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Return To Campus (Movie)
- By ORD_Buckeye
- Buckeye Football
- 5 Replies
I was never aware that this piece of magnificence even existed. TCM is showing movies about college football on Friday nights, and I found this on the TCM channel on my Roku just now. It's set in 1975 and is about a retired guy who goes back to Ohio State (had to leave after his junior year to fight in the deuce) to walk on the football team as a kicker. It was filmed on campus, and there's some great shots of mid 70s Ohio State. I got about 15 minutes in and will finish it tomorrow. It's definitely not Scorsese/Deniro level film making and acting. Hell, I'm not sure that it's exactly 70s drive-in level film making and acting, but it's a great little, unknown piece of Ohio State history. In the intro, Ben Mankiewicz even refers to THE Ohio State University. Anyways, it's on the TCM app until September 28th for anyone interested.
RB Miyan “Chop” Williams (Toronto Argonauts)
- By cdiddy70
- Buckeye Alumni
- 590 Replies
247 Profile
Rivals Profile
HUDL Highlights
Winton Woods (Cincinnati, OH)
Ht: 5'10"
Wt: 210 lbs
Class: 2020 (High School)
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Some consiglieres I trust really like him.
Our TB recruiting is all over the place.
I trust we will get 1 or 2 good ones albeit not necessarily highly rated.
But productive TB’s come in all shapes and sizes. Many of which are not ratings heroes.
Rivals Profile
HUDL Highlights
Winton Woods (Cincinnati, OH)
Ht: 5'10"
Wt: 210 lbs
Class: 2020 (High School)
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Some consiglieres I trust really like him.
Our TB recruiting is all over the place.
I trust we will get 1 or 2 good ones albeit not necessarily highly rated.
But productive TB’s come in all shapes and sizes. Many of which are not ratings heroes.
2021 TX DE Landon Jackson (LSU Verbal)
- By HotMic
- Football Recruiting
- 26 Replies
247 Profile
Rivals Profile
HUDL Profile
Texarkana (TX) Pleasant Grove High School
Defensive End
6-6
240 lbs
Class of 2021
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HUDL Profile
Texarkana (TX) Pleasant Grove High School
Defensive End
6-6
240 lbs
Class of 2021
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2021 MI OL Caleb Tiernan (Northwestern Verbal)
- By HotMic
- Football Recruiting
- 21 Replies
247 Profile
Rivals Profile
HUDL Profile
Livonia (MI) Detroit Country Day High School
Offensive Line
6-7
265
Class of 2021
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HUDL Profile
Livonia (MI) Detroit Country Day High School
Offensive Line
6-7
265
Class of 2021
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2021 TX WR Ketron Jackson (Arkansas Verbal)
- By HotMic
- Football Recruiting
- 0 Replies
247 Profile
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HUDL Profile
Royce City (TX) Royce City High School
Wide Receiver
6-1
175 lbs
Class of 2021
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Royce City (TX) Royce City High School
Wide Receiver
6-1
175 lbs
Class of 2021
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FL RB Kaytron Allen (PSU Verbal)
- By HotMic
- College Football
- 9 Replies
247 Profile
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HUDL Profile
Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy
Running Back
5-11
194 lbs
Class of 2022
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HUDL Profile
Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy
Running Back
5-11
194 lbs
Class of 2022
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2021 TX WR JoJo Earle (LSU Verbal)
- By HotMic
- Football Recruiting
- 1 Replies
247 Profile
Rivals Profile
HUDL Profile
Aledo (TX) Aledo High School
Wide Receiver
5-9
170 lbs
Class of 2021
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HUDL Profile
Aledo (TX) Aledo High School
Wide Receiver
5-9
170 lbs
Class of 2021
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RB TreVeyon Henderson (National Champion, New England Patriots)
- By HotMic
- Buckeye Alumni
- 1420 Replies
247 Profile
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HUDL Profile
Hopewell (VA) Hopewell High School
Athlete
5-10
190 lbs
Class of 2021
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HUDL Profile
Hopewell (VA) Hopewell High School
Athlete
5-10
190 lbs
Class of 2021
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2021 TN TE Hudson Wolfe (Tennessee Decommit, Ole Miss Commit)
- By HotMic
- Football Recruiting
- 71 Replies
247 Profile
Rivals Profile
HUDL Profile
Savannah (TN) Hardin Co. High School
Tight End
6-6
243 lbs
Class of 2021
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HUDL Profile
Savannah (TN) Hardin Co. High School
Tight End
6-6
243 lbs
Class of 2021
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Anyone else miss shiny pants (and 90's uniforms in general)?
- Buckeye Football
- 12 Replies
Random thread but I'm curious if anyone else misses the dome-shaped helmets, big shoulder pads, and shiny pants from the 1990s? The style of those uniforms was honestly a big reason I was drawn to the sport as a kid. I thought they looked like gladiators. I'm still not used to the revo helmets and think they look like ass quite frankly. Also, I don't like how every team's pants look so dull. Am I alone on this?
I know the Steven Jackson pic was early-00's but it still featured those elements I talked about.
I know the Steven Jackson pic was early-00's but it still featured those elements I talked about.
MotS&G MOTSAG Conference Progress Rep
- News
- 0 Replies
MOTSAG Conference Progress Rep
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
I will be trying something new, but I think it’ll be another fun way to take the MOTSAG faithful into a whole new stratosphere with our new Conference Progress Report. Here we will take a look at the Big 10 Conference as a whole and grade each team from week to week. I may or may not take a stab at teams outside of the Big 10 and grade other conferences as well, but let’s focus on the Big 10 first.
#1: Wisconsin Badgers (2-0)
The Wisconsin Badgers have been a force to be reckoned with and in two games they have outscored opponents 110-0. In week 3 they are on a bye, but I will still have them ahead of our beloved Buckeyes for the time being at least. As much as I want to place them ahead, I cannot overlook the fact that they have yet to give up any points.
They look like a well-oiled machine and until someone knocks them off of their perch, I feel the need to leave them because technically they are perfect in the sense that they haven’t given up a point and they haven’t shown any weakness up to this point. They have the weapons to give other teams fits so for now, they sit as the top team in the Big 10. They also have Michigan at home so things could change.
#2: Ohio State Buckeyes (3-0)
As much as I want to put them at the top, I am not prepared to at this point. It’s not that I am doubting them, I am pretty proud of this team so far, but they are sort of an unfinished product at this point. Yes, they have outscored opponents 138-31, but they need more time to develop.
The defense is terrific and they are very disruptive, and the tackling is definitely better, but I like they could improve a little bit more. Sacks are always going to be a thing for this years team, but I want consistency with getting turnovers. The pick-six from Arnette was a sight for sore eyes, but if they can become a little more consistent with takeaways, I will move them up accordingly.
#3: Penn State Nittany Lions (3-0)
Okay, they barely skimmed by Pitt in a rivalry game, but they managed to pull it off. No harm, no foul on their part and I won’t penalize them for being tested. They have been a terror on offense and they have outscored opponents 141-30.
They showed their grit in week three and their defense answered the call to stop Pitt. They are disruptive, but if challenged with the right pressure, they looked somewhat beatable. Penn State always has weapons on offense, so they cannot be taken lightly, but they’re a solid team that could make noise.
#4: Iowa Hawkeyes (3-0)
The Iowa Hawkeyes were also tested against a feisty Iowa State team, but luck played its hand at the end of this one with one of the most dreadful punt return sequences I’ve seen in a while.
Lady luck certainly favored the Hawkeyes in this battle for the Cy-Hawk Trophy, but they too were tested. Their offense took a step back and only managed 18 points, but a win is a win and they’ve been outscoring opponents 86-31. They aren’t as flashy as the top three but their system grinds teams down and they just win.
#5: Michigan Wolverines (2-0)
The hype train ran rampant throughout the and guess who started feeling themselves a little too early on into the season? Yup, you guessed it, the Team Up North definitely thought they would destroy teams cause of their talent alone, but no one got the memo that your Offensive Coordinator would need some time to adjust to the team as well.
Yes, he came from Alabama but come on it won’t work out that fast. They showed their potential against Middle Tennessee, but against Army, they barely escaped at home. They too are on a bye week, but with a trip to Madison on the horizon, we will see exactly what this team can do.
#6: Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-1)
Okay, some might feel like they are too high, but they can be that Big 10 West team that comes out of nowhere at home and guess who the Buckeyes play in week 5? I think highly of them because they have everything I need in a team. A speedy quarterback and a Blackshirt defense that should pose a challenge, especially since it’s a home game.
An explosive offense and a good defense are enough to keep me anxious, but since a lowly Colorado team could squeak out a win against this team, who knows. They travel to Illinois but they took it on the chin, so they may use them as a tune-up to prepare for Ohio State.
