2007 Fall Practice Tidbits

[Yertle]

When you consider the competition, you really have to give the 02 defense a jump in the rankings. 13 points per game playing against some very good offenses.

It seemed like they went on a 3 week run, where the offense they played was the number one scoring offense in the country at the time.

-Penn State had Larry Johnson on his way to 2,000+yds

-Purdue had their basketball on grass

-Washington State had Jason Gesser who had been putting up a ton of points

I think you also have to look at the offenses that the Buckeyes had at the time as well. People often forget that defenses give up fewer points simply due to playing on a team that has a ball control offense.

The 1996 team had a solid offense. The 2002 team did not. Well, it was okay, but it was nothing to get excited about. Therefore, the 2002 team was on the field more. Basically, I agree that the 2002 team had the greatest defense I've ever seen.

Also, I think the 2006 defense benefited from the offense. I really don't think last year's defense was even in the ten best since 1980. I'd say it was average to a little better than average. I don't care what the ppg ended up being, no team with an outstanding defense gives up 80 points in a 2-game stretch. So, to Daddy's point, this team has a lot of ground to make up in order to reach 2002, 1998, 1996, or 2005 level. Those were some incredible defenses.

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Buckeyes having trouble letting go of letdown in their last game

8/13/2007, 3:48 p.m. EDTBy RUSTY MILLER
The Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) ? It was an especially long, cold winter for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
A relatively stress-free 2006 season for the Buckeyes, who had been top-ranked since the dog days of summer, came down to a stunning, humiliating conclusion on Jan. 8 before millions of viewers in the BCS national championship game.
It became an enduring black eye: Florida 41, Ohio State 14.



Cont...

 

[Bleed S & G]

Not to mention 3 straight shutouts amongst their 4 shutouts, along with allowing a single TD in 7 games (also allowed 2 FGs in those 7 games). Let that sink in for a minute...one single TD in 7 games.

We'll never see a defense like the '73 defense, especially under Tressel with his substituting backups in blowouts to get them needed experience.

I agree this team wont be better than the 73 d, and that was before my time but i've seen enough and read enough about them to know it will stand as the #1 D

Why do I think this team will be better than the 96, 98, 02, and 05 Ds? Our Dline is like a 90s Miami Hurrican line, speed, power, and most importantly great depth.. with a rotation on the front line we will eat o-lines up. At linebacker, this will be the best group since JTs arrival, and thats saying alot in itself. We are stacked here, with amazing talent, speed, and again awesome depth.. the Dline really compliments the LBers, and allows us to do much more defensively. The corner backs are shut down NFL corners, the only real "hole" is at saftey and thats where history has shown us these guys will step up.

Time will tell, but including the 96 & 98 Ds, I've never been this exicted about a defensive unit.. i may be wrong and if i am, no big deal, but my gut feeling right now is this D won't allow very many points or yards all season.

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

I agree this team wont be better than the 73 d, and that was before my time but i've seen enough and read enough about them to know it will stand as the #1 D

Why do I think this team will be better than the 96, 98, 02, and 05 Ds? Our Dline is like a 90s Miami Hurrican line, speed, power, and most importantly great depth.. with a rotation on the front line we will eat o-lines up. At linebacker, this will be the best group since JTs arrival, and thats saying alot in itself. We are stacked here, with amazing talent, speed, and again awesome depth.. the Dline really compliments the LBers, and allows us to do much more defensively. The corner backs are shut down NFL corners, the only real "hole" is at saftey and thats where history has shown us these guys will step up.

Time will tell, but including the 96 & 98 Ds, I've never been this exicted about a defensive unit.. i may be wrong and if i am, no big deal, but my gut feeling right now is this D won't allow very many points or yards all season.

Check the All Tressel Era Defense thread.

According to those who have voted as of the time I write this, the only current player that would start on an All Tressel Defense would be Malcolm Jenkins. This doesn't include the defenses of the 90s.

Does this defense have a chance to be special? Sure.

The fact that Heacock says this could be his best D-Line speaks volumes.

But are these linebackers really a match for Hawk/Carpenter? Two first-round draft picks? Seriously?

Anything is possible, but this much confidence in a squad that gave up 80 points or so in their last 2 games and then lost its top 3 DTs is mind-bottling.

 

[BayBuck]

According to those who have voted as of the time I write this, the only current player that would start on an All Tressel Defense would be Malcolm Jenkins. ...

But are these linebackers really a match for Hawk/Carpenter? Two first-round draft picks? Seriously?

Anything is possible, but this much confidence in a squad that gave up 80 points or so in their last 2 games and then lost its top 3 DTs is mind-bottling.

Let them finish out their careers and we'll see where guys like Gholston, Wilson/Rose, Laurinaitis, Freeman, Homan, Coleman end up ranking in future All-Tressel voting.

I expect Freeman and Grant to perform at a level not too far below those all-time great LBs, and Laurinaitis is IMO a big step up from Schlegel in the middle, and the depth at those positions is as good as I've ever seen.

And while I (like everyone else) appreciate your rigorous analyses, I think here you have slightly overvalued the DT position in general and more specifically in the case of the '06 DTs which were not our best.

 

[Bleed S & G]

Check the All Tressel Era Defense thread.

