Christopher Jason
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The 3 most unexpectedly explosive Ohio State offensive plays so far
Christopher Jason via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Buckeye offense is rolling on all cylinders.
Through three games, Ohio State has averaged 56.7 points per game, which totals to a whopping 170 points. Sure, the defense has added their share, but in two of the three games, the offense has been dynamic and most importantly, unstoppable. They’ve racked up 83 first downs — 51 on the ground, 28 through the air and four by penalty.
What’s made the offense so difficult to stop has been the ability to spread the ball around to an array of playmakers, in a variety of creative ways. Six players have carried the ball and 12 (!) players have caught a pass. J.T. Barrett, Curtis Samuel, Mike Weber and — most recently — Noah Brown have been the primary playmakers, but the selflessness and the number of guys who Barrett has confidence in, is what makes the offense truly unstoppable.
Here are a couple of the most explosive offensive plays by players who most wouldn’t expect explosiveness out of:
1. If there were Vegas odds on who would score the first Ohio State touchdown of the season, what would the odds be on K.J. Hill? 100:1?
Not only was this the first touchdown of the season, but more importantly, it showed the confidence that Barrett had in all of his receivers. Last season on the perimeter, it was Michael Thomas when they needed a play, and then sometimes Jalin Marshall and Braxton Miller. Now, it doesn’t matter what the down-and-distance is, or what the scoreboard says, Barrett will sling it to anyone who’s earned playing time.
Bowling Green decided to run man-coverage against Ohio State’s elite perimeter athletes. Big time mistake. Hill was matched-up on with a safety, he used a jab-step to fake a post pattern, then blew by the defensive back for an easy 6.
2. Urban Meyer calls the running back position, “a Cadillac position in sports” and rightfully so. With the departure of Ezekiel Elliott — the Cadillac of the Ohio State offense for the past two seasons — redshirt freshman Mike Weber has taken the wheel.
On Weber’s first carry, the bruising back showed his mix of explosiveness and physicality. Ed Warinner dialed up a sweep — the same sweep that Elliott busted for 85-yards through the Alabama defense — for his new tailback. Weber ran horizontally, and like Elliott, he saw a crease, planted his outside foot into the ground and exploded through the crease. Weber broke a cornerback’s arm tackle, stumbled forward and then bowled over the poor Bowling Green safety. Weber has yet to break the big one, but he’s shown a mix of speed, power and agility, which will make him the next Cadillac in the Buckeye backfield.
3. If there’s one player who’s been a surprisingly key factor in the offense, it would be Dontre Wilson. We all know Wilson’s story at Ohio State. Highly touted as the first of the “next Percy Harvins” recruited by Urban Meyer, played as a true freshman and then has battled a foot injury the past two seasons. He looks like he filled out his frame and most importantly, he looks healthy.
Wilson has been used a variety of ways this season. Here, he motions to the backfield, is involved in play-action and runs a pattern into the flat. Barrett checks down to Wilson and he instantly gives Buckeye fans a flashback to the player they thought he would be coming out of high school. He effortlessly jukes a linebacker and then rips a Braxton Miller-esque spin-move on another defender. Wilson looks rejuvenated. Next to Samuel, he’s been my favorite player to watch this season.
Continue reading...
Christopher Jason via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The Buckeye offense is rolling on all cylinders.
Through three games, Ohio State has averaged 56.7 points per game, which totals to a whopping 170 points. Sure, the defense has added their share, but in two of the three games, the offense has been dynamic and most importantly, unstoppable. They’ve racked up 83 first downs — 51 on the ground, 28 through the air and four by penalty.
What’s made the offense so difficult to stop has been the ability to spread the ball around to an array of playmakers, in a variety of creative ways. Six players have carried the ball and 12 (!) players have caught a pass. J.T. Barrett, Curtis Samuel, Mike Weber and — most recently — Noah Brown have been the primary playmakers, but the selflessness and the number of guys who Barrett has confidence in, is what makes the offense truly unstoppable.
Here are a couple of the most explosive offensive plays by players who most wouldn’t expect explosiveness out of:
1. If there were Vegas odds on who would score the first Ohio State touchdown of the season, what would the odds be on K.J. Hill? 100:1?
Not only was this the first touchdown of the season, but more importantly, it showed the confidence that Barrett had in all of his receivers. Last season on the perimeter, it was Michael Thomas when they needed a play, and then sometimes Jalin Marshall and Braxton Miller. Now, it doesn’t matter what the down-and-distance is, or what the scoreboard says, Barrett will sling it to anyone who’s earned playing time.
Bowling Green decided to run man-coverage against Ohio State’s elite perimeter athletes. Big time mistake. Hill was matched-up on with a safety, he used a jab-step to fake a post pattern, then blew by the defensive back for an easy 6.
2. Urban Meyer calls the running back position, “a Cadillac position in sports” and rightfully so. With the departure of Ezekiel Elliott — the Cadillac of the Ohio State offense for the past two seasons — redshirt freshman Mike Weber has taken the wheel.
On Weber’s first carry, the bruising back showed his mix of explosiveness and physicality. Ed Warinner dialed up a sweep — the same sweep that Elliott busted for 85-yards through the Alabama defense — for his new tailback. Weber ran horizontally, and like Elliott, he saw a crease, planted his outside foot into the ground and exploded through the crease. Weber broke a cornerback’s arm tackle, stumbled forward and then bowled over the poor Bowling Green safety. Weber has yet to break the big one, but he’s shown a mix of speed, power and agility, which will make him the next Cadillac in the Buckeye backfield.
3. If there’s one player who’s been a surprisingly key factor in the offense, it would be Dontre Wilson. We all know Wilson’s story at Ohio State. Highly touted as the first of the “next Percy Harvins” recruited by Urban Meyer, played as a true freshman and then has battled a foot injury the past two seasons. He looks like he filled out his frame and most importantly, he looks healthy.
Wilson has been used a variety of ways this season. Here, he motions to the backfield, is involved in play-action and runs a pattern into the flat. Barrett checks down to Wilson and he instantly gives Buckeye fans a flashback to the player they thought he would be coming out of high school. He effortlessly jukes a linebacker and then rips a Braxton Miller-esque spin-move on another defender. Wilson looks rejuvenated. Next to Samuel, he’s been my favorite player to watch this season.
Continue reading...