#7: Michigan State Spartans (2-1)
Michigan State appeared to have it all in the bag, but another bad loss to a young Arizona State team, this time at home, I cannot help but feel robbed at this point. They have a stifling defense, but the offense looks a bit outdated and boring.
They have been the thorn on Ohio State’s side for a little bit and this gets me pumped for the upcoming clash in Columbus, but they must defeat Northwestern in Evansville. They seem to be getting into their usual groove so we may see another good win for the Spartans or another tough loss.
#8: Northwestern Wildcats (1-1)
The Northwestern Wildcats took an early loss to Stanford and they looked like they had regressed. They beat UNLV and looked better offensively. They play a Spartans team that took a bad loss to Arizona State and even they are at home, they could get taken out.
Their defense is still the same disciplined team, but their offense is inconsistent. With Thorson leaving for the NFL, they look confused and they are not as explosive as the Cardiac Cats of old. They need to find an identity soon, but we will see if they can survive a clash with the Spartans.
#9: Minnesota Golden Gophers (3-0)
Don’t let the undefeated tag fool you, this team is very inconsistent and they have barely managed to avoid losses to South Dakota State, Fresno State, and wait for it… Georgia Southern. The common denominator is they won by the skin of their teeth, by a single score.
Sure, a win is a win and they managed to skim by, but come on. They should be able to be more consistent, but the talent is still trying to gel together. I get that, but I cannot help but feel like they should be a little bit better than what they are showing.
#10: Maryland Terrapins (2-1)
Fools gold! What was a high-octane offense, but they just flopped against Temple in a rivalry game in Philadelphia. Their offense was fine, but their defense has been atrocious. If they can run teams out of the stadium. they’ll be fine. If not, then they look completely beatable.
This team is improved and they did take the Buckeyes to the absolute limit a season ago. So they did they just run out of steam or have they peaked as a team too early into the season? Either way, they have a bye to figure it out before hosting Penn State.
#11: Indiana Hoosiers (2-1)
So the Hoosiers ran into a buzzsaw and they were trounced at home. They had two convincing wins against lesser teams, but it is evident that they aren’t ready for big boy football against more elite teams.
They stood no chance against a gritty Buckeye squad who is on a mission. Looking ahead, they need to refocus their efforts and recover against UConn. The jury is still out, but I believe Indiana can turn it around.
#12: Purdue Boilermakers (1-2)
The last team to upset the Buckeyes has struggled to produce wins against Nevada and TCU, but the most recent loss isn’t a bad one in my opinion. They could certainly rebound against a lowly Minnesota team that has managed to skim by.
Up to this point, the Boilermakers have been off and the jury is still out on this team. Their schedule looks pretty tough and they could have a bad season if things don’t change soon. For now, they are underachieving and they could sneak up on a few teams.
#13: Rutgers Scarlet Knights (1-1)
Well, the Scarlet Knights have been a tad bit better this season before they played Iowa. Either way, they look to be an improved team so far, but they very well might be the same old Rutgers team.
They have a tough schedule as well and they could struggle to make a bowl game once again. Unless they can sneak up on a couple of unsuspecting teams, but at this point, it is very doubtful. This team has some moxie and they can be explosive against the right opponent.
#14: Illinois Fighting Illini (2-1)
So Lovie Smith will have a hard time coming back from a bad loss against Eastern Michigan. Sure, he is 2-1 but he has to get his team back after such a devastating loss. It won’t be easy against Nebraska, but like the previous three or four, it might not be easy in the Big 10 schedule.
In what could be his last season, Smith would need a miracle to save his job. He would have to beat a good team or win all of his rivalry games before the end of the season. They should be relieved that Illibuck isn’t on the docket, but they could still mess it up for themselves.
Continue reading...
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
I will be trying something new, but I think it’ll be another fun way to take the MOTSAG faithful into a whole new stratosphere with our new Conference Progress Report. Here we will take a look at the Big 10 Conference as a whole and grade each team from week to week. I may or may not take a stab at teams outside of the Big 10 and grade other conferences as well, but let’s focus on the Big 10 first.
#1: Wisconsin Badgers (2-0)
The Wisconsin Badgers have been a force to be reckoned with and in two games they have outscored opponents 110-0. In week 3 they are on a bye, but I will still have them ahead of our beloved Buckeyes for the time being at least. As much as I want to place them ahead, I cannot overlook the fact that they have yet to give up any points.
They look like a well-oiled machine and until someone knocks them off of their perch, I feel the need to leave them because technically they are perfect in the sense that they haven’t given up a point and they haven’t shown any weakness up to this point. They have the weapons to give other teams fits so for now, they sit as the top team in the Big 10. They also have Michigan at home so things could change.
As much as I want to put them at the top, I am not prepared to at this point. It’s not that I am doubting them, I am pretty proud of this team so far, but they are sort of an unfinished product at this point. Yes, they have outscored opponents 138-31, but they need more time to develop.
The defense is terrific and they are very disruptive, and the tackling is definitely better, but I like they could improve a little bit more. Sacks are always going to be a thing for this years team, but I want consistency with getting turnovers. The pick-six from Arnette was a sight for sore eyes, but if they can become a little more consistent with takeaways, I will move them up accordingly.
Okay, they barely skimmed by Pitt in a rivalry game, but they managed to pull it off. No harm, no foul on their part and I won’t penalize them for being tested. They have been a terror on offense and they have outscored opponents 141-30.
They showed their grit in week three and their defense answered the call to stop Pitt. They are disruptive, but if challenged with the right pressure, they looked somewhat beatable. Penn State always has weapons on offense, so they cannot be taken lightly, but they’re a solid team that could make noise.
The Iowa Hawkeyes were also tested against a feisty Iowa State team, but luck played its hand at the end of this one with one of the most dreadful punt return sequences I’ve seen in a while.
Lady luck certainly favored the Hawkeyes in this battle for the Cy-Hawk Trophy, but they too were tested. Their offense took a step back and only managed 18 points, but a win is a win and they’ve been outscoring opponents 86-31. They aren’t as flashy as the top three but their system grinds teams down and they just win.
The hype train ran rampant throughout the and guess who started feeling themselves a little too early on into the season? Yup, you guessed it, the Team Up North definitely thought they would destroy teams cause of their talent alone, but no one got the memo that your Offensive Coordinator would need some time to adjust to the team as well.
Yes, he came from Alabama but come on it won’t work out that fast. They showed their potential against Middle Tennessee, but against Army, they barely escaped at home. They too are on a bye week, but with a trip to Madison on the horizon, we will see exactly what this team can do.
Okay, some might feel like they are too high, but they can be that Big 10 West team that comes out of nowhere at home and guess who the Buckeyes play in week 5? I think highly of them because they have everything I need in a team. A speedy quarterback and a Blackshirt defense that should pose a challenge, especially since it’s a home game.
An explosive offense and a good defense are enough to keep me anxious, but since a lowly Colorado team could squeak out a win against this team, who knows. They travel to Illinois but they took it on the chin, so they may use them as a tune-up to prepare for Ohio State.
#7: Michigan State Spartans (2-1)
Michigan State appeared to have it all in the bag, but another bad loss to a young Arizona State team, this time at home, I cannot help but feel robbed at this point. They have a stifling defense, but the offense looks a bit outdated and boring.
They have been the thorn on Ohio State’s side for a little bit and this gets me pumped for the upcoming clash in Columbus, but they must defeat Northwestern in Evansville. They seem to be getting into their usual groove so we may see another good win for the Spartans or another tough loss.
The Northwestern Wildcats took an early loss to Stanford and they looked like they had regressed. They beat UNLV and looked better offensively. They play a Spartans team that took a bad loss to Arizona State and even they are at home, they could get taken out.
Their defense is still the same disciplined team, but their offense is inconsistent. With Thorson leaving for the NFL, they look confused and they are not as explosive as the Cardiac Cats of old. They need to find an identity soon, but we will see if they can survive a clash with the Spartans.
Don’t let the undefeated tag fool you, this team is very inconsistent and they have barely managed to avoid losses to South Dakota State, Fresno State, and wait for it… Georgia Southern. The common denominator is they won by the skin of their teeth, by a single score.
Sure, a win is a win and they managed to skim by, but come on. They should be able to be more consistent, but the talent is still trying to gel together. I get that, but I cannot help but feel like they should be a little bit better than what they are showing.
Fools gold! What was a high-octane offense, but they just flopped against Temple in a rivalry game in Philadelphia. Their offense was fine, but their defense has been atrocious. If they can run teams out of the stadium. they’ll be fine. If not, then they look completely beatable.
This team is improved and they did take the Buckeyes to the absolute limit a season ago. So they did they just run out of steam or have they peaked as a team too early into the season? Either way, they have a bye to figure it out before hosting Penn State.
