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LGHL You’re Nuts: ‘That Team Up North’ - Wolverine slayers
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You’re Nuts: ‘That Team Up North’ - Wolverine slayers
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Who comes to mind when you think of an Ohio State player that dominated against Michigan?
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State’s rival. We are talking all things TTUN. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”That Team Up North” articles here.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
This week’s topic: Which OSU player comes to mind when you think about great performances against TTUN?
It is That Team Up North week on LGHL, which means that I am in a foul, foul mood. Because there are few things worse than spending a week trying to come up with content relative to the *ichigan Wolverines. I mean, just thinking about their maize and blue color scheme gets me heated. Call it yellow! Or gold! Get outta here with that ‘maize’ stuff.
The week takes on extra meaning – or becomes even more of an annoyance (please don’t get mad editors, I understand) – when Ohio State is in the midst of a two-game losing streak to their bitter rival. I would much rather be on the winning end and poke fun at TTUN, but that has been difficult to do in recent years. Instead, we have been forced to give them credit. And admit that Jim Harbaugh might be a good football coach. Gross.
I really had no interest in doing that (above), so when Gene and I were coming up with a topic for You’re Nuts, I thought to myself: How can we write about TTUN without giving them any kudos or credit? And how can we celebrate the Buckeyes without coming across as a couple of bitter berries? Well, I thought, when all else fails, you can always talk about the greats. Great games, great players, whatever... As long as the content is still somehow relevant to TTUN.
With ‘greats’ serving as our motivation, Gene and I both kind of arrived at the same destination. Or ended up with a similar question in mind. That being: Which OSU player comes to mind when you think about great performances against TTUN?
And I had to think long and hard about this one. Because there are so many players to choose from, that have played well and impacted The Game/The Rivalry during my lifetime. My core memories really only go back to the mid-to-late nineties, and although the beginning of that stretch was a rough one, the last 20 or so years have been pretty damn enjoyable as an Ohio State fan. We have been fortunate to watch a lot of winning football, and to see dozens of Buckeye legends leave their mark.
The one (Buckeye Legend) who stands out to me, due to their play in The Game, only started one game against TTUN. And all together, he didn’t even play six quarters against them! But this player’s impact was felt, it was awesome, and his numbers may never be topped. Call it recency bias, but the player who comes to mind when I think about great performances against TTUN is none other than the late, great Dwayne Haskins.
Haskins was a redshirt freshman in 2017, who had appeared in seven games prior to the Buckeyes’ regular season finale in Ann Arbor. He saw extended playing time against UNLV in Week 2 but was otherwise your typical young backup at OSU. However, when J.T. Barrett went down with an injury against the Buckeyes’ bitter rival, Haskins was forced into action in one of the most high-pressure moments a college football player can face. He wasn’t just playing in a pivotal November conference game; he was playing in The Game. And his team was trailing!
The future Heisman candidate went 6-of-7 (passing) for 94 yards and added a 22-yard run, helping Ohio State complete an exciting comeback victory. It was not the flashiest or prettiest of games, but Haskins acquitted himself quite well in relief of Barrett. And he began to establish his brief but memorable legacy against TTUN, with plenty of fireworks to come the following season.
OSU’s offense, led by the record-breaking Haskins, was elite in 2018. But TTUN’s defense was pretty damn good too. The Wolverines had not surrendered more than 21 points since Week 1 against Notre Dame, and they were coming off of a four-game stretch during which they allowed just 10 PPG to Michigan State, Penn State, Rutgers, and Indiana. Unfortunately for them, the Buckeyes’ now-experienced signal caller was a man on a mission, and he pumped out one of the greatest individual performances in the history of The Rivalry.
Haskins was the ‘man on fire’ meme on Nov. 24, 2018, lighting TTUN up to the tune of 396 yards passing and 6 (!) TD. He was absolutely surgical in dicing up the Wolverines’ secondary and getting the ball to his playmakers, specifically Parris Campbell. The latter accounted for 192 yards and 2 TD, but it was still Haskins’ day. To pick apart a top-10, top-15 defense, in the manner he did... on the stage that he did... was absolutely incredible. The end result was a 62-39 thrashing of a 10-1 (at the time) *ichigan team. That’s special, folks!
62 points is the most points (single game) put up by either team in The Rivalry. Unless we’re counting the Wolverines’ 86 in 1902, but I’m not sure I trust that record-keeping. And Haskins was responsible for 36 of them. I know there are players who have a larger body of work in The Game. Or four pairs of gold pants. Or maybe they just made a single memorable play that will go down in infamy. But Simba is the guy for me. He put forth one of the greatest performances I have ever seen, period. And he did so while absolutely dismantling TTUN. It doesn’t get much better or more memorable than that.
It makes sense that Josh and I went with two of the quarterbacks who played for Ohio State during their historic eight-game win streak against Michigan from 2012-19. While my counterpart went with the man who replaced J.T. Barrett in Columbus, I want to talk about Barrett himself.
