Captain Buckeye said:

As many might seem to notice I’m a bit nervous for this one.

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I have noticed that, and it’s so unlike you.

Onebuckfan said:

We need to take the ball first if the 3 and out is greater than a 50per cent probability. I’d rather get it out of the way before our opponent scores. I think it’s fugazi that the strategy is try different things rather than score.

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Normally I like to start with the ball (worse thing that can happen is you don’t score) but this is a game where I hope we take defense first.

Put their worst unit on the field with an amped up crowd. Also if that does happen and they score that’s not uncommon as they have scored on their first possession vs us the last 4 times we’ve played.

bucknut11 said:

Pardon my ignorance, but how is defending NCAA champ Mendez ranked #2?

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More competition with weight changes but it is all subjective. Let them wrestle and it all sorts out at the top. But I get what you are saying.

Onebuckfan said:

We need to take the ball first if the 3 and out is greater than a 50per cent probability. I’d rather get it out of the way before our opponent scores. I think it’s fugazi that the strategy is try different things rather than score.

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Again who said anything about not trying to score? You're inventing shit no one is saying

As for the rest of it, that's why you're on a message board and not in the booth.

Mike80 said:

Ehh...you guys are worrying too much about what TCUN is gonna do rather than what Ohio State will do to TCUN.

They have a defense that is decent but it's not on the level it was last year, especially in the secondary. Ohio State has the receivers to exploit that.

Don't to stupid stuff like run into 8 man boxes. And if you run RPOs, make sure they are blocked properly. One thing that has entirely disappeared the past couple weeks is the RPO "key" screens. I want to say they've run it twice since the Ped State game. There's absolutely a reason for that and it's not because it wasn't working....

Ohio State has an offensive skill set to make teams have to prepare for everything. I'm convinced the "slow starts" everyone whines about is a product of Kelly figuring out what the defense is keying on given a few basic looks early on. Given the track record of the coach calling the plays and the results we've seen, I do sincerely hope the strategy I'm thinking is there is actually there, because it has been working very well.

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Agree 100%, especially the part about not running into 8 man boxes. We have the advantage at every matchup between their DBs and our WRs so take the easy wins.

Obviously still run the ball but if it’s not there I hope we transition quickly to a pass first approach which should open the run. Besides Will Howard is very good early in games other than his Penn State start.

An underrated part of this game is stopping the tendency to miss opportunities in big games this year. We had the opportunity to go up multiple scores vs Oregon and couldn’t get it done. We threw a pick 6 and fumbled the ball for a touchback vs Penn State, and then had two opportunities vs IU in the red zone go for no points too.

have to capitalize on our opportunities.

As many might seem to notice I’m a bit nervous for this one. Despite the clear advantages we have the last few years and the 90s weigh on me quite a bit. You have to think TCUN might have a level of confidence vs OSU now and likewise we might have some doubts. That’s exactly why we need to do everything we can to hit them hard early and put the game away as quickly as possible.

Mike80 said:

Ehh...you guys are worrying too much about what TCUN is gonna do rather than what Ohio State will do to TCUN.

They have a defense that is decent but it's not on the level it was last year, especially in the secondary. Ohio State has the receivers to exploit that.

Don't to stupid stuff like run into 8 man boxes. And if you run RPOs, make sure they are blocked properly. One thing that has entirely disappeared the past couple weeks is the RPO "key" screens. I want to say they've run it twice since the Ped State game. There's absolutely a reason for that and it's not because it wasn't working....

Ohio State has an offensive skill set to make teams have to prepare for everything. I'm convinced the "slow starts" everyone whines about is a product of Kelly figuring out what the defense is keying on given a few basic looks early on. Given the track record of the coach calling the plays and the results we've seen, I do sincerely hope the strategy I'm thinking is there is actually there, because it has been working very well.

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We need to take the ball first if the 3 and out is greater than a 50per cent probability. I’d rather get it out of the way before our opponent scores. I think it’s fugazi that the strategy is try different things rather than score.

BB73 said:

And on defense, commit to stopping the run like was done against Iowa. I‘m expecting a third LB to be used frequently, and wouldn’t be surprised at some occasional 5-man fronts. We need to prevent them from stringing together first downs with their running game, shortening the game, and wearing down the starting D-Line.

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I think so too. And I think you'll see Downs (primarily) playing a lot closer to the line this week with Ransom doing a lot of single high safety type stuff. Make them make you get out of it by passing well (which they can't do)...stuff like that.

bucknut11 said:

Pardon my ignorance, but how is defending NCAA champ Mendez ranked #2?

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National champ in front of him. I disagree too...

Mike80 said:

Ehh...you guys are worrying too much about what TCUN is gonna do rather than what Ohio State will do to TCUN.

They have a defense that is decent but it's not on the level it was last year, especially in the secondary. Ohio State has the receivers to exploit that.

Don't to stupid stuff like run into 8 man boxes. And if you run RPOs, make sure they are blocked properly. One thing that has entirely disappeared the past couple weeks is the RPO "key" screens. I want to say they've run it twice since the Ped State game. There's absolutely a reason for that and it's not because it wasn't working....

Ohio State has an offensive skill set to make teams have to prepare for everything. I'm convinced the "slow starts" everyone whines about is a product of Kelly figuring out what the defense is keying on given a few basic looks early on. Given the track record of the coach calling the plays and the results we've seen, I do sincerely hope the strategy I'm thinking is there is actually there, because it has been working very well.

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And on defense, commit to stopping the run like was done against Iowa. I‘m expecting a third LB to be used frequently, and wouldn’t be surprised at some occasional 5-man fronts. We need to prevent them from stringing together first downs with their running game, shortening the game, and wearing down the starting D-Line.

