2009 tOSU Offense Discussion

[strohs]

Just gonna say that the line looked good. Didn't look like it had in previous big game disappointments.

Sure there were coverage breakdowns as well as penalties - but thats normal for a game against top defensive players.

Agreed, line play was much improved last night. The breakdowns and stuffed runs were the result of running the ball up the gut against 9 defenders in the box. Cant fault the players for that.
If they line plays like this against the Big Ten we will be hard to beat. Throw in better playcalling and unstoppable is the word I would use...

 

[buckeyebri]

Agreed, line play was much improved last night. The breakdowns and stuffed runs were the result of running the ball up the gut against 9 defenders in the box. Cant fault the players for that.
If they line plays like this against the Big Ten we will be hard to beat. Throw in better playcalling and unstoppable is the word I would use...

Agreed that running the ball up the gut against 9 in the box makes little sense, especially when you do it on almost every first down in the second half. It looked to me like the DEs were coming hard off the corners for SC on second and third most of the game, which could have seen us using some screens, shovel passes or quick flips to the TE...

 

[Joe56]

It's just that there is definitely something lacking and I don't think the person to do the fixing is currently on staff. And until JT is willing to go out and make these changes, I feel the Buckeyes are going to stay in the offensive rut they have been for much of JT's tenure. Being able to solve this issue is going to define JT as a coach in my mind. He will always have my respect, but how much respect is really the question. If he is truly a great coach, he will recognize the problem and actually take action to fix it. Because the flim-flaming he is doing right now is hurting his reputation and his legacy to an extent.

Absolutely.

We simply must have an O Coordinator. No other option.

I have no clue where our packages from 2006-7 have gone, but the fact is Tress has gotten, if possible, even more conservative, and kept the offense completely predictable. Where are our short high percentage passes? Devier and Duron can get separation in spades, why don't we stretch the field? Why don't we incorporate true pistol elements, instead of paying lip service to them?

 

[strohs]

when did I say anything about conference championship games?

I can dismiss blowout losses by other teams because I don't give a shit about other teams. Who the hell cares if Illinois can't put a drive together against SC? Mark May? Like I give a shit what he thinks.

You are right, you said "conference all star team", which quite honestly makes no sense to me, but whatever.

I guess if you dont understand how the level of play in the rest of the conference affects Ohio State then there is no point in discussing it with you.

 

[Snappy_Jay]

Agreed, line play was much improved last night. The breakdowns and stuffed runs were the result of running the ball up the gut against 9 defenders in the box. Cant fault the players for that.
If they line plays like this against the Big Ten we will be hard to beat. Throw in better playcalling and unstoppable is the word I would use...

I AGREE!!the guys did leave it all on the field which really made me proud! Gonna be a fun rest of the year B10 title and a BCS is what I hope for.

 

[ysubuck]

Absolutely.

We simply must have an O Coordinator. No other option.

I have no clue where our packages from 2006-7 have gone, but the fact is Tress has gotten, if possible, even more conservative, and kept the offense completely predictable. Where are our short high percentage passes? Devier and Duron can get separation in spades, why don't we stretch the field? Why don't we incorporate true pistol elements, instead of paying lip service to them?

You can't go to the 06-07 Troy Smith stuff because Pryor simply cannot make those throws right now. Everything is high. High throws will kill you. Every now and again he'll throw one right through the window (last night's big one to Dane) in the middle of the defense and you think "that's it!" But the more you watch him throw the more you think that the good ones are more luck than anything else.

TP came to Ohio State because they run a "pro set" and he wants to be an NFL QB. What we see may be TP wanting to prove that he can be a pocket passer rather than doing what comes naturally to him. I don't know. He definitely took two steps back last night.

 

[OSUFAN84]

I thought we would see tp in more run/pass plays on the edge of the lines he threw the ball so well on the run last week ithought we would see that some this week .

 

[osugrad21]

Playcalling...the variety of looks is not where I have a complaint.

I think the option looks were excellent but the execution was about as poor as it could be. That falls on TP much of the time. He played selfishly at times and that is not how the speed option works. He is supposed to get downhill...right at the edge player. Not the lateral bounce we saw last night.
The option looks against Navy set up the speed option pass we saw last night. Again, it was there...but poorly executed.

Boom was running hard all night...but there was no changeup. Johnson and McKnight worked the interior and edges of tOSU. That slowed down the LB stunts...get caught inside and the kid is gone. As much heart as Boom has (and I love that about him...he is a grinder) he is not a gamebreaker. Those basic sweeps USC was running is something that keeps the D honest...playside reach and pull, race to the edge.

Passing-wise...I think the camp reports exaggerated TPs progress. He is better, but a few of those balls came out as if he was squeezing the air out of the thing. His reads are still not quick enough and he is locking in pre-snap too much. TP will be fine eventually, but he should not be in the Heisman talk at all this year.

Right now, the offense is not sharp in any area...there is no bread and butter. There was never a steady rhythm...either from penalties, poor decisions from TP, or missed assignments early on the series, it just didnt happen.

