Post Game Thoughts

Well, I got that one wrong, didn’t I?

Congrats to LSU for totally out-classing Ohio State and winning its second national title in five years.

While I don’t think Les Miles is a particularly good game coach, he deserves credit for hiring two very bright coordinators. Gary Crowton’s spread attack using multiple formations confused Ohio State’s defenders while Bo Pelini’s attacking defense plopped a wrench in the Buckeye offensive scheme.

For someone who preaches the importance of scheme as much as I do, I sure didn’t give it enough credence going in. For the third-straight season, a team utilizing spread-type schemes won the national title.

As for Ohio State, it is remarkable to me that for the second-straight title game, the Buckeyes installed seemingly nothing new on the offensive side of the ball. It was almost as if Jim Tressel was content to play his style, win or lose. His sound, consistent style of play is good enough to win 10 or 11 games each year but it is just no match for dynamic teams with great athletes.

About the only things I got right were Ohio State’s point total and the emergence of Chris Wells as the Heisman front runner for 2008. The junior-to-be was the best player on the field last night and it is really a travesty that he didn’t get the ball more. But even during the regular season, the Buckeyes struggled when they didn’t get him the ball enough. It was no different last night.

And so it goes. LSU wins the title, the first champion to have two losses. Technically, that makes the Tigers the worst team to ever win a title, but that would probably be true of any other team that won it this year as well.

I’ll have more thoughts later today on the season.