Notre Dame's three "weird ass" plays accounted for 117 yards, while their other 45 plays accounted for 136 yards.
Agreed. Establish the run in the first quarter, not the fourth.
Upvote
0
-
Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
- Thread starter BB73
- Start date
Honor&Glory
Paper,Rock, Scissors, Lizard, Spock!
I recall last year that 2 top 5 teams played in week one. UGA won 10-3. We all laughed at that score. UGA won a Natty.
I’d take it.
ND had 8 months of hearing how Ohio State was going to annihilate them. They have a youthful, high energy coach who comes from a direct lineage of Jim Tressel and Luke Fickell. Oh, and I know we all like to trash ND, but they have recruited well under Body Kount Kelly and they have talent. Especially in the trenches.
Who the Buckeyes beat and how they beat them is more impressive to me than what UGA did yesterday to Oregon.
This was just like the 2014 VaTech game. VT played that Bear front that the Bucks weren’t expecting and never adjusted to it. And they had to face it the rest of the season.
Except these Buckeyes did adjust and won. Teams are going to play their safeties 20 yards off the line all year. Get used to it. Be patient, Bucks, and Just win.
I’d take it.
ND had 8 months of hearing how Ohio State was going to annihilate them. They have a youthful, high energy coach who comes from a direct lineage of Jim Tressel and Luke Fickell. Oh, and I know we all like to trash ND, but they have recruited well under Body Kount Kelly and they have talent. Especially in the trenches.
Who the Buckeyes beat and how they beat them is more impressive to me than what UGA did yesterday to Oregon.
This was just like the 2014 VaTech game. VT played that Bear front that the Bucks weren’t expecting and never adjusted to it. And they had to face it the rest of the season.
Except these Buckeyes did adjust and won. Teams are going to play their safeties 20 yards off the line all year. Get used to it. Be patient, Bucks, and Just win.
Upvote
0
Then those teams will have to get used to us hitting 10-15 yard underneath routes all day...
Upvote
0
ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
OFFENSE HELMET STICKERS
- CHOP CHOP CHOP: It took Ryan Day too long to start running the ball like he meant it, but when he finally pulled the pin, Miyan Williams was fantastic. Oh, and did you see that sideline catch late in the game?!?
- Xavier Johnson: On a night when the name brands on the Buckeye offense didn't have their best outing, Johnson stepped up in a big way with a make-or-break touchdown.
- C.J. Stroud: There were some throws early that didn't look great, but with a depleted receiving corps he still managed to complete 71% of his passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns. That'll do.
DEFENSE HELMET STICKERS
- Tommy Eichenberg: 9 total tackles, 2 sacks, 3 TFLs... this guy looked like he was everywhere. He looked fast, he looked confident, he looked like the defensive leader Knowles promised during the offseason.
- Mike Hall Jr.: 4 total tackles, 1 sack, 2 TFLs... Hall was a monster in the middle, and was a big part of the reason that Notre Dame averaged a paltry 2.5 yards per carry.
- Jesse Mirco: Yeah, the punter isn't technically part of the defense, but the big boot had Notre Dame backed up against its own endzone most of the night. Four of his five punts were downed inside the 20, and the average starting position for the Irish was the 17 yard line.
THREE KEY STATS: THE SILVER BULLETS SHOW UP FOR OHIO STATE AGAINST NOTRE DAME IN JIM KNOWLES' FIRST GAME AS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
2 COMPLETIONS
6 PUNTS
95 YARDS
FIVE THINGS: PUNCH YOU IN THE EYE-RISH
MIYAN F. WILLIAMS
DROP THE MIKE
I LIKE EICH
BLITZ AND GLAMOUR
KNOWLES DELIVERS
Upvote
0
ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
First thoughts: Buckeyes grind out opening-season top-five win over Notre Dame
Ohio State didn’t open the season with its absolute best.
The offense was shaky for the entire first half and at times throughout. The Buckeyes weren’t a finished product defensively.
But as the clock ran out on a star-studded night inside the Horseshoe, Ryan Day and No. 2 Ohio State sang Carmen Ohio after a win over a top-five team. Buckeyes, 21. No. 5 Notre Dame, 10.
They certainly won’t be complaining about that.
Simply put, Ohio State found its groove on the ground in the second half, leaning its way to a ground-and-pound ranked win to open the season.
That’s where the analysis of the Buckeyes win begins as Lettermen Row kicks off its post-game coverage with three early thoughts from the victory inside the Horseshoe on Saturday night.