So the Hoosiers ran into a buzzsaw and they were trounced at home. They had two convincing wins against lesser teams, but it is evident that they aren’t ready for big boy football against more elite teams.
They stood no chance against a gritty Buckeye squad who is on a mission. Looking ahead, they need to refocus their efforts and recover against UConn. The jury is still out, but I believe Indiana can turn it around.
The last team to upset the Buckeyes has struggled to produce wins against Nevada and TCU, but the most recent loss isn’t a bad one in my opinion. They could certainly rebound against a lowly Minnesota team that has managed to skim by.
Up to this point, the Boilermakers have been off and the jury is still out on this team. Their schedule looks pretty tough and they could have a bad season if things don’t change soon. For now, they are underachieving and they could sneak up on a few teams.
Well, the Scarlet Knights have been a tad bit better this season before they played Iowa. Either way, they look to be an improved team so far, but they very well might be the same old Rutgers team.
They have a tough schedule as well and they could struggle to make a bowl game once again. Unless they can sneak up on a couple of unsuspecting teams, but at this point, it is very doubtful. This team has some moxie and they can be explosive against the right opponent.
So Lovie Smith will have a hard time coming back from a bad loss against Eastern Michigan. Sure, he is 2-1 but he has to get his team back after such a devastating loss. It won’t be easy against Nebraska, but like the previous three or four, it might not be easy in the Big 10 schedule.
In what could be his last season, Smith would need a miracle to save his job. He would have to beat a good team or win all of his rivalry games before the end of the season. They should be relieved that Illibuck isn’t on the docket, but they could still mess it up for themselves.
Continue reading...
MotS&G The Ohio State Buckeyes (3-0, BIG 1-0)defeat The Indiana Hoosiers (2-1, BIG 0-1)
- News
- 0 Replies
The Ohio State Buckeyes (3-0, BIG 1-0)defeat The Indiana Hoosiers (2-1, BIG 0-1)
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
In Justin Fields’ first true road game in the Big 10, he did well enough to help his team secure another win for the Buckeyes. Sure, he left some throws on the field, but at this point, we need to give him time as fans to adjust to the speed in just his third start. In the first three games, he has flashed and he continues to learn as the season ages, but we all have to love what he has flashed so far. He has yet to throw a pick and he has been efficient racking up 657 yards through the air and 9 scores. He is also pretty darn fast, but with Dobbins sharing the backfield, he doesn’t feel pressured to take off, but he has a respectable 114 yards and 4 rushing scores on the ground.
Against the Hoosiers, it was evidently an off game. He had a good performance, but he openly admitted that it wasn’t on par of what he expects of himself and what he is capable of. He was accurate when he had time, but when the Hoosiers brought the pressure and mix of his throwing mechanics caused the ball to sail high or he would miss the frame of the open receiver, but it is all about growing more comfortable when pressured in the pocket. Let’s not kid ourselves by saying that he is not having a productive season because he certainly is lighting it up and doing so in a perfectly balanced offense.
His backfield partner J.K. Dobbins also had himself a game against this Hoosier defense. He broke their will and also seemed to be breaking tackles at will while en route to a season-high 193-yard rushing performance highlighted by the 56-yard score as he bounced off of would-be defenders before finding the endzone. Even Dobbins’ backup Master Teague had himself a game as well. He played well while spelling Dobbins and he finished with 10 rushes for 106 yards and a touchdown. He too broke off a long 40-yard run toward the endzone.
One of the more underrated groups that have played well beyond anyone’s expectations to me would be the Slobs on the offensive line. They have been the glue that sparks this potent offensive attack and it is nice to see this group dominate up to this point. Thayer Munford has been playing lights out, the trio of internal linemen in Jackson, Myers, and Davis have been aggressive and have been mauling opposing defensive players, and my favorite out of the bunch Brandon Bowen is picking up where he left off before being lost for the season due to a leg injury two seasons ago. He is a lead by example type of leader and he has been showing it this season.
The Buckeye defense has been lights out as well and what an exciting time to be a Buckeye fan? They have been dominant and the coaches have found an identity and it is showing this season. In one of the worst defensive display in 2018, they would constantly get gashed with trick plays, splash plays, and even with swing passes, slants, and screens, but this defense is really playing with a swagger that we all have craved for. Better tackling, very few big plays, constant pressure on the opposing quarterbacks, sacks, and they are stuffing the run have been a sight for sore eyes and what better exclamation point that the pick-six in the red zone by Damon Arnette? He took it back and it brought us all back to the times where the team thrived and excelled at turning defense to offense.
Yes, all is well in the Buckeye Kingdom and it has been one hell of a ride, but Indiana, Cincinnati, and FAU are small samples of the teams potential. Up next is Miami (OH) and yes, they will be another small sample and I think it’ll be another stellar offensive show, but at this point, Ohio State’s depth and talent are showing up and beating these teams up. Don’t get me wrong, I love everything I have seen so far, they were a little inconsistent in week 1, they look motivated and earned that shutout in week 2, and week three, they exploited the talent gap and in week 4 it looks to be the same.
For now, we should enjoy the balance and the early part of the schedule. The fireworks have given us a glimpse of what they are capable of and they can definitely use the momentum before returning to the conference games. The non-conference slate hasn’t been that competitive, but since TCU backed out, they need to make sure they do not play to the opponents level and just impose your will against these other teams and just enjoy the ride. The goals for this team will always remain high, but let us take it a single game at a time.
Continue reading...
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
In Justin Fields’ first true road game in the Big 10, he did well enough to help his team secure another win for the Buckeyes. Sure, he left some throws on the field, but at this point, we need to give him time as fans to adjust to the speed in just his third start. In the first three games, he has flashed and he continues to learn as the season ages, but we all have to love what he has flashed so far. He has yet to throw a pick and he has been efficient racking up 657 yards through the air and 9 scores. He is also pretty darn fast, but with Dobbins sharing the backfield, he doesn’t feel pressured to take off, but he has a respectable 114 yards and 4 rushing scores on the ground.
Against the Hoosiers, it was evidently an off game. He had a good performance, but he openly admitted that it wasn’t on par of what he expects of himself and what he is capable of. He was accurate when he had time, but when the Hoosiers brought the pressure and mix of his throwing mechanics caused the ball to sail high or he would miss the frame of the open receiver, but it is all about growing more comfortable when pressured in the pocket. Let’s not kid ourselves by saying that he is not having a productive season because he certainly is lighting it up and doing so in a perfectly balanced offense.
His backfield partner J.K. Dobbins also had himself a game against this Hoosier defense. He broke their will and also seemed to be breaking tackles at will while en route to a season-high 193-yard rushing performance highlighted by the 56-yard score as he bounced off of would-be defenders before finding the endzone. Even Dobbins’ backup Master Teague had himself a game as well. He played well while spelling Dobbins and he finished with 10 rushes for 106 yards and a touchdown. He too broke off a long 40-yard run toward the endzone.
One of the more underrated groups that have played well beyond anyone’s expectations to me would be the Slobs on the offensive line. They have been the glue that sparks this potent offensive attack and it is nice to see this group dominate up to this point. Thayer Munford has been playing lights out, the trio of internal linemen in Jackson, Myers, and Davis have been aggressive and have been mauling opposing defensive players, and my favorite out of the bunch Brandon Bowen is picking up where he left off before being lost for the season due to a leg injury two seasons ago. He is a lead by example type of leader and he has been showing it this season.
The Buckeye defense has been lights out as well and what an exciting time to be a Buckeye fan? They have been dominant and the coaches have found an identity and it is showing this season. In one of the worst defensive display in 2018, they would constantly get gashed with trick plays, splash plays, and even with swing passes, slants, and screens, but this defense is really playing with a swagger that we all have craved for. Better tackling, very few big plays, constant pressure on the opposing quarterbacks, sacks, and they are stuffing the run have been a sight for sore eyes and what better exclamation point that the pick-six in the red zone by Damon Arnette? He took it back and it brought us all back to the times where the team thrived and excelled at turning defense to offense.
Yes, all is well in the Buckeye Kingdom and it has been one hell of a ride, but Indiana, Cincinnati, and FAU are small samples of the teams potential. Up next is Miami (OH) and yes, they will be another small sample and I think it’ll be another stellar offensive show, but at this point, Ohio State’s depth and talent are showing up and beating these teams up. Don’t get me wrong, I love everything I have seen so far, they were a little inconsistent in week 1, they look motivated and earned that shutout in week 2, and week three, they exploited the talent gap and in week 4 it looks to be the same.
For now, we should enjoy the balance and the early part of the schedule. The fireworks have given us a glimpse of what they are capable of and they can definitely use the momentum before returning to the conference games. The non-conference slate hasn’t been that competitive, but since TCU backed out, they need to make sure they do not play to the opponents level and just impose your will against these other teams and just enjoy the ride. The goals for this team will always remain high, but let us take it a single game at a time.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State has the third-best chance to reach the College Football Playoff
- News
- 0 Replies
Ohio State has the third-best chance to reach the College Football Playoff
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
The AllState Playoff Predictor favors the Buckeyes over other top teams.
