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Buckeye Defense - 2004 (official thread)

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Grad - I think we are in basic agreement and I would hope that college players can handle the simple adjustment you referenced (hell my 5th and 6th grade team can handle some basic adjustments). A play action on 1st down where it looks like a simple ISO play can do wonders for keeping a defense a little off balance, but the execution must be there for that too.

I agree that we seem to be seeing a trainwreck on the line. Rarely do I criticize a coach, but I have been quite concerned about the O-line at OSU since Bollman has been there. In the past, I tempered my criticism of Bollman by saying to myself, "Wait until he gets the type of offensive lineman that he wants; the ones that he has recruited". By my count, the O-line this year is comprised of just this type of player and so far I am a little concerned. I keep waiting for the unit to come together and play as a unit. A coach can only instruct and put players into the position to be successful on the field. A coach can't block, or tackle, or run the ball, etc. But when a pattern emerges over the course of a couple of seasons at some point one has to wonder if it is the players lack of execution or the lack of the players being given the coaching to execute.
 
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Agreed....I'm still patient with Bollman but it is growing thin. The line surge is almost non-existent right now...add in a back with limited vision and you have trouble.

Good conversation as always Prof
 
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Defense - A closer look

Some folks, myself included to a degree, are complaining about our soft defense and lack of adjustments of Snyder's part. After a bit of contemplation, I figured I take a look at how our defense has done in the second halves of this year's games, as our second half adjustments were the key to our dominating defense and national title of two years ago. Here are the points given up in the second half so far this year:

Week 1 - Cincy: 3 points
Week 2 - Marshall: 7 points
Week 3 - NC State: 14 points
Week 4 - Northwestern: 14 points
Week 5 - Wisconsin: 10 points

Keep in mind that the TD Wisconsin scored in the second half was a result of their recovering a fumbled punt on our 17 yard line. We played decent second half defense, points wise, in three games. Even the 14 points given up in the second half at NC State were the result of their only two good rives of the game (we had otherwise shut them down). The Northwestern game was the only second half where I felt that we had no effective adjustments in the second half. Also realize that our defense has been spending a lot of time on the field as a result of our offense's habit of three-and-out, along with the QBs of both Northwestern and Wisconsin playing far above their norm (i.e., playing out their asses). Note the time-of-possession in our nail-biter win and in our two losses:

Marshall: 35:43 Ohio State: 24:17
Northwestern: 31:41 Ohio State: 28:19
Wisconsin: 36:29 Ohio State: 23:31

We dominated TOP in our two wins that were more convincing.

Despite these factors, the defense is giving up only 17 defensive ppg in regulation so far (remember that one of Marshall's TDs came via their defense). Take away the gift TD we gave to Wisconsin, and it's under 16 ppg...not bad for a defense that currently has but four full-time starters from last year (Salley, Fraser, Hawk, Reynolds) and no seniors playing. I think Fox's return will help stabilize the defense...his persona, captaincy, and field leadership are vital intangibles.

Snyder is new and is learning (he just hasn't learned to take his ass up to the booth). Our defense has a bunch of starters with limited experience and has played without it's captain for three weeks. It also has to rotate players more often than it should due to the offense's lack of ball control. All these lead me to believe that once these work themselves out, as they should, we should see defense performance reminiscent of the last two seasons.
 
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Nice stuff Mili, with one exception. I don't think you can discount the gift TD to Wisconsin. Their last drive of the game was surely a TD if they really wanted it. No question a field goal. Alvarez displayed his class and only tried to run the clock out with the game in hand. So, we "gave" them one (TD), but they also did nothing to try and add one at the end. IMO, they could have gotten it without too much difficulty had they really wanted to.

EDIT: Opps. I agree Fox will be a stabilizing factor and I'd also like to see Snyder in the booth.
 
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I would like to see some semblance of a pass rush and our defensive backs wrap up and actually make a tackle rather than attempting to run through a ball carrier and make it onto Sports Center, but, on the whole, we can't complain too much about a young defense that is only giving up 17 points per. We have been spoiled by far better than average defenses the past few years. This one will get better, they just need SOME help from the offense.
 