Emeka Egbuka has arrived as legitimate Ohio State weapon
Defensive interior can be dominant for Buckeyes
Buckeyes use grind-it-out run game to put Notre Dame away
Upvote
0
cincibuck
You kids stay off my lawn!
Who was responsible for putting Egbuka deep enough to field punts? I'm guessing it's the special teams coach, so first time it's on Egbuka for playing so shallow - this after the ND punter had already demonstrated he could kick high and deep. But the next two times? That's got to be on the coach. The third one cost the Bucks at least 20 yards. Or maybe the coaches knew the Bucks were going to drive 90+ yards to seal the deal.
Don't know how loud it was for the Texas game, but last night left my ears ringing. I was sitting six rows up in A, looking straight at the south 5-yard line and could barely hear the band. During ND's first first and goal from inside the 10, it sounded like a 747 getting ready to roll down the runway. Whew!
Don't know how loud it was for the Texas game, but last night left my ears ringing. I was sitting six rows up in A, looking straight at the south 5-yard line and could barely hear the band. During ND's first first and goal from inside the 10, it sounded like a 747 getting ready to roll down the runway. Whew!
Upvote
0
Abenaki
Ohio against the world.
I won't overreact to week 1, but this is definitely the best defense in the history of Ohio State by a wide margin.
Seriously though, I love what we saw out of the defense. Despite being pretty much the exact same guys, they looked noticably faster. I don't know how you take Hall or JTT off the field. Eichenberg was a missile. A few fluke/questionable plays were the only reason Notre Dame was in the game, despite the offensive struggling.
The offense will get figured out. I want to see more run game early on, but on that last touchdown drive they said "we're coming to take it. Try and stop us." And they took it. Chop runs angry and I love it. Henderson ran tough too and took the yards that were there without dancing our bouncing. Big improvement from him and good sign for the rest of the season.
This was a game that last year's team loses. The fact that they could grind it out and win that way is a great indicator for this year.
Seriously though, I love what we saw out of the defense. Despite being pretty much the exact same guys, they looked noticably faster. I don't know how you take Hall or JTT off the field. Eichenberg was a missile. A few fluke/questionable plays were the only reason Notre Dame was in the game, despite the offensive struggling.
The offense will get figured out. I want to see more run game early on, but on that last touchdown drive they said "we're coming to take it. Try and stop us." And they took it. Chop runs angry and I love it. Henderson ran tough too and took the yards that were there without dancing our bouncing. Big improvement from him and good sign for the rest of the season.
This was a game that last year's team loses. The fact that they could grind it out and win that way is a great indicator for this year.
Upvote
0
Buckeneye
I lead, you follow.
A few things now that I have fresh eyes to look at it.
That first big play by NoD
- It's why, similar to some structures in the mid 2000's under coach Heacock, I feel better about sending corner pressure from the field nickel instead of the boundary corner.
With the way teams draw up their RPO looks, that boundary receiver is often the P in the RPO. So sending Burke and rolling the safety only makes that read and throw that much easier. I don't remember Knowles calling that
look again the rest of the night after the first play, does anyone else?
- Speaking of coach Heacock, I love the similar mindset in bringing "calculated" pressure that Knowles dials up. He doesn't go overboard with it like some defensive coaches (Gregg Williams) More than a few times he was content bluffing those double A gap looks and letting the Dline to their thing.
- That segways into the Dline, who got it done all night. Props to Mikey Hall, that's a hell of a first game to show up the way he did. 1 tech? He did his best to anchor double teams. Singled up against the center? Did a great job stacking then shedding. 3 tech? Walked by the guard a couple times including that sack. I even saw him at the 5t at one point. If there's anyone you can single out from a collective group effort that stood out the most, it was Hall. NoD just had zero answer for him all night. But I did see a spin move from J.T. though, reminded me of Quinn Pitcock which made me smile a bit.
- Dawand wasn't as bad in pass pro in straight drops last night compared to how he struggled last year at times. He is putting in work to get better, but he just might ever quite be the type of rare athletic + size combination that would allow him to flourish at RT in CFB and the NFL. Orlando Brown Jr is who he is closest to physically, but OB is an absolute creature with both his footwork and hands. It's very rare to find those two together. Encouraging to see progress, but there is still a bit of a vulnerability there that can be exploited.
