martinss01;639042; said:
Then you must've forgot making this statement:
"if you want to do position by position, without question last years team was superior."
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Then you must've forgot making this statement:
"if you want to do position by position, without question last years team was superior."
Canton
Bucks defense not as tough as in '05?
Monday, October 23, 2006
By Joe Frollo Jr. Repository assistant sports editor
COLUMBUS - Indiana wide receiver James Hardy didn't sound overly impressed Saturday by the Ohio State defense.
The Buckeyes limited the Hoosiers to 218 total yards in a 44-3 victory at Ohio Stadium. Hardy had just three catches before Ohio State's subs took the field, and Indiana made it past the Ohio State 40 twice - the first time only because of a long punt return.
Still, Hardy was respectful but in no way awed.
"They were on their 'A' game today," Hardy said. "They came out flying around, and it was not easy to get the ball up the field.
"They still don't compare to last year."
The numbers speak differently.
Top-ranked Ohio State (8-0, 4-0) now has the stingiest defense in college football. The Buckeyes are tied with LSU for fewest points allowed at 8.3 per game.
Ohio State has allowed multiple touchdowns just once this season and have interceptions in all eight. The Buckeyes have forced 17 turnovers on the season - already surpassing the total from 2005.
Redshirt freshman wide receiver Brian Hartline, a GlenOak High School graduate, understood reservations about the Buckeyes defense in the preseason. Ohio State was replacing nine of 11 starters from a unit that was considered by most the best in the nation.
"There were questions, sure, but I think those questions have been answered," Hartline said.
Ohio State is allowing 97.3 yards rushing and 101.7 yards passing per game. Neither ranks in the top-10 in the nation.
Where the Buckeyes toughen up is inside the red zone. Indiana's only score came on a 34-yard field goal when it started deep in Ohio State territory after a 41-yard punt return.
A three-and-out, though, kept Indiana out of the end zone.
"You have to tip your cap to the defense for having the ball beginning on about the 15-yard line and holding them to a field goal," Head Coach Jim Tressel said.
Indiana was 7-for-15 on third-down conversions, something that has not been an issue much of the year as Buckeye opponents are converting just 31 percent of their third downs.
Nevertheless, it is something Tressel and the defense will address.
"We weren't able to contain the quarterback as well as we wanted," senior defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock said. Still, "A lot of guys are stepping up through the season and making a name for themselves."
On Saturday, it was Antonio Smith and Jay Richardson. Smith had 12 tackles, including four for loss, a sack and a forced fumble from his cornerback position. Richardson had two sacks for the first time in his career.
Pitcock also has nine tackles for loss this season, including a team-high seven sacks.
Not bad for a unit that doesn't compare to last year.
"We take a lot of pride in being physical," Smith said. "It's good to see our team and the defense doing so well."
Bucks defense not as tough as in '05?
Monday, October 23, 2006
By Joe Frollo Jr. Repository assistant sports editor
COLUMBUS - Indiana wide receiver James Hardy didn't sound overly impressed Saturday by the Ohio State defense.
The Buckeyes limited the Hoosiers to 218 total yards in a 44-3 victory at Ohio Stadium. Hardy had just three catches before Ohio State's subs took the field, and Indiana made it past the Ohio State 40 twice - the first time only because of a long punt return.
Still, Hardy was respectful but in no way awed.
"They were on their 'A' game today," Hardy said. "They came out flying around, and it was not easy to get the ball up the field.
"They still don't compare to last year."
The numbers speak differently.
Top-ranked Ohio State (8-0, 4-0) now has the stingiest defense in college football. The Buckeyes are tied with LSU for fewest points allowed at 8.3 per game.
Ohio State has allowed multiple touchdowns just once this season and have interceptions in all eight. The Buckeyes have forced 17 turnovers on the season - already surpassing the total from 2005.
Redshirt freshman wide receiver Brian Hartline, a GlenOak High School graduate, understood reservations about the Buckeyes defense in the preseason. Ohio State was replacing nine of 11 starters from a unit that was considered by most the best in the nation.
"There were questions, sure, but I think those questions have been answered," Hartline said.
Ohio State is allowing 97.3 yards rushing and 101.7 yards passing per game. Neither ranks in the top-10 in the nation.
Where the Buckeyes toughen up is inside the red zone. Indiana's only score came on a 34-yard field goal when it started deep in Ohio State territory after a 41-yard punt return.
A three-and-out, though, kept Indiana out of the end zone.
