Ohio State Looks Sharp for Three Quarters against Minnesota
Running for big first half yardage, the Ohio State Buckeyes
behind 106 total yards from tailback Chris ‘Beanie’ Wells and 97 total rushing yards
from true-freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor moved past the Minnesota Golden
Gophers 34-21 in search of a fourth consecutive Big Ten title on Saturday.
By Steve Patterson
Chris Wells Returns
Returning from a right foot injury,
Chris ‘Beanie’ Wells looked very good on Saturday as he reached the 100 yard
mark one more time in a career that has been highlighted by a 1600+ yard sophomore
season. If Wells can finish the season with similar numbers as 2007, he still
could be in the race for the Heisman. Only one time during the game on Saturday
did Wells have to sit out a series as his enhanced running shoe was slightly adjusted.
After the game Head Coach Jim Tressel
discussed with the media how Wells might have been a little rusty at the beginning
of the game. “It's tough when you don't practice full speed for three weeks or
so but he was anxious to get back in there, anxious to get the rust off and I
thought his last 10 carries were a little bit more like what we need him to be
and hopefully he'll be even better next week.”
Pryor and Wells is
Unstoppable
Pryor was the other fist of a
one-two knock-out running attack that totaled 279 yards compared to only 81
yard by Minnesota. The first drive of the game got exciting for Ohio State fans
when Wells ran up the middle of the Gopher defense for 28 yards followed by
Pryor rushing to the right on an option play for 33 yards for an early score.
“Well, he
does have that speed, obviously, and he loves to compete and that's a plus.
That adds something to the package.” Coach Tressel said about Pryor and what he
brings to the offense.
Robiskie is Back
In addition to the great running of
Pryor and Wells, wide receiver Brian Robiskie had a breakout game for the year
with 8 catches for 90 yards and 2 touchdowns. Pryor found Robiskie in the end
zone before half-time on an 8 yard fade pattern. With Boeckman inserted into
the game during the third quarter, Ohio State went to the pass more often and
Boeckman found Robiskie in the middle of the end-zone on a 31 yard touchdown
reception in the beginning moments of the fourth quarter.
Pressured for 3
Quarters
The defensive performed well during
the first three quarters of the game with the defensive ends and linebackers
pressuring Gopher quarterback Adam Weber often. Some timely turnovers by the
Gophers made the match-up more difficult than their previous four games which
they had all won and had also won the turnover battle. In the fourth quarter, Minnesota was able to move the ball through the air as Ohio State
began to rotate in their second string defensive line and the pressure on Weber
was not as consistent.