SKULL SESSION: OHIO STATE'S PASSING IS MORE CONSERVATIVE, MICHAEL THOMAS' CATCH RATE, PARIS JOHNSON JR. BAKING
MORE CONSERVATIVE THAN EVER? The Buckeye passing game has looked more lethal and prolific than it has since the 2014 national championship season – there's almost no arguing that.
But what if I told you, this is also the most conservative the passing game has been in five years?
Yes, it might not feel that way, but Ohio State took far more downfield shots with J.T. Barrett at the helm than it currently does with Dwayne Haskins, though I think you'd find a drastic difference in the percentage of times those passes were actually completed.
My hunch is this offense might take fewer downfield shots, but it's drastically more efficient on those downfield shots.
Also, I'm dying at the fact that every fourth pass Cardale Jones threw was 20+ yards downfield. What a ride that was.
Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/skul...paris-johnson-amazing-amy-pie-for-urban-meyer
Sort of misleading.
Defenses have been playing a 1 high safety, take away the deep pass and stack the box vs run-make them stay patient and work their way down the field defense, for the better part of 5 years now.
These stats show me exactly what we know to be the case with our eyes. JT Barrett couldn't consistently do that (stay patient or be accurate enough with short passes to let them turn into big gains). he often was throwing into the coverage and often because it was 3rd and long. That is not exactly being "aggressive" in my book.
Haskins, so far, has shown that he will absolutely dissect a defense if they give him that same simple, easy to read, man coverage. His superior accuracy makes those type of completions more of a weapon because you have the athletes catching it in stride and doing damage. yards after completion would be a stat I'd like to see compared like the above if we ever could.
P.S.
Defensive coordinators are going to adjust soon. My guess is we see the same general pattern as when Dick LeBeau popularized zone blitzing to disrupt west coast offenses. Same principles apply; you can't just blitz a highly accurate passer and play man behind it, he will carve you up BUT pressure is the key because you can't just play zone and let him sit comfortably in the pocket. He will carve you up a different way.
If I were a DC, and this is where you have to have the horses to do it, my first option would obviously be to get pressure with my front 4 and mix coverage behind it. That being easier said than done, I would be stacking the box and sending LB's all day long to force Haskins to get rid of it quick (as well as disrupt the run) but playing a lot of varied zone looks behind it.
Who in CFB has the coaching and the players to do that really? Bama? Maybe Clemson? I don't see anyone in the B1G that can do it (unless we get the weather game that takes away passing for them).
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