Ehh...you guys are worrying too much about what TCUN is gonna do rather than what Ohio State will do to TCUN.

They have a defense that is decent but it's not on the level it was last year, especially in the secondary. Ohio State has the receivers to exploit that.

Don't to stupid stuff like run into 8 man boxes. And if you run RPOs, make sure they are blocked properly. One thing that has entirely disappeared the past couple weeks is the RPO "key" screens. I want to say they've run it twice since the Ped State game. There's absolutely a reason for that and it's not because it wasn't working....

Ohio State has an offensive skill set to make teams have to prepare for everything. I'm convinced the "slow starts" everyone whines about is a product of Kelly figuring out what the defense is keying on given a few basic looks early on. Given the track record of the coach calling the plays and the results we've seen, I do sincerely hope the strategy I'm thinking is there is actually there, because it has been working very well.

Buckeneye said:

Starts in the trenches.

Up front against Grant, can't let him win. Good news is that he doesn't look great against Zone stretch. Gets reached one too many times. Downside is the rest of the weasel front flows and pursues quite well.

Can't let the big man eat like Harmon did in the Oregon game.


You've got The 'Shoe, you'll have the crowd noise. Be methodical, be patient, play field position, absolutely NO turnovers. Let these assholes blink first in a game of chicken, then capitalize on the mistakes and slowly squeeze the life out of them down the stretch.

This is already setting up like a nail biting, patient, war of attrition type Tresselball game.

I struggle to see many points being scored in the 1st half. But I need our corners to be ready to go. Can't help their terrible passing offense by giving them easy yards and cheap flags.

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IMO that’s the last thing you do vs a team like this who struggles to move the ball. You don’t want a nail biting war of attrition.

Come out and smack them in the damned face. Go up on them early 14-0 and they’ll force things which will lead to mistakes and then it’s downhill from there.

They’re the 70+ ranked defense against the pass so we have got to attack them down the field. They’re a good defense but we have matchups everywhere against them at the skill vs their back 7 (especially if Johnson doesn’t play which I have a hunch he will).

As long as we play a clean game with no turnovers and no cheap stupid penalties this shouldn’t be a game by the time the third quarter rolls around. The longer they’re in the game the worse it is for the buckeyes.

Start fast and force TCUN to do things they don’t want to do.

Thump said:

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Folks, this is 56 minutes and 43 seconds well fucking spent. So many great memories in here.

And I hate to contradict Urban, but he said a couple of times last week that this year’s goal-line stand at the Pedsters was the “greatest goal-line stand in Ohio State history”. I believe that doesn’t give enough credit to what the Buckeyes did in The Game in 1972. There are a couple plays from those goal-line plays in 1972 in this glorious set of highlights. Do yourself a favor, find 56 minutes and watch all of this.

RB07OSU said:

Well if NIL is similar, Frye has put development on full display this year and in terms of PT, wide open competition at LT next year and to the point where I think Sanders could legit start as a true frosh at LT if he lives up to the hype. I think part of the battle is just getting the kid out of the south, but glad to hear we made a move.

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It also helps that Tenn has not looked very good against teams with a pulse. Its cute to see them drop 60pts on UTEP or Kent State but they're still not close to winning the SEC. He just watched an IOL(Jackson) who was essentially the 3rd string LT, start at OT and clear the way against the #5 team. While playing next to the 3rd string LG, and the backup OC.

1926Buckeyes said:

Had not heard of him but leading 9th and 2nd including 10th in the 60 yd dash across the whole country is wild. Looks like he could be a legit track athlete if he wanted to be.

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He could be, he plays against pretty good competition overall and everyone looks like they are in slow motion compared to Brown. Probably the fastest OH kid since Teddy Ball Game and that's no joke. Plus he is not just a straight-line speed guy, he has WR skills...needs development but the potential is off the charts.

RhodeIslandBuck said:

I'm expecting this to go somewhat similar to the Iowa game.

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Yeah pretty much right? Similar defense overall ranking wise (TCUN more explosive but Iowa more sound) but Iowa has at least an average offense.

TDunk said:

Tempo these assholes. Plus the CB's are meh. Their offense will run on us. Every team seems to run for yards. Plus our tackling is hit or miss.

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Every team runs on us? You’re mistaking getting run on from giving up yards to dedicate resources to stopping the pass.

Indiana found success late because who the hell runs the ball down 24? They were running into a light box and our back up defensive line. Who cares if they wanted to run the ball there. We gladly gave them numbers to allow them to run the clock out and lose the game. Other than that who else ran on us? Oregon had success but they have weapons at WR, a mobile veteran QB, and have a good OL.

This isn’t IU or Oregon who had good skill and good OLs with QBs who lead the country in efficiency.

This is an average QB on his best day, with a shit OL, and even worse skill out wide. They do not have the weapons to force us out of the box.

The team that TCUN is similar to we shut down (Iowa) until they again were running against our backups.

I think Jim Knowles knows that their walk on QB isn’t beating us down the field. So I expect a heavy emphasis on stopping the run and we will do that.

Besides if they run on us? We likely aren’t winning the game.

pnuts34 said:

From what I've read, the NIL package between Tenn and OSU is very close, "other factors" were why he chose Tenn. Could be early PT, could be development, etc, but things seem to have swung in OSU's direction


I like Porter's breakdown of HS talent. He seems to have a much better gauge of OH talent than anyone else. Especially since he actually goes to games.

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Well if NIL is similar, Frye has put development on full display this year and in terms of PT, wide open competition at LT next year and to the point where I think Sanders could legit start as a true frosh at LT if he lives up to the hype. I think part of the battle is just getting the kid out of the south, but glad to hear we made a move.