Welcome to the Horsehoe, Mr. Bates

But after Saturday’s 56-3 pasting of out-manned and outsized San Jose State, there has been nothing but praise for Jeremy Bates’ ultra conservative game plan.

Perhaps it was the 620 yards and the 56 points the Trojans amassed in true freshman Mark Barkley’s first start that have caused fans and writers alike to praise Jeremy Bates rather than bury him.

But next week could be much different. Matt Barkley won’t be the only rookie going into the Horseshoe at Ohio State. The man responsible for keeping Barkley calm, cool and collected is also a rookie as far as calling plays in the Horseshoe are concerned.

Of course, Bates is no rookie when it comes to play-calling as he was involved in the offensive schemes for the Denver Broncos the past three season and before that with the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Bucs. However, this is Division One college football, and the Horseshoe is one of its most hostile venues for visitors.

Still, the question remains, which will be more telling? Jeremy Bates not knowing the Horseshoe or Jim Tressell and his staff having no idea what Bates has planned?

Last Saturday 45 of the Trojans 68 plays were rushes. That was two-thirds of their total offense. On at least half of the passing plays, most of the yardage was picked up after the catch. So, it was an offensive scheme designed more for Trojan legs than Barkley’s arm.

And USC certainly has the legs and the horses up front to carry any game plan. The Trojans are six-deep at running back. And not just any six, but six that could be starting for 95 percent of the teams in Division One.

Even without their No. 2 receiver, Ronald Johnson, the Trojans still go a good five or six deep at receiver, and all of them know what to do once they catch the ball anywhere on the field.

There is no relief for opposing teams at tight end either, where the Trojans go three deep and at fullback where both Stanley Havili and D. J. Shoemate can block, run and catch as well as any tailback.

Did I mention the offensive line, where all five starters have returned from last year, including Kris O’Dowd, the starting center, who returns this week from a dislocated kneecap? The Trojans are two deep up front with experienced linemen and three deep if you include red-shirt and true freshmen.
But it is not only the Buckeye defense that Bates must take into account, it is their offense as well.

The Trojan defense with 16 tackles for losses including five sacks against the smaller San Jose State Spartans will have someone their own size to pick on this week, namely the Buckeye offensive line. The Buckeyes also have a pretty fast quarterback Terrell Pryor, 14-for-21 and 174 yards against Navy plus 30 yards rushing on six carries.

Although the Buckeyes only scored three points against last year’s Trojan defense in the Coliseum, this is the Horseshoe, and the Buckeye’s defense is coming off a poor showing against the Midshipmen, in which they gave up 27 points, and 186 yards on the ground and 156 through the air.

The Trojans know they can expect a determined Buckeye effort on both sides of the ball. They also pretty much know what to expect as the Buckeyes had to pull out all stops to beat Navy. But do the Buckeyes know what to expect from Mr. Bates and his young prodigy, Mark Barkley?
Most likely they have little idea.

Will the game plan remain conservative? Will the Trojans depend on strong legs running behind the big horses up front like they did this past Saturday? Will Bates keep the reins on Barkley with bubble screens, swing passes and short outs to the wide receivers and tight ends?

Or will the wraps come off the Trojan offense? Will the Buckeyes be forced to contend with Trojan receivers sprinting down the sidelines running fade routes? Will they see a lot of mis-direction, double reverses and maybe Joe McKnight taking a Barkley pitch out and then heaving the ball downfield to a wide open receiver?

In the end, there is only one question that will determine Saturday’s outcome. Will the Horseshoe be more of a surprise to Mr. Bates than he expected or will Mr. Bates really startle the Horseshoe with a Jamoca almond fudge game plan replete with a chocolate fudge ribbon and roasted almonds?

On Saturday, the USC Trojans amassed 620 yards of offense. 342 rushing and 278. They did it with mostly straight up power runs and short screens, a few hitch passes and a couple of mid-range passes.

There were no double reverses, no end arounds, no tailback or wideout passes, no shovel passes, no flea flickers, not even one long fade route. All in all, the offense was a conservative one or what some might call vanilla. The Trojans showed nothing new, nothing unusual. And nothing to complain about.