Funny enough, I’m actually not a huge Barrett fan. Overall I think he was a largely average QB who did a great job at handling the system he was in and was a great runner but a below-average passer. However, it’s hard to knock the fact that he won games in his time at Ohio State, and none moreso than the games against Michigan, wherein Barrett went a perfect 4-0 as the Buckeyes’ starting QB.
In his four starts against the Wolverines, Barrett compiled over 860 total yards with 10 total touchdowns and only one interception thrown. That’s even including the game in 2017, where he only threw for 30 yards and ran for another 67 before getting injured and being replaced by Haskins. In fact, Barrett has been injured twice during The Game, as he also famously broke his leg in the 2014 rendition before Cardale Jones and Ezekiel Elliott helped lead OSU to the promised land.
Barrett’s numbers over those four games certainly aren’t gaudy by any means, but he did what he needed to do for Ohio State to win those games and made some huge plays along the way.
In 2014, Barrett found Nick Vannett for the game’s opening touchdown. Then later, with the Buckeyes trailing 14-7, he scored back-to-back rushing TDs for the game-tying and go-ahead scores and Ohio State never trailed again, going on to win 42-28 after pulling away late.
The 2015 game was a bloodbath, with Ohio State easily dispatching Michigan, 42-13 in Ann Arbor. Statistically, this was Barrett’s best performance in The Game. The QB went 9-of-15 passing with 113 yards and a TD while adding 139 yards and three scores on the ground. Barrett scored the opening and the final TD with two more in the middle as he and Zeke (214 yards and two TDs) beat up on the Wolverines at The Big House.
2016, of course, is when Barrett’s most famous play in the rivalry occurred. With Ohio State trailing 27-24 in double overtime, Curtis Samuel’s 8-yard run on 3rd-and-9 left the Buckeyes just short of the sticks. On 4th-and-1, Urban Meyer drew up ole reliable and Barrett took the ball up the middle and fell forward just past the line of gain for a first down. The play was reviewed for what felt like an eternity for fans on both sides, but the Spot Was Good, and on the very next play Samuel’s 15-yard TD run walked it off for Ohio State.
An injury limited Barrett’s effectiveness in the 2017 matchup, and as Josh outlined it was Haskins who led the comeback for the Buckeyes this time around. However, with Ohio State trailing 14-0 in the second quarter, it was Barrett who helped even things up. A 21-yard TD run at the 9:50 mark of the period put the Buckeyes on the board and cut the Michigan lead in half, and a short while later Barrett found Marcus Baugh for a 25-yard TD as things were all tied up heading into the break. From there, Haskins took care of business.
Barrett was never going to be an NFL QB, and he certainly isn’t one of the best quarterbacks Ohio State has seen of late — especially under Ryan Day — but what he did against Michigan can never be taken away from him. To this day, Barrett remains the only Buckeye quarterback ever to go 4-0 against the Wolverines, and that is something even his most adamant detractors will appreciate forever.
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Who comes to mind when you think of an Ohio State player that dominated against Michigan?
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State’s rival. We are talking all things TTUN. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”That Team Up North” articles here.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
This week’s topic: Which OSU player comes to mind when you think about great performances against TTUN?
Josh’s Take
It is That Team Up North week on LGHL, which means that I am in a foul, foul mood. Because there are few things worse than spending a week trying to come up with content relative to the *ichigan Wolverines. I mean, just thinking about their maize and blue color scheme gets me heated. Call it yellow! Or gold! Get outta here with that ‘maize’ stuff.
The week takes on extra meaning – or becomes even more of an annoyance (please don’t get mad editors, I understand) – when Ohio State is in the midst of a two-game losing streak to their bitter rival. I would much rather be on the winning end and poke fun at TTUN, but that has been difficult to do in recent years. Instead, we have been forced to give them credit. And admit that Jim Harbaugh might be a good football coach. Gross.
I really had no interest in doing that (above), so when Gene and I were coming up with a topic for You’re Nuts, I thought to myself: How can we write about TTUN without giving them any kudos or credit? And how can we celebrate the Buckeyes without coming across as a couple of bitter berries? Well, I thought, when all else fails, you can always talk about the greats. Great games, great players, whatever... As long as the content is still somehow relevant to TTUN.
With ‘greats’ serving as our motivation, Gene and I both kind of arrived at the same destination. Or ended up with a similar question in mind. That being: Which OSU player comes to mind when you think about great performances against TTUN?
And I had to think long and hard about this one. Because there are so many players to choose from, that have played well and impacted The Game/The Rivalry during my lifetime. My core memories really only go back to the mid-to-late nineties, and although the beginning of that stretch was a rough one, the last 20 or so years have been pretty damn enjoyable as an Ohio State fan. We have been fortunate to watch a lot of winning football, and to see dozens of Buckeye legends leave their mark.
