It Finally Came to Pass by John Porentas There was a time in Ohio State football history when nobody, and I mean nobody, had any illusions about the Ohio State offense. Under Woody Hayes, the forward pass was something that was used only under duress. The offensive stars under Woody were guys like Hop Cassady, Matt Snell, Bob White, Bob Furguson, Jim Otis, Archie Griffin, Champ Henson and Pete Johnson. All were hard nosed, grind it out, run 'em over running backs that Woody used to love to turn loose on the enemy. Even the better quarterbacks were known more for their running ability than their passing ability. Rex Kern, Corny Green and Rod Gerald were all standout OSU QBs that made their names with their feet, not with their arms. During that time, the great receivers at OSU were really used as much as running backs as they were receivers. Guys like Paul Warfield and Brian Baschnagel were expected to line up in the backfield, not out on an end. Under Earle Bruce, the tide started to turn a bit, but the running game was still center stage at OSU. Earle inherited passing quarterback Art Schlichter, and the passing game became more in evidence at Ohio State. It did not, however, become the dominant phase of the OSU offense. Earle had his own string of great runners, including Cal Murray, Tim Spencer, Keith Byars, Vince Workman and Carlos Snow, and Earle made good use of them. The running backs were still the workhorses of the OSU offense, but at least the quarterbacks were now passers and not runners. Schlichter, Mike Tomczak and Jim Karsatos were all QBs that got it done through the air, not on the ground. The OSU offense began to attract some top receivers as well. Chris Carter, Mike Lanese, Doug Donley, Jeff Graham and Gary Williams became as well known to Buckeye fans as the running backs of that era. Ohio State had begun to develop an air attack, but the ground game was still the main cog in the Ohio State offense. The transition to a truly balanced offensive attack had to wait for the arrival of John Cooper to Ohio State. Coop has given us the traditional fare of fine OSU running backs in people like Robert Smith, Raymont Harris, Eddie George, and Pepe Pearson, but Coop has also given OSU fans plenty of action in the air ways as well. Greg Frey, Kent Graham, Bobby Hoying and Joe Germaine are all QBs who got plenty of chances to put up the football. Kirk Herbstreit, who came to OSU known more for this running than his passing, showed in his senior year that he could pass as well. Those quarterbacks also had plenty of receiving talent around them. Names like Bobby Olive, Brian Stablein, Joey Galloway, Dimitrious Stanley and Terry Glenn are names that OSU fans will not likely forget. Many of those guys went on to the NFL, and some of them are still playing there today.
Indeed the Buckeyes have. This year the OSU pass offense trails only pass-drunk Purdue in Big Ten passing offense. The Buckeyes have passed for 2031 yards through seven games this season and have accounted for 15 touchdowns through the air. The rushing game, by comparison, has totaled 1515 yards and 16 touchdowns. OSU now has not only a respectable passing attack, but a formidable one. The common denominator in all great passing games is great chemistry between the quarterback and the receivers. At OSU this season, QB Joe Germaine and WR David Boston have been a nearly unstoppable combination.
Germaine says that while Boston arrived with plenty of talent, he has worked hard to make himself a better receiver. "He's improved a great deal from this year to last year. He's a smarter player and he has more experience. Every time he makes a catch he is looking to make a move and break a big one, where at times last year he would make a catch and just try to make a first down and stuff like that." The last vital ingredient in a potent passing attack is pass protection. Last year, OSU quarterbacks were constantly under pressure as a young offensive line tried to find itself. This year, however, Germaine has had the luxury of standing solid in the pocket for huge amounts of time, something that has contributed greatly to his success this season. "I think we're all a year older, we have better technique, we have more awareness out there. We can read blitzes a lot better and pick up twists a lot better, plus we've all been together a year now so we can pretty much read what the other guy's doing, so it's helped out a lot in pass protection," said OSU starting right guard Ben Gilbert. The OSU passing game has gone from miniscule under Woody, to respectable under Earle, to outright dominant under Coop. Gone are the days of one or two receiver patterns. Those days have been replaced by the day of sophisticated reads by both the passer and the receiver. In short, the passing game has taken off at OSU, and OSU is better off for it. It has brought not only excitement to the game for both the fans and the players, but it has brought the main thing, wins. Defenses can no longer load up on the OSU run and not expect to get burned through the air. The fact that the Ohio State offense has proven it has the ability hurt defenses via the pass has, ironically, helped opened up the running game as well. Seems like a simple idea, this concept of a balanced attack, but one that has taken some time to take wing at Ohio State. Now that it has, the number one Buckeyes are flying high. |
"I
guess the style of the offense has kind of changed a
little bit," said current OSU quarterback Joe
Germaine. "Where it used to be three yards and a
cloud of dust, more of a run first offense. Now in the
last couple years we feel we are very balanced. We have
such great wide receivers and capable athletes out there
that we feel we're capable of taking advantage of
defenses through the passing game."
"I think David and I, it seems like
we're always on the same page, and we know what each
other is thinking," said Germaine. "He's just
having a great year. Defenses are going to have to
recognize that I think. At times during the Northwestern
game they were double teaming him, but he would still
find a way to get himself open. I think as an offense we
have to count on him to make the big plays for us and so
far this season he's been able to do that."