2009 tOSU Offensive Line Discussion (official thread)

[Buckskin86]

- Reading between the lines on Tressel's answers to questions about left tackle, it sounds as if Andrew Miller will start once again, but that Mike Adams will continue to get significant playing time there. This is simply a resumption of the competition that was occurring in preseason before Adams' suspension dropped him to scout team.

Yes, Hazell called some plays (Blogging the Buckeyes)

 

[Sportsbuck28]

That was the best game I've seen the offensive line play in at least 2 years... great job of coaching by Bollman in getting them prepared and great job by the guys in executing out there.

 

[Steve19]

I agree, 28. These two weak opponents have helped the guys work better together as a unit. They were not that impressive on the first Illini drive. Once they figured out the scheme, they were juggernauts.

I'm sure the coaches will be making sure that they understand tougher opponents lie ahead.

 

[Buckskin86]

Ohio State notes: Offensive line starting to jell
Chris Assenheimer

COLUMBUS - An Ohio State offensive line that has drawn criticism finally got to bask in some praise Saturday.

The interior line was at the forefront of a big day on the ground for the Buckeyes, who rushed for 236 yards in a 30-0 Big Ten-opening victory over Illinois. The rushing total was just short of the season-high 247 yards the Buckeyes produced against lesser competition in Toledo last weekend at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

?We knew if we wanted to run and get some yards that we had to do a good job,? said left guard Justin Boren, a transfer from Michigan. ?As an offensive line jelling, it does a lot for the guys. We?re working every week to get better.

?It was cool. We were running the ball and pounding it.?

With rain falling hard at times and for much of the day, it was a necessity.

?The running game was called upon when those conditions got terrible, and I thought it delivered,? OSU coach Jim Tressel said. ?I thought we played a little bit faster (on the line) and with a little more confidence in what we were doing.?

?My hat?s off to the offensive line,? Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor said. ?Illinois knew we weren?t going to pass the ball and we were still running and picking up yards.?

The Buckeyes were equal opportunity distributors, with their top two running backs Dan Herron (14 attempts, 75 yards, two touchdowns) and Brandon Saine (13-81 yards) posting similar numbers. Pryor also had a positive day on the ground, running for 69 yards on 11 carries.

?All of our backs are pretty capable,? Boren said. ?If we open holes, they?re going to get yards, no matter who?s carrying the ball.?

One of them, Saine, was pleased to find the running room.

?Illinois likes to do a lot of slanting (on defense),? he said. ?Our offensive line was taking them where they didn?t want to go. It?s definitely a confidence builder for us.?

Ohio State notes: Offensive line starting to jell | Chronicle-Telegram

Offensive line, new plays lead to victory
Linemen, backs say misdirection part of success
Sunday, September 27, 2009
By Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

There was more than grit and determination at work for an Ohio State offensive line that opened the way for 236 rushing yards yesterday in a 30-0 win over Illinois in Ohio Stadium.

There were some new plays, too.

They might not have been clearly discernible to everyone watching, because the steady rain tended to obscure things. That the plays were run between the tackles and into a crowd also muddied the picture.

But the offensive line, especially center Mike Brewster and left guard Justin Boren, were pushing away at the Illini defensive interior while quarterback Terrelle Pryor and running backs Daniel Herron and Brandon Saine worked behind them on misdirection plays.

"I felt they opened it up a lot bigger, and gave us a lot more running lanes today," said Herron, who rushed for 75 yards on 14 carries and scored two touchdowns.

"I think the misdirection just helped open things up," Brewster said. "I really liked all the play calls."

Boren said the success came "against what I think is a really talented and good defensive front. We knew if we could block them, we had a dang good chance of winning the football game.

"So we kind of went after them, and it worked pretty good."

Saine had 81 yards on 13 carries, and Pryor worked loose, especially late, for 59 yards on 11 carries.

But Pryor, with the passing game mostly in storage through the rain-drenched first half, was simply driving the machine.

"I can't explain how well (the offensive line) played; they carried us," Pryor said. "Illinois knew we were going to run the ball, they had six or seven people in the box, and the (linemen) just blew 'em up."

http://www.dispatch.com/live/conten...9-27.ART_ART_09-27-09_C6_L3F6SKO.html?sid=101

 

[BB73]

Dan Herron (14 attempts, 75 yards, two touchdowns) and Brandon Saine (13-81 yards) posting similar numbers. Pryor also had a positive day on the ground, running for 69 yards on 11 carries.

So the three main ball carriers got 225 yards on 38 carries (5.9 ypc), and that number wasn't inflated by any breakaways, since the longest run of the day was 23 yards. And there were no sacks on 13 passing plays, which were limited due to the rain and having a solid lead most of the day.

Yeah, those numbers work for me. Nice job by the OL.

 

[scooter1369]

So the three main ball carriers got 225 yards on 38 carries (5.9 ypc), and that number wasn't inflated by any breakaways, since the longest run of the day was 23 yards. And there were no sacks on 13 passing plays, which were limited due to the rain and having a solid lead most of the day.

Yeah, those numbers work for me. Nice job by the OL.

agreed.

 

[scarletngray]

Very pleased with the OL performance yesterday. This game could have been really ugly and low scoring with the weather the way it was. Thankfully, it was only low scoring for one team (or should I say NO scoring - la, la, la) because our OL time and time again dominated the Illinois front seven and provided lanes for our guys to run in.

