An offseason that witnessed the untimely departures of Jim Tressel and Terrelle Pryor, not to mention the ongoing NCAA investigation into the football program, is finally over.
The Ohio State Buckeyes opened the 2011 season with a whitewashing of Akron as the Luke Fickell era was officially launched.
Fickell, who played defensive end for OSU from 1993-'96, was named the interim head coach following Tressel's forced resignation.
The spirited quarterback battle between Joe Bauserman and Braxton Miller dominated the headlines during training camp, but Saturday afternoon marked the 1st time since April that the fans could see the 2 signal callers in action.
Fickell decided to start Bauserman, and the 5th-year senior proved that decision correct. Bauserman completed 12 of his 16 passes for 163 yards and 3 touchdowns. The former baseball player also produced a 15-yard TD run to cap the Bucks' initial drive of the game.
The words "dazed" and "confused" best describe Miller's behavior before halftime. The freshman QB engineered only 1 drive, a 3-and-out early in the 2nd quarter. Miller then returned to the sideline with a "deer in the headlights" look on his face.
Miller, though, would redeem himself after the intermission.
The dual-threat quarterback amassed 130 passing yards, 30 rushing yards, and 1 touchdown, a perfect strike to Devin Smith. Miller's 2nd half performance sparked the debate of which QB will start when the Buckeyes battle Toledo next week.
While Bauserman and Miller were stealing the spotlight, the OSU defense was stifling the Akron attack. The Silver Bullets blanked the Zips as Akron managed a mere 90 yards of offense.
The Buckeyes did make a few mistakes, including Rod Smith's fumble and Drew Basil's missed field goal, but the Scarlet and Gray's overall performance was impressive. Most importantly, Ohio State is back to playing football.
Player of the Game
Jake Stoneburner: 4 receptions, 50 yards, 3 touchdowns
Bauserman and Miller both played well, but no Buckeye had a better day than Stoneburner. The big tight end found the end zone 3 times, in large part because his size and speed overwhelmed the Akron secondary.
Play of the Game
Braxton Miller's 33-yard pass to Evan Spencer in the 4th quarter
With Ohio State cruising toward an easy victory, Miller and Spencer rewarded the small portion of the crowd that weathered the oppressive heat. Miller lofted a pass near the left boundary, and Spencer made an incredible, 1-handed catch that almost defies explanation.
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