Game Thread CFP Playoff Cotton Bowl, tOSU vs Texas, Fri. Jan. 10th, 7:30 ET on ESPN

[LsuGrrrl]

Sorry, friend. I’m on a learning curve.

 

[EngineerHorn]

dilemma...

@EngineerHorn what's your best "homer" assessment as far as a gameplan goes for texas?
EDIT: other than making OSU try for field goals all night long.

The biggest problem for us is between Ewers' and Sark's ears. For long stretches, you can almost see when Ewers' brain short circuits, and when Sark overthinks things and gets too cute. It happens when opening script isn't working (it usually does, didn't against UGA the first time) or when the opposing D adjusts (see 3rd quarter struggles all year). This is especially pronounced in the red zone.

If you guys see Quinn fake a handoff, then fake a reverse, then throw a screen pass to a running back 7 yards behind the line of scrimmage, just know I'm struggling to not cuss at Sark at the top of my lungs.

We can't have a 1-2 quarter stretch of offensive ineptitude. We've survived that all year (except against UGA obviously) because the D has been dominant. That formula isn't going to work against Ohio St. Quinn has not played a complete game all year - closest were against UM and UF. Stats didn't look dominant against UM, but it was over at halftime and the gameplan wasn't aggressive. His best stat performance was against UF, but he missed several wide open receivers with bad throws that a QB of his caliber should make.

I think Texas wins if:
1. UT running backs combine for 100+ yards. They don't have to be dominant, just get 2-3 yards when we need it. That also means probably means we're not running outside zone.
2. Quinn puts together a complete game with minimal brain farts. That doesn't mean we score every drive (too much to expect against Ohio St), but we limit 3-and-outs, hit a few big plays, and sustain drives long enough to keep the defense fresh.
3. Execute in the red zone, where we'll probably have fewer opportunities than we're used to. Red zone TD% hasn't been very good this year.
4. Bert Auburn makes the makeable field goals. He's been struggling over the 2nd half of the season. He's in his own head.
5. Defense holds serve against a surging Ohio St offense. Probably not going to keep Ohio St below 24 points even if they perform well, which puts the pressure on the offense and 1-4 above.

With all that said, turnovers, special teams blunders, and penalties are impossible to predict and will probably decide the game.

From the Texas side, I'm seeing around half of our fans and talking heads predicting a UT loss. That doesn't happen much.

 

[AKAK]

 

[Bill Lucas]

The biggest problem for us is between Ewers' and Sark's ears. For long stretches, you can almost see when Ewers' brain short circuits, and when Sark overthinks things and gets too cute. It happens when opening script isn't working (it usually does, didn't against UGA the first time) or when the opposing D adjusts (see 3rd quarter struggles all year). This is especially pronounced in the red zone.

If you guys see Quinn fake a handoff, then fake a reverse, then throw a screen pass to a running back 7 yards behind the line of scrimmage, just know I'm struggling to not cuss at Sark at the top of my lungs.

We can't have a 1-2 quarter stretch of offensive ineptitude. We've survived that all year (except against UGA obviously) because the D has been dominant. That formula isn't going to work against Ohio St. Quinn has not played a complete game all year - closest were against UM and UF. Stats didn't look dominant against UM, but it was over at halftime and the gameplan wasn't aggressive. His best stat performance was against UF, but he missed several wide open receivers with bad throws that a QB of his caliber should make.

I think Texas wins if:
1. UT running backs combine for 100+ yards. They don't have to be dominant, just get 2-3 yards when we need it. That also means probably means we're not running outside zone.
2. Quinn puts together a complete game with minimal brain farts. That doesn't mean we score every drive (too much to expect against Ohio St), but we limit 3-and-outs, hit a few big plays, and sustain drives long enough to keep the defense fresh.
3. Execute in the red zone, where we'll probably have fewer opportunities than we're used to. Red zone TD% hasn't been very good this year.
4. Bert Auburn makes the makeable field goals. He's been struggling over the 2nd half of the season. He's in his own head.
5. Defense holds serve against a surging Ohio St offense. Probably not going to keep Ohio St below 24 points even if they perform well, which puts the pressure on the offense and 1-4 above.