The one (Buckeye Legend) who stands out to me, due to their play in The Game, only started one game against TTUN. And all together, he didn’t even play six quarters against them! But this player’s impact was felt, it was awesome, and his numbers may never be topped. Call it recency bias, but the player who comes to mind when I think about great performances against TTUN is none other than the late, great Dwayne Haskins.
Haskins was a redshirt freshman in 2017, who had appeared in seven games prior to the Buckeyes’ regular season finale in Ann Arbor. He saw extended playing time against UNLV in Week 2 but was otherwise your typical young backup at OSU. However, when J.T. Barrett went down with an injury against the Buckeyes’ bitter rival, Haskins was forced into action in one of the most high-pressure moments a college football player can face. He wasn’t just playing in a pivotal November conference game; he was playing in The Game. And his team was trailing!
The future Heisman candidate went 6-of-7 (passing) for 94 yards and added a 22-yard run, helping Ohio State complete an exciting comeback victory. It was not the flashiest or prettiest of games, but Haskins acquitted himself quite well in relief of Barrett. And he began to establish his brief but memorable legacy against TTUN, with plenty of fireworks to come the following season.
OSU’s offense, led by the record-breaking Haskins, was elite in 2018. But TTUN’s defense was pretty damn good too. The Wolverines had not surrendered more than 21 points since Week 1 against Notre Dame, and they were coming off of a four-game stretch during which they allowed just 10 PPG to Michigan State, Penn State, Rutgers, and Indiana. Unfortunately for them, the Buckeyes’ now-experienced signal caller was a man on a mission, and he pumped out one of the greatest individual performances in the history of The Rivalry.
Haskins was the ‘man on fire’ meme on Nov. 24, 2018, lighting TTUN up to the tune of 396 yards passing and 6 (!) TD. He was absolutely surgical in dicing up the Wolverines’ secondary and getting the ball to his playmakers, specifically Parris Campbell. The latter accounted for 192 yards and 2 TD, but it was still Haskins’ day. To pick apart a top-10, top-15 defense, in the manner he did... on the stage that he did... was absolutely incredible. The end result was a 62-39 thrashing of a 10-1 (at the time) *ichigan team. That’s special, folks!
62 points is the most points (single game) put up by either team in The Rivalry. Unless we’re counting the Wolverines’ 86 in 1902, but I’m not sure I trust that record-keeping. And Haskins was responsible for 36 of them. I know there are players who have a larger body of work in The Game. Or four pairs of gold pants. Or maybe they just made a single memorable play that will go down in infamy. But Simba is the guy for me. He put forth one of the greatest performances I have ever seen, period. And he did so while absolutely dismantling TTUN. It doesn’t get much better or more memorable than that.
Gene’s Take
It makes sense that Josh and I went with two of the quarterbacks who played for Ohio State during their historic eight-game win streak against Michigan from 2012-19. While my counterpart went with the man who replaced J.T. Barrett in Columbus, I want to talk about Barrett himself.
Funny enough, I’m actually not a huge Barrett fan. Overall I think he was a largely average QB who did a great job at handling the system he was in and was a great runner but a below-average passer. However, it’s hard to knock the fact that he won games in his time at Ohio State, and none moreso than the games against Michigan, wherein Barrett went a perfect 4-0 as the Buckeyes’ starting QB.
In his four starts against the Wolverines, Barrett compiled over 860 total yards with 10 total touchdowns and only one interception thrown. That’s even including the game in 2017, where he only threw for 30 yards and ran for another 67 before getting injured and being replaced by Haskins. In fact, Barrett has been injured twice during The Game, as he also famously broke his leg in the 2014 rendition before Cardale Jones and Ezekiel Elliott helped lead OSU to the promised land.
Barrett’s numbers over those four games certainly aren’t gaudy by any means, but he did what he needed to do for Ohio State to win those games and made some huge plays along the way.
In 2014, Barrett found Nick Vannett for the game’s opening touchdown. Then later, with the Buckeyes trailing 14-7, he scored back-to-back rushing TDs for the game-tying and go-ahead scores and Ohio State never trailed again, going on to win 42-28 after pulling away late.
The 2015 game was a bloodbath, with Ohio State easily dispatching Michigan, 42-13 in Ann Arbor. Statistically, this was Barrett’s best performance in The Game. The QB went 9-of-15 passing with 113 yards and a TD while adding 139 yards and three scores on the ground. Barrett scored the opening and the final TD with two more in the middle as he and Zeke (214 yards and two TDs) beat up on the Wolverines at The Big House.
2016, of course, is when Barrett’s most famous play in the rivalry occurred. With Ohio State trailing 27-24 in double overtime, Curtis Samuel’s 8-yard run on 3rd-and-9 left the Buckeyes just short of the sticks. On 4th-and-1, Urban Meyer drew up ole reliable and Barrett took the ball up the middle and fell forward just past the line of gain for a first down. The play was reviewed for what felt like an eternity for fans on both sides, but the Spot Was Good, and on the very next play Samuel’s 15-yard TD run walked it off for Ohio State.
