What's Wrong With the 2013 Defense?

[scarletngray]

When we are more aggressive on Defense, pressuring the QB, blitzing, running tighter coverages, etc.
we seem to do well. Soft zone, no blitz, bend but don't break seems to get us into trouble imho.

 

[AuTX Buckeye]

5th year Senior leaders on defense from Ohio State's #1 ranked recruiting class in 2009: Jonathan Newsome, Dominic Clarke, Melvin Fellows, Dorian Bell, Jamie Wood, Jordan Whiting.

So there's that ...

Yea I went back and looked at the guys in the classes from 09-11, and to small extent the 12 class . Wow on defense the number of people who transferred, had chronic injuries, or didnt pan out is staggering.. Then have Ejuan(sp?) who signed but changed his mind., he had a good year at Pitt not sure what happened the last two...

We had some staggering bad luck recruiting D during that stretch, which makes sense as to why we suck so bad on the back 7.

That said other coaches in the country seems to be able to scheme around thier liabilities so why can't we?

 

[Taosman]

5th year Senior leaders on defense from Ohio State's #1 ranked recruiting class in 2009: Jonathan Newsome, Dominic Clarke, Melvin Fellows, Dorian Bell, Jamie Wood, Jordan Whiting.

So there's that ...

Yes! It's a "youth" issue. The misses at LBer, particularly have hurt and will take time to address/fix.
On the Iowa TE going the distance. Reeves(soph) drop or recognition left him in a catch up position. Spence(soph) didn't hook him or recognize it fast enough. Youth. And where were the safeties?
Arguably, Roby catches him, has better position and limits that play. But, a first and 20 and you sit back? That is a safe call that didn't work! At all.

 

[HorticullyBuck]

scheme/coaching. too many missed assignments and or hesitation. i don't think our whole secondary rides the short bus so why isn't it clicking? seem like decently smart kids, were half way through the season now. coaches should be able to either fix problems or find people who can do the job (and i know the later is limited because we lack depth). I dont mind loosing because were getting beat by a better team. When iowa out schemes us..... WTF??

 

[buckeyesin07]

I am going to vote talent. Not that the kids aren't talented but that they aren't playing up to their potential. We all saw last season how incredibly better the defense was when Boren was moved to LB. I still say outside of Shazier our LB's just aren't that good. It hurts to say that but its the truth. We complain about soft zone coverage but, honestly, which LB's do you trust to man up on a RB or TE right now? The talent dictates the scheme. I tend to trust the coaching staff because I can't imagine Urban would have anybody on staff who didn't know what they are doing.

Players not playing up to potential is a coaching problem. The defense is loaded with 4 and 5 star recruits. The talent is there. As for your last sentence, let's just say I won't be surprised if OSU's defensive staff in 2014 doesn't look the same as it does in 2013.

 

[LitlBuck]

I was going to vote Scheme/Coaching but ended up voting for both. I do think we are lacking at talent at linebacker and the defensive backfield which is sort of puzzling to me when we supposedly recruited some top-notch defensive backs for 2013. None of these guys have seen the field and even Urban admitted last week that he has never redshirted so many guys in a season. We did not recruit that many linebackers last year but I thought that Johnson and Mitchell would have been seeing some playing time this year because our linebackers are just not that athletic except for Shazier. It is either that or they lack the necessary football knowledge to play at that position this early in their young careers.

I guess when you lack play makers at those two positions you should try something else.. A more aggressive defense with a little blitzing and press coverage at times might help. Sure you are going to get burned periodically when you have an attacking defense but what does this defense really have to lose the way they are playing now. Try something different. Be creative. I have never been a big fan of our current defensive coordinator and was not a big fan of his when he was the HC. I do not know about Withers but how many defensive backs were recruited out of North Carolina when he was the DC down there. I know that they had a pretty good defense when he was there but exactly who is running the show. Is it Ficke, Withers, and whatever happened to our HC who should be telling our DC's how much he likes our defense. Penn State and Indiana, yes Indiana, will put up big numbers against us unless this defense gets better and fast.l

 

[AuTX Buckeye]

Players not playing up to potential is a coaching problem. The defense is loaded with 4 and 5 star recruits. The talent is there. As for your last sentence, let's just say I won't be surprised if OSU's defensive staff in 2014 doesn't look the same as it does in 2013.

