down in opponent's territory quite a bit. They were losing too, and they were kicking these field goals. I guess what I'm trying to say is, why did Oregon go conservative all of a sudden in the biggest game of the year? You must make big plays to win this game, and Oregon, of all schools, seemed to want to settle for less.
Certainly as this game wore on, I became more and more angry at Oregon. I have no idea why this agitation built up all of a sudden, to be honest. But, to sum up this rant, I did not have a problem with Ohio State scoring that final touchdown. Oregon finally had the chance to win a national championship, but the "Oregon has 70,000 uniform combinations but 0 (in the form of their logo) national championships" joke lives on.
Disclaimer: I know Tech also has a tendency to also underperform in big games, but it felt so nice ripping Oregon apart.
One of my favorite signs at the game said, "You came to play dress-up, we came to play football"
That's beautiful. And it couldn't be anymore true. Ohio State played old school smashmouth football, and Oregon could not stop them.
Wait. People "like" Oregon's jerseys?
I thought the all-whites looked really slick. Way better than the buckeye's unis with those terrible black numbers on the shoulders
I thought the gray camo socks made several Oregon players look like they had prosthetic legs, especially Mariota.
But that's exactly what they did. They came out in 2 point formation, didn't like what they saw and ran back into kick mode.
Wonder what da ohio state fan base would have thought if Eazy E or Cordale Jones had went down with one of those Mcghee of the U injuries on the last drive with 1 minute left in garbage time. And I don't think anyone at Oregon was complaining, the article show a disgruntled fan whining, not a player or staff.
As an OSU fan, I did not consider it garbage time. I did not want to leave any opportunity or doubt. Crazy things sometime happen and Oregon has the ability to score quickly.
I was pretty tense until we got the 1st down at about the 4 yard line with about 45 seconds left..
Does anyone remember a few years back when Urban's Gators played da U in Gainesville? UF was up like 19-3 or something late enough to take knees. They lined up and kicked a field goal. Pretty much the same thing here.
I don't think poorly of Urban Meyer, in fact I think he's an offensive genius. Like people above say, he's always been very respectful and complimentary of Frank. But I think we all know what Frank would've done in that situation. Different mindsets I suppose.
We loved it in the stands. No one was yelling Nooooooooo!, that's for sure.
Urban shouldn't have to coach Oregon's defense just to stop the buckeyes offense as well.
so tempted to downvote out of pure jealousy of you being at the game.
jk, here's a leg. agreed