Game Thread UCF Knights at tOSU - Sat, Sep 8, Noon ESPN2

[Mrstickball]

Yo, UCF your coming to the Shoe as an underdog, with Urban Meyer at the helm and Braxton in the pocket. Now your telling me you are coming without your starting runningback? I only got one thing to say...

If true, that will be disasterous for UCF. Murray had twice the YPC as their other runningbacks (about 7.7/yd to just 4.0/yd). Especially since they ran the ball about 70% of the time, using their 3 backs.

Also, for what its worth, they look to run a pro-style offense... At least from the Akron game - every big play was in the I.

 

[stowfan]

How good is the UCF QB?

 

[ucfknight]

Yo, UCF your coming to the Shoe as an underdog, with Urban Meyer at the helm and Braxton in the pocket. Now your telling me you are coming without your starting runningback? I only got one thing to say...

Storm Johnson is better than Murrary. Johnson is a lot faster, can break tackles, and catch + run. While Murrary is a loss, it isn't like holy shit we have no one now. Storm should be the starter.

 

[ucfknight]

How good is the UCF QB?

He is young. Only a sophmore. Our coach tried to do the whole 2 qb thing last year and failed. Bortles, the qb for UCF, has an accurate arm, but will only be making his 2nd career start at OSU. More of a traditional pocket passer, can scramble if he needs to, but does not often. The OC will misuse him though, like always. Oh and btw our president is a dumb fuck and is pissing off the ncaa.

 

[LovelandBuckeye]

Can you imagine how it'll feel if he plays and meets John Simon or Nate?

Shit, that makes me hurt just thinking about it.

 

[SEREbuckeye]

Storm Johnson is better than Murrary. Johnson is a lot faster, can break tackles, and catch + run. While Murrary is a loss, it isn't like holy [Mark May] we have no one now. Storm should be the starter.

IMO, Johnson is getting credit only because he was recruited by some big name schools and was a backup at Miami.

His last time playing was 2 years ago when he amassed a measly 119 yards. In 2010 he played in a whopping 4 games and then sat out all of 2011. This will be his first game facing a legit defense and is also the largest stadium he has ever seen action in. While the kid may have upside, my bet would be that he won't be breaking any big ones off against the Buckeye D. He's a great pickup for UCF and your conference but he isn't the game changer you need against top FBS defenses.

 

[darbypitcher22]

Hoping to see a couple of snaps this week. Didn't see one snap of the Miami game last weekend

 

[ucfknight]

IMO, Johnson is getting credit only because he was recruited by some big name schools and was a backup at Miami.

His last time playing was 2 years ago when he amassed a measly 119 yards. In 2010 he played in a whopping 4 games and then sat out all of 2011. This will be his first game facing a legit defense and is also the largest stadium he has ever seen action in. While the kid may have upside, my bet would be that he won't be breaking any big ones off against the Buckeye D. He's a great pickup for UCF and your conference but he isn't the game changer you need against top FBS defenses.

I saw him in Spring and a couple of practices, he is better than Murrary. Plus the 3rd string back is solid as well. Murrary's loss isn't as bad as it's made out to be.

 

[Steve19]

Meyer had a lot to be unhappy about, despite the scorline last week. Expect no mercy and ruthless aggression. Very lopsided game coming IMHO.

 

[Jaxbuck]

I saw him in Spring and a couple of practices, he is better than Murrary. Plus the 3rd string back is solid as well. Murrary's loss isn't as bad as it's made out to be.

I just watched the first half of Akron vs UCF and I agree. What little I saw of him he looked better than, or at least equal to, Murray. My .02

Offense

• UCF overall looks like a vintage Bollman/Tressel OSU offense.
• Mainly power running but they aren't just an I formation team.
• One potential weakness I saw was the QB who has decent accuracy but none of the ability we saw from the Miami kid to keep plays alive.
• He seems to be rattled by pressure and there was a surprising amount of it from the Zips when UCF did throw.
• He is somewhat mobile but by no means a dual threat QB.
• They just basically "Daved" Akron to death because they outweighed them by 50+ lbs per man upfront.
• It is worth noting that 2 of their 4 first half TD's came on short fields as a result of Akron TO's.