Ohio State now has the third-best chance to reach the playoff, per the Allstate Playoff Predictor. And checking in with a 9% shot to reach the CFP is...UCF. pic.twitter.com/C9kgP99Ya9
— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) September 15, 2019
Ohio State has done about all it can do so far this season, knocking off three inferior opponents with ease. While their current rank in the polls still has them locked in at No. 6, the Buckeyes are very much trending upwards, and according to the AllState Playoff Predictor, they have looked like one of the best teams in the nation, coming in with the third-best odds to make the College Football Playoff — behind just Clemson and Alabama.
The Tigers unsurprisingly lead the pack with a 78 percent chance at finishing in a playoff spot, which considering they likely won’t play another ranked team this season makes a ton of sense. Alabama is right behind them at 75 percent, playing a slightly tougher schedule including No. 4 LSU, but with clearly one of the top units in the country. Ohio State somewhat surprisingly has the third-highest odds at 43 percent despite a gauntlet of a remaining schedule, which still includes three top-15 matchups against Wisconsin, Penn State and Michigan.
The Buckeyes have yet to play a real top-tier opponent in 2019, but their performance through their first three games of the season would seem to show they are ready to compete at the highest level. Entering the season with a bunch of unknowns, with a new head coach in Ryan Day and new quarterback in Justin Fields, there have been no signs of a hiccup. The offense is clicking, and a defense that struggled mightily last season has looked dominant in its new system.
There will be a ton of shakeup coming in the rankings moving forward, starting with this week’s matchup between No. 3 Georgia and No. 7 Notre Dame, the first two teams behind OSU in the playoff predictor. Of note, UCF is given better odds than any Pac-12 team with a nine percent chance, just ahead of Oregon at eight percent. Michigan, who began the year as the favorite in the Big Ten, has dropped all the way down to a one percent chance to make the playoff after two lackluster performances.
Tyler Johnson of @GopherFootball and J.K. Dobbins of @OhioStateFB named #B1GFootball Co-Offensive Players of the Week. pic.twitter.com/bAjOBJ1kLl
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) September 16, 2019
Ohio State’s offense under Ryan Day has been constantly improving and very impressive to start the year, with nobody having a bigger performance thus far than J.K. Dobbins’ effort on Saturday against Indiana. After his domination of the Hoosiers this past weekend, Dobbins was named one of the Big Ten’s Co-Offensive Players of the Week, sharing the honor with Minnesota’s Tyler Johnson.
The junior running back racked up 193 rushing yards on 22 attempts with two touchdowns — one rushing and one receiving. It was Dobbins’ second huge performance in Bloomington in as many visits, with a 181-yard effort in his first career start for the Buckeyes at Indiana in 2017. The third-year back had his full skillset on display in this one, breaking tackles, finding the right gaps and leaving defenders in the dust with his burst of speed. Despite his longest run of the day being a 56-yard scamper, his most impressive play on the day was his 26-yard TD in which he broke six or seven tackles en route to the end zone.
Dobbins has already rushed for 425 yards on the season, the most of any player in the Big Ten. The 5-foot-10, 217-pound wrecking ball entered the 2019 season having already amassed the most yards of any Ohio State running back in their first two seasons, with his 2,456 yards through two years surpassing even Archie Griffin’s 2,444 in his first two years in Columbus. If Dobbins is able to put up a third-straight 1,000-yard season — which he is on his way to accomplishing with ease — he would rank third all-time in program history through three years, behind just Griffin and Ezekiel Elliot.
️ NIGHT GAME ALERT
When @OhioStateFB faces off against Nebraska on Saturday, Sept. 28, it'll be under the lights!
Lincoln, Neb.
7:30p ET/6:30p CT
ABChttps://t.co/rYsmttugvf | #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/7nf27b3imH
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) September 16, 2019
A sight that may strike some fear and bad memories into Ohio State fans, the Buckeyes Big Ten battle with Nebraska on Sept. 28 will be a night game, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST in Lincoln.
Coming into the season, this was a game many believed to be the potential Big Ten West trap game that has plagued OSU the past two seasons. While a 3:30 p.m. game wound up an embarrassing blowout defeat at the hands of Iowa in 2017, it was more recently a 7:30 p.m. start that effectively ended the Buckeyes’ season, with a shocking 49-20 defeat on the road to Purdue.
There is certainly reason to be a bit concerned about the Nebraska game this year. The Cornhuskers, in their second year under Scott Frost, will have a ton on the line. After beginning the year ranked, they faltered in an OT loss to Colorado in their second game this season. A win against Ohio State would be a chance to completely change the outlook of the program, and it is almost certainly the Huskers’ most important game of the year. In addition, Nebraska will likely debut their black alternates for the contest, looking to channel the “look good, play good” mantra.
Fortunately for the Buckeyes, things are different this time around. Ryan Day has seen the horrors of what can happen when you play down to an opponent on the road, especially in conference. Ohio State will be on high alert, and looking to do everything possible to avoid another huge letdown to a Big Ten West team. This year’s team looks like it has championship makeup, and they will hope to put that on display with a big win in a hostile environment on the road at night.
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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
The AllState Playoff Predictor favors the Buckeyes over other top teams.
Ohio State now has the third-best chance to reach the playoff, per the Allstate Playoff Predictor. And checking in with a 9% shot to reach the CFP is...UCF. pic.twitter.com/C9kgP99Ya9
— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) September 15, 2019
Ohio State has done about all it can do so far this season, knocking off three inferior opponents with ease. While their current rank in the polls still has them locked in at No. 6, the Buckeyes are very much trending upwards, and according to the AllState Playoff Predictor, they have looked like one of the best teams in the nation, coming in with the third-best odds to make the College Football Playoff — behind just Clemson and Alabama.
The Tigers unsurprisingly lead the pack with a 78 percent chance at finishing in a playoff spot, which considering they likely won’t play another ranked team this season makes a ton of sense. Alabama is right behind them at 75 percent, playing a slightly tougher schedule including No. 4 LSU, but with clearly one of the top units in the country. Ohio State somewhat surprisingly has the third-highest odds at 43 percent despite a gauntlet of a remaining schedule, which still includes three top-15 matchups against Wisconsin, Penn State and Michigan.
The Buckeyes have yet to play a real top-tier opponent in 2019, but their performance through their first three games of the season would seem to show they are ready to compete at the highest level. Entering the season with a bunch of unknowns, with a new head coach in Ryan Day and new quarterback in Justin Fields, there have been no signs of a hiccup. The offense is clicking, and a defense that struggled mightily last season has looked dominant in its new system.
There will be a ton of shakeup coming in the rankings moving forward, starting with this week’s matchup between No. 3 Georgia and No. 7 Notre Dame, the first two teams behind OSU in the playoff predictor. Of note, UCF is given better odds than any Pac-12 team with a nine percent chance, just ahead of Oregon at eight percent. Michigan, who began the year as the favorite in the Big Ten, has dropped all the way down to a one percent chance to make the playoff after two lackluster performances.
Tyler Johnson of @GopherFootball and J.K. Dobbins of @OhioStateFB named #B1GFootball Co-Offensive Players of the Week. pic.twitter.com/bAjOBJ1kLl
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) September 16, 2019
Ohio State’s offense under Ryan Day has been constantly improving and very impressive to start the year, with nobody having a bigger performance thus far than J.K. Dobbins’ effort on Saturday against Indiana. After his domination of the Hoosiers this past weekend, Dobbins was named one of the Big Ten’s Co-Offensive Players of the Week, sharing the honor with Minnesota’s Tyler Johnson.
The junior running back racked up 193 rushing yards on 22 attempts with two touchdowns — one rushing and one receiving. It was Dobbins’ second huge performance in Bloomington in as many visits, with a 181-yard effort in his first career start for the Buckeyes at Indiana in 2017. The third-year back had his full skillset on display in this one, breaking tackles, finding the right gaps and leaving defenders in the dust with his burst of speed. Despite his longest run of the day being a 56-yard scamper, his most impressive play on the day was his 26-yard TD in which he broke six or seven tackles en route to the end zone.
Dobbins has already rushed for 425 yards on the season, the most of any player in the Big Ten. The 5-foot-10, 217-pound wrecking ball entered the 2019 season having already amassed the most yards of any Ohio State running back in their first two seasons, with his 2,456 yards through two years surpassing even Archie Griffin’s 2,444 in his first two years in Columbus. If Dobbins is able to put up a third-straight 1,000-yard season — which he is on his way to accomplishing with ease — he would rank third all-time in program history through three years, behind just Griffin and Ezekiel Elliot.
