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alexhortdog95
Eye to the future, honoring the past
SCOUTING REPORT: SURGING NEBRASKA OFFENSE LED BY TALENTED TRUE FRESHMAN QUARTERBACK, PAIR OF STANDOUT RECEIVERS
With a 2-6 record this season, Nebraska isn’t a team that should pose a significant threat to Ohio State.
As Ohio State’s defense comes off a game in which it gave up six touchdowns and 539 yards to Purdue, however, Nebraska has enough talent and scoring ability to have a big day of its own if the Buckeyes haven’t made the improvements they needed to make during their bye week.
With the exception of games against Troy and Michigan in which starting quarterback Adrian Martinez was either limited or did not play due to a knee injury, Nebraska has scored at least 24 points and gained at least 468 yards in each of its other six games, including at least 45 points in each of its last two games – its first two wins of the year – against Minnesota and Bethune-Cookman.
The Cornhuskers’ weakness has been their defense, ranking 102nd nationally in total defense (438 yards allowed per game) and 101st in scoring defense (33.4 points allowed per game), though they have demonstrated gradual improvement on that side of the ball as well. Since giving up 56 points to Michigan, Nebraska has held its opponents to less points each week in five straight games, while it has also held its opponents to less yards in three straight games since giving up a season-high 533 yards to Wisconsin in its fifth game of the season.
Ohio State should be motivated to not only win but win big on Saturday (Noon, Fox), considering the 49-20 defeat it suffered in West Lafayette. But while the Buckeyes opened as 22.5-point favorites (a line that has already dropped to 20.5), the Cornhuskers have enough talent to make the home team sweat if they don’t bring their A-game to Ohio Stadium on Saturday.
We take a closer look now at Scott Frost’s squad.
QUARTERBACK
2 Adrian Martinez – 6-2, 220, Freshman
A four-star recruit who was also briefly courted by Ohio State before Matthew Baldwin’s commitment last fall, Martinez immediately emerged as Nebraska’s top quarterback and has performed well as a true freshman, completing 136 of 205 passing attempts (66.3 percent) for 1,656 yards (8.1 yards per attempt) for 11 touchdowns.
Martinez has a good arm and the ability to throw the ball all over the field – he’s already broken the record for the most passing yards by any freshman in Nebraska history – but he’s also a great athlete who can make plays with his legs, having run for 408 yards and four touchdowns on 83 carries this season.
He’s still a young quarterback who will make some mistakes, but his playmaking ability as both a passer and a runner makes Nebraska’s offense dangerous, and the Buckeyes need to be prepared for the threat he can provide in both areas on Saturday.
RUNNING BACK
22 Devine Ozigbo – 6-0, 235, Senior
28 Maurice Washington – 6-1, 190, Freshman
After leading the Cornhuskers in rushing with just 493 yards and three touchdowns in 2017, Ozigbo has taken his game to new heights in his senior season, already rushing for 710 yards on 96 carries – good for 7.4 rushing yards per attempt – and eight touchdowns.
He’s a big back who can use that bulk to drive through contact, but he also has great speed and quick feet for a back of his size. The big difference in Ozigbo this season has been the big-play ability he has shown; after having just three runs of 20-plus yards in 2017, he has already nine runs of 20 yards or more this season.
Washington, another four-star recruit from California who was recruited by Ohio State late in last year’s cycle, has also emerged as a playmaker as a true freshman, rushing for 344 yards and three touchdowns on 59 attempts. He’s an agile back who’s shown big-play ability of his own – with five runs of 20-plus yards – and as Nebraska’s No. 2 back, pairs with Ozigbo, to give the Cornhuskers a strong one-two punch at the position.
Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio-state-football/2018/10/98246/scouting-report-surging-nebraska-offense-led-by-talented-true-freshman-quarterback-pair-of-standout-receivers
1. If you guys bring pressure against Martinez all the time, this game will be over. Quickly.
2. Watch Washington play. Dude is just a gamer, and even if he doesn't have the ball in his hands, you'll see him throwing a block down field.
3. "Nebraska's defense is improving weekly" - don't believe what you are reading. This D can't get off the field on 3rd down against any team.