Defense

• Again, they look very similar to a Tressel coached squad in that they are stout upfront, play assignments well and tackle well in space.
• They were clearly affected by Akron running an uptempo offense.
• They played the screens well but there were multiple down field opportunities for Zip WR's (they had 4+ drops in the first half alone) and plenty of time to throw.
• Down field passing is not exactly Millers strong suit to be fair, but if Akron has guys running open in the secondary you'd like to think OSU can make them pay for that.
• Akron runs a pass first spread but you could clearly see UCF's defense is built to stop the UCF offense, not a spread attack.

Special Teams

• Not much to see from the Akron game here but worth noting the first UCF punt was damned near blocked by two guys with pressure right up the middle.
• Akron also had a nice looking return on the opening KO
• You have to think OSU has a major talent edge in all phases here

All in all I think UCF is a very solid mid major but trying to Marty/Tressel ball OSU in Columbus with CUSA talent is a pretty tall task. One of the downsides to being a solid power football team is that you can't exactly come out and completely change your identity when you face someone like OSU who you can't physically overpower.

If Tress was still here I'd bet my kids college money on UCF covering. As it is, with Urb's offense being a bad match up for UCF and UCF's offense being a good match up for OSU's defense I am thinking they wont.

If there isn't a post opening day let down and the O keeps the peddle to the floor OSU should put it on UCF by a pretty fair bit.

 

[Mike80]

Meyer had a lot to be unhappy about, despite the scorline last week. Expect no mercy and ruthless aggression. Very lopsided game coming IMHO.

I said it during the game, but as long as Ohio State stays aggressive both mentally and with the play calling, they will be fine. I think they were apt to coast, especially in the last two years with JT when they were usually the more talented team but they couldn't put teams away as easily.

Now the mindset is to bury someone, and then bury it again and again.

 

[ucfknight]

Meyer had a lot to be unhappy about, despite the scorline last week. Expect no mercy and ruthless aggression. Very lopsided game coming IMHO.

Don't remind me of the coaching mismatch :(. I die inside whenever I see Leach/ Malzahn/ Dana H., at different schools and we are stuck with GOL. Urban is going to have a field day against him. I mean for fuck sake this guy wanted Ted Roof to be our D coordinator.

 

[jlb1705]

Don't remind me of the coaching mismatch :(. I die inside whenever I see Leach/ Malzahn/ Dana H., at different schools and we are stuck with GOL. Urban is going to have a field day against him. I mean for fuck sake this guy wanted Ted Roof to be our D coordinator.

It's all Ty Willingham's fault.

 

[MD Buckeye]

http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/090312aaa.html

Saturday: Let's Scarlet and Gray the 'Shoe
Ohio State fans are asked to wear Scarlet and to wear Gray for a cool stadium effect


COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio State Department of Athletics encourages all fans to wear their scarlet and to wear their gray and to be part of a special effort to "Scarlet and Gray the Shoe" for the Central Florida game this week (see image below/attached). Game time is 12 noon in Ohio Stadium.
The promotion is aiming for a total of five distinguished sections that are either all scarlet or all gray. The color assignments are as follows:

• Fans in sections 1-19 (essentially the NW corner of the stadium) are asked to wear gray tops;
• Fans in sections 2-18 (the NE corner of the stadium) are asked to wear scarlet;
• Fans in sections 20-30 (the SE side of the stadium) are asked to wear gray;
• Fans in sections 21-29 (the SW side of the stadium) are asked to wear scarlet; and
• Fans in the south stands (sections 31-39) are asked to wear scarlet.

Fans also can purchase the 2012 Fan Tee in Gray at the team shop and online. Also on Tuesday a limited edition Scarlet Fan Tees will be available for purchase at the team store and online by clicking here.

 

[Mike80]

Weather looks like it may be a factor....60% chance of rain already for Saturday but the timing can obviously change, however, currently the highest chances on the graph spike at around 2PM.