"You have to tip your cap to the defense for having the ball beginning on about the 15-yard line and holding them to a field goal," Head Coach Jim Tressel said.
Indiana was 7-for-15 on third-down conversions, something that has not been an issue much of the year as Buckeye opponents are converting just 31 percent of their third downs.
Nevertheless, it is something Tressel and the defense will address.
"We weren't able to contain the quarterback as well as we wanted," senior defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock said. Still, "A lot of guys are stepping up through the season and making a name for themselves."
On Saturday, it was Antonio Smith and Jay Richardson. Smith had 12 tackles, including four for loss, a sack and a forced fumble from his cornerback position. Richardson had two sacks for the first time in his career.
Pitcock also has nine tackles for loss this season, including a team-high seven sacks.
Not bad for a unit that doesn't compare to last year.
"We take a lot of pride in being physical," Smith said. "It's good to see our team and the defense doing so well."
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martinss01
blissfully stupid
MililaniBuckeye;639489; said:
that was ment as more of a question than a claim. i was trying to determine how exactly the original poster was attempting to come to their conclusions and present my arguements accordingly. i apologize if i wasn't clear.
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Blade
OSU defenders play starring role
Unit has given up fewest points in nation
By MATT MARKEY
BLADE SPORTS WRITER
COLUMBUS - This was supposed to be a score-every-possession kind of team. A "light-it-up" group. They would win by simply burying you with points.
But apparently, these guys on the Ohio State defense never got a copy of that script. While the offense has been very good, the defense has been unexpectedly great. Ohio State has allowed just 66 points in eight games and leads the nation with the least points allowed at just 8.2 points per game. Only twice have opponents of the Buckeyes scored more than seven points, and Iowa is the only one of the eight who managed two touchdowns against Ohio State. Minnesota coach Glen Mason, whose team faces the No.-1 ranked Buckeyes here tomorrow, said Ohio State's defensive performance to date has been a little overwhelming. He has seen the numbers and watched the film as the Buckeyes have allowed just 17 total points in the past three games.
"Defensively, I think most coaches around the Big Ten would say they are surprised how good they are because of the number of players they lost from last year," Mason said, alluding to the nine starters who departed from last season's OSU defense. "They lost a number of really good football players last year, and to not miss a beat defensively is really kind of mind-boggling. They're strong and really aggressive up front. They're talented on the back end, and that's why they don't give up many points." They don't give up much, period. The Buckeyes have allowed 270.9 yards of total offense per game, but have been particularly stout their last two outings - giving up only 135 total yards against Michigan State and 165 to Indiana. The opportunistic element is in play, as well. The Buckeyes have more interceptions (15) and total takeaways (17) than they had all of last season. Ohio State has converted those turnovers into 73 points. Last weekend, the Buckeyes' defense had 10 tackles-for-loss against Indiana, sacked the quarterback four times, and held the Hoosiers to only seven yards rushing. Ohio State senior center Doug Datish, who has seen that defense in practice since the start of spring ball, said he's been a believer all along. "Every day, the question was about the defense and if they were going to be something," Datish said. "I was never in doubt. They have showed us this year that they can answer all of our questions. We all came together, playing well at the beginning of the season, and we have to keep doing that."
OSU defenders play starring role
Unit has given up fewest points in nation
By MATT MARKEY
BLADE SPORTS WRITER
COLUMBUS - This was supposed to be a score-every-possession kind of team. A "light-it-up" group. They would win by simply burying you with points.
But apparently, these guys on the Ohio State defense never got a copy of that script. While the offense has been very good, the defense has been unexpectedly great. Ohio State has allowed just 66 points in eight games and leads the nation with the least points allowed at just 8.2 points per game. Only twice have opponents of the Buckeyes scored more than seven points, and Iowa is the only one of the eight who managed two touchdowns against Ohio State. Minnesota coach Glen Mason, whose team faces the No.-1 ranked Buckeyes here tomorrow, said Ohio State's defensive performance to date has been a little overwhelming. He has seen the numbers and watched the film as the Buckeyes have allowed just 17 total points in the past three games.
