2014 tOSU Defense Discussion

[buckeyeintn]

Ask yourself this question - would we beat Oregon on a neutral field? I don't care how we may or may not win, but can we win? Are we truly a better overall team? We'll only know if the game is played, but I struggle to be confident in that result. That game may be played this season, and I hope it is. But take all the bias away from the home team and break it down. I think we can play with almost anyone, and we're a really good team, but our defense is still a considerable weakness that is harder and harder to defend (other than "defenses just don't play like they used to..."). We need to be much better.

When we played the Ducks in the Rose Bowl a few years back, we had a much stronger, more physical defense. That played a big factor in that game. Oregon's offensive style isn't much different now, arguably a little faster. I just don't see us controlling that game. Hope I'm wrong.

While our defense may not be up to "Silver Bullet Standards", I believe it is still stronger than Oregon's. When looking at the teams we could face in the playoffs, there is no team that is unstoppable on offense and impenetrable on defense. All of them have their weaknesses. While the Bucks are not head and shoulders above any of the other top teams, neither are they inferior to them. I'll take our chances on a neutral field against any of them.

 

[jlb1705]

As others have pointed out, if you take away a few key runs the defense did a pretty good job keeping Coleman in check for most of the game. That's not meant to be a coulda-woulda-shoulda statement, but rather an observation that they did some good things but lost discipline and focus at key moments that were very damaging. That's the same thing that was going on with the pass defense right before it solidified. I think the run defense is going to come back around a bit - but maybe not until next season when some of the young players at the position mature a bit and when some of the upperclassmen who have clear limitations have moved on.

 

[Systems_id]

Ask yourself this question - would we beat Oregon on a neutral field? I don't care how we may or may not win, but can we win? Are we truly a better overall team? We'll only know if the game is played, but I struggle to be confident in that result. That game may be played this season, and I hope it is. But take all the bias away from the home team and break it down. I think we can play with almost anyone, and we're a really good team, but our defense is still a considerable weakness that is harder and harder to defend (other than "defenses just don't play like they used to..."). We need to be much better.

When we played the Ducks in the Rose Bowl a few years back, we had a much stronger, more physical defense. That played a big factor in that game. Oregon's offensive style isn't much different now, arguably a little faster. I just don't see us controlling that game. Hope I'm wrong.

What makes you think we couldn't beat Oregon? Our defense may have trouble against them, but I do believe we would slow them down. I don't believe Oregon's defense could slow down the Buckeye offense whatsoever. Their ranked somewhere in the 100s if I remember correctly.

 

[matcar]

What makes you think we couldn't beat Oregon? Our defense may have trouble against them, but I do believe we would slow them down. I don't believe Oregon's defense could slow down the Buckeye offense whatsoever. Their ranked somewhere in the 100s if I remember correctly.

Perhaps we could slow them down. As for them slowing us down, maybe they could. Dunno. Unfortunately, we do a good job of slowing ourselves down at times.

 

[pnuts34]

I think they faced them more often than many people realize. Purdue, Texas Tech, Washington State, Northwestern among others and that was just the 2002 team!


The spread isn't new.

I never said the spread was new. But the amount of teams using the spread now is far more than 2002. I believe every team we've faced this year and a very large number in the last 4-5yrs now runs a variation of the spread. It's almost an anamoly to even run a pro style offense anymore. You provided 4 out of 12 game schedule, and outside of maybe MSU every team we've faced spreads it's offense out. I still would think that the 2002 defense would get numbers put on it that are much higher than what they surrendered in 2002.

 

[BuckeyeFan 52]

What makes you think we couldn't beat Oregon? Our defense may have trouble against them, but I do believe we would slow them down. I don't believe Oregon's defense could slow down the Buckeye offense whatsoever. Their ranked somewhere in the 100s if I remember correctly.

Form tackling in space and physicality. Gotta have it, we don't do well. Our offense would score on the Ducks, I never questioned that. I think it would be a good game overall, I'm simply stating my opinion that I think our defense could be too much of a liability in that game.

For comparisons sake, in the 2010 Rose Bowl, OSU held Oregon to 260 yards of total offense - 80 Yds passing/180 Yds rushing. Their offenses is more explosive today, but that was a chip kelly coached team with athletes such as Jeremiah Masoli and LeMichael James. Do you think we could do that today? Be honest......

 

[Jaxbuck]

Form tackling in space and physicality. Gotta have it, we don't do well. Our offense would score on the Ducks, I never questioned that. I think it would be a good game overall, I'm simply stating my opinion that I think our defense could be too much of a liability in that game.

For comparisons sake, in the 2010 Rose Bowl, OSU held Oregon to 260 yards of total offense - 80 Yds passing/180 Yds rushing. Their offenses is more explosive today, but that was a chip kelly coached team with athletes such as Jeremiah Masoli and LeMichael James. Do you think we could do that today? Be honest......

