Good afternoon fellow dubbers. In the wake of yesterday's 3 hour session of WTF just happened, I figured I would try to shed some light on what I think needs to change in my humble opinion.
There is so much to be desired on the defensive side of the ball (as well as offense but I'll stick with defense). Among the obvious woes are missed tackles, over pursuit, bad angles, and a lack of ferocity that Buckeye nation is accustomed to seeing over the years. I understand there have been a few injuries on top of the best player in college football looking on from the sideline with his return to scarlet and grey questionable. Malik Harrison, Jonathan Cooper sidelined. BB Landers and Dre Jones playing dinged up as well as Tuf Borland coming back from a show stopper injury in the spring. All that being said, I will start with what I was pleased with about yesterday's defensive game plan and adjustments. In the first half we saw Minnesota run wildcat read option with 17 very effectively. The Minnesota staff was using the pre-snap alignment to get the majority of our defense lined up on the side of the field opposite where the gophers wanted to go with the football. With OSU respecting the run ability of 24, the Bucks were playing assignment football and not selling out to stop the keeper. Minnesota never had any intention of 17 not pulling the ball and keeping it. Minnesota also never had any intention of not running this play to the left side of the line but rather to the right side where they lined up their 6ft 9" 400lb freshman tackle. This often created a 1 on 1 with safety Jordan Fuller. Fuller was often there to make the play, but not before 17 was 7 yards down field, or in the endzone. You saw the defensive staff counter this in the second half by shifting the D line to the opposite side 24 lined up and then slanting back toward play side in anticipation that 17 was keeping it. It only took a couple times before Minnesota realized we had taken that option away and then they abandoned it. After that, Minnesota played cat and mouse the rest of the game with 2 plays. The inside iso to 24, or the 10 yd slant to 6. If OSU put the safety back as a robber, the ball went to 24 every time. If the Safety creeped up, the ball was pulled and Minnesota threw the slant every time effectively. In my humble opinion, Ohio State was put in position to pick their poison between these two plays as a direct result of our less than stellar line backer play. The obvious adjustment to the quick slant, is to play the nickel back or the corner (depending on how many receivers are on the field) up on the slot and take away the inside with leverage forcing the receiver to alter the route putting the safety in position to come over the top to make a play. In stead, Schiano left Shawn Wade 10 - 12 yds off the hole game and we got ate alive with literally 1 play the hole game. Now I must also add that I am in the camp of believing OSU is not playing with any emotion or heart. However, I believe our defensive staff is being a bit to proud and not very aggressive in the play calling. In yesterday's situation, with our best line backer(Harrison) out, I do not understand why we were not dialing up more blitzes for our young line backers and try to take the thinking out of it, but rather use their athleticism to give them a fighting shot to make a play in the back field or at least hurry number 5 in stead of letting him throw the quick slant in rhythm all day. By doing this, number 5 would possibly be hurried every play and if he gives the ball to 24, we possibly get to him before he gets going down hill, and if 5 throws it, his timing will be off and the receiver will be forced outside with a safety over the top and the sideline as an extra defender. I just feel like the staff put our defense in position to just bend over and take it the hole game by not forcing the issue and taking away the only thing Minnesota could do in the passing game all day long. By the time Minnesota got down 2 scores and it was later in the second half, Minnesota had to go down field and OSU had no problem running the ball down and making plays. I fees that this kind of stubbornness is going to eventually cost OSU a game.
Just a few parting shots mainly on line backer play. Barron Browning has a bright future, but currently his biggest flaw is that he has not adjusted to the speed of the game. This is evident in his constant over pursuit and bad angles thinking he has enough speed to recover. (time for the best man to step up and coach this boy)
I hope Harrison gets healthy soon. Contrary to some comments I have seen on here, I think he has been a very solid play maker at linebacker and OSU needs him to have a shot down the stretch this year.
Comments, Ideas?