An injury limited Barrett’s effectiveness in the 2017 matchup, and as Josh outlined it was Haskins who led the comeback for the Buckeyes this time around. However, with Ohio State trailing 14-0 in the second quarter, it was Barrett who helped even things up. A 21-yard TD run at the 9:50 mark of the period put the Buckeyes on the board and cut the Michigan lead in half, and a short while later Barrett found Marcus Baugh for a 25-yard TD as things were all tied up heading into the break. From there, Haskins took care of business.
Barrett was never going to be an NFL QB, and he certainly isn’t one of the best quarterbacks Ohio State has seen of late — especially under Ryan Day — but what he did against Michigan can never be taken away from him. To this day, Barrett remains the only Buckeye quarterback ever to go 4-0 against the Wolverines, and that is something even his most adamant detractors will appreciate forever.
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LGHL That Team Up North: Key stats that show how Ohio State’s defense fell short, how they rebound this season
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That Team Up North: Key stats that show how Ohio State’s defense fell short, how they rebound this season
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ohio State’s has failed in three key areas against Michigan.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State’s rival. We are talking all things TTUN. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”That Team Up North” articles here.
There is no loved lost when the story is about “That Team Up North.” They are a truly despicable group of individuals and deserve to be failures. That being said, they are 2-0 in the last two matchups against Ohio State, and they have found the secret sauce as well as the confidence needed to finally get that Buckeye monkey off their back.
Last year, the Buckeyes controlled much of the game, but costly mistakes on the defensive side of the ball destroyed the momentum. To add to that mess, the Wolverines once again were able to lean on the Buckeye defense throughout the game until the Ohio State collapsed again, giving up two long daggers of touchdowns to close the game out. The offense began to sputter, and the defense failed to have its back. That is how Michigan separated.
For Michigan, they will once again keep diving into the key philosophies and strategies that worked to confuse and dismantle Ohio State’s defense. Jim Knowles will have an entire offseason to look at his errors from the matchup. If they can limit big plays, that is the first area to start, but they will need to improve in other spots as well to truly ensure a win against the Wolverines.
If the defense can’t improve, the clock will actually begin start ticking on Ryan Day’s tenure. The offense wasn’t perfect, but steps have been taken to make that right. That puts pressure on Knowles and the defensive staff to fix the crucial mistakes, and play sound, fundamental football.
Looking back, the Wolverines weren’t dominant, but made huge plays in key situations that separated the teams. These situations were really told in the statistical side of the matchup. Michigan’s numbers weren’t better than Ohio State’s overall, but how they scored their 45 points was incredibly efficient – and Ohio State sure helped them a lot with their mistakes.
Ohio State was leading 10-3. The next two possessions for the Buckeyes defensively turned the tides of the matchup incredibly quick. Michigan scored touchdowns of 69 and 75 yards to get to 17 points. The main issues with how those points were let up is how much Ohio State had to work for their points. For Michigan, this showed a different way to win games, even if a very out of character one.
The first of the two plays came after Ohio State held the Wolverines to 52 offensive yards. In a third-and-long situation to get off the field for a third consecutive series with a punt, Knowles called a zero-man max pressure look. A missed tackle on the outside turned a short gain into the first touchdown of the day. That 69-yard touchdown by Cornelius Johnson altered the momentum of the game, and took the wind out of the sails for the entire Ohio State team.
The second of the two big plays was after Ohio State had a long drive that resulted in a field goal. After kicking the ball off for a touchback, the very next moment the Buckeyes subbed in Cam Martinez at safety. He bit on the first of a double move route from Johnson, who ended up by himself behind the defense. 75-yards later Michigan took their first lead of the game, and changed the whole dynamic in the process.
Ohio State’s defense gave up six touchdowns on the day. Five of those plays were longer than 45 yards. Seeing the box score again and seeing 69, 75, 45, 75, and 70 yards next to the touchdowns is unacceptable. That was exactly what Knowles was brought into fix, and he was able to do that early in the game. If Knowles can harness that for the entirety of four quarters, those big plays won’t happen.
Giving up big plays was the Buckeyes’ kryptonite down the stretch, and once again was the difference at the end of the game. This is a problem that should be improved upon in year two with the players having more experience in the system. Limiting these types of plays would also take pressure off of the offense, allowing them to play more aggressive.
Shifting the momentum of the game can happen in multiple ways. For Michigan, they were able to find big plays against Ohio State’s defense. Since Ohio State was not finding those same explosive plays, forcing a turnover could have gotten the defense’s confidence back. The Buckeyes were not the best at forcing turnovers on a per game basis, ranking 68th in the category.
