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I think if we went back and looked at BP opinions prior to 2014 the buzz was all about the defense, especially the front 4, and concern that it would take time for the new guys to form a cohesive OL. Suddenly Brax went down and the problem expanded to how long before the new line jelled and could the new QB come in and run the offense. Looks to me like we collectively guessed the actual problems and that the OL and JT - and then Cardale - solved them. The point being, by the end of the year the 2014 offense was at least as good, if not better than 2013.
Braxton tells SI he is moving to receiver/H-back. Read somewhere that he says he will be spending 20% of his time with the QB's. This move will keep defensive coordinators up at night. I thought this would be the solution to the 3-headed QB monster. Now it is a more manageable 2-headed one. I expect both to play, but my money is on JT to be the main guy with Cardale coming in and scaring the bejezus out of secondaries. Mainly, I'm thankful for Braxton making this move. It's the best thing for him, his future, and the team, but I sense that if he could throw and be healthy doing it, he'd prefer to be behind center - so this move probably represents a pretty big sacrifice on his part.
Those were interesting stats. We punted two more times in 14 than 13. We also played 2 more games, so I would like to see punts/game. Ohio State scored, I believe, a single season record 90 TD's last year, but those 2 games come into play there as well. Anyone have TD's/game comparison?
The main thing I thought when I read those stats was, "Maybe the defense was the bigger difference for Ohio State last year." Football is an interesting game in that the stats somewhat describe the quality of a team/unit, but sometimes it's more when you make the plays than what those plays mean in terms of yards and points. For example, if you give up 2 90 yard runs a game, your rush defense is looks terrible in terms of ypg given up, but if you are stout otherwise, your rush defense would be actually pretty effective. All I know is that my eyes tell me JT is a special QB in terms of distributing the ball, moving the chains, and getting the ball into the endzone. Cardale is special too, but just does it a different way. But in the end, my eyes tell me JT has more things he can do, and less things he can't, than Cardale.
Listening to Common Man & Company trying hard to find a flaw in this team coming up with Braxton at H-Back. They're struggling.
Here's what is scary. Remember the last time so good that the only game worth watching was The Ohio State Offense Vs The Ohio State Defense at practice? When that team up north had a brand new crazy coach that gets it with nothing to lose?
Here's what is scary. Remember the last time so good that the only game worth watching was The Ohio State Offense Vs The Ohio State Defense at practice? When that team up north had a brand new crazy coach that gets it with nothing to lose?
There's some other stuff that throws this off...
- OLine wasn't up to snuff early
- JT played against PSU injured, and only half the IU game
- Eze was a bit banged up early
- Eze didn't even start against IU -- Samuel did
- Eze wasn't asked to do much against early opponents: Navy 12/40 team rushes, VTech 8/40 team rushes, and Kent St 8/53 team rushes ... compare to Wiscy (20/38), Bama (20/42), Oregon (36/61)
*1st 3 excluded b/c Eze not at 100%, PSU excluded b/c JT not at 100%
*scUM numbers are excluded cuz I'm too lazy to go through play-by-play (Eze was 17/121yds 7.1ypa fwiw - pretty close to the JT averages anyway)
So I guess if we want to argue for a QB to start because Urban will hand the ball off more to Eze... ?????
I'm also not sure how much of this was the Lebron James effect... ie: Eze decided to just go off when it was Championship Time and Urban/Herman fed him (especially against Oregon) b/c if Ohio State loses there isn't another game.
But something very curious happens when we look at total team rushing (with same 4 games excluded due to injuries)
With JT starting:
Total Rushing/game,,,,,,,,,,324.28yds/ 45.71car / 7.09avg per carry
With Cardale starting:
Total Rushing/game,,,,,,,,,,292.67yds/ 47car / 6.22avg per carry
I wouldn't make a decision on that anymore than I would on the original Eze stats... but it debunks the idea that Cardale definitively makes the rushing game better, and kinda reinforces the idea that Eze just went Nuclear.
There's some other stuff that throws this off...
- OLine wasn't up to snuff early
- JT played against PSU injured, and only half the IU game
- Eze was a bit banged up early
- Eze didn't even start against IU -- Samuel did
- Eze wasn't asked to do much against early opponents: Navy 12/40 team rushes, VTech 8/40 team rushes, and Kent St 8/53 team rushes ... compare to Wiscy (20/38), Bama (20/42), Oregon (36/61)
*1st 3 excluded b/c Eze not at 100%, PSU excluded b/c JT not at 100%
*scUM numbers are excluded cuz I'm too lazy to go through play-by-play (Eze was 17/121yds 7.1ypa fwiw - pretty close to the JT averages anyway)
So I guess if we want to argue for a QB to start because Urban will hand the ball off more to Eze... ?????