"Defensively, I think most coaches around the Big Ten would say they are surprised how good they are because of the number of players they lost from last year," Mason said, alluding to the nine starters who departed from last season's OSU defense. "They lost a number of really good football players last year, and to not miss a beat defensively is really kind of mind-boggling. They're strong and really aggressive up front. They're talented on the back end, and that's why they don't give up many points." They don't give up much, period. The Buckeyes have allowed 270.9 yards of total offense per game, but have been particularly stout their last two outings - giving up only 135 total yards against Michigan State and 165 to Indiana. The opportunistic element is in play, as well. The Buckeyes have more interceptions (15) and total takeaways (17) than they had all of last season. Ohio State has converted those turnovers into 73 points. Last weekend, the Buckeyes' defense had 10 tackles-for-loss against Indiana, sacked the quarterback four times, and held the Hoosiers to only seven yards rushing. Ohio State senior center Doug Datish, who has seen that defense in practice since the start of spring ball, said he's been a believer all along. "Every day, the question was about the defense and if they were going to be something," Datish said. "I was never in doubt. They have showed us this year that they can answer all of our questions. We all came together, playing well at the beginning of the season, and we have to keep doing that."
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This year's defense is now officially better than last year's.
Scoring defense: #1 (7.3 ppg) a full eight points better than last year's 15.3 ppg (#5)
Rushing defense: #18 (91.7 ypg) only 18.3 ypg more than our #1 average of 73.4 last year, which would only rate #7 this year
Interceptions: T#2 (18) exactly three times our total of all of last season
Takeaways: T#17 (20) dwarfing last year's total of 12 (T#114)
We are getting more pressure from our DL than last year, our secondary has been ball-hawking, and our linebacking play has been just a small notch--actually a very small notch--below that of last year's all-world trio. And what's really scary is the defense keeps improving week-to-week, and most return for next year.
Scoring defense: #1 (7.3 ppg) a full eight points better than last year's 15.3 ppg (#5)
Rushing defense: #18 (91.7 ypg) only 18.3 ypg more than our #1 average of 73.4 last year, which would only rate #7 this year
Interceptions: T#2 (18) exactly three times our total of all of last season
Takeaways: T#17 (20) dwarfing last year's total of 12 (T#114)
We are getting more pressure from our DL than last year, our secondary has been ball-hawking, and our linebacking play has been just a small notch--actually a very small notch--below that of last year's all-world trio. And what's really scary is the defense keeps improving week-to-week, and most return for next year.
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WaitingforKickoff
Legend
Just as the '05 defense led by Hawk, Carpenter and Whitner is remembered as one of the best units in OSU history, so will the '06 unit led by Pitcock, Laurinaitis and Jenkins.
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Fungo Squiggly
Mortal enemy of all things Bucky
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'18 BPCFFB II Champ
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The defense has given up a total of 3 meaningful points (excluding MSU's garbage td) in the last three games, and those 3 points came on a drive starting at the OSU 15 yard line. No opponent has had a relevant scoring drive in the last 3 games. Wow.
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Dispatch
OSU FOOTBALL
Defense tackles a lofty legacy
2006 group wants to be remembered among school?s best
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter, Donte Whitner, cover your ears. You might not want to hear what T.J. Downing is saying about the Ohio State defense.
Hawk, Carpenter and Whitner were three of nine starters lost off the 2005 unit that was No. 1 in the nation against the run and fifth overall. All three were first-round NFL draft picks.
Yet after nine games this season, Downing, a senior offensive lineman, did not hesitate when asked if this defense was better than the 2005 group.
"Yeah, I think so," Downing said. "I think you can say that right now. I don?t even classify them as a great defense, I?d classify them as one of the best I?ve ever seen."
Strong words, but they?ve got the results to back it up. With three outstanding performances in the past three weeks, OSU (9-0, 5-0) has climbed to 18 th in the nation against the run and ninth in total yards.
Those rankings are lower than in 2005, but consider that this team is surrendering 20 yards per game fewer than last season (261 to 281.3). And in scoring, it?s not even close.
The 2005 Buckeyes gave up 15.2 points per game. This season, OSU is giving up just 7.3, No. 1 in the country. Opponents have topped the seven-point mark just twice.
In four October games, the first-team defense allowed one touchdown.
"I knew they had the capability, but it is somewhat of a shock," Downing said of the performance.
The question before the season was whether the offense could score enough points to compensate for the defense losing so much talent. Every one of the nine departed starters was either drafted or invited to an NFL training camp.
The run defense got off to a slow start, giving up 171 rushing yards to Garrett Wolfe of Northern Illinois in the opener. Since then, though, OSU has steadily squeezed its vise grip on opposing rushers.
Consider that Wolfe?s day represents 21 percent of the total rushing yards the Buckeyes have surrendered.