Against Michigan the previous year the Wolverines got off to a fast start, and they were on the verge of scoring again. Then former Ohio State safety Bryson Shaw came up with the biggest play of his Buckeye career picking off Cade McNamara. This past season, the mistake free football Michigan played was nauseating. Every time J.J. McCarthy would throw a dangerous pass, it would fall helplessly to the ground for an incompletion.
This is an area Ohio State needs to improve in holistically next year. How they do it is by capitalizing on mistakes. Thinking back to Ohio State’s recent wins, there were always crucial turnovers that decided things. Shea Patterson thew picks, Jake Rudock did as well, and Wilton Speight was just as reliable in that department.
Against Michigan these past two years they have only had one turnover in the matchup. The Buckeyes had two desperation turnovers at the end of the game, but if a team is making mistakes like giving up huge plays, there needs to be a way to take that momentum back. This year, finding more ways to create turnovers is a key part of the job Jim Knowles has to do if his defense is going to take another step forward.
In Ohio State’s win in 2019, the third down conversion rate told the entire story of that matchup. The Buckeyes were 9-of-15 on third down, Michigan was 2-of-13 on third down and 0-for-2 on fourth down. This is simple math. The team that can stay on the field offensively and turn those first down conversions into points usually wins the game.
That has been Michigan these past two seasons. The first of the two wins for Michigan, the Wolverines were 5-of-8 on third down with one fourth down conversion that turned into a touchdown. Ohio State was 8-of-18 and did not convert the one fourth down they went for. Michigan’s defense was getting off the field, and Ohio State’s was not.
The defense has not been performing on key downs against Michigan. The offense has obviously failed on its side, but the fact Michigan only had eight third downs says everything that needs to be said. The Buckeyes were getting rolled over, and when the money downs came, they did not make the needed plays to get the offense back on the field.
This past season, Michigan was 7-of-16 on third down, which is not a great number. The issue was those seven conversions were all crucial plays, and Ohio State was unable to recover. The Buckeyes need to get better on third downs. This is where good defenses turn into great defenses. Winning in the red zone – which was not an issue for Michigan because they scored their one trip – and third down success rate are the two keys that show how much mettle a defense has.
Knowles was not going to get that in year one, but Ohio State was hopeful. This year these mistakes won’t be acceptable against anyone, let alone the biggest matchup of the season.
These statistical points are the indicators coaches use to evaluate the success the defense has in different areas. Against Michigan the Buckeyes failed in limiting big plays, forcing turnovers, and getting off the field in key situations. That is the holy trinity in defensive failure, and there is no wonder Ohio State lost the game so handedly this season. These stats define the failures of the Buckeyes in the two most recent matchups.
In 2023, Ohio State has the exact areas that can and will be the difference in The Game. The challenge will not be any easier, as Sherrone Moore has devised back-to-back game plans that have found the weaknesses in Ohio State’s scheme. For the Buckeyes, this battle between Knowles and Moore will not only define the game, but likely the next few years of the rivalry.
Lastly, Michigan has been better philosophically and that has shown in their belief in the on field execution. That is why when Johnson ran for 69 yards, the game completely changed. The Buckeyes were tight, and there is no stat that measures that. There are plays that show it, and decisions that do as well. If the Buckeyes buy in, maybe they don’t implode again this time around.
Improving in these areas would help any defense, but the Buckeyes need to go a step further. Having a similar result would be unacceptable, and it starts with not giving up big plays. If the Buckeyes can do that, the rest of what they did will likely be enough. If the improvement is not enough to get back in the win column, discussion for bigger changes will be imminent.
Continue reading...
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ohio State’s has failed in three key areas against Michigan.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State’s rival. We are talking all things TTUN. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”That Team Up North” articles here.
There is no loved lost when the story is about “That Team Up North.” They are a truly despicable group of individuals and deserve to be failures. That being said, they are 2-0 in the last two matchups against Ohio State, and they have found the secret sauce as well as the confidence needed to finally get that Buckeye monkey off their back.
Last year, the Buckeyes controlled much of the game, but costly mistakes on the defensive side of the ball destroyed the momentum. To add to that mess, the Wolverines once again were able to lean on the Buckeye defense throughout the game until the Ohio State collapsed again, giving up two long daggers of touchdowns to close the game out. The offense began to sputter, and the defense failed to have its back. That is how Michigan separated.
For Michigan, they will once again keep diving into the key philosophies and strategies that worked to confuse and dismantle Ohio State’s defense. Jim Knowles will have an entire offseason to look at his errors from the matchup. If they can limit big plays, that is the first area to start, but they will need to improve in other spots as well to truly ensure a win against the Wolverines.
If the defense can’t improve, the clock will actually begin start ticking on Ryan Day’s tenure. The offense wasn’t perfect, but steps have been taken to make that right. That puts pressure on Knowles and the defensive staff to fix the crucial mistakes, and play sound, fundamental football.
