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2018 tOSU Defense Discussion

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Buckeye86 said:
Baker’s head was in the NFL all year, Booker was (and is) apparently not very good, and Chris Worley was badly out of position at MLB- I thought he looked and played a lot better when they moved him back to the edge to bring in Borland, who was super young.

This year Werner is super young, Harrison is still learning the ropes, Browning is super young and out of position at MLB, and Borland is returning from injury.

I agree that Davis is on a short leash and deserves scrutiny- it all depends on improvement throughout this year.

Borland returning full time to provide leadership, experience, and to let Browning bump back out to the edge will be huge.

I am still optimistic about this group.
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Only thing I'd nitpick is that Harrison is a year older than the Borland/Browning/Werner triumvirate so I'm not as comfortable/hopeful of giving him the benefit of the doubt from his youth and inexperience.

So far I'd say the best lineup is Borland, Werner, Browning if you can move him back outside.

Depth at MLB scares me like depth at Saftey does.

It looks like "next man up" is more hope than plan at those two spots this year. Let's pray we don't find ourselves using it.
 
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Jaxbuck said:
Depth at MLB scares me like depth at Saftey does.

It looks like "next man up" is more hope than plan at those two spots this year. Let's pray we don't find ourselves using it.
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Hilliard continues to be a five-star enigma. There is no reason for him not to be making noise at MLB... and yet he’s not.

Jaxbuck said:
Only thing I'd nitpick is that Harrison is a year older than the Borland/Browning/Werner triumvirate so I'm not as comfortable/hopeful of giving him the benefit of the doubt from his youth and inexperience.
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I will say about Harrison; he wasn’t a LB in HS and came in as basically a big athlete. I think his learning curve is a bit longer because of that. Turning big athletes into LBs was Fickell’s specialty- see: Josh Perry, Darron Lee.

I don’t think there is any doubt we’d be in a better place right now if Fickell was still the LB coach, but alas, he is not.
 
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Someone answer me this... why do we talking OLBs (W/S LBs) and keep trying to turn them into the MLB ... it was a problem last year with Worley and a problem this year with Browning... I understand trying to get the best guys on the field... but the best guys on the field in the right positions matter more... I’m not a football coach but I’m in charge of somethings for work (not a manager though) and by god if you dont put the right people in the right positions its gonna go to shit fast...
 
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AuTX Buckeye said:
Someone answer me this... why do we talking OLBs (W/S LBs) and keep trying to turn them into the MLB ... it was a problem last year with Worley and a problem this year with Browning... I understand trying to get the best guys on the field... but the best guys on the field in the right positions matter more... I’m not a football coach but I’m in charge of somethings for work (not a manager though) and by god if you dont put the right people in the right positions its gonna go to shit fast...
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I got nothing
 
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AuTX Buckeye said:
Someone answer me this... why do we talking OLBs (W/S LBs) and keep trying to turn them into the MLB ... it was a problem last year with Worley and a problem this year with Browning... I understand trying to get the best guys on the field... but the best guys on the field in the right positions matter more... I’m not a football coach but I’m in charge of somethings for work (not a manager though) and by god if you dont put the right people in the right positions its gonna go to shit fast...
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Grant, McMillan, Mitchell are MLBs, Hilliard might have been if healthy. Browning has the size but the mental side is holding hi m back right now.
 
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Buckeye86 said:
I don’t think there is any doubt we’d be in a better place right now if Fickell was still the LB coach, but alas, he is not.
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They had to switch Boren from FB to MLB under Fickell and there was instant and noticeable improvement in the defense.

I think it's more of a recruiting/philosophy issue but am by no means sold on Davis.

I think you can recruit big athletes to play outside but I think they have proven it doesn't work for Mike LB.

If you fill the wrong gap, all the athleticism in the world isn't going to allow you to recover. It just happens too fast.
 
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GREG SCHIANO ACKNOWLEDGES NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS AFTER OHIO STATE ALLOWS 31 POINTS TO OREGON STATE

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Starting safety Jordan Fuller was a game-time scratch, the most experienced linebacker on the roster in Tuf Borland played just 10 snaps and multiple players took their first-ever dose of collegiate football action Saturday.

But for Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano, none of those factors — or any other for that matter — serve as valid excuses for giving up 31 points to Oregon State.

The Buckeyes, who won going away by a 77-31 final, gave up 392 total yards to the Beavers' offense while surrendering scoring plays of 80, 78 and 49 yards.

While Schiano did mention the game film showed "a lot of good stuff," he harped on the fact that there are many areas with extensive opportunities to improve.

"There's a lot of good stuff on the tape. So I wasn't disappointed other than, there were some plays I was disappointed with," Schiano said. "Anytime you miss any tackles ... we really need to work on our angle of entries. We had two (defensive pass interference penalties) called on us. We gave up too many big plays. That's not acceptable and that all comes back to coaching."

Fuller's absence certainly hurt the Buckeyes. He was a game-time decision and worked out before kickoff. But according to acting head coach Ryan Day, the coaching staff decided it'd be best to hold him out.

Without him in the lineup, Ohio State's pass defense gave up 196 yards and were hit with two defensive pass interference in the same drive, midway through the first quarter.

"We hope to have Jordan back (against Rutgers)," Schiano said. "One thing Jordan gives you is a kind of a sweeper back there, an insurance policy. He's a very good tackler in space. I like our odds with him. He's an experienced guy and one of the best in the country. Certainly, we missed him."

Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...o-state-surrendered-31-points-to-oregon-state
 
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jwinslow said:
Grant, McMillan, Mitchell are MLBs, Hilliard might have been if healthy. Browning has the size but the mental side is holding hi m back right now.
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Im blaming Davis for his development. HE has been here long enough, second year. I was critical of Davis last year and evidently will be again this year. At one time we were Line Backer U, now we are taking 5 star guys and making them look out of position. That is not the case. They are not being prepared properly.
 
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AuTX Buckeye said:
Someone answer me this... why do we talking OLBs (W/S LBs) and keep trying to turn them into the MLB ... it was a problem last year with Worley and a problem this year with Browning... I understand trying to get the best guys on the field... but the best guys on the field in the right positions matter more... I’m not a football coach but I’m in charge of somethings for work (not a manager though) and by god if you dont put the right people in the right positions its gonna go to shit fast...
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I think we are to enticed by someones measurables that we overlook someone being a "fit" for the position.

AJ Hawk fit outside, Daron Lee fit outside, McMillan fit inside, and Borland fits inside. I think the staff again trys too hard to put their fastest team on the field too often.
 
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It's hard to find a pure MLB that can also cover. That's why Boren moved inside, and 1 legged Shazier played there in The Game. It's why an undersized freshman played there last year.

Also, Darron Lee is probably the fastest LB that Meyer recruited to OSU (other than maybe Jerome Baker). He is an unusual choice as a rebuttal to the mistake of focusing on putting the fastest player on the field. McMillan as well (he's not a speed merchant but he was an athletic guy).
 
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Jaxbuck said:
not quite yet but he's putting himself in a position to be

Hopefully Grinich and Schiano can cover for him.
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He can coach linebackers that have been linebackers their whole life but seems to struggle teaching athletes we want to make linebackers. Assume they know little about linebacker play and start from there. I thought he should have learned that last year.
 
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