Great defenses do not give up over 500 yards (and 28 pts, which should have been more) to Cal at home, nor do simply solid defenses. Cal hadn't scored in the first quarter against much lower level competition at home. Some of the top offenses in the nation like Florida St are averaging about the yardage we gave up yesterday( against bad teams). What do you think Mich would have put up on out D yesterday? If Cal puts up 500 plus yards and 28? Glad we have a lot of time to try to figure this out before The Game. We have a ton of talent on D...we have the players we want on that side of the ball so the defensive coaches will, and should be feeling the heat.
Please don't be complete homers and dismiss those of us fans who fairly analyze and assess the issues everyone without rose/scarlet colored glasses on, as chicken littles. We know the sky isn't falling and we love the Buckeyes, we just need to get much, much better on D. The offense needs work too, but we have so much talent and more experience on D and expected much more to this point.
Agreed. Its weak when the D-line steps up its game and everyone else plays without intensity. Those two big TDs for Cal had some of the more embarassing attempts at an arm tackle Ive seen in a long time. Shazier had a big game, but on that one highlight reel TD run for Bigelow he just threw his should at him. I figured tackling technique was something D1 college football players learned back in pee-wee.
I honestly just thought it was horrible angles most of the game by the lbers and the secondary. They seemed to be in the correct places often but just blew up tackles...it was hard to watch. And even when they had guys, they didn't wrap...
We keep giving up big plays. Penalties on 3and20, and missed tackles really killed us. If we played a little more sound football we take atleast one or two touchdowns back. Just poor tackling and the offense stalled through some of the game.
Wherever you are, there you be!
I want to see the Freshmen out there a little more. I think Noah Spence and Disel Washington are fantastic. Needed to rotate the DLine in more.
Also the offense did the defense no favors by all those 3 and outs. The Time of possesion killed us yesterday - the D was tired.