Key stats Michigan won
Looking back, the Wolverines weren’t dominant, but made huge plays in key situations that separated the teams. These situations were really told in the statistical side of the matchup. Michigan’s numbers weren’t better than Ohio State’s overall, but how they scored their 45 points was incredibly efficient – and Ohio State sure helped them a lot with their mistakes.
Giving up big plays
Ohio State was leading 10-3. The next two possessions for the Buckeyes defensively turned the tides of the matchup incredibly quick. Michigan scored touchdowns of 69 and 75 yards to get to 17 points. The main issues with how those points were let up is how much Ohio State had to work for their points. For Michigan, this showed a different way to win games, even if a very out of character one.
The first of the two plays came after Ohio State held the Wolverines to 52 offensive yards. In a third-and-long situation to get off the field for a third consecutive series with a punt, Knowles called a zero-man max pressure look. A missed tackle on the outside turned a short gain into the first touchdown of the day. That 69-yard touchdown by Cornelius Johnson altered the momentum of the game, and took the wind out of the sails for the entire Ohio State team.
The second of the two big plays was after Ohio State had a long drive that resulted in a field goal. After kicking the ball off for a touchback, the very next moment the Buckeyes subbed in Cam Martinez at safety. He bit on the first of a double move route from Johnson, who ended up by himself behind the defense. 75-yards later Michigan took their first lead of the game, and changed the whole dynamic in the process.
Ohio State’s defense gave up six touchdowns on the day. Five of those plays were longer than 45 yards. Seeing the box score again and seeing 69, 75, 45, 75, and 70 yards next to the touchdowns is unacceptable. That was exactly what Knowles was brought into fix, and he was able to do that early in the game. If Knowles can harness that for the entirety of four quarters, those big plays won’t happen.
Giving up big plays was the Buckeyes’ kryptonite down the stretch, and once again was the difference at the end of the game. This is a problem that should be improved upon in year two with the players having more experience in the system. Limiting these types of plays would also take pressure off of the offense, allowing them to play more aggressive.
Zero forced turnovers
Shifting the momentum of the game can happen in multiple ways. For Michigan, they were able to find big plays against Ohio State’s defense. Since Ohio State was not finding those same explosive plays, forcing a turnover could have gotten the defense’s confidence back. The Buckeyes were not the best at forcing turnovers on a per game basis, ranking 68th in the category.
Against Michigan the previous year the Wolverines got off to a fast start, and they were on the verge of scoring again. Then former Ohio State safety Bryson Shaw came up with the biggest play of his Buckeye career picking off Cade McNamara. This past season, the mistake free football Michigan played was nauseating. Every time J.J. McCarthy would throw a dangerous pass, it would fall helplessly to the ground for an incompletion.
This is an area Ohio State needs to improve in holistically next year. How they do it is by capitalizing on mistakes. Thinking back to Ohio State’s recent wins, there were always crucial turnovers that decided things. Shea Patterson thew picks, Jake Rudock did as well, and Wilton Speight was just as reliable in that department.
Against Michigan these past two years they have only had one turnover in the matchup. The Buckeyes had two desperation turnovers at the end of the game, but if a team is making mistakes like giving up huge plays, there needs to be a way to take that momentum back. This year, finding more ways to create turnovers is a key part of the job Jim Knowles has to do if his defense is going to take another step forward.
3rd down defense
In Ohio State’s win in 2019, the third down conversion rate told the entire story of that matchup. The Buckeyes were 9-of-15 on third down, Michigan was 2-of-13 on third down and 0-for-2 on fourth down. This is simple math. The team that can stay on the field offensively and turn those first down conversions into points usually wins the game.
That has been Michigan these past two seasons. The first of the two wins for Michigan, the Wolverines were 5-of-8 on third down with one fourth down conversion that turned into a touchdown. Ohio State was 8-of-18 and did not convert the one fourth down they went for. Michigan’s defense was getting off the field, and Ohio State’s was not.
The defense has not been performing on key downs against Michigan. The offense has obviously failed on its side, but the fact Michigan only had eight third downs says everything that needs to be said. The Buckeyes were getting rolled over, and when the money downs came, they did not make the needed plays to get the offense back on the field.
This past season, Michigan was 7-of-16 on third down, which is not a great number. The issue was those seven conversions were all crucial plays, and Ohio State was unable to recover. The Buckeyes need to get better on third downs. This is where good defenses turn into great defenses. Winning in the red zone – which was not an issue for Michigan because they scored their one trip – and third down success rate are the two keys that show how much mettle a defense has.
Knowles was not going to get that in year one, but Ohio State was hopeful. This year these mistakes won’t be acceptable against anyone, let alone the biggest matchup of the season.
