With the big news of the Buckeyes getting the opportunity to defend their B1G crown, I took a good 3 hour chunk of my work day to watch some NW film. If you’re reading this boss, don’t worry I made all my calls. One of my takeaways was just how multiple NW’s offense is. Although they lack the elite-level skill players, they are very good at getting their guys into concepts that fit their skill sets.

They’re running game has left something to be desired as their offensive line fails to get consistent leverage against talented front 7’s. RB, Isaiah Bowser is a sturdy ball carrier that can wear on a front 7 if he can get his feet clean to the line of scrimmage and spell-back Drake Anderson has elite speed and it will be very entertaining to see how Werner and Browning run with him.
 

On the outside WR Ramaud Chiaokhiao-Bowman is their most reliable pass catcher who’s sturdy frame and above-average athleticism give him a chance to win at the top of routes, look for Shaun Wade to again get tested outside the numbers. The Bullets get another crack at ex-Hoosier signal caller Peyton Ramsey and though his mechanics and accuracy are inconsistent, Ramsey has a good feel for working the pocket and will often threaten the line of scrimmage to find simple check downs and receivers working back to him. I see the opportunity for the Buckeyes defensive staff to utilize a lot of man pressures and force Ramsey to beat them with his accuracy on tight throws. 
 

Defensively the Wildcats are exactly what you expect them to be under Pat Fitzgerald. They are tough at the point of attack and rarely take risks in the back 7 and rely on a lot of two high safety looks and force you to take what you can get. The player that stands out the most is DB Brandon Joseph, Joseph is a long, athletic DB who has a knack for being around the ball (5 interceptions on the year). Their front 7 lacks elite playmakers but their linebackers are very tough and intelligent which is to be expected from the Wildcats. The biggest opportunity to attack the Wildcats is to eat up their zone cushions on the outside early with hitches, curls, etc. in order to force their DB’s towards the line of scrimmage which will open up opportunities to stretch the field with players like Chris Olave and Jameson Williams. NW prides themselves on eliminating vertical concepts with their base Cover 4 so look for a lot of “Texas” type concepts that test their linebackers to cover multiple routes in space. I expect the tight-ends to have a big day in the seams.

Tune in this Saturday @12 PM to get a look at the Wildcats against Illinois and see what ways the Buckeyes can best exploit the talent differential that we’ll see in Indianapolis!