️ NIGHT GAME ALERT
When @OhioStateFB faces off against Nebraska on Saturday, Sept. 28, it'll be under the lights!
Lincoln, Neb.
7:30p ET/6:30p CTABChttps://t.co/rYsmttugvf | #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/7nf27b3imH
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) September 16, 2019
A sight that may strike some fear and bad memories into Ohio State fans, the Buckeyes Big Ten battle with Nebraska on Sept. 28 will be a night game, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST in Lincoln.
Coming into the season, this was a game many believed to be the potential Big Ten West trap game that has plagued OSU the past two seasons. While a 3:30 p.m. game wound up an embarrassing blowout defeat at the hands of Iowa in 2017, it was more recently a 7:30 p.m. start that effectively ended the Buckeyes’ season, with a shocking 49-20 defeat on the road to Purdue.
There is certainly reason to be a bit concerned about the Nebraska game this year. The Cornhuskers, in their second year under Scott Frost, will have a ton on the line. After beginning the year ranked, they faltered in an OT loss to Colorado in their second game this season. A win against Ohio State would be a chance to completely change the outlook of the program, and it is almost certainly the Huskers’ most important game of the year. In addition, Nebraska will likely debut their black alternates for the contest, looking to channel the “look good, play good” mantra.
Fortunately for the Buckeyes, things are different this time around. Ryan Day has seen the horrors of what can happen when you play down to an opponent on the road, especially in conference. Ohio State will be on high alert, and looking to do everything possible to avoid another huge letdown to a Big Ten West team. This year’s team looks like it has championship makeup, and they will hope to put that on display with a big win in a hostile environment on the road at night.
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LGHL Ohio State fans are very confident in the Buckeyes, while FanPulse keeps them at No. 6
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Ohio State fans are very confident in the Buckeyes, while FanPulse keeps them at No. 6
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ranking stays at No. 6, confidence stays at 100%.
Another week, another Buckeye beat down. While the Ohio State Buckeyes’ 51-10 win over the Indiana Hoosiers didn’t do much to change their standing in the AP, Coaches, or SB Nation FanPulse polls, it certainly helped maintain OSU fans’ confidence in the direction of the program.
As they were in last week’s SB Nation FunPulse Top 25, the Buckeyes sit in sixth, behind No. 1 Clemson, No. 2 Alabama, and No. 3 Georgia. However, following Week 3, Oklahoma and LSU flip-flopped, so that the Tigers are in fourth, and the Sooners in fifth.
However, those numbers look a little different in the Land-Grant Holy Land version of the poll, where the Bucks sit in third behind Clemson and ‘Bama. In the LGHL poll, OSU’s Oct. 26 opponent the Wisconsin Badgers is the second-highest rated Big Ten team coming in at No. 11. TTUN is at 13th (two spots lower than in the national SBN poll), and Penn State is in 14th.
Sign up for the new SB Nation FanPulse Top 25 here
Other B1G teams in the LGHL Top 25 are Iowa (18), somehow Michigan State (22), and Maryland (24); really guys? Oddly, that’s not B1G bias on the last two teams — both of whom lost — to unranked opponents this weekend, because MSU and Maryland came in at the exact same spots in the national poll as well.
Check out both the LGHL and SBN polls below:
The other aspect of the FanPulse survey is for every fan to answer whether or not they are confident in the direction of the program. Not surprisingly, for the second week in a row, every single Ohio State fan surveyed said that they were. Go Bucks!
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19204904/ohio_state_3.jpg)
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Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ranking stays at No. 6, confidence stays at 100%.
Another week, another Buckeye beat down. While the Ohio State Buckeyes’ 51-10 win over the Indiana Hoosiers didn’t do much to change their standing in the AP, Coaches, or SB Nation FanPulse polls, it certainly helped maintain OSU fans’ confidence in the direction of the program.
As they were in last week’s SB Nation FunPulse Top 25, the Buckeyes sit in sixth, behind No. 1 Clemson, No. 2 Alabama, and No. 3 Georgia. However, following Week 3, Oklahoma and LSU flip-flopped, so that the Tigers are in fourth, and the Sooners in fifth.
However, those numbers look a little different in the Land-Grant Holy Land version of the poll, where the Bucks sit in third behind Clemson and ‘Bama. In the LGHL poll, OSU’s Oct. 26 opponent the Wisconsin Badgers is the second-highest rated Big Ten team coming in at No. 11. TTUN is at 13th (two spots lower than in the national SBN poll), and Penn State is in 14th.
Sign up for the new SB Nation FanPulse Top 25 here
Other B1G teams in the LGHL Top 25 are Iowa (18), somehow Michigan State (22), and Maryland (24); really guys? Oddly, that’s not B1G bias on the last two teams — both of whom lost — to unranked opponents this weekend, because MSU and Maryland came in at the exact same spots in the national poll as well.
Check out both the LGHL and SBN polls below:
The other aspect of the FanPulse survey is for every fan to answer whether or not they are confident in the direction of the program. Not surprisingly, for the second week in a row, every single Ohio State fan surveyed said that they were. Go Bucks!
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LGHL The Ohio State Rushing Attack is Here to Take Your Lunch
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- 0 Replies
The Ohio State Rushing Attack is Here to Take Your Lunch
George Eisner via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images
Ryan Day’s offensive diversification has opened up a world of possibilities for the Buckeyes.
Jim Tressell and Urban Meyer played two very different styles of offensive football during their respective tenures as head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes. Tressell stuck to the traditional “three yards and a cloud of dust” mantra that the Big Ten Conference built its brand on, while Meyer was known the world over for bringing spread packages to the highest levels of college football.
However, if there’s one similarity that links the two of them, it’s that each became too predictable with the basic concepts of their offense as time wore on. Tressell leaned far too heavily on the infamous interior runs affectionately known to Buckeye nation as “Dave,” while Meyer’s steady diet of read options continued to define Ohio State on early downs even after J.T. Barrett handed the reigns over to a much slower Dwayne Haskins.
It was reasonable to assume Ryan Day would merely be an extension of Urban Meyer in his own first season as head coach given the sudden regime change, but through three games, Day has shown he’s committed to blending both styles of football that have come to define Ohio State over the last two decades. As a result, Day’s adopted sons of Columbus already look more like Chameleons at this stage than traditional Buckeyes.
Ohio State’s 51-10 drubbing of the Indiana Hoosiers served as the best example of this. After sputtering out on their opening drive and missing a field goal, Justin Fields and company would come out on their next series and proceed to conduct a symphony of offense for the remainder of the half.
Below, they begin their first scoring drive of the day with a solid power run out of a spread formation against a six man front. Wyatt Davis continues to show tremendous lateral movement on pulls, and J.K. Dobbins gets a perfect seal-off block from Jake Hausmann that takes the two remaining tacklers in the box out of the play:
Fields hurries the team back to the line for their next play, and lines up under-center for the next snap. Though Indiana is playing two of their safeties back, their defense in preoccupied with not giving up another respectable gain on the ground after surrendering five yards to Dobbins just a few seconds earlier. This puts them in a very vulnerable position for a play action pass, and although Fields doesn’t give a great throw after getting a clean roll-out, Chris Olave has nearly the entire right side of the field to himself on his comeback route because of Indiana’s anxiety about trying to stop the run:
Fields and Dobbins eventually make their way into the red zone before this beautiful zone running play out of a pistol formation set the Buckeyes up for a first and goal. Indiana stacks the box with an eight man front here and is still powerless to do anything because of the scrum the zone running scheme creates. Josh Myers does a great job of slipping out here to get to the next level and block the Mike linebacker, and although Rashod Berry is late on his assignment, Dobbins is already poised to fall forward for a first down by the time he’s met at the point of attack anyway. The broken tackles are just the icing on the cake:
Indiana’s rushing anxiety would put them on their heels the entire game. The next play served as an excellent example of this despite the fact that Dobbins ended up biffing what would have been the easiest touchdown of his career. Fields comes out under-center again immediately after the Hoosiers just got gashed on the previous play, and all three of Indiana’s Mike/Sam/Jack linebackers take steps in towards Dobbins anticipating an interior run. By the time the switch goes off in their heads that it’s another play action fake, Dobbins has already leaked out to the edge for a walk-in touchdown. Unfortunately, the man came down with a temporary case of Chase Young concrete hands:
From then on, the tone for the game was set. Ohio State continued to use under-center formations with a no-huddle tempo to sucker Indiana into play action fakes that set up the Buckeyes for monster gains. Here’s a play nearly identical to the one that went to Olave earlier that goes to Austin Mack on the same side of the field. This followed a third down conversion on the ground from Dobbins, and while Indiana’s linebackers do a good job this time of not biting on the fake, Fields still has all day to deliver a far more accurate ball to Mack than the previous one to Olave:
Though that drive ultimately resulted in a punt, a similar narrative would emerge shortly after the Buckeyes got the ball back again. Facing a 3rd & short, Ohio State rotates Master Teague III into the game, and Indiana responds by once again stacking the box. The line creates a lovely mess of a zone scrum, Hausmann and Berry get excellent seal-offs on the edge, and Teague is able to rumble comfortably to a first down:
Alright, so at this point, can you guess what Ohio State wants to do on their next play? The Hoosiers are helpless to stop anything on the ground the Buckeyes throw at them, having just given up a third down conversion to a backup running back despite stacking the box. Fields comes out under-center again, hits the defense with a play action fake, and both of Indiana’s safeties are way too eager to play the run on first down. Olave gets a couple of steps on his man-to-man matchup, and suddenly Ohio State has a two score lead:
Wait, wasn’t this article supposed to be about the run game? Well, yes, but it’s important to see the relationship that these play action passes have with respect to keeping the defense honest. Ryan Day’s contextual play-calling eventually forced Indiana to stop selling out before the snap, as seen on Ohio State’s first play of their next series.