These statistical points are the indicators coaches use to evaluate the success the defense has in different areas. Against Michigan the Buckeyes failed in limiting big plays, forcing turnovers, and getting off the field in key situations. That is the holy trinity in defensive failure, and there is no wonder Ohio State lost the game so handedly this season. These stats define the failures of the Buckeyes in the two most recent matchups.
In 2023, Ohio State has the exact areas that can and will be the difference in The Game. The challenge will not be any easier, as Sherrone Moore has devised back-to-back game plans that have found the weaknesses in Ohio State’s scheme. For the Buckeyes, this battle between Knowles and Moore will not only define the game, but likely the next few years of the rivalry.
Lastly, Michigan has been better philosophically and that has shown in their belief in the on field execution. That is why when Johnson ran for 69 yards, the game completely changed. The Buckeyes were tight, and there is no stat that measures that. There are plays that show it, and decisions that do as well. If the Buckeyes buy in, maybe they don’t implode again this time around.
Improving in these areas would help any defense, but the Buckeyes need to go a step further. Having a similar result would be unacceptable, and it starts with not giving up big plays. If the Buckeyes can do that, the rest of what they did will likely be enough. If the improvement is not enough to get back in the win column, discussion for bigger changes will be imminent.
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LGHL Ohio State Football Countdown: 47
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Ohio State Football Countdown: 47
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports
One play or big moment per day as we count down to the start of Ohio State’s 2023 football season.
As we count down to the start of the 2023 season, we will be looking back at one play or big moment in Ohio State history over the past decade or so that corresponds to the remaining days left until Buckeyes take the field against Indiana on Sept. 2. There are 47 days remaining.
This next play on our countdown is an absolutely wild one, as Binjimen Victor makes a crazy catch over the defender and then glides down the field 47 yards for a crucial touchdown against Penn State in 2018. The grab in itself is impressive, but the way Victor uses his long strides to work his way down the field past defenders and into the end zone feels like it happens in slow motion. Ohio State came back to win this game 27-26, as this TD set up the game-winner by K.J. Hill a short while later, and Chase Young’s fourth down tackle with a minute left sealed the deal.
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Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports
One play or big moment per day as we count down to the start of Ohio State’s 2023 football season.
As we count down to the start of the 2023 season, we will be looking back at one play or big moment in Ohio State history over the past decade or so that corresponds to the remaining days left until Buckeyes take the field against Indiana on Sept. 2. There are 47 days remaining.
Play of the Day: Binjimen Victor’s 47-yard TD vs. Penn State (2018)
This next play on our countdown is an absolutely wild one, as Binjimen Victor makes a crazy catch over the defender and then glides down the field 47 yards for a crucial touchdown against Penn State in 2018. The grab in itself is impressive, but the way Victor uses his long strides to work his way down the field past defenders and into the end zone feels like it happens in slow motion. Ohio State came back to win this game 27-26, as this TD set up the game-winner by K.J. Hill a short while later, and Chase Young’s fourth down tackle with a minute left sealed the deal.
Players to Wear the #47 (since 2010):
- Ryan Carter (2013)
- Justin Hilliard (2015-20)
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LGHL Ohio State’s top remaining receiver target releases top five schools
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Ohio State’s top remaining receiver target releases top five schools
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2024 four-star WR Jeremiah McClellan | Tom Loy, 247Sports
The Buckeyes are looking to round out their wide receiver haul with one last big addition.
Brian Hartline has been one of if not the most dominant force on the recruiting trail over the last several years. The former Ohio State wide receiver is now in charge of that very same room at his alma mater, and he has shown off his ability to both recruit and develop wide receivers as the best in the business time and time again.
Whether it be the numerous five-stars he’s hauled in among the likes of Garrett Wilson, Julian Fleming, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Emeka Egbuka, a high four-star like Marvin Harrison Jr. or even a three-star like Chris Olave, all of them are set up for success with the Buckeyes in large part because of the work Hartline is doing. He has helped Ohio State produce three first-round NFL Draft picks at the position in just the last two years, with two more almost certainly on the way in the 2024 NFL Draft.
As you could imagine, receivers are taking notice, and the rich continue to get richer as the Buckeyes continue to collect the nation’s top talent at wideout. In just these last two recruiting classes alone, Ohio State has earned commitments from five top-10 players at he position. That includes this 2024 haul, which currently has the No. 1 and No. 6 WR in the class in Jeremiah Smith and Mylan Graham, respectively. Even still, Hartline is not done.
The Buckeyes have one more target at the top of their board as they look to land three receivers in this cycle, and that spot is currently reserved for four-star St. Louis native Jeremiah McClellan. On Sunday, Ohio State got one step closer to adding him to its already stacked class when McClellan released his top five schools.
Joining the Buckeyes still in the running for the 6-foot pass-catcher are Georgia, LSU, Missouri and Oregon. Listed as the No. 18 WR and the No. 108 player in the country overall, Ohio State has long been thought of as the favorite in this race, and both Crystal Ball predictions for McClellan are in favor of OSU — though, for what it’s worth, both of those came back in early April.