According to those who have voted as of the time I write this, the only current player that would start on an All Tressel Defense would be Malcolm Jenkins. This doesn't include the defenses of the 90s.

Does this defense have a chance to be special? Sure.

The fact that Heacock says this could be his best D-Line speaks volumes.

But are these linebackers really a match for Hawk/Carpenter? Two first-round draft picks? Seriously?

Anything is possible, but this much confidence in a squad that gave up 80 points or so in their last 2 games and then lost its top 3 DTs is mind-bottling.

This is fair..

i personally feel we are upgrading on the dline, between wilson, gholston, denlinger, worthington, larimore, and rose we will be much more solid and much faster off the line.

at backer, while hawk, carpenter, and schlegel were awesome.. i personally feel this group of laurinaitis, freeman, grant, homan, spitler, and curtis terry is just as good and actually has alot more depth. i think fresh legs in the 4th quarter will be the diffrence between the two squads, just my opinion. grant will be a killer and a better d-line will push this unit over the top making life easier on them.

db.. jenkins, washington, and chekwa are all deadly and jenkins can flat out shutdown some of the best recievers in the nation. i think washington will have a great year too.. between russel and coleman at saftey and if JamO can step up and be the player i think he can be, look out. once again our dbs will play off of the d-line.

maybe i am being overly optimistic, but my gut says look for plenty of shutouts this year. it also may be the anticipation of the season starting soon that has me all fired up.

 

[cincibuck]

No doubt about Gholston having a good year last year, but as good as Will Smith or Quinn Pitcock? Yet to be proven and how will he fair against good offensive lines without Pitcock to draw blocking attention away from him?

As for great defenses the 2002 bunch certainly get's my vote for the most determined, a bunch of over achievers who just would not let the lack of an offense or adversity beat them. Exemplified by Will Allen, Doss and Matt Wilhelm.

The 05 defense may well have been the most talented bunch OSU ever fielded, but Tressel's failure to have Troy Smith ready to play early in the season doomed the whole team.

And yeah, I do blame Tressel for that. He had to know Troy was #1 and yet, from all I've been able to gather, he turned the bulk of the pratice time to Zwick. I'm sure he had his reasons. I probably would have done the same thing, but it was a mistake.

 

[PlanetFrnd]

This is fair..

i personally feel we are upgrading on the dline, between wilson, gholston, denlinger, worthington, larimore, and rose we will be much more solid and much faster off the line.

at backer, while hawk, carpenter, and schlegel were awesome.. i personally feel this group of laurinaitis, freeman, grant, homan, spitler, and curtis terry is just as good and actually has alot more depth. i think fresh legs in the 4th quarter will be the diffrence between the two squads, just my opinion. grant will be a killer and a better d-line will push this unit over the top making life easier on them.

db.. jenkins, washington, and chekwa are all deadly and jenkins can flat out shutdown some of the best recievers in the nation. i think washington will have a great year too.. between russel and coleman at saftey and if JamO can step up and be the player i think he can be, look out. once again our dbs will play off of the d-line.

maybe i am being overly optimistic, but my gut says look for plenty of shutouts this year. it also may be the anticipation of the season starting soon that has me all fired up.

and I'm just as optimistc!

 

[RB07OSU]

Good points that we shouldn't crown them one of the best yet. They are young and have the potential to be one of our best but we'll have to let them play. I think our depth is astounding and the overall top talent may not be as high as '02, but they have a shot at being as good eventually imo.

 

[EastSide]

True, but "stinger" is a catch-all term anymore...

They know what Beanie can do...no sense exposing the Golden Goose in such a drill when the only question in the backfield is who is the #2 RB.

I am sure that Beanie is OK. He got a stinger last year in the fall open practice but it did not slow him down nor did it affect him the following month. He has probably had fifty stingers over his career. If you are the ball carrier, you're gonna get hit and therefore you are probably gonna get a stinger.

 

[Bestbuck36]

Yes the '73 D was amazing but remember they were playing a different game than now. No team will ever be able to duplicate that again, the offenses are way too developed. The passing game has come light years from the '70's so keeping teams out of field goal range is damn near impossible for 4 quarters depending on the kicker. Also with more passing has come more pass penalties such as more holding and a great deal more pass interference, roughing the passer and such. The 2002 defense was relentless and opportunistic. The 2005 Defense with Hawk and company bent a great deal but rarely broke. The 1996 defense would crush people at the point of attack and hit big from whistle to whistle. The 2007 team is probably the most athletic defense ever. Can they study film? Can they make in game adjustments? Is there enough leadership? We'll soon see.

 

[mooktarr]

Wow I hope the banged up kids get well soon. they must really be hitting at practice .

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Bucknuts.com$ (Dave Biddle)

Bollman Encouraged About O-Line, Despite Depth Issues........

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Scout.com$ (Adam Jardy)

Mixing It Up..........article discusses the injuries and changes in the depth chart.

 

[Best Buckeye]

I am sure that Beanie is OK. He got a stinger last year in the fall open practice but it did not slow him down nor did it affect him the following month. He has probably had fifty stingers over his career. If you are the ball carrier, you're gonna get hit and therefore you are probably gonna get a stinger.

I hope they don't cripple him like they did MC