I'm also not sure how much of this was the Lebron James effect... ie: Eze decided to just go off when it was Championship Time and Urban/Herman fed him (especially against Oregon) b/c if Ohio State loses there isn't another game.
But something very curious happens when we look at total team rushing (with same 4 games excluded due to injuries)
With JT starting:
Total Rushing/game,,,,,,,,,,324.28yds/ 45.71car / 7.09avg per carry
With Cardale starting:
Total Rushing/game,,,,,,,,,,292.67yds/ 47car / 6.22avg per carry
I wouldn't make a decision on that anymore than I would on the original Eze stats... but it debunks the idea that Cardale definitively makes the rushing game better, and kinda reinforces the idea that Eze just went Nuclear.
Som MUCH truth here. Every single point in this post is exactly what goes through my mind as I think of what transpired when JT was in control versus CJ. They both have strengths but merely looking at EzE's stats would be a huge oversight as there are so many other factors that went into those numbers.
There's some other stuff that throws this off...
- OLine wasn't up to snuff early
- JT played against PSU injured, and only half the IU game
- Eze was a bit banged up early
- Eze didn't even start against IU -- Samuel did
- Eze wasn't asked to do much against early opponents: Navy 12/40 team rushes, VTech 8/40 team rushes, and Kent St 8/53 team rushes ... compare to Wiscy (20/38), Bama (20/42), Oregon (36/61)
*1st 3 excluded b/c Eze not at 100%, PSU excluded b/c JT not at 100%
*scUM numbers are excluded cuz I'm too lazy to go through play-by-play (Eze was 17/121yds 7.1ypa fwiw - pretty close to the JT averages anyway)
So I guess if we want to argue for a QB to start because Urban will hand the ball off more to Eze... ?????
I'm also not sure how much of this was the Lebron James effect... ie: Eze decided to just go off when it was Championship Time and Urban/Herman fed him (especially against Oregon) b/c if Ohio State loses there isn't another game.
But something very curious happens when we look at total team rushing (with same 4 games excluded due to injuries)
With JT starting:
Total Rushing/game,,,,,,,,,,324.28yds/ 45.71car / 7.09avg per carry
With Cardale starting:
Total Rushing/game,,,,,,,,,,292.67yds/ 47car / 6.22avg per carry
I wouldn't make a decision on that anymore than I would on the original Eze stats... but it debunks the idea that Cardale definitively makes the rushing game better, and kinda reinforces the idea that Eze just went Nuclear.
Liked for the research work. There are just so many things that go into it. Along with EzEs recovery from the initial wrist injury he carried into the beginning of the season, the team lost Rod Smith and Dontre Wilson down the back stretch.
As Lou Holtz used to say whenever he pounded the desk in frustration at Mark May, "It's a different team every week."
Those were interesting stats. We punted two more times in 14 than 13. We also played 2 more games, so I would like to see punts/game. Ohio State scored, I believe, a single season record 90 TD's last year, but those 2 games come into play there as well. Anyone have TD's/game comparison.
Suffice it to say 2014 was a magical year where the stars aligned and the football gods smiled on the Buckeyes. Luck, timing and an awful lot of talent led to a championship season. Oh yea, and may have had a positive effect also.
Listening to Common Man & Company trying hard to find a flaw in this team coming up with Braxton at H-Back. They're struggling.
Here's what is scary. Remember the last time so good that the only game worth watching was The Ohio State Offense Vs The Ohio State Defense at practice? When that team up north had a brand new crazy coach that gets it with nothing to lose?
The last time scUM had a brand new crazy coach with nothing to lose that upset OSU they also had a team with 18 eventual NFL players, 2 of which were HOFers. They had a QB that led the team in total offense. They had a stable of RB's to take the pressure off the running game and they had at least one very capable receiver.
The 2015 tsun team has Shane "five star" Morris at QB plus some reject from Iowa. They have an OL that is questionable at best and the only guy who could run worth a shit behind it last year blew out his knee. They supposedly have talent at WR but again, who's going to throw it to them? Jake Butt playing the part of Tony Manbitch is about the only parallel you can reasonably draw between 2015 scUM and 1969 scUM other than the crazy coach angle and the game being in AA.
may have had a positive effect also.