In speaking on each of his top five schools, McClellan had the following to say about Ohio State:
“That’s just Coach Hartline. Everything, when you go there you have to earn everything, nothing is given to you. Their receiver corps and how good they are and how they get them to the league. That’s really one of my biggest things.”
He also added that Ohio State, Oregon and LSU are the true top contenders right now, though he made a point to clarify that his mind is not fully made up just yet. He made official visits to all three schools in June.
Things could always change between now and whenever McClellan does make his decision official, but right now Hartline has to like where he’s at with the Christian Brothers Academy product. There is not yet a date set for his commitment, but McClellan hinted that it could come as soon as August.
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Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2024 four-star WR Jeremiah McClellan | Tom Loy, 247Sports
The Buckeyes are looking to round out their wide receiver haul with one last big addition.
Brian Hartline has been one of if not the most dominant force on the recruiting trail over the last several years. The former Ohio State wide receiver is now in charge of that very same room at his alma mater, and he has shown off his ability to both recruit and develop wide receivers as the best in the business time and time again.
Whether it be the numerous five-stars he’s hauled in among the likes of Garrett Wilson, Julian Fleming, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Emeka Egbuka, a high four-star like Marvin Harrison Jr. or even a three-star like Chris Olave, all of them are set up for success with the Buckeyes in large part because of the work Hartline is doing. He has helped Ohio State produce three first-round NFL Draft picks at the position in just the last two years, with two more almost certainly on the way in the 2024 NFL Draft.
As you could imagine, receivers are taking notice, and the rich continue to get richer as the Buckeyes continue to collect the nation’s top talent at wideout. In just these last two recruiting classes alone, Ohio State has earned commitments from five top-10 players at he position. That includes this 2024 haul, which currently has the No. 1 and No. 6 WR in the class in Jeremiah Smith and Mylan Graham, respectively. Even still, Hartline is not done.
The Buckeyes have one more target at the top of their board as they look to land three receivers in this cycle, and that spot is currently reserved for four-star St. Louis native Jeremiah McClellan. On Sunday, Ohio State got one step closer to adding him to its already stacked class when McClellan released his top five schools.
BREAKING: Four-Star WR Jeremiah McClellan is down toSchools!
The 6’1 190 WR from Saint Louis, MO is ranked as a Top 95 Player in the ‘24 Class
Where Should He Go? https://t.co/3UJtLn7BJt pic.twitter.com/KTivb7dzNv
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) July 16, 2023
Joining the Buckeyes still in the running for the 6-foot pass-catcher are Georgia, LSU, Missouri and Oregon. Listed as the No. 18 WR and the No. 108 player in the country overall, Ohio State has long been thought of as the favorite in this race, and both Crystal Ball predictions for McClellan are in favor of OSU — though, for what it’s worth, both of those came back in early April.
In speaking on each of his top five schools, McClellan had the following to say about Ohio State:
“That’s just Coach Hartline. Everything, when you go there you have to earn everything, nothing is given to you. Their receiver corps and how good they are and how they get them to the league. That’s really one of my biggest things.”
He also added that Ohio State, Oregon and LSU are the true top contenders right now, though he made a point to clarify that his mind is not fully made up just yet. He made official visits to all three schools in June.
Things could always change between now and whenever McClellan does make his decision official, but right now Hartline has to like where he’s at with the Christian Brothers Academy product. There is not yet a date set for his commitment, but McClellan hinted that it could come as soon as August.
Quick Hits
- Five-star 2025 wide receiver Jaime Ffrench has announced that he is set to make his commitment on July 22. The 6-foot-2 Florida native will be choosing between a top five that includes Ohio State alongside Alabama, Florida State, Notre Dame and Penn State. While the Buckeyes are technically in the running here, it appears that it will be the Crimson Tide that winds up landing Ffrench. Ffrench is the No. 4 WR and No. 13 overall player in the next cycle.
BREAKING: 4-star WR Jaime Ffrench Jr. will announce his college commitment LIVE on 247Sports.
Ffrench is the No. 31 overall ranked prospect in the 2025 class.@jaimeffrenchjr x #CommitHQ
: July 22 - 2:45PM ET
: https://t.co/EOqELaudd2 pic.twitter.com/k1eDTFL1rc
— 247Sports (@247Sports) July 15, 2023
- Ohio State is set to host its annual big recruiting weekend dubbed ‘SummerFest’ on July 28. The visitor list is sure to be filled with some of the nation’s premier prospects, but this weekend we learned of two specific names that will be in attendance. Per Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts, 2025 five-star corner Devin Sanchez and 2025 four-star tight end Luka Gilbert are both set to be in Columbus for the festivities. Sanchez is the No. 2 CB and No. 7 player overall in the class, while Gilbert is the No. 2 player in Ohio and the No. 4 TE overall.
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