2011 Linebackers Discussion

[buckeye4ever21]

I had mentioned that too. When I was watching LSU, they were talking about how they are faster this year because they moved Corners to Safeties, Safeties to Linebackers, and Linebackers to Ends. Moving Bino to the LEO spot would make sense with Nate Williams out. Then we could play Shazier more. I also think we should be playing Clarke at Safety, or at least over Howard...

I completely agree with what LSU is doing and when you look at our secondary, the majority of our nickel coverage are cover corners. Bryant and Barnett both look like they could man up one on one with WRs or play safety like they are doing now. I dont really understand the point of recruiting safeties other than moving them down to outside linebacker. In the secondary i'd rather take 4 or 5 corners who can man up or come up and make a tackle over 2 slower safeties anyday. Our LBs play has been horrific and is the reason we've yet to see a 4-3 defense because we dont have 3 legitimate LBs. We are stuck playing smaller line-ups in nickel packages because the strength of our defense is our secondary. I'm scared about what Wisconsin is gonna do to us because we only have 2 players on the Dline and no one has stepped up at linebacker. I'm all for getting Shazier in because our LBs are lacking speed and he pursues plays like i've never seen a LB do at OSU. He may not be in position a lot but he only knows one speed and that's all out. I can live with mistakes from freshmen and sophmores but not juniors and seniors.

 

[BB73]

Brandon Castel looks at the LBs, who have not been up to Buckeye standards as a group.

Ozone

 

[RugbyBuck]

I read that article yesterday and afterward decided that I'd just wasted three minutes of my life. There was no analysis or conclusion or theory for WHY the linebackers' performance has been down or any opinion as to WHAT we might do to fix the problem.

 

[808 Buck]

There was no analysis or conclusion or theory for WHY the linebackers' performance has been down

I'll offer a theory that Brian Rolle and Ross Homan were a helluva lot better than what they have been given credit for, and the new starters have yet to play at that level. Not a criticism of any individual player, but the reality of playing LB for Ohio State.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

I'll offer a theory that Brian Rolle and Ross Homan were a helluva lot better than what they have been given credit for, and the new starters have yet to play at that level. Not a criticism of any individual player, but the reality of playing LB for Ohio State.

^-- yep --^

Rolle's amount of PT in the NFL as an "undersized rookie" is a clear indicator of this.

 

[808 Buck]

Something I forgot to mention in terms of the LB's may actually involve the d-line. I honestly haven't studied the games that closely, but it seems that there is a greater emphasis on getting upfield this year. Don't know if that's by design or inexperience by individuals, but opponents' offensive lines seem to be getting to the second level a lot easier than in the past. Tough to make tackles when there's a 300 pounder in your face. So, the d-line can do a better job of keeping guys off of the LB's, and the LB's can do a better job of getting off blocks and tackling. Back to my previous post. Rolle and Homan, with a lot of help from Cam Heyward, did a great job of keeping themselves free and were solid tacklers. They were also really good in underneath coverage. Take out two guys like that, and production falls off. Just need to do a better job playing within the scheme. With Wisconsin coming up, there's no time like the present.