Having just blown their responsibilities over the top, Indiana’s cornerbacks focus squarely on their receivers while the safeties ensure their first steps are backwards towards coverage. Ohio State opts for a zone sweep on their first play of this drive, and while Myers and Jonah Jackson do a poor job of communicating to pick up Indiana’s Mike linebacker, Jackson makes up for it by getting to the next level and pancaking the safety. The Mike whiffs on taking down Dobbins in the backfield, and Myers gets enough of a block on his matchup to allow Dobbins to break free of the tackle for a 55+ yard gain:
A short while later came the highlight of the day for the Ohio State offense. Facing 3rd & 6 on the doorstep of the Hoosier redzone with about four minutes left in the half, Ryan Day opted to call another zone sweep to the weakside. This time, the Buckeyes have a trips right that forces the secondary to commit to the strongside, and Indiana shoots themselves in the foot with a delayed lineman shift that sends them away from the direction Dobbins is going.
This allows Myers and Davis to get to the next level immediately, and they both take full advantage of the opportunity. Myers seals-off the Will linebacker on the edge of the line of scrimmage, and Davis takes the Mike linebacker out of the play before he can even see the block coming. Dobbins makes a beautiful cut back inside underneath Davis, and the rest is just grown man strength:
Ohio State didn’t just lean on zone blocking for the rest of the game, however. Part of the reason the Buckeyes finished with two hundred-yard rushers on the day was exactly because they kept mixing up their running styles for the duration of the contest. Here’s the exact same play the Buckeyes ran to Dobbins in this article’s first highlight above, only this time it goes to Teague. Indiana aligns themselves out of position given the likely direction of the running back in a shotgun formation, which lets Davis crush the weakside defensive end on his pulling block while Jeremy Ruckert follows up with an excellent seal-off on the Will linebacker. Teague makes an awesome cut in space, hits the safety with a stiff-arm, and then shocks everyone watching with his open-field speed:
Although Indiana’s poor individual and team tackling led to many of Ohio State’s big plays on the afternoon, this game showed you exactly how dangerous the Buckeye rushing attack can be this season when all cylinders are clicking in the offensive engine. Ryan Day has tremendous confidence in his offensive linemen with respect to their understanding of both zone assignments and power responsibilities, regardless of whether the play comes from a traditional under-center look or a modern spread formation. This allows Ohio State to run comfortably in most situations outside of 3rd & long, and puts Fields in position to unleash devastating play action passes when the offense is playing up-tempo.
And I’ve waited until the end to throw praise on him, but my god, what an absolutely special player J.K. Dobbins is shaping up to be this year. Most running backs playing behind a line with this kind of positional intelligence are going to post solid numbers, but Dobbins’ ability to read the right holes, finish runs through contact, and punish weak tacklers is going to pay dividends for the Buckeyes all season. After a year on hiatus, it appears the Ohio State rushing attack is poised for an enormous bounce-back, and that should terrify absolutely every team in the Big Ten that previously though they’d only have to worry about limiting Justin Fields.
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George Eisner via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Ryan Day’s offensive diversification has opened up a world of possibilities for the Buckeyes.
Jim Tressell and Urban Meyer played two very different styles of offensive football during their respective tenures as head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes. Tressell stuck to the traditional “three yards and a cloud of dust” mantra that the Big Ten Conference built its brand on, while Meyer was known the world over for bringing spread packages to the highest levels of college football.
However, if there’s one similarity that links the two of them, it’s that each became too predictable with the basic concepts of their offense as time wore on. Tressell leaned far too heavily on the infamous interior runs affectionately known to Buckeye nation as “Dave,” while Meyer’s steady diet of read options continued to define Ohio State on early downs even after J.T. Barrett handed the reigns over to a much slower Dwayne Haskins.
It was reasonable to assume Ryan Day would merely be an extension of Urban Meyer in his own first season as head coach given the sudden regime change, but through three games, Day has shown he’s committed to blending both styles of football that have come to define Ohio State over the last two decades. As a result, Day’s adopted sons of Columbus already look more like Chameleons at this stage than traditional Buckeyes.
Ohio State’s 51-10 drubbing of the Indiana Hoosiers served as the best example of this. After sputtering out on their opening drive and missing a field goal, Justin Fields and company would come out on their next series and proceed to conduct a symphony of offense for the remainder of the half.
Below, they begin their first scoring drive of the day with a solid power run out of a spread formation against a six man front. Wyatt Davis continues to show tremendous lateral movement on pulls, and J.K. Dobbins gets a perfect seal-off block from Jake Hausmann that takes the two remaining tacklers in the box out of the play:
Fields hurries the team back to the line for their next play, and lines up under-center for the next snap. Though Indiana is playing two of their safeties back, their defense in preoccupied with not giving up another respectable gain on the ground after surrendering five yards to Dobbins just a few seconds earlier. This puts them in a very vulnerable position for a play action pass, and although Fields doesn’t give a great throw after getting a clean roll-out, Chris Olave has nearly the entire right side of the field to himself on his comeback route because of Indiana’s anxiety about trying to stop the run:
Fields and Dobbins eventually make their way into the red zone before this beautiful zone running play out of a pistol formation set the Buckeyes up for a first and goal. Indiana stacks the box with an eight man front here and is still powerless to do anything because of the scrum the zone running scheme creates. Josh Myers does a great job of slipping out here to get to the next level and block the Mike linebacker, and although Rashod Berry is late on his assignment, Dobbins is already poised to fall forward for a first down by the time he’s met at the point of attack anyway. The broken tackles are just the icing on the cake:
Indiana’s rushing anxiety would put them on their heels the entire game. The next play served as an excellent example of this despite the fact that Dobbins ended up biffing what would have been the easiest touchdown of his career. Fields comes out under-center again immediately after the Hoosiers just got gashed on the previous play, and all three of Indiana’s Mike/Sam/Jack linebackers take steps in towards Dobbins anticipating an interior run. By the time the switch goes off in their heads that it’s another play action fake, Dobbins has already leaked out to the edge for a walk-in touchdown. Unfortunately, the man came down with a temporary case of Chase Young concrete hands:
From then on, the tone for the game was set. Ohio State continued to use under-center formations with a no-huddle tempo to sucker Indiana into play action fakes that set up the Buckeyes for monster gains. Here’s a play nearly identical to the one that went to Olave earlier that goes to Austin Mack on the same side of the field. This followed a third down conversion on the ground from Dobbins, and while Indiana’s linebackers do a good job this time of not biting on the fake, Fields still has all day to deliver a far more accurate ball to Mack than the previous one to Olave:
Though that drive ultimately resulted in a punt, a similar narrative would emerge shortly after the Buckeyes got the ball back again. Facing a 3rd & short, Ohio State rotates Master Teague III into the game, and Indiana responds by once again stacking the box. The line creates a lovely mess of a zone scrum, Hausmann and Berry get excellent seal-offs on the edge, and Teague is able to rumble comfortably to a first down:
Alright, so at this point, can you guess what Ohio State wants to do on their next play? The Hoosiers are helpless to stop anything on the ground the Buckeyes throw at them, having just given up a third down conversion to a backup running back despite stacking the box. Fields comes out under-center again, hits the defense with a play action fake, and both of Indiana’s safeties are way too eager to play the run on first down. Olave gets a couple of steps on his man-to-man matchup, and suddenly Ohio State has a two score lead:
Wait, wasn’t this article supposed to be about the run game? Well, yes, but it’s important to see the relationship that these play action passes have with respect to keeping the defense honest. Ryan Day’s contextual play-calling eventually forced Indiana to stop selling out before the snap, as seen on Ohio State’s first play of their next series.