With all that said, turnovers, special teams blunders, and penalties are impossible to predict and will probably decide the game.

From the Texas side, I'm seeing around half of our fans and talking heads predicting a UT loss. That doesn't happen much.

I think our key on defense is twofold.

1) Stop the run which can be done.
2) Pressure Ewers up the middle. Not only does he panic but he has a tendency to back up and throw off of his back foot. I think our d line will make him uncomfortable.

 

[osuvictory1]

O-H!

 

[GaTechBuckeye]

O-H!

I-O!

 

[Thump]

 

[scarletngray]

GO BUCKS!

 

[muffler dragon]

I know that road well.

 

[shetuck]

I think our key on defense is twofold.

1) Stop the run which can be done.
2) Pressure Ewers up the middle. Not only does he panic but he has a tendency to back up and throw off of his back foot. I think our d line will make him uncomfortable.

maybe we play to sark's rpo-happy tendencies...

let simon and styles play up closer to the line and bait quinn to pull the ball. when he makes a pass, we rely on the tackling ability of igbinosun and burke, and the closing speed of missles like downs and ransom to crash down on the receiver.

 

[shetuck]

totally different tone and demeanor from those two during that conference. day looked as serious and as focused as sh*t... he clearly didn't want to be there. sark surely would rather not have done it either, but day was in a totally different place, mentally.

not sure if that's good ("focused") or bad (wound way too tight)... @Thump?

 

[Thump]

totally different tone and demeanor from those two during that conference. day looked as serious and as focused as sh*t... he clearly didn't want to be there. sark surely would rather not have done it either, but day was in a totally different place, mentally.

not sure if that's good ("focused") or bad (wound way too tight)... @Thump?

Business trip.

 

[shetuck]

Business trip.

no visits to the ranch?

 

[Captain Buckeye]

totally different tone and demeanor from those two during that conference. day looked as serious and as focused as sh*t... he clearly didn't want to be there. sark surely would rather not have done it either, but day was in a totally different place, mentally.

not sure if that's good ("focused") or bad (wound way too tight)... @Thump?

That’s been the reported demeanor the last month so I’d say don’t change anything now.

 

[Bestbuck36]

The biggest problem for us is between Ewers' and Sark's ears. For long stretches, you can almost see when Ewers' brain short circuits, and when Sark overthinks things and gets too cute. It happens when opening script isn't working (it usually does, didn't against UGA the first time) or when the opposing D adjusts (see 3rd quarter struggles all year). This is especially pronounced in the red zone.

If you guys see Quinn fake a handoff, then fake a reverse, then throw a screen pass to a running back 7 yards behind the line of scrimmage, just know I'm struggling to not cuss at Sark at the top of my lungs.

We can't have a 1-2 quarter stretch of offensive ineptitude. We've survived that all year (except against UGA obviously) because the D has been dominant. That formula isn't going to work against Ohio St. Quinn has not played a complete game all year - closest were against UM and UF. Stats didn't look dominant against UM, but it was over at halftime and the gameplan wasn't aggressive. His best stat performance was against UF, but he missed several wide open receivers with bad throws that a QB of his caliber should make.

I think Texas wins if:
1. UT running backs combine for 100+ yards. They don't have to be dominant, just get 2-3 yards when we need it. That also means probably means we're not running outside zone.
2. Quinn puts together a complete game with minimal brain farts. That doesn't mean we score every drive (too much to expect against Ohio St), but we limit 3-and-outs, hit a few big plays, and sustain drives long enough to keep the defense fresh.
3. Execute in the red zone, where we'll probably have fewer opportunities than we're used to. Red zone TD% hasn't been very good this year.
4. Bert Auburn makes the makeable field goals. He's been struggling over the 2nd half of the season. He's in his own head.
5. Defense holds serve against a surging Ohio St offense. Probably not going to keep Ohio St below 24 points even if they perform well, which puts the pressure on the offense and 1-4 above.

With all that said, turnovers, special teams blunders, and penalties are impossible to predict and will probably decide the game.

From the Texas side, I'm seeing around half of our fans and talking heads predicting a UT loss. That doesn't happen much.

Outstanding perspective.