4. Even if this game isn't won on scheme, you guys will win this one on talent alone.
5. I'm guessing that the penalties will skyrocket in this game. Last game, they had 5 penalties for 35 yards, and against Minny, they had 6 for 43 yards. All prior games:
- NW: 9-89
- Bucky: 10-100
- Purdue: 11-136
- TSUN: 10-79
- Troy: 10-95
- Colorado: 11-95
6. This team is unbelievably healthy for not having had a bye week yet. Not having a bye has benefitted them, I think.
7. Urban Meyer's Buckeye record after a loss is 36-2 (losses are Clemson in the 2016 playoff and the debacle against Iowa last year). But let's play Devil's Advocate, here. If he did lose to Nebraska, by some strange happenstance, you'll hear more noise about him leaving at season's end.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
WATCH URBAN MEYER'S WEEKLY PRESS CONFERENCE, RECAPPING THE OPEN WEEK AND PREVIEWING NEBRASKA
Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...capping-the-open-week-and-previewing-nebraska
Two-Minute Drill: Urban Meyer Monday Updates – 10.29.18
Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer met with reporters for his weekly Monday press conference. He answered questions about his football team and what they did over the bye week. He also addressed questions about his health and his plans for next season. Questions about the Nebraska game were also asked and answered. Here are the highlights.
+ Binjimen Victor may be the most improved player on the team from the summer until now. He didn’t have a great spring, but has gotten better. Thayer Munford would be another in that category. Defensively, from summer until now, it would probably be Pete Werner.
+ Asked about rumors about a pending retirement after this season, Meyer said he plans on coaching at Ohio State next year.
+ There was a team meeting on Tuesday to clear the air about the bad tastes in their mouths.
+ The challenges posed by the Nebraska offense is similar to watch J.T. Barrett did against defenses. Quarterback Adrian Martinez is difficult to defend.
+ Asked if they have the right leaders in the right positions, Meyer answered, “Sure we do.” They aren’t where they need to be but they’ll get there.
+ He’s not worried about the team having an edge, he just wants to get better each day.
+ Moving Michael Jordan to center has been outstanding at times and other times it has not been great. They were kind of forced into it because of the other options at center. You have to get your five best on the field, so that’s what they had to do.
+ Brady Taylor and Branden Bowen should be practicing today. There is a chance they could play this week. They are day-to-day.
+ Over the bye week they worked on the run game and the red zone. That was basically the full devotion of the offense. On defense it was missed tackles and getting people on the ground when they get in space. Meyer will know more today and tomorrow how effective that focus has been.
+ It’s too late to completely change what they do on offense. It’s a matter of getting players in the right positions, getting more movement, and players being more physical.
+ Asked about his demeanor on the sideline and people trying to decipher his actions, Meyer said he appreciates the concern and he is fine. “I want Ohio State to be successful in the worst way. I don’t want people to worry about me.”
+ Are the games getting to you? “The games have gotten to me for 30 years.”
+ Asked if he could fix something about the running game with a magic wand what would it be, Meyer said it’s too complicated for one answer. Getting running backs in space would be one, but they’ve had trouble doing that.
+ The inability of the quarterback to run the ball is part of why they’ve had trouble running the ball, but they are taking advantage of his abilities in other ways.
+ Nebraska receiver J.D. Spielman is very close to Rondale Moore in skill sets.
+ Does it feel as bad in the WHAC as it feels outside? Meyer said there is urgency and they understand the shortcomings and what is at stake. He hasn’t seen a staff work as hard as they have to fix the issues. “It’s frustrating to not see the rewards.”
+ Meyer doesn’t think the constant losses of underclassmen to the NFL is what is hurting them this year. It’s an issue they have to deal with, but it’s not the most pressing reason for the struggles.
Entire article: https://theozone.net/2018/10/two-minute-drill-urban-meyer-monday-updates/
Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...capping-the-open-week-and-previewing-nebraska
Two-Minute Drill: Urban Meyer Monday Updates – 10.29.18
Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer met with reporters for his weekly Monday press conference. He answered questions about his football team and what they did over the bye week. He also addressed questions about his health and his plans for next season. Questions about the Nebraska game were also asked and answered. Here are the highlights.
+ Binjimen Victor may be the most improved player on the team from the summer until now. He didn’t have a great spring, but has gotten better. Thayer Munford would be another in that category. Defensively, from summer until now, it would probably be Pete Werner.
+ Asked about rumors about a pending retirement after this season, Meyer said he plans on coaching at Ohio State next year.
+ There was a team meeting on Tuesday to clear the air about the bad tastes in their mouths.
+ The challenges posed by the Nebraska offense is similar to watch J.T. Barrett did against defenses. Quarterback Adrian Martinez is difficult to defend.
+ Asked if they have the right leaders in the right positions, Meyer answered, “Sure we do.” They aren’t where they need to be but they’ll get there.
