the just released schedules were a flat-out statement that the B10 doesn't believe SOS will matter in playoff selection
Ohio's Defense
October 14th, 2012 at 1:33 AM | 
Speaking of defense, or lack
Speaking of defense, or lack
October 14th, 2012 at 9:37 AM |
That's LaTech.
That's LaTech.
The lowest scoring game they've played all year was 44-38. It doesn't seem to matter who they play, both teams score. (Well, except they did hold Illinois to 24.)
A&M's played decent defense this year--19 per game in conference.
October 14th, 2012 at 1:34 AM |
They were pretty bad, but
They were pretty bad, but
They were pretty bad, but they're playing with some new coordinators, and missing some players to injury too. I also wasn't surprised by Indiana actually fielding an offense. They got a bit of help from the Buckeyes, though.
How many times have you been on the freeway and had someone fly by you at 100 mph then end up 2 cars ahead of you at the off ramp? What's the point? -Mark Harmon
October 14th, 2012 at 1:58 AM |
They're scared over at Eleven Warriors
They're scared over at Eleven Warriors
They're scared over at Eleven Warriors. Go read their message board. After a debacle like that, Ohio fans are scared. You can't win without a defense. Their defense will not be able to stop Denard. Our offense will go wild.
On defense, I'm sure Mattison will be saving some fun stuff for Ohio's offense. I really don't think Braxton Miller will know what hit him. After the Michigan State game next week, Michigan will be able to practice like Bo had Michigan practice, spending time every single day in prep for Ohio, and holding back lots of fun surprises. When Mattison unleashes the dogs and the blitzkrieg hits, the carnage will be unreal.
Oh, and I also expect Michigan to cook up some fun stuff for Iowa. They aren't going to look past that game, not after last year. That also is a great team to have at home this year. All of a sudden, the way the schedule lays out looks pretty good.
I never thought I'd say this, but at this point, I think Michigan will win out, and end up 11 - 2 after winning the Big 10 Championship game. I can't and won't predict the Rose Bowl, but the only blemish I expect and regret is the loss in South Bend.
"It does not matter how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get up." Vince Lombardi
October 14th, 2012 at 2:12 AM |
I have doubts
I have doubts
Braxton Miller will make it to The Game healthy. He's getting banged around a lot.
October 14th, 2012 at 7:25 AM |
He is really getting beat up
He is really getting beat up
I think he's the only reason that OSU hasn't totally blown this year.
October 14th, 2012 at 2:57 AM |
I'm sure that Mattison will
I'm sure that Mattison will
I'm sure that Mattison will definitely have something new for Miller, but Miller is really , really dangerous IMO. IDK about his decision making / reading coverages right now, but what worries me is his ability to throw deep accurately. He threw a few deep balls, very accurately today against IU.
Also Boren did play at LB but the announcer said it had something to do with a lot of injuries at LB. I'm assuming most of Ohio's LBs will be back by the end of the year.
While MSU is struggling, they're going to give us their best punch ( pun intended ).
And then Nebraska @ Nebraska, no gimme IMO, and don't look now but Northwestern is doing well.
I think this team can run the table, but I'm thinking they're going to stumble somewhere along the line.
October 14th, 2012 at 3:21 AM |
Without Countess, our Secondary is Suspect
Without Countess, our Secondary is Suspect
Without Countess, our Secondary is Suspect. I don't know how seasoned Taylor will be by the end of November.
What's critical is how much pressure our DL (and LB corps) can get on Miller. If a blitzing Jake Ryan is able to break free, that can affect Miller's accuracy, and not give him the time to throw strikes downfield.
"It does not matter how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get up." Vince Lombardi
October 14th, 2012 at 7:19 AM |
Taylor
Taylor
Taylor has looked fine so far. I wouldn't worry too much about the secondary.
October 14th, 2012 at 7:36 AM |
You obviously haven't been
You obviously haven't been
You obviously haven't been watching the same games I have been. Raymon and the Secondary are doing just fine. The whole D is getting more confidence by the week.
October 14th, 2012 at 9:42 AM |
Taylor
Taylor
Is he not tied for the team lead in interceptions? Does anyone have 2? It's Sunday and I'm too lazy to look.
October 14th, 2012 at 1:17 PM |
Taylor and Thomas Gordon are
Taylor and Thomas Gordon are
Taylor and Thomas Gordon are tied for the lead with two apiece. Interceptions aren't necessarily the best way to evaluate a defensive back, though.
October 14th, 2012 at 12:52 PM |
The secondary has looked
The secondary has looked
The secondary has looked good, but we've also played 3 horrible passing offenses, we're not going to play a team that can actually pass more than screens until Nebraska
If you're doing nothing, how do you know when you're finished?
October 14th, 2012 at 12:24 PM |
I really don't think Braxton Miller will know what hit him.
I really don't think Braxton Miller will know what hit him.
I think you're underestimating Miller more than a little bit. He's got an uncanny ability to make people miss in close quarters, and he's big and strong enough to shrug off arm tackles. It's going to come down to tackling fundamentals and getting as many guys on him as possible. There aren't too many on our defense that Miller can't beat one-on-one, either with his juking ability or his size.
October 14th, 2012 at 1:00 PM |
They should be scared
They should be scared
Ohio's D is terrible. If you convert a FB to LB and WITHIN A WEEK he's leading your team in tackles, your D is a tire fire.