At least one place thinks that adjusted for opponents, the OSU defense is better thanOregon's defense


http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/feidef

 

[Systems_id]

Form tackling in space and physicality. Gotta have it, we don't do well. Our offense would score on the Ducks, I never questioned that. I think it would be a good game overall, I'm simply stating my opinion that I think our defense could be too much of a liability in that game.

For comparisons sake, in the 2010 Rose Bowl, OSU held Oregon to 260 yards of total offense - 80 Yds passing/180 Yds rushing. Their offenses is more explosive today, but that was a chip kelly coached team with athletes such as Jeremiah Masoli and LeMichael James. Do you think we could do that today? Be honest......

No I don't think this defense could do that today. Then again I don't believe the offense would only score 26 points so it's a wash.

 

[kujirakira]

Ask yourself this question - would we beat Oregon on a neutral field? I don't care how we may or may not win, but can we win? Are we truly a better overall team? We'll only know if the game is played, but I struggle to be confident in that result. That game may be played this season, and I hope it is. But take all the bias away from the home team and break it down. I think we can play with almost anyone, and we're a really good team, but our defense is still a considerable weakness that is harder and harder to defend (other than "defenses just don't play like they used to..."). We need to be much better.

When we played the Ducks in the Rose Bowl a few years back, we had a much stronger, more physical defense. That played a big factor in that game. Oregon's offensive style isn't much different now, arguably a little faster. I just don't see us controlling that game. Hope I'm wrong.

With Oregon, it'd be a shootout. There's not much difference in points allowed between the two defenses, but Oregon does allow 100yds more in total offense than Ohio State and more yards/play as well.
Given the recent sloppiness of the offense and special teams, I'm not very confident about anything right now. Just seems like the kind of game determined by turnovers.

While our defense may not be up to "Silver Bullet Standards", I believe it is still stronger than Oregon's. When looking at the teams we could face in the playoffs, there is no team that is unstoppable on offense and impenetrable on defense. All of them have their weaknesses. While the Bucks are not head and shoulders above any of the other top teams, neither are they inferior to them. I'll take our chances on a neutral field against any of them.

I fancy FSU to be honest. A paper tiger if there ever was one.
Also feel a bit froggy about how we match up against 'Bama. They stuff the run, but teams have been able to pass. The hurry up is also Saban's kryptonite.
Out of the top teams in the country, Oregon is the only one that really worries me. Seems like a "who blinks first" game... and our offense has been blinking a lot lately.

 

[cincibuck]

Let's give some credit where it's due; specifically Tevin Coleman. The kid kept plugging the entire game, but when he found a crease on those two long runs he shot through it. He's quick and his top end is at least as fast as anyone on the Buckeyes, maybe faster. the bucks have played against three top backs this season, Langford, Cobb and Coleman, and have won despite sound efforts form all three.

 

[cincibuck]

Form tackling in space and physicality. Gotta have it, we don't do well. Our offense would score on the Ducks, I never questioned that. I think it would be a good game overall, I'm simply stating my opinion that I think our defense could be too much of a liability in that game.

For comparisons sake, in the 2010 Rose Bowl, OSU held Oregon to 260 yards of total offense - 80 Yds passing/180 Yds rushing. Their offenses is more explosive today, but that was a chip kelly coached team with athletes such as Jeremiah Masoli and LeMichael James. Do you think we could do that today? Be honest......

If the defense plays the way they did against Sparty, yes. If they play the way they did against Indiana, no. If IU receivers had caught half of the passes they dropped the game could have gotten out of hand - the wrong way - but there's a reason they're Indiana...

 

[BuckeyeFan 52]

No I don't think this defense could do that today. Then again I don't believe the offense would only score 26 points so it's a wash.

Most likely true regarding our offense, and we're discussing a theoretical game here. Shoot out for sure, but I'm still not confident we can out score that particular team. I know we CAN win, but I can't convince myself based off of our body of work this year defensively that we stop them often enough to out score them.

Alabama is a whole other discussion - lets just see how these next 2 games shake out.

 

[woofermazing]

Yea, we'll probably end up having played against 4 NFL starters at running back when all is said and done, with at least one and possibly two being first round picks. Our linebackers have been prone to mistakes and missed assignments in the run game, and those guys were good enough to really punish us.

Wrt to Oregon, I think we matchup well. They'd have to sell out to stop our inside run game, and I think our defense would fare better than MSU. Sparty plays a higher risk style of our defense, and Oregon was able to kill them on big pass plays. I don't think we'd give up as many easy scores, especially if bowl practices can shore up the linebackers assignments.

 

[Bestbuck36]

Stop. The. Run. That is all I ask. And, be prepared to catch several jump balls this week and house them!

 

[Dryden]

And, be prepared to catch several jump balls this week and house them!