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Everett Withers (Off Analyst Texas Longhorns)

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RuGettinIt said:
So giving MSU their due in the defensive backfield, is there any reason why we couldn't play tighter coverage with Roby and Grant? I would believe these two have the talent to play tighter. Is it really that we are at a disadvantage schematically with our safeties and our LBs that have us playing so far off of the receivers? I feel like they are playing passively because this is the scheme and the coaching and not the talent at those two positions.
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Does Roby in particular have the talent to play tighter? I hope so, since he'll be playing pro ball.

My opinion is that he was never a "lockdown" coverage CB. Rather, his strengths are his make-up speed and ball skills. His sophomore year in particular he displayed some of the best ball skills I had ever seen from a college CB. Receivers would often get open against him, but he had a knack for closing in to knock the ball out of the receivers hands or deflecting it just before it got there. He also seems to be more susceptible to double moves than other CBs of his overall caliber. That combination of strengths and weaknesses tells me that he in particular is suited to playing off the receivers in the manner that the Buckeyes do.

None of my opinions on the talent issue are to say that I don't take issue with the coaching. There are definitely issues there. For instance, one reason that this unit has been ill-suited to playing press coverage is that they have SUCKED at jamming receivers at the line. To me that is 100% a coaching issue. Jamming receivers doesn't require talent. It requires will, effort and technique.
 
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jlb1705 said:
they have SUCKED at jamming receivers at the line. To me that is 100% a coaching issue. Jamming receivers doesn't require talent. It requires will, effort and technique.
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Exactly, and when you do that, you mess up the 2 to 3 step drop offenses timing and hence, the D-line becomes a big factor. Guys like Will Allen and Anton Winfield were awesome at jamming receivers at the line in press coverage.
 
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C-busBuck said:
Exactly, and when you do that, you mess up the 2 to 3 step drop offenses timing and hence, the D-line becomes a big factor. Guys like Will Allen and Anton Winfield were awesome at jamming receivers at the line in press coverage.
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To me thats the big issue ..technique..Press versus playing off and then breaking on the throw..in the NFL its the Seatlle way vs. cover 2 Bears old Tampa Bay. TOSU does neither well..you have to have one thing you do well..then just change up now and then. It seems we change cover 2 to press down to down. Our coordinator should dictate to the offense then execute it well, It seems we try to guess or adjust to the offense. Good defenses do what they do and do it well rather than trying to do things it can't do just to match an offense. Just my opinion ..
 
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jwinslow said:
Pretty transparent, imo.
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Too many cooks in the kitchen. I don't doubt Withers' coaching talent for a second, but there was a clear difference in approach between he and Fickell. I'd like to see OSU hire a LB coach (give Mark Tressel a nice big pay bump, won't happen but I can dream) and let CLF handle DC full time with no other distractions, hopefully give him a better 'feel' for the defense overall without the specialized focus.
 
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