+ He’s not worried about the team having an edge, he just wants to get better each day.
+ Moving Michael Jordan to center has been outstanding at times and other times it has not been great. They were kind of forced into it because of the other options at center. You have to get your five best on the field, so that’s what they had to do.
+ Brady Taylor and Branden Bowen should be practicing today. There is a chance they could play this week. They are day-to-day.
+ Over the bye week they worked on the run game and the red zone. That was basically the full devotion of the offense. On defense it was missed tackles and getting people on the ground when they get in space. Meyer will know more today and tomorrow how effective that focus has been.
+ It’s too late to completely change what they do on offense. It’s a matter of getting players in the right positions, getting more movement, and players being more physical.
+ Asked about his demeanor on the sideline and people trying to decipher his actions, Meyer said he appreciates the concern and he is fine. “I want Ohio State to be successful in the worst way. I don’t want people to worry about me.”
+ Are the games getting to you? “The games have gotten to me for 30 years.”
+ Asked if he could fix something about the running game with a magic wand what would it be, Meyer said it’s too complicated for one answer. Getting running backs in space would be one, but they’ve had trouble doing that.
+ The inability of the quarterback to run the ball is part of why they’ve had trouble running the ball, but they are taking advantage of his abilities in other ways.
+ Nebraska receiver J.D. Spielman is very close to Rondale Moore in skill sets.
+ Does it feel as bad in the WHAC as it feels outside? Meyer said there is urgency and they understand the shortcomings and what is at stake. He hasn’t seen a staff work as hard as they have to fix the issues. “It’s frustrating to not see the rewards.”
+ Meyer doesn’t think the constant losses of underclassmen to the NFL is what is hurting them this year. It’s an issue they have to deal with, but it’s not the most pressing reason for the struggles.
Entire article: https://theozone.net/2018/10/two-minute-drill-urban-meyer-monday-updates/
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He has no where near 38 losses at Ohio State...me thinks you mean career record after a loss. Also, the loss at Iowa last year came after we ran off six straight wins after the home loss to OU. The only time Meyer has lost two straight at Ohio State was as you pointed out, losing to Clemson in the Orange Bowl after the Bucks lost to Sparty in B1G CCG. Here are his nine losses at Ohio State and the result of the game following the loss:
1. MSU 34-24 (Dec 7, 2013) next game loss to Clemson
2. Clemson 40-35 (Jan 3, 2014) next game win against Navy
3. Virginia Tech 35-21 (Sep 6, 2014) next game win against Kent State
4. Michigan State 17-14 (Nov 21, 2015) next game win against Michigan
5. Penn State 24-12 (Oct 22, 2016) next game win against Northwestern
6. Clemson 31-0 (Dec 31, 2016) next game win at Indiana
7. Oklahoma 31-16 (Sep 9, 2017) next game win against Army
8. Iowa 55-24 (Nov 4, 2017) next game win against Michigan State
9. Purdue 49-20 (Oct 20, 2018) next is against Nebraska
He does have a stretch where he lost 3 of 4 (MSU loss, first Clemson loss, Navy Win, VT loss) and a stretch where he lost 2 of 3 (second Clemson loss, Indiana win, Oklahoma loss).
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Telekinesis
Easily Amused by the Bitterly Disappointed
Damn right! Set the entire college football world on fire and melt their faces off on the way to Haskins lifting the National Championship trophy.
This Saturday is the beginning of the end for every team not named THE Ohio State Buckeyes.
Nothing else matters. Everything is still there for the taking. Time to go to work.
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alexhortdog95
Eye to the future, honoring the past
The hell he is. J.D. is a damn good player but he's not close to Moore in their skill sets. J.D. is hard to cover, but Moore is just hard to play against, tough little bastage with highlight reel ability on every single play.
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alexhortdog95
Eye to the future, honoring the past
Yeah, like a dumbarse, I didn't click the "BACK" button enough, sigh...
Needless to say, I don't see him losing this week either, after a bye and after a loss...
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
LEBRON JAMES GIFTS OHIO STATE WITH ALL-BLACK CLEATS FOR SATURDAY'S GAME AGAINST NEBRASKA
The cleats are the same as the team has been wearing all season, but in a new custom colorway to go with the blackout uniform to be worn against Nebraska.
Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...ck-cleats-for-saturdays-game-against-nebraska
The cleats are the same as the team has been wearing all season, but in a new custom colorway to go with the blackout uniform to be worn against Nebraska.
Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...ck-cleats-for-saturdays-game-against-nebraska
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