Having just blown their responsibilities over the top, Indiana’s cornerbacks focus squarely on their receivers while the safeties ensure their first steps are backwards towards coverage. Ohio State opts for a zone sweep on their first play of this drive, and while Myers and Jonah Jackson do a poor job of communicating to pick up Indiana’s Mike linebacker, Jackson makes up for it by getting to the next level and pancaking the safety. The Mike whiffs on taking down Dobbins in the backfield, and Myers gets enough of a block on his matchup to allow Dobbins to break free of the tackle for a 55+ yard gain:
A short while later came the highlight of the day for the Ohio State offense. Facing 3rd & 6 on the doorstep of the Hoosier redzone with about four minutes left in the half, Ryan Day opted to call another zone sweep to the weakside. This time, the Buckeyes have a trips right that forces the secondary to commit to the strongside, and Indiana shoots themselves in the foot with a delayed lineman shift that sends them away from the direction Dobbins is going.
This allows Myers and Davis to get to the next level immediately, and they both take full advantage of the opportunity. Myers seals-off the Will linebacker on the edge of the line of scrimmage, and Davis takes the Mike linebacker out of the play before he can even see the block coming. Dobbins makes a beautiful cut back inside underneath Davis, and the rest is just grown man strength:
Ohio State didn’t just lean on zone blocking for the rest of the game, however. Part of the reason the Buckeyes finished with two hundred-yard rushers on the day was exactly because they kept mixing up their running styles for the duration of the contest. Here’s the exact same play the Buckeyes ran to Dobbins in this article’s first highlight above, only this time it goes to Teague. Indiana aligns themselves out of position given the likely direction of the running back in a shotgun formation, which lets Davis crush the weakside defensive end on his pulling block while Jeremy Ruckert follows up with an excellent seal-off on the Will linebacker. Teague makes an awesome cut in space, hits the safety with a stiff-arm, and then shocks everyone watching with his open-field speed:
Although Indiana’s poor individual and team tackling led to many of Ohio State’s big plays on the afternoon, this game showed you exactly how dangerous the Buckeye rushing attack can be this season when all cylinders are clicking in the offensive engine. Ryan Day has tremendous confidence in his offensive linemen with respect to their understanding of both zone assignments and power responsibilities, regardless of whether the play comes from a traditional under-center look or a modern spread formation. This allows Ohio State to run comfortably in most situations outside of 3rd & long, and puts Fields in position to unleash devastating play action passes when the offense is playing up-tempo.
And I’ve waited until the end to throw praise on him, but my god, what an absolutely special player J.K. Dobbins is shaping up to be this year. Most running backs playing behind a line with this kind of positional intelligence are going to post solid numbers, but Dobbins’ ability to read the right holes, finish runs through contact, and punish weak tacklers is going to pay dividends for the Buckeyes all season. After a year on hiatus, it appears the Ohio State rushing attack is poised for an enormous bounce-back, and that should terrify absolutely every team in the Big Ten that previously though they’d only have to worry about limiting Justin Fields.
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MotS&G Ohio State Buckeyes (2-0) VS Indiana Hoosiers (2-0)
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Ohio State Buckeyes (2-0) VS Indiana Hoosiers (2-0)
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
This Saturday will be Ohio State’s first true road game and what better way celebrate that with it being their first conference game of the season? Justin Fields has been more impactful at home, in front of the home fans, but we have never seen him away from the confines of the shoe–at least not up to this point of the season. Both teams stand at 2-0 with dominant wins against mediocre teams, but this is a step up in competition and talent for both teams and not to understate things, it looks to be another exciting game.
Michael Penix Jr, Game Time Decision
The heart and soul of this Hoosier offense lay squarely on the shoulders of Penix, but will he be available for the game against Ohio State? Penix carries a lot of the responsibilities and he accounts for a lot of the offense and its production. In two games, he is 38-40 for 523 yards and 3 touchdowns against 2 interceptions. He also has 79 yards rushing, which has been a problem for the Ohio State defense of old. Will they suffer from the same problems with a faster, in conference team? Or will they put the clamps on and win convincingly once again?
Depending on his health, Penix should get the starting nod, but just in case Peyton Ramsey will be asked to step in once again, in a familiar role as a starter. He was the guy in the last two season and he is a baller. A dual-threat QB that has gone 442-666, for 4,353 passing yards and 31 touchdowns against 18 interceptions. He also has 580 yards and 7 touchdowns on the ground. He is more than capable of giving the Buckeyes fits, but that is if he can take care of the ball.
Fields/Dobbins Hot Streak
Justin Fields has been on quite a tear and the trail could heat up a bit more. 38-50 with 6 scores through the air. He also has 21 rushes for 103 yards and 3 more scores. Can he continue to light teams up and will he bring the explosive offense to Bloomington? Will he get his entire offense more involved and can they maintain the momentum against a Big 10 foe? Justin Fields is certainly up for the challenge, but will Indiana throw everything at Ohio State to confuse the young quarterback?
J.K. Dobbins ignited last weeks onslaught against the Cincinnati Bearcats and he too is looking to help his team during the current hot-streak. Although he hasn’t been a consistent part of this offense, when he gets his chance, he doesn’t disappoint. Dobbins has racked up 232 yards with three scores on the ground. He ripped his season-long of 60 yards against Cincinnati before leaving to give his stablemates some reps. Will he continue to terrorize defenses with his blend of speed and power?
The Chase Young Show
Let’s be real, the Indiana Offensive Line has a chance to stop one of the most dominant defensive forces and Ohio State’s Chase Young can certainly be that game-breaker to break past often. This defense led by Young is allowing 186 passing yards and 64.5 rushing yards and they say that they haven’t even scratched the surface or reached their stride. This version of the Buckeye defense has lived up to the hype and they have vastly improved over the tutelage of the new defensive coaching hires.
They play fast and aggressive, and more importantly, they are playing with a chip on their shoulder. Can this new-look defense get to and affect this quarterback? This line still hasn’t given up a sack and this will be a good test to gauge their progress. I can see Young and his teammates making Penix or Ramsey miserable, but we will have to see how it develops. The linebackers and defensive backs have improved, but against a conference foe, it’ll be the measuring stick before the meat of their schedules.
Zone 6 Machine
Zone 6 has been one of the best position groups on the team and they are deep at that position for the third year in a row. They aren’t as quick as last years group, but they still manage to break away and make splash plays happen for Fields and the offense. Victor, Hill, and Olave have been terrors. They have been consistent through two games, but I feel that they have been underutilized and it’ll change soon. They have been the focal point, but once they start clicking, watch out. Balance is the name of the game and so far, the Buckeyes have done well to mix in the run and the pass. Once the offense gets comfortable and once the passing game is leaned upon, it’ll be crazy.
The Tight End room has also been targeted more often compared to the recent years at Ohio State, and Ohio State has joined the party. In the first week, Ruckert had a couple of scores and it showed another dimension to the Buckeye offense. Not only will they be used to block defenders, but they also flash their skills in limited action. It acts as another piece to the puzzle for defenses to decipher. Teams are having trouble, but let’s be real, we relish the productivity of this offense.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
PREDICTION
Ohio State Buckeyes defeat Indiana Hoosiers 48-20
Indiana seems to always shock the Buckeyes enough to hinder their offense and that streak looks to continue. It’ll be tough, but once the Buckeyes get it going, it’ll be hard to stop. I can see the starters putting the game out of hand by the 3rd quarter and I expect the backups to gain more valuable reps against Indiana’s first and second teams.
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Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
This Saturday will be Ohio State’s first true road game and what better way celebrate that with it being their first conference game of the season? Justin Fields has been more impactful at home, in front of the home fans, but we have never seen him away from the confines of the shoe–at least not up to this point of the season. Both teams stand at 2-0 with dominant wins against mediocre teams, but this is a step up in competition and talent for both teams and not to understate things, it looks to be another exciting game.
The heart and soul of this Hoosier offense lay squarely on the shoulders of Penix, but will he be available for the game against Ohio State? Penix carries a lot of the responsibilities and he accounts for a lot of the offense and its production. In two games, he is 38-40 for 523 yards and 3 touchdowns against 2 interceptions. He also has 79 yards rushing, which has been a problem for the Ohio State defense of old. Will they suffer from the same problems with a faster, in conference team? Or will they put the clamps on and win convincingly once again?
Depending on his health, Penix should get the starting nod, but just in case Peyton Ramsey will be asked to step in once again, in a familiar role as a starter. He was the guy in the last two season and he is a baller. A dual-threat QB that has gone 442-666, for 4,353 passing yards and 31 touchdowns against 18 interceptions. He also has 580 yards and 7 touchdowns on the ground. He is more than capable of giving the Buckeyes fits, but that is if he can take care of the ball.
