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CB Eli Apple (All B1G, National Champion, Los Angeles Chargers)

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jwinslow said:
Eli turned briefly to find the ball. He then punched at the ball and ripped out the other hand. Saeed just made a phenomenal 1 handed catch.
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Sometimes you just have to tip your hat to a quarterback and receiver combo that executes extremely well. This was one of those times. You can't stop every single play, and it's unreasonable to expect our DBs to be perfect (they're not) rather than very, very good (they are).
 
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MaxBuck said:
Sometimes you just have to tip your hat to a quarterback and receiver combo that executes extremely well. This was one of those times. You can't stop every single play, and it's unreasonable to expect our DBs to be perfect (they're not) rather than very, very good (they are).
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They even had solid pressure on the play to give Hack happy feet (given the 100 hits he's taken so far this year). Great play all around by PSU. Could Eli play it slightly better? Sure but that was pretty strong (maybe a bit too illegal, but not underwhelming by any stretch).
 
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Wham said:
I dont trust any of our dbs because they are coached wrong.
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Turn your resume into Urban then, we now have no need for Ash. That is a relief.

MaxBuck said:
I don't think it's limited to that. From what I've read this is the commonly taught technique for both collegiate and pro defensive backs.

The Buckeyes are one of the top defenses in the US against the pass. Something is being done right.
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It is taught at all levels. When I was in HS (I played corner) I was taught the exact technique...it was particularly necessary for me since I was almost always shorter than the WR I was covering and it worked fairly well. I will throw in though that for a corner with a decent size matchup, you only want to use that technique on the back shoulder throws...otherwise you want to high-point the ball.

As for the Blacknall play...it was just a fantastic play on the ball and strong hands. Sometimes there is no defense for a great play...Apple's technique was pretty good and the coverage was perfect, it was just a good play.
 
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MaxBuck said:
I don't think it's limited to that. From what I've read this is the commonly taught technique for both collegiate and pro defensive backs.

The Buckeyes are one of the top defenses in the US against the pass. Something is being done right.
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I feel like all a team needs to do is throw the ball deep on us. More often than not you're going to either complete the pass or get PI called.
 
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Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought they used to teach a while back that as a corner you read the receivers eyes and when you see him locking on the incoming ball you turn your head back towards it. We've had two long pass TDs against us where the DB (Bell against Cincy and Apple last night) where the coverage was "perfect" per current teaching yet the receiver caught the ball and scored. In either of those plays, if the DB turned his head at the last second or two to see where the ball was they could've swatted it away...
 
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RB07OSU said:
Turn your resume into Urban then, we now have no need for Ash. That is a relief.
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People are allowed to question things without being better at them. Nobody here is good enough to coach Michigan, but we're all smart enough to know Hoke sucks at his job.
RB07OSU said:
It is taught at all levels. When I was in HS (I played corner) I was taught the exact technique...it was particularly necessary for me since I was almost always shorter than the WR I was covering and it worked fairly well. I will throw in though that for a corner with a decent size matchup, you only want to use that technique on the back shoulder throws...otherwise you want to high-point the ball.
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What's the technique? Don't ever look for the ball, guess when you think the WR is about to catch it, and grab at the arms? That seems kind of poke-and-hope-ish to me.
RB07OSU said:
As for the Blacknall play...it was just a fantastic play on the ball and strong hands. Sometimes there is no defense for a great play...Apple's technique was pretty good and the coverage was perfect, it was just a good play.
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How is it pretty good technique and perfect coverage when it was pass interference?
 
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My dad is far from a football expert, but his belief is this is a fairly new teaching and it drives him nuts. Never remembered this practice being used so frequently. It also lends itself to terrible outcomes (PI or the receiver making a "great" catch...not hard to do when you know where the ball is and the other guy doesn't).

But, then again, the dynamics and sophistication, not to mention the rules, have likely played a role in teaching defense in today's games.
 
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TresselstillownsTSUN said:
Sometimes the other team makes plays too. Also, you can't want OSU to play press/physical/man coverage and expect not to draw PI calls on some deep balls.

Personally I prefer it to giving up 60 on screen plays, or watching how soft they played last year.
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I also agree with this.

And 1 questionably bad play, especially at CB, does not make a bad game. Little bit of criticism for Eli and a little bit of credit to the WR. Still worlds better than what we've seen and I'm encouraged. The whole D played great.
 
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I'd like to add, I think Apple has played pretty well this year. A young CB, starting, and having to in a completely different scheme then he was taught his freshmen year.

He's given up some yards in some games, but he's also been physical. Which is something your corners have to be is you wanna play press cover 4.
 
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BuckeyeNation27 said:
People are allowed to question things without being better at them. Nobody here is good enough to coach Michigan, but we're all smart enough to know Hoke sucks at his job.
What's the technique? Don't ever look for the ball, guess when you think the WR is about to catch it, and grab at the arms? That seems kind of poke-and-hope-ish to me.
How is it pretty good technique and perfect coverage when it was pass interference?
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1) Because our DBs are not routinely doing this and often locate the ball in air, so it is not coaching and is a blank assertion that has zero merit. If this was the 2013 Defense thread, then it would be spot on...or if it was about Chekwa, who was awful at turning around and playing the ball. Apple usually gets turned around and so does the rest of the secondary most of the time.

2) There was contact going both ways...it could have been called for sure. But when you are going to play the physical, press coverage we have all clamored for (myself included), you will get more PI with that style of play. And often DBs get beat because as they turn to locate the ball, it goes right past them...when you are covering a deep route, you often do not have time to turn around. That one second is an eternity in terms of coverage. The ball will get to the receiver's hands (if it is going to be complete obviously), so if you shoot throw them then it is usually an incomplete pass...and again, this applies to back-shoulder throws.

3) I will also add that we have implemented this technique regularly and with great success. So that is why I feel it is unwarranted to flat-out say we aren't coaching right.
 
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MililaniBuckeye said:
Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought they used to teach a while back that as a corner you read the receivers eyes and when you see him locking on the incoming ball you turn your head back towards it. We've had two long pass TDs against us where the DB (Bell against Cincy and Apple last night) where the coverage was "perfect" per current teaching yet the receiver caught the ball and scored. In either of those plays, if the DB turned his head at the last second or two to see where the ball was they could've swatted it away...
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Turning towards the ball on a fade is one thing (albeit risking losing balance and timing and letting it go past anyway).

Turning towards the ball when you're on an island in the open field is another.
 
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jwinslow said:
Turning towards the ball when you're on an island in the open field is another.
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On longer pass plays when you're running stride-for-stride with the WR lends itself to being able to turn and look for the ball...again, you only turn and look for the ball when you see the WR's eyes lock on it. On shorter routes you may not have time to do so.
 
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