Still, you can't take anything for granted. Ohio has athletes, and it's quite possible they will improve a lot by the time we play them. Wiscy seems to be doing exactly that, though more on O than D. Bielema deserves a lot of credit for firing his OLine coach and at least getting a shot at saving the season.
I'm actually more concerned about the Nebraska game than any other remaining on our schedule. If it were at home, I'd feel a lot more comfortable. But if Nebby wins at NU this weekend, and then we lose in Lincoln, they could walk away with the division. Even if we beat Ohio and both we and the Huskers finish with 1 conference loss, I assume they'd win the division on a head-to-head tiebreak.
Physics teacher in NY.
October 14th, 2012 at 7:42 AM |
Hoke on the Spread Offense.....
Hoke on the Spread Offense.....
Remember when Hoke told a reporter that running a spread offense is bad for your defense? I think he might be onto something. See: Oregon, WVU, OSU.
October 14th, 2012 at 10:12 AM |
Seems the only exception to
Seems the only exception to
Seems the only exception to that rule might the Mattison led Florida D that dismantled OSU in the MNC and won 2 in 3 years.
October 14th, 2012 at 11:54 AM |
Um, Oregon has had a pretty solid
Um, Oregon has had a pretty solid
defense the last couple of years, they have been in top 20-30 in scoring defense. They are currently 32nd in scoring defense, which is pretty good for a defense that is on the field as frequently as they are. I would suspect their point per possesion numbers are probally in top 15, which is probally a better metric than simply looking at PPG. There is no comparison between Oregon's D and WVU's D.
Playing good defense and running the spread are not mutually exclusive. Meyer's defenses at Florida were pretty good defenses (with the exception of that 2006 team that UM beat in the Cap One bowl). Regardless of what offense your running it still comes down to having good coaching and players executing, that doesn't change.
October 14th, 2012 at 1:01 PM |
Cap One bowl was the
Cap One bowl was the
Cap One bowl was the 2007-2008 year.
Here's hoping for a bright future. This team does try hard and I will continue to support them.
October 14th, 2012 at 1:32 PM |
Remember when Hoke told a
Remember when Hoke told a
Remember when Hoke told a reporter that running a spread offense is bad for your defense?
Actually, what Hoke said had to do with blocking - that using zone blocking exclusively on offense can leave your defense unprepared to face physical teams. He wasn't really speaking about offensive formations.
October 14th, 2012 at 9:01 AM |
Anyone know where I can find
Anyone know where I can find
Anyone know where I can find a replay of this game? BTN2GO has it, but my provider doesn't support that.
October 14th, 2012 at 10:06 AM |
I have yet to have the
I have yet to have the
I have yet to have the pleasure to watch the game but is Luke Fickle a GERG disciple. Nothing else makes sense.
October 14th, 2012 at 10:10 AM |
The secondary plays
The secondary plays
The secondary plays instinctually and with inconsistent technique. They have made some great plays as a byproduct, but solid quarterbacks have been able to pick them apart. I don't know how well their "bad" defense plays into our hands, but I agree in that they have proven very beatable this year.
October 14th, 2012 at 10:51 AM |
Our secondary has faced utter
Our secondary has faced utter
Our secondary has faced utter train wrecks for passing offense the last five games, so you have to keep that in mind (Sorry, ND fans, but Golson is not that good) OTOH we've done our part in making them utter train wrecks. Northwestern is going to test us. Not to where we're in great danger against them, but if their pass offense hums against us, Miller portends to be equally, if not more, scary.
That said... if Urban Meyer is reading this, GERG will probably take OSU-level money to leave behind his high school special teams pledges to coach defense for you guys once you drop Fickell. Just sayin'.
Former Buckeye Antonio Pittman on being a poster child for compliance: "This osu tattoo stuff is silly. Cats been getting hookups on tatts since back in '01."
October 14th, 2012 at 11:02 AM |
Now Meyer has all the excuses
Now Meyer has all the excuses
Now Meyer has all the excuses he needs to quietly dump Fickell, as I'm sure he wanted to do from the start.
October 14th, 2012 at 12:48 PM |
Here's a nice stat:
Here's a nice stat:
IU had 54 pass attempts. Do you know how many sacks osu had? A big fat goose egg.
"Ohio is like a giant turd that Michigan just can't pinch off"
October 14th, 2012 at 1:00 PM |
Does it have anything to do
Does it have anything to do
Does it have anything to do with the up-tempo nature of their offense. The OSU offense used to be more ball control and ground and pound man-ball type stuff and it relied on their defense to do the same. Is it possible that with the change in offense, just as with us, the no huddle spread forces the defense to be on the field much longer and much quicker than they had to be in the past? Just a theory...as their defense was pretty good last year.
October 14th, 2012 at 1:09 PM |
I don't think so. OSU's time
I don't think so. OSU's time
I don't think so. OSU's time of possession last night was 37 minutes; if you look at season averages, OSU is averaging 30:09 minutes of possession per game this year compared to 30:40 per game last year, so there's no real change in how long the D is on the field.
October 15th, 2012 at 6:56 PM |
I'd love to see them fire Fickell but
I'd love to see them fire Fickell but
I hope whoever they get to replace him struggles, too.
Oh, is that just too nakedly, abjectly honest? My bad.
Speaking of defense, or lack thereof, anyone else watching this Texas A&M v. LaTech game? There is still 1:46 left and it's 59-51, A&M with 1253 total yards of offense between the two teams. I see A&M is really bringing that Big12 defense to the SEC.
I am this close to going all Dark Blue in here.