 

[billmac91]

TP came to Ohio State because they run a "pro set" and he wants to be an NFL QB. What we see may be TP wanting to prove that he can be a pocket passer rather than doing what comes naturally to him. I don't know. He definitely took two steps back last night.

This is a main problem, IMO. The offense they are running isn't maximizing TP's potential at a college level. I understand he came here to learn how to be an NFL QB, but at the same time, we aren't winning championships if we want him to run Troy Smith's offense. Troy's arm and accuracy aren't walking through that door, as Rick Pitino would say.

I was really disappointed in the amount of read-option looks, as well as the execution on option plays. I'm really disappointed in the involvement of Jake Stoneburner to this point although its good to see him on the field. I just don't have a lot of faith in this staff to install an offense that they have little experience working with. And I also think there is some hesitancy in installing said offense, b/c it doesn't prepare Terrelle for the NFL and that is what we sold him on.

I've got to be honest about it, and I said it after the Texas game....I just don't see TP as an NFL QB. Especially if he refuses to use his legs when he can pick up 7 or 8 yards when lanes are right in front of him. I about pulled my hair out on the 3rd and 7 where he scrambled left and threw it low and wide of Posey when he had an easy lane for a first down if he just tucks and runs.

 

[JimsSweaterVest]

Apart from Terrelle not having a great night (it happens), I think last night proved our O needs an overhaul. I wish Tress would hire a hungry young assistant who is aggressive and aspires to a head coaching job somewhere. (When's the last time an OSU assistant has gotten a head coaching job elsewhere?)

We need a cold-hearted, Florida/USC-like nastiness on the offense. If Tress just gets a second opinion in there with him, someone to bounce ideas off of, on how to make our O nastier and more aggressive, that would make a world of difference.

 

[Jake]

Guess I should've posted this here:

OSU's average starting position in the second half was the OSU 44 yard line. Three of those drives began in USC territory. The offense scored 3 points. For the game, four OSU drives began in USC territory. They produced two field goals - of 18 and 22 yards - and two punts.

That, to me, is the real shame of it all. The opportunities were there. Only getting two short FGs came back to haunt us. :(

The fourth and goal from the 2 FG was the right call. What I question is the halfback counter play on 3rd and goal from the 1. Too slow developing with a good defense compressed at the line, and don't we have a 6'6", 240 lb quarterback?

It seems we have had these types of discussions before, after similar defeats. As others have said, there is no one I would want as head coach more than Jim Tressel. He "gets" what it means to be a Buckeye. I would just like to see some new ideas in offensive coordination. :ohwell:

 

[TheIronColonel]

Big issue that I see is that they can't execute the base offense effectively at all. The base offense - and I'm sure you all read the article I linked in the JT thread, so you already know this - is Dave (the inside run from the I). Well, pretty clearly that hasn't been going well. If you can't function in the base offense, you really can't open up the playbook.

Now, that being said, JT has been using Dave for decades, and I doubt he'll change that. I don't know if, for some reason, defenses have figured out how to defend it very effectively, or if it's a personnel issue, or what. I'm pretty darn sure that Tress&Co haven't gotten worse at teaching and installing the base O, though, so something is up. Most teams have moved away from the inside game and gone to a zone-read or zone running base offense...maybe it's worth looking at? Who knows.

Point being, I don't think they've suddenly lost their edge or can't coach. But the basics aren't getting properly executed, for whatever reason.

 

[Taosman]

What is our base offense? Tressel probably doesn't know yet! His teams are built for the end of the season and it always takes weeks for the coaches to settle on what the kids do well. We look like more of a combo
spread/option team. Who knows? The O line is a work in progress and how they come along will dictate what they do effectively.
So much hinges on the offensive line development. TP needs time to do his reads and for the WRs to run routes. Tress doesn't want to run TP much.
So we have a offensive stew. (a little of everything thrown together)

 

[TJnTN]

Teams like USC and Florida....when it's 4th and 1 or 4th and 2.....you know...you just know they are going to get the 1st down 90% of the time. Every time we line up in similar situations....not only am I scared to death we wont get it....90% of the time I can tell you where it's going. I agree with everyone who has said "we have a 6'6" 240lbs QB.....run the QB sneak....don't handoff 4 yards in the backfield. $^@#$^#$%#!$%#!$%#%

Are we running plays to get our playmakers the ball out in space? or are they just not making the plays when they get the ball in space?

 

[bukIpower]

I'm just surprised now as I look back on it the amount of talent we've gotten on offense considering we don't use anyone to their potential usually.

Vince Young was picked third over all running a read option offense. Pryor while he's not Vince Young has similar traits and should be used to maximize his skills, and passing is not one of those skills more times than not. I'm just confused why we let Troy run around for two years and now we have Pryor and we're trying to make him Peyton Manning. Maybe when Pryor's a senior he can do what he's trying to do now (pocket passer) but right now his main skill is his legs. I'm not saying QB draw every other play but he's got to be going for 50 yards a game. Especially considering I don't see too many 200+ yard passing games in the near future. We got to get the offense from SOMEWHERE. It's simple, if it ain't coming through the air we got to make up for the lack of passing on the ground.

Because of this approach it's going to make that PSU game more difficult than it needs to be. Probably even the Illinois/UM games too.