Maybe that is what’s so unusual.

In years past, sportswriters and fans would criticize any Trojan offensive coordinator who was not named Norm Chow for coming up with a vanilla game plan.

It happened in Matt Leinart’s final season when Steve Sarkisian and Lane Kiffin assumed Norm Chow’s role. And again in the following year when John David Booty took over for Leinart. Then after Kiffin left and Sarkisian was the lone play caller, the complaints reached a crescendo and continued throughout last season with first-year starter Mark Sanchez.

But after Saturday’s 56-3 pasting of out-manned and outsized San Jose State, there has been nothing but praise for Jeremy Bates’ ultra conservative game plan.

Perhaps it was the 620 yards and the 56 points the Trojans amassed in true freshman Mark Barkley’s first start that have caused fans and writers alike to praise Jeremy Bates rather than bury him.

But next week could be much different. Matt Barkley won’t be the only rookie going into the Horseshoe at Ohio State. The man responsible for keeping Barkley calm, cool and collected is also a rookie as far as calling plays in the Horseshoe are concerned.

Of course, Bates is no rookie when it comes to play-calling as he was involved in the offensive schemes for the Denver Broncos the past three season and before that with the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Bucs. However, this is Division One college football, and the Horseshoe is one of its most hostile venues for visitors.

Still, the question remains, which will be more telling? Jeremy Bates not knowing the Horseshoe or Jim Tressell and his staff having no idea what Bates has planned?

Last Saturday 45 of the Trojans 68 plays were rushes. That was two-thirds of their total offense. On at least half of the passing plays, most of the yardage was picked up after the catch. So, it was an offensive scheme designed more for Trojan legs than Barkley’s arm.

And USC certainly has the legs and the horses up front to carry any game plan. The Trojans are six-deep at running back. And not just any six, but six that could be starting for 95 percent of the teams in Division One.

Even without their No. 2 receiver, Ronald Johnson, the Trojans still go a good five or six deep at receiver, and all of them know what to do once they catch the ball anywhere on the field.

There is no relief for opposing teams at tight end either, where the Trojans go three deep and at fullback where both Stanley Havili and D. J. Shoemate can block, run and catch as well as any tailback.

Did I mention the offensive line, where all five starters have returned from last year, including Kris O’Dowd, the starting center, who returns this week from a dislocated kneecap? The Trojans are two deep up front with experienced linemen and three deep if you include red-shirt and true freshmen.

But it is not only the Buckeye defense that Bates must take into account, it is their offense as well.

The Trojan defense with 16 tackles for losses including five sacks against the smaller San Jose State Spartans will have someone their own size to pick on this week, namely the Buckeye offensive line. The Buckeyes also have a pretty fast quarterback Terrell Pryor, 14-for-21 and 174 yards against Navy plus 30 yards rushing on six carries.

Although the Buckeyes only scored three points against last year’s Trojan defense in the Coliseum, this is the Horseshoe, and the Buckeye’s defense is coming off a poor showing against the Midshipmen, in which they gave up 27 points, and 186 yards on the ground and 156 through the air.

The Trojans know they can expect a determined Buckeye effort on both sides of the ball. They also pretty much know what to expect as the Buckeyes had to pull out all stops to beat Navy. But do the Buckeyes know what to expect from Mr. Bates and his young prodigy, Mark Barkley?

Most likely they have little idea.

Will the game plan remain conservative? Will the Trojans depend on strong legs running behind the big horses up front like they did this past Saturday? Will Bates keep the reins on Barkley with bubble screens, swing passes and short outs to the wide receivers and tight ends?

Or will the wraps come off the Trojan offense? Will the Buckeyes be forced to contend with Trojan receivers sprinting down the sidelines running fade routes? Will they see a lot of mis-direction, double reverses and maybe Joe McKnight taking a Barkley pitch out and then heaving the ball downfield to a wide open receiver?

In the end, there is only one question that will determine Saturday’s outcome. Will the Horseshoe be more of a surprise to Mr. Bates than he expected or will Mr. Bates really startle the Horseshoe with a Jamoca almond fudge game plan replete with a chocolate fudge ribbon and roasted almonds?