- Henderson started getting more physical on those vertical runs after he saw Miyan lower the boom a couple times when he would just plant and get north/south. I love watching players from the same position group feed off each others attitudes. To me anyway, I consider Meatball the leader of that RB room from the perspective of setting tone.
- Credit to Marcus Freeman. His boys played fast and physical, they didn't look outmatched and I never saw any quit. Like any team, they take on the mentality of their headcoach. I saw him calm and collected all night, with a renewed focus on playing with defensive intensity. And their coaches on that side of the ball had some great designs dialed up in anticipation to how our offensive coaches would call then counter. A couple times the Bucks went to those mesh looks to break their man coverage, and the Irish coaches had their match/zone calls ready. Any underneath cheese Day and co dialed up to get behind those zones was also sniffed out. Irish DB's did a great job just planting and driving on anything short to intermediate. And the tackling to prevent moving the chains was superb. I would be sad to hear that this Irish team crumbles down the stretch like previous squads. Because I want to believe they are a good team and that the Bucks beat a good team. Their CB's were fearless in those single high calls too, staying high on the WR's but being aggressive on first breaks. I'm slightly disappointed and confused that our coaches didn't try any other double moves after that first overthrow from Stroud. At some point, when you see those CB's not afraid of anyone getting by them, you have to stay intent on your attack. Too many times the NoD single high safety favored the formation strength and that X would be alone 1 on 1. That's why JSN is so important to this team, we need him to roast CB's and any coach who would be brave enough to keep showing those looks.
- The running game needs to be an emphasis, not an afterthought. And the few times I saw NoD LB's actually attack ball action, it was when we showed those split zone looks from under center. I know I sound like a broken record, but I genuinely believe the circular nature of offensive evolution will bring more and more teams back under center in their single back game. The play fakes are just so much more effective when you have that type of structure. The only problem was, I remember the Oline giving up pressure when he did.
- Welcome to the show, Xavier Johnson. Doing Michael Irvin proud on a little H post for the go ahead touchdown.
- CJ was up and down all night. I love that he hangs tough and wants to drive the ball downfield, but it looks like he hasn't left the Rose Bowl turf yet. Sorry, you won't always be able to go bombs-away my guy. When he was on, he was on. And when he was a touch rattled, he did what a lot of these young QB's do, retreat deeper downfield inside the tackle box and force the ball outside, especially while on the run. He's a classic mobile passer, not a running learning how to throw.
Coach Day has some work ahead of him. It's a win and it's always good to win, but in almost any game there is film to use as a tool in identifying areas needing improvement. I have my high hopes and reservations at the same time. I hate that one side of the ball appears fixed, but the other side appears to show some early regression. Good coaches patch up those oil leaks quickly, and this team has a shade under 3 weeks before B1G ball starts. Fine time to start tweaking and doing some self-scouting.
That first big play by NoD
- It's why, similar to some structures in the mid 2000's under coach Heacock, I feel better about sending corner pressure from the field nickel instead of the boundary corner.
With the way teams draw up their RPO looks, that boundary receiver is often the P in the RPO. So sending Burke and rolling the safety only makes that read and throw that much easier. I don't remember Knowles calling that
look again the rest of the night after the first play, does anyone else?
- Speaking of coach Heacock, I love the similar mindset in bringing "calculated" pressure that Knowles dials up. He doesn't go overboard with it like some defensive coaches (Gregg Williams) More than a few times he was content bluffing those double A gap looks and letting the Dline to their thing.
- That segways into the Dline, who got it done all night. Props to Mikey Hall, that's a hell of a first game to show up the way he did. 1 tech? He did his best to anchor double teams. Singled up against the center? Did a great job stacking then shedding. 3 tech? Walked by the guard a couple times including that sack. I even saw him at the 5t at one point. If there's anyone you can single out from a collective group effort that stood out the most, it was Hall. NoD just had zero answer for him all night. But I did see a spin move from J.T. though, reminded me of Quinn Pitcock which made me smile a bit.
- Dawand wasn't as bad in pass pro in straight drops last night compared to how he struggled last year at times. He is putting in work to get better, but he just might ever quite be the type of rare athletic + size combination that would allow him to flourish at RT in CFB and the NFL. Orlando Brown Jr is who he is closest to physically, but OB is an absolute creature with both his footwork and hands. It's very rare to find those two together. Encouraging to see progress, but there is still a bit of a vulnerability there that can be exploited.
- Henderson started getting more physical on those vertical runs after he saw Miyan lower the boom a couple times when he would just plant and get north/south. I love watching players from the same position group feed off each others attitudes. To me anyway, I consider Meatball the leader of that RB room from the perspective of setting tone.