"At the beginning of the season, it wasn?t as much of us not being physical or us not playing hard," defensive tackle David Patterson said. "The biggest thing was fits. You got new guys in there, sometimes you?ve got to get used to playing with each other, see where guys are going to be, things like that.
"And the more you play with guys, the more things start to come together."
Early on, OSU?s young defenders seemed overaggressive, often rushing up toward the line of scrimmage and then being caught inside when a runner bounced outside or cut back.
As Patterson said, the Buckeyes now are more comfortable, and it shows.
In the past three games, OSU has allowed just 39 yards per game on the ground and 142.8 yards per game overall.
This, despite missing two stalwart tackles: Patterson for the Oct. 14 and Oct. 21 games (knee) and Quinn Pitcock last week (concussion).
"I think they?re feeding off each other, they respect each other," coordinator Jim Heacock said. "It?s really a nice team atmosphere and it?s a fun group to be around."
The Buckeyes face a tougher test this week when they head to Illinois. Their past three opponents ranked in the lower half of the Big Ten in rushing yards. The Illini are second, averaging 181.9 rushing yards per game.
Downing may believe this defense ranks among the best ever, but the defensive players feel like they have to go out and keep proving it.
"Everyone is definitely hungry," linebacker Curtis Terry said. "Being here, we have a tradition, a legacy of having great defenses that we want to carry on."
[email protected]
OSU FOOTBALL
Defense tackles a lofty legacy
2006 group wants to be remembered among school?s best
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter, Donte Whitner, cover your ears. You might not want to hear what T.J. Downing is saying about the Ohio State defense.
Hawk, Carpenter and Whitner were three of nine starters lost off the 2005 unit that was No. 1 in the nation against the run and fifth overall. All three were first-round NFL draft picks.
Yet after nine games this season, Downing, a senior offensive lineman, did not hesitate when asked if this defense was better than the 2005 group.
"Yeah, I think so," Downing said. "I think you can say that right now. I don?t even classify them as a great defense, I?d classify them as one of the best I?ve ever seen."
Strong words, but they?ve got the results to back it up. With three outstanding performances in the past three weeks, OSU (9-0, 5-0) has climbed to 18 th in the nation against the run and ninth in total yards.
Those rankings are lower than in 2005, but consider that this team is surrendering 20 yards per game fewer than last season (261 to 281.3). And in scoring, it?s not even close.
The 2005 Buckeyes gave up 15.2 points per game. This season, OSU is giving up just 7.3, No. 1 in the country. Opponents have topped the seven-point mark just twice.
In four October games, the first-team defense allowed one touchdown.
"I knew they had the capability, but it is somewhat of a shock," Downing said of the performance.
The question before the season was whether the offense could score enough points to compensate for the defense losing so much talent. Every one of the nine departed starters was either drafted or invited to an NFL training camp.
The run defense got off to a slow start, giving up 171 rushing yards to Garrett Wolfe of Northern Illinois in the opener. Since then, though, OSU has steadily squeezed its vise grip on opposing rushers.
Consider that Wolfe?s day represents 21 percent of the total rushing yards the Buckeyes have surrendered.
"At the beginning of the season, it wasn?t as much of us not being physical or us not playing hard," defensive tackle David Patterson said. "The biggest thing was fits. You got new guys in there, sometimes you?ve got to get used to playing with each other, see where guys are going to be, things like that.
"And the more you play with guys, the more things start to come together."
Early on, OSU?s young defenders seemed overaggressive, often rushing up toward the line of scrimmage and then being caught inside when a runner bounced outside or cut back.
As Patterson said, the Buckeyes now are more comfortable, and it shows.
In the past three games, OSU has allowed just 39 yards per game on the ground and 142.8 yards per game overall.
This, despite missing two stalwart tackles: Patterson for the Oct. 14 and Oct. 21 games (knee) and Quinn Pitcock last week (concussion).
"I think they?re feeding off each other, they respect each other," coordinator Jim Heacock said. "It?s really a nice team atmosphere and it?s a fun group to be around."
The Buckeyes face a tougher test this week when they head to Illinois. Their past three opponents ranked in the lower half of the Big Ten in rushing yards. The Illini are second, averaging 181.9 rushing yards per game.
Downing may believe this defense ranks among the best ever, but the defensive players feel like they have to go out and keep proving it.
"Everyone is definitely hungry," linebacker Curtis Terry said. "Being here, we have a tradition, a legacy of having great defenses that we want to carry on."
[email protected]
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