Fans boo Buckeyes' lack of rushing attack in win
Ohio State managed only 56 yards rushing on 42 carries against Iowa.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
COLUMBUS -- Boos rained down from 105,000 fans at Ohio Stadium. With sophomore Maurice Clarett suspended for the season, Ohio State has sought a spark for its running game.
It's still looking.
The Buckeyes were held to 56 yards rushing on 42 carries (1.3 yards per carry) against an Iowa defense that ranked 15th in the nation entering Saturday's game.
Still, that lack of production by the Buckeyes is being noticed by the fans, and they're responding.
The rundown
Junior tailback Lydell Ross tops the depth chart, but he was held to 16 yards on nine carries by the Iowa defense.
Junior Maurice Hall is second on the depth chart, and he was held to 13 yards on eight carries. Hall's first carry didn't even come until late in the third quarter.
Lack of production in the running game led the Buckeyes to try freshman Ira Guilford, who had 18 yards on eight carries.
Are you getting the picture?
Senior quarterback Craig Krenzel was the Buckeyes' leading rusher with 20 yards on 14 carries.
Tressel was asked about the team's "pecking order" at tailback.
"We have guys who work hard on the offensive end, and hopefully they can do all the things we ask of them," he said. "In this league, you better have more than one guy who can run it up in there."
Despite the team's apparent struggles in the backfield, Tressel remains optimistic and prefers to credit Iowa's defense for the outcome.
"Run-game wise against a good defense, I thought we showed some progress," he said. "I don't think I'm overestimating the quality of Iowa."
Scoring chances
Ohio State won despite its offense failing to score a touchdown.
"It's better than losing without scoring an offensive touchdown," Tressel reasoned. "We had chances to work, to get better against a good defense, and I thought we did work to get better."
The Buckeyes could have broken the game open in the first half, but two prime scoring chances were squelched.
Tressel opened the play-book late in the first quarter by using of a flea flicker.
"We did a few different things," Tressel said. "Against a defense like Iowa, if you line up and run the same plays, you're going to be in trouble."
Ross flipped the ball back to Krenzel, who then completed a 43-yard pass to Drew Carter down to Iowa's 5-yard line. Trouble was, Carter was called for pass interference against Iowa's Sean Considine and the play was nullified. Late in the second quarter, Carter again was at the center of Ohio State's drive, when he caught a 34-yard pass from Krenzel to Iowa's 1-yard line.
But Krenzel, while trying to extend the ball over the goal line, was hit by Iowa's Abdul Hodge and fumbled the ball. Considine recovered for the Hawkeyes.
"I thought I could go high and reach the ball across. I was just trying to make something happen," Krenzel said. "But you have to take care of the ball."