- Credit to Marcus Freeman. His boys played fast and physical, they didn't look outmatched and I never saw any quit. Like any team, they take on the mentality of their headcoach. I saw him calm and collected all night, with a renewed focus on playing with defensive intensity. And their coaches on that side of the ball had some great designs dialed up in anticipation to how our offensive coaches would call then counter. A couple times the Bucks went to those mesh looks to break their man coverage, and the Irish coaches had their match/zone calls ready. Any underneath cheese Day and co dialed up to get behind those zones was also sniffed out. Irish DB's did a great job just planting and driving on anything short to intermediate. And the tackling to prevent moving the chains was superb. I would be sad to hear that this Irish team crumbles down the stretch like previous squads. Because I want to believe they are a good team and that the Bucks beat a good team. Their CB's were fearless in those single high calls too, staying high on the WR's but being aggressive on first breaks. I'm slightly disappointed and confused that our coaches didn't try any other double moves after that first overthrow from Stroud. At some point, when you see those CB's not afraid of anyone getting by them, you have to stay intent on your attack. Too many times the NoD single high safety favored the formation strength and that X would be alone 1 on 1. That's why JSN is so important to this team, we need him to roast CB's and any coach who would be brave enough to keep showing those looks.
- The running game needs to be an emphasis, not an afterthought. And the few times I saw NoD LB's actually attack ball action, it was when we showed those split zone looks from under center. I know I sound like a broken record, but I genuinely believe the circular nature of offensive evolution will bring more and more teams back under center in their single back game. The play fakes are just so much more effective when you have that type of structure. The only problem was, I remember the Oline giving up pressure when he did.
- Welcome to the show, Xavier Johnson. Doing Michael Irvin proud on a little H post for the go ahead touchdown.
- CJ was up and down all night. I love that he hangs tough and wants to drive the ball downfield, but it looks like he hasn't left the Rose Bowl turf yet. Sorry, you won't always be able to go bombs-away my guy. When he was on, he was on. And when he was a touch rattled, he did what a lot of these young QB's do, retreat deeper downfield inside the tackle box and force the ball outside, especially while on the run. He's a classic mobile passer, not a running learning how to throw.
Coach Day has some work ahead of him. It's a win and it's always good to win, but in almost any game there is film to use as a tool in identifying areas needing improvement. I have my high hopes and reservations at the same time. I hate that one side of the ball appears fixed, but the other side appears to show some early regression. Good coaches patch up those oil leaks quickly, and this team has a shade under 3 weeks before B1G ball starts. Fine time to start tweaking and doing some self-scouting.
Upvote
0
That was also Proctor's last snap of the night, a missed tackle that cost them about 45 yards (before the questionable penalty).
Upvote
0
Onebuckfan
classof76
I was hoping there would be less spread running plays..Stroud not a threat..Stovet better than a thought. Rossi I thought had a rough blocking night and on a few plays he had no one to block.
Upvote
0
Buckeneye
I lead, you follow.
That jumping is him understanding that, at his size, he has to shut down the edge. The problem with that is also the inverse, oversetting to the edge generally opens up getting beat back to your inside shoulder.
Dawand needs to watch Joe Thomas specifically for how his initial punch was against edge rush. JT's feet, while amazing, were equally matched by how quickly he would slow down rushes with first contact.
That's how Cam Robinson from Bama can get it done in the NFL at his size. The fundamentals with your hand usage is every bit as important at OT as it would be on the DL.
I didn't notice that and I thank you for pointing it out. Any and every coach places great importance on tackling. But to me anyway, that shows Coach Knowles doesn't trust you to start for him, and thus allow him to call his game, if he can't trust you to get ball carriers to the ground and limit YAC. More aggressive means more space, more space means you have to be tackle sound in space. Asking a lot of anyone to be fair. But if you can get your defensive to tackle well, then your calculated aggression becomes that much less of a big play risk.
Upvote
0
cincibuck
You kids stay off my lawn!
So, a win beats what? If it's to Michigan it's a gut punch, but there's always next year. But a loss to the domers is a very sharp stick in the eye with few chances for revenge. While I was hoping for a more robust show of offensive power, Notre Dame was determined to give the Bucks as few possessions as possible and to eat as much clock as they could. So 21 points beats the sharp stick in the eye and this morning finds my Buckeye flag flying high.
Upvote
0