Game Thread tOSU @ Virginia Tech, Sep 7 2015 @ 8pm ET, ESPN

[BUCKYLE]

Carnage.

 

[kujirakira]

Can't disagree at all with any of this. With Miller at H-back, along with Zeke at RB and either Jones or Barrett taking snaps, I don't see how VT can consistently game plan for that attack...

There is only way to counter that: flood your own stadium.

 

[kujirakira]

It seems to me that we're overemphasizing the offensive struggles against VT last year and underemphasizing that the OSU D didn't have its act together yet in that game either. The D should be light years ahead of where it was in that game, and all of the short VT possessions will let the OSU OL grind meat early and often. I'll forecast an OSU statement from start to finish and something like a 45-10 final.

I actually think the 2nd half of that game was the turning point for the Defense.


The problem in 2013 was allowing teams to convert a crapload of 3rd downs and not getting off the field -- that's exactly what happened in the 1st half (something like 7/9 3rd downs given away). And then in the 2nd half that trend completely reversed... the D did step up and start playing like a very good unit, but unfortunately the hole was too big to overcome and the Offense had no answer to the bear front.

From the 2nd half of VTech onwards, the Defense went from strength to strength with that Penn State game being another big turning point. Though they did struggle with power RBs throughout the season. Cobb and Henry in particular - I ignore Coleman somewhat b/c outside his big runs he was averaging ~2ypc and the D was able to consistently get off the field. Whereas it often felt like Minny and Bama could've handed off to Cobb/Henry however many times in a row and just march down the field on us. Thank god for Kiffin

Edit - found my posts in the 2014 VTech thread w/right numbers and explanation

8/10 on 3rd Down in the first half
2/7 on 3rd Down in the second half (but there was the PI penalty on 3rd and 7 of their TD drive)

Personally I think the defense is making progress. They stepped up a lot in the 2nd half and got off the field on 3rd downs. I thought the D played at the high level we expect in the second half holding VTech to 7 points on a drive that required trickeration and adjustments.
The first half was god awful, especially that TD drive at the end of the half. I count that among the things that lost this game (and there's a lot of those.)

It's still Jekyll and Hyde ... but last year it was all Dr. Jekyll. Now Mr. Hyde comes out to reign terror on the opponent for several extended series at a time... and that is a definite improvement. Still need to see more of it, but for the 2nd game of the year... it's coming along.

I agree in terms of the first half.
I don't agree in terms of the second half. They only had issues getting off the field in that TD drive that included a PI call and trickeration.
Still a lot of work to do, but showing up for 1 half is an improvement from last year. I'd be very happy with this D if they had played the whole game like they did the 2nd half.
Still need to see that all game, especially in big games, however. A lot of work to be done, but I do see progress.

 

[jlb1705]

New to the forum, just saying what's up...Go Bucks

 

[Saw31]

New to the forum, just saying what's up...Go Bucks

What's up. Welcome to BP...

Now, we can't let you leave, you know that, right?

 

[Jaxbuck]

What's up. Welcome to BP...

Now, we can't let you leave, you know that, right?

 

[bukIpower]

Both Wisconsin and Alabama had significantly better defenses, especially against the run.

debatable. Alabama was better up front but not as good in their secondary as tech which allowed Vtech to commit more players to the box. I do think overall they are better but to stop our offense you need to be able to match up with our WR with no help and tech has that ability. Foster said it best they were able to load the box and force us to throw but at that time we weren't able to make them pay. This upcoming year if we hit them a few times with some good drives VIA the pass then I think that opens up zeke.

For some reason no team the rest of the year tried doing what Tech did (at least exactly what they did) because of how high risk it is. That should tell you a lot about Tech's DB's

 

[jlb1705]

debatable. Alabama was better up front but not as good in their secondary as tech which allowed Vtech to commit more players to the box. I do think overall they are better but to stop our offense you need to be able to match up with our WR with no help and tech has that ability. Foster said it best they were able to load the box and force us to throw but at that time we weren't able to make them pay. This upcoming year if we hit them a few times with some good drives VIA the pass then I think that opens up zeke.

For some reason no team the rest of the year tried doing what Tech did (at least exactly what they did) because of how high risk it is. That should tell you a lot about Tech's DB's

I said pretty much the same thing right after last year's Virginia Tech game - that nobody else on the schedule who tried the bear front would have much success with it because they wouldn't have a secondary as good as Tech's. They're constantly putting guys in the NFL from that unit, so I have little doubt they'll be strong there again this year.

 

[kujirakira]

Additionally, VTech still had Maddy in the inside and Dadi on the outside of their DLine.
Facyson (CB) was injured in the ECU game as well.
Their defense was extremely good prior to those big injuries... and it looks like those guys will be back for 2015.
http://www.dailypress.com/sports/co...d-medical-hardship-waivers-20150305-post.html

Interesting stat before this years draft:
Virginia Tech has had 22 defensive backs selected in the draft since 1997. That includes at least one every season since 1999 except for 2013.
http://www.roanoke.com/sports/colle...cle_048f0234-a37b-59bc-875d-b8eb7541fecd.html

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

debatable.

Not really. Here are the defensive category standings of those three teams for the 2014 season (post-season included). "TD" below is for "total defense" and not how many TDs were allowed.

............. RD .. PD .. TD .. SD
Alabama ...... 4 .. 58 .. 12 ... 6
Wisconsin ... 23 ... 4 ... 4 .. 17
Va Tech ..... 39 .. 25 .. 21 .. 14

The only area were VT was better than either Alabama or Wisconsin was scoring, where they were barely better than Wisconsin on the season. The differential between Wisconsin and VT in scoring was 0.6 ppg (20.8 vs. 20.2). If you take out our 59-point curb-stomping, Wisconsin's scoring defense plummets to 17.8 ppg, a full 3 points per game, and would bump them up over Alabama as the #6 scoring defense.

VT's bear front worked against us only because we had a completely inexperienced OL and QB, along with crucial drops, and not necessarily because of a world-class VT secondary. Note that Wisconsin's pass defense was #4 (even after our beat down of them) while VT's was #25.

For some reason no team the rest of the year tried doing what Tech did (at least exactly what they did) because of how high risk it is. That should tell you a lot about Tech's DB's

Or that Bud Foster was willing gamble on Ohio State being totally inexperienced across the OL, at QB, and at RB.

 

[pnuts34]

Zeke with our O line is all that really needs to be said. The QB and perimeter stars will only add to the carnage

 

[brodybuck21]

LOVE that scene!!

 

[Systems_id]

VT's bear front worked against us only because we had a completely inexperienced OL and QB, along with crucial drops, and not necessarily because of a world-class VT secondary. Note that Wisconsin's pass defense was #4 (even after our beat down of them) while VT's was #25.

Yup. Even with the havoc VT's bear was causing, OSU would have beat them if our receivers could have hung onto the ball. They were getting open regularly.

 

[jwinslow]

Their QB also had about 4-6 remarkable escapes with another 4-6 throws under duress with an amazing diving or leaping catch by their FB/TE/H-backs. All of them were improbable and yet they pulled off a bunch of them. The chances of that happening again are extremely remote, without even getting into the offensive transformation by OSU since that game.

 

[scarletmike]

Yep, I think a lot of people want to pin those miracle catches on the defense, but really, those were just plain lucky breaks for VT. The amount of those they got was unreal, and they won't be catching lightning in a bottle this year.