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Yeah I agree...... I think the NW was still a fluke even thought they did beat us fair and square and won all the battles that needed to be won. Wisconsin just plain beat us with better players its that simple. I'm still very optimistic our team can get it going again. GO BUCKS!!!
 
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bukIpower said:
...Wisconsin just plain beat us with better players its that simple...
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No way do they have better players overall. We just made some mistakes (two turnovers, with Holmes' fumbled punt being the dagger) while getting screwed out of a fumble recovery. We need to play tighter on third-and-long...it kills momentum when they keep converting third-and-long.
 
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I think in terms of talent we're even w/ Wisky but its the story of every game: turnovers determine the winner. Check the NFL- almost all the games are close, and they're usually decided by TO's. Having said that, Wisky's players executed better than ours and deserved to win. While our skill players were fumbling all over the place, theirs were making acrobatic TD catches while Anthony Davis ran for 176 yds. on our D.
 
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My real disappointment this year has been the D-Line, and MLB. All these players came to OSU dripping with credentials and yet haven't dominated anyone. I have to wonder, are they over rated or not being used in defensive schemes that take advantage of their talent. It seems like the rest of the defense is making most of the tackles.

Pitcock, and Patterson were rated in the top 10 DTs coming out of high school. I recall Quinn's HS coach telling bucknuts that Quinn's weight was up to 307, and Quinn running a 4.6 forty. Duane Long felt Patterson was better than Warren Sapp at the same age. I don't think I believed it then, but they were great bedtime stories for a Buckeye fan.

Although Kudla is hurt, he and Fraiser were supposed to be all world as well. MD was the numer one MLB in 2002, and Schegel was supposed to star for a year at OSU on his way to the first round of the NFL. Our defense should not be playing the game 3 yards past the line of scrimmage on every play.
 
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Great stuff Mili...

stowfan said:
My real disappointment this year has been the D-Line, and MLB.
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I agree here although moreso about the DL than the MLB. The DL is definitely in "rebuild" rather than "reload." We all knew Fraser and Kudla were limited in comparison to big Will and even Darrion Scott...Give these young DL time and they will be just fine, however it is glaring right now that there is no serious playmaker up there.

Just like on offense, the defense is limited due to the line of scrimmage. So many posters are screaming for the blitz but if the DL is not up to snuff, the blitz is kind of like playaction with no running game...ineffective and expected.

My disappointment in the MLB has been mostly the injury to MDA...Schlegel is not a sideline to sideline stalker like the Big Kat but more of a tackle to tackle tank. however, if the DL cannot keep people off of him, he is basically rendered ineffective
 
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The difference between last years defense and this years defense is third down, plain and simple. Last years defense got themselves off the field if the offense couldn't hold on to the ball, this years does not. 3 and out, that's how you make sure you are rested. Last years defense didn't freeze on third and fourth down (except scUM), this years does.
 
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Sdgobucks said:
The difference between last years defense and this years defense is third down, plain and simple. Last years defense got themselves off the field if the offense couldn't hold on to the ball, this years does not. 3 and out, that's how you make sure you are rested. Last years defense didn't freeze on third and fourth down (except scUM), this years does.
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Hmmmm....I see where you are coming from but even in the NC year, I can remember a good bit of bending without breaking. You are correct though, the big plays are not in tOSU's favor thus far
 
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If I were the DC for a day I would line Pitcock and Patterson up across from the other teams guards when they came up to the line of scrimmage. Before the snap I would have them shift, where one is in the 1 hole the other is in the 4 hole or one is in the 2 hole and the other in the 3 hole. Every play is a race to get the QB before he can take 3 steps to do anything. IMHO we are trying to make plow horses out of thoroughbreds.
 
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stowfan said:
If I were the DC for a day I would line Pitcock and Patterson up across from the other teams guards when they came up to the line of scrimmage. Before the snap I would have them shift, where one is in the 1 hole the other is in the 4 hole or one is in the 2 hole and the other in the 3 hole. Every play is a race to get the QB before he can take 3 steps to do anything. IMHO we are trying to make plow horses out of thoroughbreds.
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Basically a slide 4-3 if you play a one tech and a three/four tech....

Wherever you put them, if they cannot control a gap, the defense is in trouble
 
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