OSU's D Line
OSU's D-line may be that team's biggest strength. Our offense has struggled to get production from our running game all season. Perhaps this conundrum places the question of Denard and Devin and who plays under/behind center the next two weeks in a context for productive discussion.
My thinking is that Borges has to be looking across both of our next two games to figure this out, hoping--if Denard is on the mend--to learn a lot from next week and Iowa. There are signs that both our passing and running game are developing under Devin Gardner, but if Denard can play you want him on the field. (Denard IS yards!)
Could these things suggest we might see a mix of QBs, with Denard getting some looks at running back? (Could featuring him in this way be useful to him when draft time comes?) To what extent is it necessary to "go with what got you to the dance," and not change things up for an O line that has sometimes looked confused? What's necessary to win? What's possible under these circumstances?
November 11th, 2012 at 8:34 AM ^
November 11th, 2012 at 8:59 AM ^
objection every time anyone asks about the future. But we're fans, not the team, and I made a point of saying that Iowa sets up OSU. Is that not the case?
November 11th, 2012 at 10:32 AM ^
November 11th, 2012 at 10:49 AM ^
would never tell you not to look beyond the next battle. You've got to set up your supply lines. Thinking ahead is what leadership is all about.
November 11th, 2012 at 11:50 AM ^
Like a carpenter.. that makes stairs
November 11th, 2012 at 9:18 AM ^
is great. Glad I just stumbled on it in your signature.
November 11th, 2012 at 3:57 PM ^
November 11th, 2012 at 8:37 AM ^
November 11th, 2012 at 8:42 AM ^
November 11th, 2012 at 8:44 AM ^
November 11th, 2012 at 8:43 AM ^
November 11th, 2012 at 9:02 AM ^
November 11th, 2012 at 9:33 AM ^
November 11th, 2012 at 9:34 AM ^
November 11th, 2012 at 11:03 AM ^
he used those plays? Lol he used 1 set and ran the same play from that set like 10 times.
November 11th, 2012 at 8:47 AM ^
I expect the coaching staff to put out the player best able to win the game. I wouldn't be surprised if you saw both out there at times in the backfield - they did it last year - but I still have concerns about Devin's passing ability right now, and OSU will definitely take that away from him if possible. What the team really needs is for Fitz to keep running like he has toward the end of the Minny game and against NW. That will help everyone against the OSU line.
November 11th, 2012 at 9:38 AM ^
November 11th, 2012 at 10:35 AM ^
OSU's defensive scheme begins and ends with stopping the run. If Denard starts, they're going to focus on keeping contain and making Denard throw it. If Devin starts, they're going to focus on keeping contain and making him throw it. Sooner or later, they're going to start arm punting.
If you want to know how OSU will handle Michigan, watch what they did against Nebraska (and yes, I realize that OSU gave up 38 points, but there were a lot of starters injured before or during that game - they're all back now).
November 11th, 2012 at 11:05 AM ^
that Devin has a 170 QB rating over two games, right? You know that he's a throw first and run second (or on a breakdown) QB under Borges, right? I'm guessing you haven't watched the last two UM games.
November 11th, 2012 at 4:02 PM ^
True, but one of those games was against Minnesota and the other was against NW. Minnesota is Minnesota, and Northwestern is giving up 307 passing ypg in away games, so DG actually underperformed against them. OSU is giving up 235 passing ypg at home, and averaging almost two interceptions per game.
November 11th, 2012 at 12:09 PM ^
i agree with your point about ohio selling out for the run,but dont forget Denard shredded that defense last year.........passing. im not saying that will happen again this year of course.
November 11th, 2012 at 1:34 PM ^
reminder; I see Borges pulling out all the stops.
November 11th, 2012 at 8:55 AM ^
I just can't imagine this happening. If Denard is healthy by then, he's taking snaps with Devin out wide. If not, then things stay as they are.
November 11th, 2012 at 9:00 AM ^
If Denard returns, I'd keep Devin as backup QB for insurance. He'll need reps at QB that week in case Denard's injury flares up.
November 11th, 2012 at 8:59 AM ^
to play RB. he wisely has avoided most of the punishing hits he rec'd in years past, but it wasn't much that made that nerve cost him 2 1/2 games. if he wasn't able to play yesterday, i can't imagine any version of our offense that includes denard as a regular back.
November 11th, 2012 at 9:28 AM ^
November 11th, 2012 at 10:24 AM ^
Didn't he miss snaps in almost every game in 2010 and 2011? I don't mean that he missed an entire game or anything, but I thought he had to come out for a series or two in almost every game; I know he was out for the second half of 2010 OSU.
November 11th, 2012 at 10:44 AM ^
he came out of games in 2010 due to injury. In 2011 Borges would pull a healthy Denard for (seemingly) random drives, but I don't think he missed more than a snap or two because of injuries.
November 11th, 2012 at 2:03 PM ^
Denard missed a big chunk of that game due to injury in 2011. He also had plenty of the miss a play or two boo-boos that he's had his whole career. IIRC Devin was in late in the Northwestern game as a result of that sort of thing.
November 11th, 2012 at 9:40 AM ^
like how Devin's skillset matches up with Borges' playcalling style. Don't get me wrong, I love Denard - but you can't deny the offense looks 100% different under Devin. DG can make the five step hitch look seamless. He can draw the D offsides and get a free bomb play (really love when he does that, yo). If I had a say in the matter, I would throw Denard in the slot and run screens and jet sweeps with him. Hell, let 'em go deep.
