Seth - analysis request

Submitted by CLord on October 27th, 2019 at 5:22 PM

Our game gave me and assuredly all of us much joy.  But it was subdued to the extent I watched the precision of the Ohio State offense earlier.

i watched how their run game, with schemes optioning the DTs for Dobbins to easily run around, made it so Dobbins easily diced up an otherwise excellent UW D.  Their run schemes are such that imo Dobbins is very overrated because even a 1 star back could hit those holes.

So Seth, can you rest my, and perhaps others’ minds at ease by providing some analysis of Day’s rushing schemes, and why they are clowning everyone with them and what some solutions might be?

I honestly feel like solving this aspect of OSU will singularly decide if we start seeing some wins in the next several years or if the misery continues indefinitely.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Chipper1221

October 27th, 2019 at 7:00 PM ^

This gets overlooked. Yes their Oline is great but i saw a lot of hesitation in Wisconsin’s linebackers yesterday which helped dobbins blow by the second level easily. To the OPs question i don’t know that they are doing anything scheme wise that is unique to other schools. Penn state runs a similar read on the defensive tackle at time (some call it a midline) but I’ll defer to someone who actually breaks down their film. I haven’t watched much of them this year and last year they had a weird running game bc of Haskins 

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Marvin

October 27th, 2019 at 5:33 PM ^

Also, Seth, can you please write my research paper for me? It's a lot of work and I don't feel like doing it, and you're a better writer than me. 

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CLord

October 27th, 2019 at 6:09 PM ^

You make it sound like I’m lazy to ask an expert like Seth for his wisdom while at the same time, expert DCs who get paid hundreds of thousands of dollars can’t seem to come up with their own term paper to answer this offense.

Last night’s win was thoroughly enjoyable, but I just want to dare to dream of bigger possibilities.  I can’t get myself to do so until I get some trusted input from guys like Seth who know Xs and Os eons better than me on the potential to counter this OSU offense.  If not last or this year,  but perhaps in the near future.

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jbuch002

October 27th, 2019 at 7:05 PM ^

It's not that hard to understand why the osu offense was able to be as efficient as it was against, by the numbers, a very good Wisconsin defense.

1st, there's a considerable talent/speed/athleticism difference between osu's offensive players and Wisconsin's defensive players, especially LBs and Ss. Think the Hamler/Hawkins match-up in the PSU game this season and the Olave/any LB or S match-up in the osu game last season.

2nd, already mentioned, justin fields is a credible threat to run. That takes a defensive player, assigned to account for fields, out of the blocking and tackling numbers game; osu gets a one man blocking advantage for dobbins all the time and that gets dobbins to the second level on the regular and he is a tough out once he gets there.

3rd, along with day's offense presenting the challenge of dealing with a run threat from fields, fields throwing quick slants and outs is just as tough to defend. These quick fields throws in day's offense makes bringing LBs and Ss on a blitz risky and, overall, mitigates the pass rush. If Wisky blitzes and fields picks this up pre-snap he can strike with a quick-hitter into an empty zone the blitzer just vacated. Big plays ensue.

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Jordan2323

October 27th, 2019 at 5:38 PM ^

Its not this simple but Wisconsin doesnt have any linebackers with the speed of McGrone and Ross. They will help tremendously with Dobbins and Fields.  It's the same thing we have said with Patterson and Michigan, if he keeps enough to stay honest then it helps the run game by opening things up. 

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Ezekiels Creatures

October 27th, 2019 at 5:43 PM ^

Urban Meyer has an analysis. You might be underestimating Dobbins.

And, Ohio St has success with RPOs because they go over the plays for "hours and hours..... hours and hours".

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCiJ66zOqoA

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Tex_Ind_Blue

October 27th, 2019 at 7:37 PM ^

So are they "stretching"? Somehow getting around the 20 hours of engagement per week requirement? 

Rep-ing something more and longer will make it look better and more effortless. Question is how does a team devote that time? With "coaches" being present? By not "playing school"? 

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Squash34

October 27th, 2019 at 10:16 PM ^

Getting a bunch of mesh reps between the QB and RB is something that these guys almost certainly do before practice. Then I'm sure they do one individual period a practice I came to it because it's such a big part of their offensive philosophy. 

I think the first part is something people don't realize happens when they question if a team is going over the 20 hour limit. That being, guys get out there early to work on things inside their own game they need work on. This would for sure be something the RB and QB would do pre practice. 

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Marvin

October 27th, 2019 at 6:48 PM ^

Once an idea has been established in a particular media community it almost never goes away. The guy in this article says Harbaugh is "quirky and annoying" and "arrogant." I don't think he's any of these things, at least not more than other successful coaches. Are you going to tell me Nick Saban isn't quirky or arrogant? What about Dabo Swinney? Ryan Day doesn't seem to have much of a public profile, but he looks like he sometimes hides in a secret place with a special pillow and eats berries with tweezers. Are you going to tell me that isn't quirky and annoying? 

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NFG

October 27th, 2019 at 6:45 PM ^

Also, OSU’s punter moves towards the line of scrimmage every time before the snap and he never gets called. Am I missing something or should he not be penalized?

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freelion

October 27th, 2019 at 7:06 PM ^

Actually Michigan's rushing attack looked similar to OSU's at times yesterday. They form small walls inside that Dobbins just shoots through similar to what Haskins did at time. They run parallel to the line until they find that crease and then shoot upfield. The way to disupt it is controlled penetration by the dline which slows down the RB before he gets north/south. Linebackers have to be in the right spots to clean up and tackle soundly. I think it's possible for Don Brown to scheme something up this year. Remember he was hired as a spread stopper and did pretty well against OSU his first couple of years. Last year was just a clusterfuck in many ways and probably somewhat due to the emotion of Meyer leaving. Reminded me of the Earl Bruce exit game in 1987 I think it was.

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username03

October 27th, 2019 at 7:29 PM ^

Their reads are actual reads and they stretch the field both vertically and horizontally with their passing game. They also use tempo. They do everything in their power to not rely on 11 young men executing perfectly on every play.

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Reader71

October 28th, 2019 at 12:23 PM ^

There is no play that can spare a man. This meme has to die.

Even the best teams, especially the best teams, still rely on the 4th receiving option to run a route, because that occupies a defender. Or the guy furthest to the backside to make a block because the ball might cut back that way.

What they do well is put the defense in position where they have to be perfect to make stops. They do that by playing as close to perfectly as you can get. 

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Derek

October 27th, 2019 at 7:54 PM ^

imo Dobbins is very overrated because even a 1 star back could hit those holes

Yeah, this ain't it. The scheme is good, but so are the players executing the plays.

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