Problem is that talent is all freshmen and red shirt freshmen...this d has 2 new starters in the secondary, 2 new linebackers, and at least 2 new starters on the line...we are young but again most others can scheme around problems


I've said for the past few weeks there will be no more CoDC next year, I suspect Withers will leave for another job, Combs is great and fiery but wonder about his coaching.. Fickell seems lost without Heacock, I know he'll be good but he's young and perhaps need more grooming. Vrabel seems to be doing a good job.

 

[Poe McKnoe]

Communication. Starts and ends with communication. I was blown away by Alabama's pre snap communication. Not just between the front 4 or back 7, but also between units. Hand signals, yelling, pointing, etc. It starts with Kirby Smart. He's on the field basically helping make pre snap adjustments. The offense doesn't know what defense they are in or where the blitz is coming from because it's not predetermined.

OSU doesn't communicate well. They don't have the tools to do so. OSU is terrible at switching responsibilities in zone coverage. Their spacing isn't right, some of the time because they were faking a press or a blitz, or because they didn't adjust to the formation.

It falls on Fickell. But I vote both because you can't blame coaches for poor tackling or getting run past by a TE.

 

[Woody1968]

Our talent is below our normal standards. I don't blame the scheme. The secondary are not able to cover anyone regardless of whether they are in zone or man to man, and regardless of whether the front seven bring pressure or not.

 

[Woody1968]

We're seeing more pressure up front, but with the 'backs playing 10 yards off, the QB always has someone to unload on quickly. If we play tighter coverage, the defense will be able to get to the QB. Doesn't really apply to Wisconsin, but it seemed like the D-Line has been fixed in the last few weeks.

They can't stay with the receivers. There is no way for them to play tighter coverage. A freaking TE can outrun them.

 

[redguard117]

They can't stay with the receivers. There is no way for them to play tighter coverage. A freaking TE can outrun them.

I would argue a TE just running past Armani Reeves (who was timed at a 4.41 in camp) without him reacting has little to do with talent and everything to do with the secondary coaching. Our DBs simply don't know how to cover a receiver, and that comes down to the coaching they are receiving. Even Roby's been getting burnt

 

[LitlBuck]

Communication. Starts and ends with communication. I was blown away by Alabama's pre snap communication. Not just between the front 4 or back 7, but also between units. Hand signals, yelling, pointing, etc. It starts with Kirby Smart. He's on the field basically helping make pre snap adjustments. The offense doesn't know what defense they are in or where the blitz is coming from because it's not predetermined.

OSU doesn't communicate well. They don't have the tools to do so. OSU is terrible at switching responsibilities in zone coverage. Their spacing isn't right, some of the time because they were faking a press or a blitz, or because they didn't adjust to the formation.

It falls on Fickell. But I vote both because you can't blame coaches for poor tackling or getting run past by a TE.

this year we do not have the same talent that Alabama possesses. I would not even try to compare our defense with theirs and Kirby Smart has been around the block a while.

 

[LitlBuck]

I would argue a TE just running past Armani Reeves (who was timed at a 4.41 in camp) without him reacting has little to do with talent and everything to do with the secondary coaching. Our DBs simply don't know how to cover a receiver, and that comes down to the coaching they are receiving. Even Roby's been getting burnt

Roby might be the best CB we have on this team but even he has his limitations. I do not blame Reeves that much for that touchdown pass because someone needs to line up over these WRs and TEs on opposing teams and bump them at the line of scrimmage… That is coaching.

 

[NastyNatiBuck]

Roby might be the best CB we have on this team but even he has his limitations. I do not blame Reeves that much for that touchdown pass because someone needs to line up over these WRs and TEs on opposing teams and bump them at the line of scrimmage… That is coaching.

Or, not have a DE guard a TE who is fast enough to outrun a corner...

 

[HorseshoeFetish]

Our talent is below our normal standards. I don't blame the scheme. The secondary are not able to cover anyone regardless of whether they are in zone or man to man, and regardless of whether the front seven bring pressure or not.

They can't stay with the receivers. There is no way for them to play tighter coverage. A freaking TE can outrun them.

Sure but making a receiver fight to get off the LoS could make all the difference in the world with our D-line. As it stands we must give up more "free" yardage than anyone in the country. 3rd and 3 you say? Back our corners off 10-15 yards so they don't get burned deep. I wouldn't care if we only had 1 star talent, that doesn't work. Make receivers work for it, and make an O-line block our D-line for more than a three step drop.