I do also see that the staff owes it to him to let him start as many games as he is physically able to. I will really miss getting to watch him in a winged helmet after this year. Shoelace has been a blast to cheer for, and the future seems bright in Ann Arbor. Go Blue!
November 11th, 2012 at 9:42 AM ^
If Denard is healthy, I wouldn't mind trying out some reverses to Devin where he has the option to run or throw it but I am not sure that they can both lineup in the backfield. With their weak depth at LB, I would feel better about trying to pound the ball with Fitz or Rawls, either MANBALL or out of the spread. Nebraska, Indana, and Cal were the only teams to really run successfully against them so we may be better off in the spread with Denard.
November 11th, 2012 at 9:53 AM ^
Don't quit your day job.
November 11th, 2012 at 9:53 AM ^
November 11th, 2012 at 10:47 AM ^
What's scary is that our D looked bad against a QB that is ok, but nowhere near as good as Braxton Miller.
What's scarier is that we got almost zero pressure on the QB yesterday.
November 11th, 2012 at 10:56 AM ^
This was a very sneaky way of starting another Devin vs Denard at QB thread.
November 11th, 2012 at 11:19 AM ^
"context for a productive discussion," etc. But this way it's not "versus."
November 11th, 2012 at 11:30 AM ^
November 11th, 2012 at 11:32 AM ^
I think we will need to do whatever we can to put up as many points as we can on ohio. As I was watchign the game I just kept thinking...if this is what colter is doing, good god what is braxton going to do...
November 11th, 2012 at 11:58 AM ^
I'm pretty sure Borges and Co. are focused on Iowa right now.
Both Iowa and Ohio defenses are comparable, except Iowa has been a little better against the score.
The best thing Ohio has going thus far is their ridiculous turnover generation.
And since Michigan is the Big Ten Conf. "interception machine" (16 YTD), that's probably what's keeping Borges awake at night these days.
November 11th, 2012 at 2:07 PM ^
Since conference play began, Denard has thrown one INT (halftime hail mary against MSU) in roughly 3.5 games. Devin threw one against Minnesota and one against Northwestern in his two starts.
Other than the shitshow second half in Lincoln, this team has been very good at protecting the ball in conference games this year.
November 11th, 2012 at 12:48 PM ^
"There are signs that both our passing and running game are developing under Devin Gardner, but if Denard can play you want him on the field. (Denard IS yards!) " - from the OP
I do agree with others in that a far better assessment of what might unfold when it comes to playcalls will be possible after Iowa, it might be noteworthy to point out that, as of right now, the Buckeyes are only giving up an average of 107.9 yards on the ground, but 259.7 yards per game average in the air. Going back to last year, we ran 68 offensive plays in the Game, 42 of which were run plays, but going by the numbers, I would hope that we try to exploit Division I's 97th best pass defense quite a bit, and if for any reason Denard did not play, the WCO sets that Gardner seems comfortable with would do just that based on what we've seen in the last two games. That being said, if Denard is ready to go, he is the QB and that as it should be.
November 11th, 2012 at 1:32 PM ^
You will see both at QB in the OSU game if Lace is healthy. If Lace is not healthy to play QB, he will be somewhere in the offense to get 15 or more touches-Borges just needs to put the plan in place and simplify those touches. This will be a nghtmare for Fickell and Company
November 11th, 2012 at 1:46 PM ^
Devin's unlocking things in the pass game that simply were not happening with Denard in the game. Look, there's no doubt Denard will get the nod, somehow, but if he can't throw AT ALL, he's going to be wildly ineffective. We'll see. He deserves to start if he can go, but if it's not working, I would think Borges would go to Gardner pretty quickly.
One thing's for sure... We will need at least 24 points to beat OSU. I have a bad feeling that our D will not hold up well against massive mis-direction and spread looks from the OSU offense. If it takes all manner of trick play and confusing personnel packages on offense, I hope we get some interesting game plan bits from Borges.
Also, Roy Roundtree. nice to have you back.
November 11th, 2012 at 2:30 PM ^
November 11th, 2012 at 2:42 PM ^
Yes, the struggle has been with spread offenses, but I don't think that Michigan can properly implement the type of offense that has hurt OSU in the past. Yes, they can call bubble screens and get marginal success, and perhaps use Gallon effectively in the slot, as they have, but unless Borges starts calling run plays with the unknowns (Norfleet), there's no back on this team that can really hurt OSU's D. The LBs are the weak point, known to be slow with poor pursuit angles, with the exception of Shazier. But Fitz and Rawls aren't quick or shifty enough to be effective in this way. The defense has stepped up of late, eliminated the big plays that have made them look so statistically poor, and I expect this to continue. But Michigan's coaching staff will be able to learn a lot of the way Wisconsin's run game works against OSU's D, though some extrapolation will be needed, as UW has no pass game.
November 11th, 2012 at 4:18 PM ^
I don't want to take anything away from who Denard has become on and off the field, but Devin's sense of the game seems more natural to me. His talent is still raw and he needs more experience under his belt but with Devin we have a deep passing threat that we don't get with Denard. We all love Denard but he hasn't made a great pass all year.
Devin has great instincts as a qb. If healthy, I think Denard still starts out of respect to his senior season but I really like what I've seen in two games from Devin Gardner and I'm excited for next year.