Justin Fields has been on quite a tear and the trail could heat up a bit more. 38-50 with 6 scores through the air. He also has 21 rushes for 103 yards and 3 more scores. Can he continue to light teams up and will he bring the explosive offense to Bloomington? Will he get his entire offense more involved and can they maintain the momentum against a Big 10 foe? Justin Fields is certainly up for the challenge, but will Indiana throw everything at Ohio State to confuse the young quarterback?
J.K. Dobbins ignited last weeks onslaught against the Cincinnati Bearcats and he too is looking to help his team during the current hot-streak. Although he hasn’t been a consistent part of this offense, when he gets his chance, he doesn’t disappoint. Dobbins has racked up 232 yards with three scores on the ground. He ripped his season-long of 60 yards against Cincinnati before leaving to give his stablemates some reps. Will he continue to terrorize defenses with his blend of speed and power?
Let’s be real, the Indiana Offensive Line has a chance to stop one of the most dominant defensive forces and Ohio State’s Chase Young can certainly be that game-breaker to break past often. This defense led by Young is allowing 186 passing yards and 64.5 rushing yards and they say that they haven’t even scratched the surface or reached their stride. This version of the Buckeye defense has lived up to the hype and they have vastly improved over the tutelage of the new defensive coaching hires.
They play fast and aggressive, and more importantly, they are playing with a chip on their shoulder. Can this new-look defense get to and affect this quarterback? This line still hasn’t given up a sack and this will be a good test to gauge their progress. I can see Young and his teammates making Penix or Ramsey miserable, but we will have to see how it develops. The linebackers and defensive backs have improved, but against a conference foe, it’ll be the measuring stick before the meat of their schedules.
Zone 6 has been one of the best position groups on the team and they are deep at that position for the third year in a row. They aren’t as quick as last years group, but they still manage to break away and make splash plays happen for Fields and the offense. Victor, Hill, and Olave have been terrors. They have been consistent through two games, but I feel that they have been underutilized and it’ll change soon. They have been the focal point, but once they start clicking, watch out. Balance is the name of the game and so far, the Buckeyes have done well to mix in the run and the pass. Once the offense gets comfortable and once the passing game is leaned upon, it’ll be crazy.
The Tight End room has also been targeted more often compared to the recent years at Ohio State, and Ohio State has joined the party. In the first week, Ruckert had a couple of scores and it showed another dimension to the Buckeye offense. Not only will they be used to block defenders, but they also flash their skills in limited action. It acts as another piece to the puzzle for defenses to decipher. Teams are having trouble, but let’s be real, we relish the productivity of this offense.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
- Fields VS Secondary
- Defensive Front VS O-Line
- Back Seven VS Speedy WR’s
- Linebackers VS Penix/Ramsey/Scott
- Slobs VS Hoosier D-Line
PREDICTION
Ohio State Buckeyes defeat Indiana Hoosiers 48-20
Indiana seems to always shock the Buckeyes enough to hinder their offense and that streak looks to continue. It’ll be tough, but once the Buckeyes get it going, it’ll be hard to stop. I can see the starters putting the game out of hand by the 3rd quarter and I expect the backups to gain more valuable reps against Indiana’s first and second teams.
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MotS&G The Ohio State Buckeyes (2-0) defeat The Cincinnati Bearcats (1-1)
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The Ohio State Buckeyes (2-0) defeat The Cincinnati Bearcats (1-1)
Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
With the return of Buckeye football, the much-anticipated return of Luke Fickell was one of the most frequent stories of the offseason. Would Coach Fickell be out to make a statement? How amped up would his team be after using the most effective way to place huge chips on the shoulders of the Ohio kids that were deemed as not being good enough to don the scarlet and gray?
It definitely worked for a little bit as a few players from the Bearcat roster played with that chip and they began chirping at the Ohio State DB’s–more so with Damon Arnette. The game looked to be another tightly contested game with two defenses battling it out, but the flood gates opened up and Dobbins provided that spark after he scores on a short scamper and then ripped off an impressive 60-yard dash to the endzone. Dobbins showed his burst and quickness, and he definitely swung the momentum in the Buckeyes favor for good. He finished with 17 total carries and 141 yards and a healthy 8.3 average before he was pulled, but he will be leaned on heavily when they travel to Indiana.
In relief duties, Master Teague showed his power and vision that secures the future, if or when Dobbins decides to take it to the next level. The rushing attack was clearly the focus and the Buckeyes racked up 270 yards and 4 total TD’s. Dobbins and Fields had two apiece, but Fields was also highly efficient through the air where he finished 20-25 for 224 yards and two passing TD’s to the highly touted true freshman Garrett Wilson and his last to K.J. Hill. Wilson in limited snaps showed why he was one of the best receivers to come out of high school and his hands? They are solid! He took that ball out of the sky in traffic to secure the first collegiate touchdown of his young career.
The offense put on another show and this time, they did not lay off the gas pedal and they put in their first complete game of the season before giving way to the backups. The same thing can be said for the defense as they secured their first complete game and the backups with a clutch turnover in the red zone to secure the shutout. The Buckeyes had zero turnovers, but Dobbins almost coughed it up again, but a penalty negated the fumble. They also forced two turnovers, one interception off a deflection and the fumble toward the end of the game and a blocked field goal. The defense also relentlessly harassed the Bearcat offense and had five sacks for the day. They barely let splash plays develop, but the Tight End and the slants were there, but not as frequently as before. They look motivated and the tackling and the discipline is evident.
Justin Fields was very deadly over the first two weeks, and he will be tested in week 3 as the Buckeyes travel to Indiana for his first true road test as a Buckeye. He is capable of making the correct read and he has the awareness to throw the ball away if the play isn’t there and those choices will be important on the road. Awesome game from start to finish and the momentum is definitely building up. The Slobs are also gelling and it is beginning to show. They need to build on it and as the games get tougher, I think they’ll be an important factor. If the entire team can keep it up and avoid the late-season letdown, the Buckeyes could find themselves in the big dance. They cannot get complacent and they must stay consistent. Another great win against an even better team in Cincinnati. It was their first big test and they met or exceeded expectations. The tests will keep coming and we will see you next week Buckeye Nation.
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Richard Tongohan via our good friends at Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
With the return of Buckeye football, the much-anticipated return of Luke Fickell was one of the most frequent stories of the offseason. Would Coach Fickell be out to make a statement? How amped up would his team be after using the most effective way to place huge chips on the shoulders of the Ohio kids that were deemed as not being good enough to don the scarlet and gray?
It definitely worked for a little bit as a few players from the Bearcat roster played with that chip and they began chirping at the Ohio State DB’s–more so with Damon Arnette. The game looked to be another tightly contested game with two defenses battling it out, but the flood gates opened up and Dobbins provided that spark after he scores on a short scamper and then ripped off an impressive 60-yard dash to the endzone. Dobbins showed his burst and quickness, and he definitely swung the momentum in the Buckeyes favor for good. He finished with 17 total carries and 141 yards and a healthy 8.3 average before he was pulled, but he will be leaned on heavily when they travel to Indiana.
In relief duties, Master Teague showed his power and vision that secures the future, if or when Dobbins decides to take it to the next level. The rushing attack was clearly the focus and the Buckeyes racked up 270 yards and 4 total TD’s. Dobbins and Fields had two apiece, but Fields was also highly efficient through the air where he finished 20-25 for 224 yards and two passing TD’s to the highly touted true freshman Garrett Wilson and his last to K.J. Hill. Wilson in limited snaps showed why he was one of the best receivers to come out of high school and his hands? They are solid! He took that ball out of the sky in traffic to secure the first collegiate touchdown of his young career.
The offense put on another show and this time, they did not lay off the gas pedal and they put in their first complete game of the season before giving way to the backups. The same thing can be said for the defense as they secured their first complete game and the backups with a clutch turnover in the red zone to secure the shutout. The Buckeyes had zero turnovers, but Dobbins almost coughed it up again, but a penalty negated the fumble. They also forced two turnovers, one interception off a deflection and the fumble toward the end of the game and a blocked field goal. The defense also relentlessly harassed the Bearcat offense and had five sacks for the day. They barely let splash plays develop, but the Tight End and the slants were there, but not as frequently as before. They look motivated and the tackling and the discipline is evident.
Justin Fields was very deadly over the first two weeks, and he will be tested in week 3 as the Buckeyes travel to Indiana for his first true road test as a Buckeye. He is capable of making the correct read and he has the awareness to throw the ball away if the play isn’t there and those choices will be important on the road. Awesome game from start to finish and the momentum is definitely building up. The Slobs are also gelling and it is beginning to show. They need to build on it and as the games get tougher, I think they’ll be an important factor. If the entire team can keep it up and avoid the late-season letdown, the Buckeyes could find themselves in the big dance. They cannot get complacent and they must stay consistent. Another great win against an even better team in Cincinnati. It was their first big test and they met or exceeded expectations. The tests will keep coming and we will see you next week Buckeye Nation.
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