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Game Thread 2015 Sugar Bowl: (1) Alabama vs. (4) Ohio State, Jan 1st @ 8:30p ET, ESPN (civilized thread)

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MililaniBuckeye said:
Funny you say that...everyone on E$P!N today said you can't run up the middle on Alabama...
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You have to try to establish a consistent run game in the middle to at least make our defense adjust to stop it. Then it opens up the field and makes us vulnerable. If you give up on the run or don't establish it against our front then our safeties and linebackers will wreak havoc elsewhere and nothing will work....except maybe the hail marry pass which has burned a few times by QBs who can run around for 8 seconds.
 
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BamaInHoustonRTR said:
Questions:

Why do y'all * out the i's in Michigan?
Is Braxton Miller transferring for sure or will
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It is considered uncouth to use the full name of TSUN (That State Up North). You'll see TTUN, scUM, TSUN, *chigan, M*ch*g*n, etc used interchangeably.

Latest on Braxton is that he's coming back next year. Anything you hear other than that are unsubstantiated rumors at this point.
 
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BamaInHoustonRTR said:
You have to try to establish a consistent run game in the middle to at least make our defense adjust to stop it. Then it opens up the field and makes us vulnerable. If you give up on the run or don't establish it against our front then our safeties and linebackers will wreak havoc elsewhere and nothing will work....except maybe the hail marry pass which has burned a few times by QBs who can run around for 8 seconds.
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Trust me, we'll run the ball up the middle, just not all night. Wiscy's run defense was supposed to be solid (104 ypg) but we busted off a couple long runs, and 301 yards, on them. Alabama's rush defense allows about 15 ypg less, so there may not be that much difference...
 
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jlb1705 said:
The Buckeyes base defense is 4-3 or Nickel Cover 4. It's a new system for them this season and it has taken a while for the Buckeyes to grow into it. The Buckeyes departed from it a bit against M*ch*g*n State and Wisconsin though. Against M*ch*g*n State they played more man-to-man, with Doran Grant following their best receiver, Tony Lippett wherever he lined up. Grant is our best and most experienced CB, and while he was superb against Lippett I don't think he (or anybody else in college) is good enough to do the same against Cooper. I think they'll play more zone against Alabama.

Ohio State's Cover 4 has mostly avoided bringing the safeties close to the line for run support, and that has caused the linebackers (who are deficient as a unit) to get exposed against teams that commit to running the ball. That was the departure against Wisconsin - the DBs were used much more in run support to stop Melvin Gordon. They were able to do this because Wisconsin presented zero passing threat - which will definitely not be the case against Alabama.

Also worth mentioning among DBs is Eli Apple. He's a RS freshman who has grown up a lot this season. Pretty decent tackler on the edge and in the open field. Has picked up a few costly PIs this season, but has also been the most likely to come up with a crucial interception. Our safeties leave something to be desired, but on the whole the Buckeye secondary is much better than it was last season.

Since bringing in Chris Ash from Arkansas for this season, the Buckeyes pass defense has improved markedly from what you may have seen last season and particularly against Clemson in the Orange Bowl. It has come at the cost of the run defense though, and except against Melvin Gordon the Buckeyes have been gashed by RBs throughout the season.
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Why are we doing Saban's work for him?

:shake:
 
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