I think the addition of Suggarts (though he still needs to get the false starts under control) has brought an additional toughness to the line. Mike Adams brings an additional talent/depth to the OL which has also paid
dividends.

The new designed running plays really worked well and you could just see the confidence of the RB and OL working together. Great chemistry yesterday and great performance by all involved.

:osu:

 

[jlb1705]

Ohio State notes: Offensive line starting to jell
Chris Assenheimer

 

[Jaxbuck]

I agree, 28. These two weak opponents have helped the guys work better together as a unit. They were not that impressive on the first Illini drive. Once they figured out the scheme, they were juggernauts.

I'm sure the coaches will be making sure that they understand tougher opponents lie ahead.

Agree 100%. That wasn't a very good defense but that wasn't the same stuff we've seen our offense run either. I came away feeling like I just saw the beginning of something new. That was not the same old same old we've been seeing and, as SNG pointed out, it came in a situation where normally you could expect Tress to button it up and the offense to look fugly.

They've done something different on a strategic level and that alone gives me some hope.

 

[NightmaresDad]

If I'm not mistaken, ZERO plays out of the I formation! Woo Hoo!

And I like the trap block scheme using Ballard on the read option. Same thing Oregon ST did to USC last year, but they use a WR.

 

[RB07OSU]

I LOVED the playcalling yesterday. The zone reads were working so well and the line was really moving around and hitting some people. I was impressed with Adams at left tackle and as some mentioned on Ballard, he really came through blocking. I loved the play where he was pulling to lead block for Pryor. This was a great effort and they just looked so determined to get the job done.

 

[Buckeyecty4]

I LOVED the playcalling yesterday. The zone reads were working so well and the line was really moving around and hitting some people. I was impressed with Adams at left tackle and as some mentioned on Ballard, he really came through blocking. I loved the play where he was pulling to lead block for Pryor. This was a great effort and they just looked so determined to get the job done.

The classic I formation runs that we're accustomed to seeing should be scrapped for this season. Our RBs and Oline look a helluva lot more comfortable running those zone read options. Best day for our Oline I can recall in quite some time.

 

[Buckeneye]

Once the rythmn passing games gets better while in the I, the ground game will open up with it.

 

[NateG]

Boren was by far the best lineman against Illinois. Ballard did good coming down on his pull blocks. Brewster did great getting the ball to TP with the conditions. Overall good line play.

 

[Buckskin86]

Tackles progressing

Last week was the first time that sophomore offensive tackles Mike Adams and J.B. Shugarts were both in the starting lineup -- Adams on the left and Shugarts on the right.

They helped pave the way for 231 rushing yards in a 30-0 win over Illinois.

"They're getting better every week," tight end Jake Ballard said. "J.B. has finally calmed down a little bit, he's not jumping offsides as much (he had three false-start penalties against Toledo and one last week), and when he's not jumping offsides he's doing a great job.

"And Mike is just trying to get back in the flow of things and he's firing off the ball really well. They're doing a great job for us."

BuckeyeXtra - OSU notebook: Suspension gives Russell a reprieve

Tackles face Hoosiers' sack attack: Ohio State Football
By Doug Lesmerises
October 01, 2009

Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer
Mike Adams, left, made his first start at left tackle for Ohio State last week, and J.B. Shugarts, right, made his second start at right tackle. On Saturday, against Indiana, the pair will have to learn on the job by blocking two senior defensive ends who together lead the nation in sacks.

Columbus -- Indiana has two senior defensive ends who have combined for more sacks than any pair of defensive ends in the country, and Ohio State should have two sophomore tackles blocking them much of the time Saturday night. If the Hoosiers are going to slow down the Buckeyes, they'll need Jammie Kirlew and Greg Middleton to dominate OSU sophomores J.B. Shugarts and Mike Adams.

Kirlew and Middleton are arguably Indiana's two best players, while Adams made his first career start at left tackle last week while sharing time with junior Andrew Miller, and Shugarts made his second start at right tackle for injured senior Jim Cordle.

"What they have to do is learn on the job," said Ohio State tight ends coach John Peterson, who also works with the offensive tackles. "The situation we're in, we're trying to do things schematically that try to help young tackles be successful."

That should include using tight ends and backs to help in pass protection, when the Indiana ends can be game changers. In last week's 36-33 Indiana loss to Michigan, Middleton had two sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss and six tackles, while Kirlew had two tackles for loss, a forced fumble and seven tackles. But in Ohio State's run game last week, tight end Jake Ballard was dominant as a lead blocker, motioning across the offense and into the hole, so Adams, Shugarts and Miller may have to handle things on their own on running plays.

Adams, 6-foot-8 and 322 pounds, and Shugarts, at 6-8 and 298, have the tools of the trade, if not the tricks. Saturday night will be an every-down grind, and if they lose more than they win, Terrelle Pryor may scramble for 200 yards.

"There are parts to the pass blocking where they're very good because they're good athletes and they have long arms and they're able to do some things physically," Peterson said. "They're quick-footed, so that helps them in some of the run game because they can get on guys."

http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2009/10/tackles_face_hoosiers_sack_att.html