Thursday Skull Session

By D.J. Byrnes on October 9, 2014 at 6:00 am
Doran Grant put on for his state
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It's only Thursday, but I'm already jacked for the Cleveland Browns' taxing of the Pittsburgh Steelers. I'm just going to say it now: the NFL bet'not goof and let the Browns slide into the playoffs. 

LOOKIN' BACK AT THAT CINCI WHOOPIN'. SB Nation's Steven Godfrey was embedded with the Cincinnati football team in the lead-up to the Ohio State game, and the following article is fantastic.

Tuberville never speaks to shutting down Ohio State outright. He harps on confusion and leverage, accomplished by creating one or two early turnovers to let the offense run a shot for an immediate touchdown. Then a stunned Buckeye offense will work off-schedule, passing more. The freshman might force throws, getting UC's undersized defense off the field as quickly as possible.

The only issue: Tuberville is haunted by what he saw from Ohio State's Virginia Tech film and garbage time vs. Kent State. When the Buckeyes run well enough to create an on-schedule third-and-5 or less, Barrett is ruthless throwing out of play-action.

"This kid scares me a little bit because I’ve seen him on film drop back and ... boom, boom, boom." Tuberville moved his head in intervals, mimicking Barrett checking through his progressions.

Well, we all know how that turned out for ol' Tubby. But like I said, it's a fantastic article with access not usually granted to reporters in the middle of the season. 

 COACHING REVIEWS. The Gannett Media Group of Central Ohio filed a Freedom of Information Act request with Ohio State for the coaching reviews of the 2013 season, and as always, it's intriguing.

Here's Luke Fickell on Luke Fickell, via the nation's paper of record, The Marion Star:

"We didn't grow together as a defense and play our best ball at the end of the year," the review states. "This was the disappointing reality. It has to start with the staff coming together and showing the units/players how to trust/believe and play together as one.

"I (Fickell) have to get better at developing the fundamentals of linebackers with the pace of the game today. The speed of the game (meaning the pace of the offenses) has hurt the fundamentals of defensive football; too often guys go into self-preservation mode because of fatigue or uncertainty. Off-season development of fundamental work is much more critical today for young and older players."

I think it's important for people to always keep it real with themselves, and that's what Fickell has done here. While the overall talent is improved this year, I think the linebackers have come along nicely.

Here's Gene Smith on Urban Meyer:

"The football program during the 2013-14 academic year continued to excel under your outstanding leadership," Smith noted on the June 3 review. "I am extremely proud of your efforts with staff. The way you coach the coaches, and engage support staff in the structure of the program is excellent. There is clarity in roles, expectations and value."

And that's the kind of review you want from your boss. (The full review of Urban Meyer can be found here, and the review of his assistants can be found here.)

BUCKEYES' REDZONE STRUGGLES. One area of frustration for me during the Maryland game was the amount of field goals kicked by my Buckeyes. If Jim Tressel ain't coaching, I ain't got no use for three points.

And while Ohio State's offense has been ruthless since the Virginia Tech game, there have been some hiccups in the red zone.

From BuckeyeSports.com's Blake Williams:

Ohio State is getting into the red zone with the best in the country, crossing their opponents 20 yard-line 5.6 times a game, good for fifth in the country. In those 28 trips, however, the Buckeyes have notched just 19 touchdowns and four field goals. They’ve missed one field goal, turned the ball over on downs twice and tossed two interceptions.

[...]

The Buckeyes were impressive in the red zone last year as their numbers there more clearly mirrored their overall offensive success. In 2013 Ohio State was fifth in the country in red zone scoring percentage, putting up points in 60 of their 63 attempts. They scored 53 touchdowns, reaching the end zone on over 84 percent of red zone trips to lead the country.

This season it hasn’t been as good. The Buckeyes scoring percentage in the red zone is 70th in the country. They’ve scored touchdowns on just over 82 percent of their red zone trips, just 44th in the country.

Those numbers, obviously, are fine against the likes of Kent State, Maryland, Cincinnati and Navy. But, the Bucks are obviously going to have to iron this issue out as the competition improves, because leaving points on the board could cost them a game when the offense isn't throwing up 700 yards in a game. Just something to keep an eye on in two weeks when mighty, mighty Rutgers rolls into town.

BRAXTON IS COMIN' YALL. No, this isn't a picture of OSU's injured quarterback creeping on some campus girl. It's a real update:

Get well soon, Braxton, get well soon. 

EZEKIEL ELLIOTT COMES FROM A STRONG STOCK. Ezekiel Elliott is a phenomenal athlete capable of running people over or breaking their ankles with his shiftiness. 

Judging by his mom's accolades, however, it's easy to see where it comes from:

damn mama elliott was a boss

So yeah, basically Mama Elliott could whoop you in any athletic competition of note. 

MICHIGAN WILL NEVER HAVE URBAN MEYER. Whoever Michigan first goes after to replace Brady Hoke will have a ton of leverage. Somebody like Jim Harbaugh would almost be able to name his price.

But what if that person was Urban Meyer? It's said every man has his price; would he accept a Godfather offer from that team up north?

And as anybody who's ever been in a relationship can tell you: that's all you need to know about that.

(For the record: I don't think Jim Tressel would ever do it to Ohio State, but that's who I would target if I were Michigan.)

STONEBURNER JUST ROCKETED UP MY FAVORITE BUCKEYES LIST. When I win the MegaMillions, please believe I will own a jungle cat: 

I'd like to think this tiger is giving Stoneburner advice on his Tinder matches.

BRADY HOKE SOUNDS HIGH AS HELL. I am going to miss Brady Hoke. We've surpassed "Rich Rodriguez-tearing-up-during-Josh-Groban-songs levels" with him, but there's no doubt Hoke is a class act. He is, however, out of his depth.

From 11Wer MattyBeingMatty:

Hell, if I was Brady Hoke I'd be getting high as hell too. Short of Bo Schembechler rising from his grave and knighting him, the dude will be a position coach in the MAC by this time next year.

THOSE WMDs. No surprise: money from NFL's "Pink October" campaign doesn't go to cancer research... NJ high school cancels football season due to hazing... Somebody threatened to behead Gus Malzahn... Doesthedogdie.com... How astronauts vote from space... Three years later, the "Homeless Man With the Golden Voice" is broke again, but still clean and sober.... Someone spray painted a penis on a $2.4 million Bugatti Veyron... Gruden to Michigan?

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