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2024 tOSU Defense Discussion

For some reason I'm still not happy with the defense.. probably because my expectations were/are unrealistic... I don't want anyone to even get a first down.. when teams get these drives and especially their run games, bugs me.. LBs underwhelm me.. Igbinosun isn't impressing me.. JT really underwhelms me... I'm a bigger fan of 2nd team LBs and DLs right now.. and want to see more of Mathews/little Styles at CB
I think you’re on the mark here with everything you’ve said. It feels wrong to say it out loud when we lead the country in defense.

I think it’s because we go through at least 1 stretch every game where the offense is keeping the defense on the field.

I think that bodes well for the remaining games. The LBs I think have not played particularly well but maybe they’ll get going with more experience? After all, Simon is really the only returning player there with experience. As for Iggy, I think he’s been good but the defensive calls aren’t helping him any. Knowles has the corners playing 7-10 yards off most plays which I don’t think helps anyone. JT seems like this is just who he is which is a very good strong DE but not someone we tend to ask to disrupt the QB.

I think the defense is where they need to be but I’m skeptical we are going to do what we should with this defense. Jim Knowles said we were going to heat teams up and cause turnovers this year. Right now I have my doubts he’s going to start blitzing more. Surely we shouldn’t go TCUN with the blitz but on 2nd and 12 why not take a shot? With our corners and especially our safety play we should be forcing the issue a bit more. Hopefully we will…
 
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I think you’re on the mark here with everything you’ve said. It feels wrong to say it out loud when we lead the country in defense.

I think it’s because we go through at least 1 stretch every game where the offense is keeping the defense on the field.

I think that bodes well for the remaining games. The LBs I think have not played particularly well but maybe they’ll get going with more experience? After all, Simon is really the only returning player there with experience. As for Iggy, I think he’s been good but the defensive calls aren’t helping him any. Knowles has the corners playing 7-10 yards off most plays which I don’t think helps anyone. JT seems like this is just who he is which is a very good strong DE but not someone we tend to ask to disrupt the QB.

I think the defense is where they need to be but I’m skeptical we are going to do what we should with this defense. Jim Knowles said we were going to heat teams up and cause turnovers this year. Right now I have my doubts he’s going to start blitzing more. Surely we shouldn’t go TCUN with the blitz but on 2nd and 12 why not take a shot? With our corners and especially our safety play we should be forcing the issue a bit more. Hopefully we will…
i’ll pull out the old “don’t want to show them all our cards when we don’t have to” excuse. but we’ll see… probably not against iowa, but against oregon. let’s hope it’s not too late at that point to start pulling out wrinkles that the guys haven’t tried in game situations.

it did look like, on a few occasions (maybe too few), that knowles has let the defense pin its ears back and let things rip. let’s hope they are willing to do that and to execute when it really matters.
 
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i’ll pull out the old “don’t want to show them all our cards when we don’t have to” excuse. but we’ll see… probably not against iowa, but against oregon. let’s hope it’s not too late at that point to start pulling out wrinkles that the guys haven’t tried in game situations.

it did look like, on a few occasions (maybe too few), that knowles has let the defense pin its ears back and let things rip. let’s hope they are willing to do that and to execute when it really matters.
What I’ve noticed is he waits until half time to get aggressive but why?

I’m not holding my breath for an aggressive start vs Iowa or Oregon. Hopefully I’m wrong but to me Knowles seems hesitant to get after an offense. I’d imagine to see how a teams going to attack?

I get maybe the TCUN 2022 game sticks with him but we all know what happened there.

You’ve got better players so let’s press the issue a bit more. Especially early…

I’d think that’s when you’d want to take the most chances anyways? At least if someone hits you for a 50+ yard TD you can still run your offense.
 
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i’ll pull out the old “don’t want to show them all our cards when we don’t have to” excuse. but we’ll see… probably not against iowa, but against oregon. let’s hope it’s not too late at that point to start pulling out wrinkles that the guys haven’t tried in game situations.

it did look like, on a few occasions (maybe too few), that knowles has let the defense pin its ears back and let things rip. let’s hope they are willing to do that and to execute when it really matters.
I tend to agree. Knowles knows how to dial it up when he wants. Gotta think we see a lot of three linebacker sets against Iowa. Not sure how creative he will need to be against the Hawkeye's Offense.
 
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Well, when scUM knows what defense you're going to play just about every play after halftime, you're not going to do well...
That’s my point.

I bet that game shook not only Ryan but especially Jim Knowles.

There’s no need to fret about that game for Jim anymore. That game was fixed and it was confirm corrupted.

So maybe Jim can play the way we did for 2022? Which was aggressive.
 
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Silver Bullets giving up 102 fewer yards and 4 fewer points through 4 games than the 2019 team did with a mostly comparable schedule
Statistically through the first four games 2019 played one Top 10 offense (Indiana), two top 60 (FAU, and Miami, OH), and one ranked in the 90s (Cincinnati). So far 2024 has played two Top 80 offenses and Two ranked in the 100s. Don't think that's all that comparable to me.
 
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Statistically through the first four games 2019 played one Top 10 offense (Indiana), two top 60 (FAU, and Miami, OH), and one ranked in the 90s (Cincinnati). So far 2024 has played two Top 80 offenses and Two ranked in the 100s. Don't think that's all that comparable to me.
You say Indiana was top 10

They were ranked 42 in scoring offense that year, 41 in total offense

Was going to check further, but at that point I lost all interest in the conversation
 
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I get and don't necessarily disagree with much of the above. That said, much of defense is seeing what they're doing live and shutting it down from there. If we weren't seeing devastation wrought in the second halves of games, I'd be more concerned. Yes, I'd rather see adjustments made in real time, but this isn't like the Coombs clownshow where we just hoped for the best and didn't get it. We've got staff that knows what they're doing and the horses to make it work.
 
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Personally, am happy to see the middle-of-the-road B10 teams, along with several bottom-feeders starting to put some decent numbers up. Indiana, Rutgers, Illinois, Nebraska, Iowa have exceeded (my) expectations from the beginning of the season. Doubt whether the meatgrinder that is the B10 season will play out in their favor, but for now, wow. In looking at the overall standings, see the SEC teams among the lofty, but know that the L's will happen as they go against the usual SEC leaders. Am looking forward to the post season games, and how well the B10 does against the rest of college football. Believe it augers well. We'll see how the playoff goes, guessing that tOSU, Oregon, and Penn St represent the B10 in the playoffs. Go Bucks!
 
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You say Indiana was top 10

They were ranked 42 in scoring offense that year, 41 in total offense

Was going to check further, but at that point I lost all interest in the conversation
Err Indiana was Top 10 through 4 games though which is what I thought we were comparing? Yeah they finished ranked 42nd, but when the Buckeyes played that year they were ranked 7th.
 
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Err Indiana was Top 10 through 4 games though which is what I thought we were comparing? Yeah they finished ranked 42nd, but when the Buckeyes played that year they were ranked 7th.
After their non conference schedule?

Ok, sure. After playing eastern Illinois (FCS) and Ball State, who finished 93rd in scoring defense with a MAC schedule I can believe they were in the top 10. Was that an accurate picture of who they were?

No

it was too early then

It’s too early now

That’s my whole point

To me, by far the most impressive thing about the 2019 defense was that they never gave up 30 points in a game.

I won’t say this team is that good until they can say that at least through the B1G CG

But I think it might be a bit early to say they’re not
 
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