Should we move Gary to the middle?
After watching that ND game, it was clear that the middle of the D is sorely missing Mo Hurst. Plus, a lot of folks seemed pretty positive about Paye's play (and even Hutchinson's). Rumor has it that an interior D lineman suffered an injury that will cause him to miss games. Makes me think that the sensible thing would be to create more disruption inside and play Paye on the outside.
What does the online coaching staff think?
September 7th, 2018 at 3:27 PM ^
I think we trust Mattison on this one.
September 7th, 2018 at 3:47 PM ^
I mean, everyone could respond to every strategy-related forum post by saying "trust coach". But then that would be a very unfun forum to read, now wouldn't it?
September 7th, 2018 at 7:11 PM ^
I get it but we have never seen him practice there nor do we know what his backups look like in a rotation. I would say it is worth a shot but honestly Mattison knows so much more than we do and has undoubtedly considered it.
My gut feel is his upside is limited there compared to the downside of two less proven anchors in his place.
September 7th, 2018 at 9:12 PM ^
Understandable take. I will add that OSU moved Bosa inside with some regularity and he's a force in there too. If Gary really is as good as Bosa there should be no downside to moving him inside.
September 7th, 2018 at 7:18 PM ^
so, you think your comments are "fun" to read?
September 8th, 2018 at 10:39 AM ^
Yeah, because reading a bunch of nonsense from the majority of the posters here who don't know jack is "fun."
September 7th, 2018 at 3:58 PM ^
Amen - trust Mattison. John Bacon mentioned on WTKA this afternoon while interviewing Mike Martin that there is probably no sport where there is a greater gap between what fans think they know, and what the coaches and players actually know, than football. Its fun for us fans to speculate, second guess and offer our thoughts and ideas, but in the end, any fan who truly thinks he knows the game better than the our coaches is, dare I say, mistaken.
September 7th, 2018 at 4:05 PM ^
For your consideration of sports with a comparable fan/athlete knowledge gap, I submit the following:
Me: Wtf go faster, the other guy is so slow!"
September 7th, 2018 at 6:25 PM ^
With all due respect, of course Martin said that. It’s his sport. He knows what the gap is between fan and athlete knowledge—and doesn’t know it for sports he didn’t play.
September 7th, 2018 at 8:17 PM ^
It’s football, it’s not Organic Chemistry. Coaches aren’t the only ones who know the game or have sound opinions. We’ve seen enough bad coaching in the past 10 years to know better.
September 7th, 2018 at 11:23 PM ^
I don't believe this for one simple reason. When every fan is saying the same thing in regards to what a coach should have done, chances are they are right and the coach is wrong. Like 2nd and goal from the 2. Doesn't matter if that play action works, it's still a dumb call when you only need 2 yards and have 3 downs to do it.
September 7th, 2018 at 3:27 PM ^
I could see it on obvious passing down. I wouldn’t move him in there full time. He’s so good at setting the edge on outside runs. I don’t Paye can deliver that.
On passing downs I’d like to see a 3 man front with Gary in the middle, Paye on the end with Uche as a standup rusher.
September 7th, 2018 at 6:13 PM ^
In your proposed 3-3-5 where Uche is a stand up pass rusher...are you suggesting Uche as part of the first 3 or the second 3? If the second, I agree. If the first, and you want Paye involved, you've clearly forgotten Chase Winovich, which is inadvisable.
September 7th, 2018 at 3:27 PM ^
What is the rumored injury?
September 7th, 2018 at 8:55 PM ^
Apparently Aubrey Solomon posted something on a social media site- Chapsnatch or something- that he had surgery on his leg.
September 7th, 2018 at 11:17 PM ^
Apparently Aubrey Solomon posted something on a social media site- Chapsnatch or something- that he had surgery on his leg.
Why is he on a site for snatching chaps? Sounds unseemly.
September 7th, 2018 at 3:27 PM ^
Where did this rumor about an injured interior lineman come from? And why don't you mention the name of the injured player?
September 7th, 2018 at 3:29 PM ^
Rivals staff. Seems like it's Solomon but they don't say who.
September 7th, 2018 at 3:43 PM ^
The Solomon thing is pretty weird and a pretty substantial source of what frustration I have right now. I was genuinely excited about him, specifically, and seeing what he would become this year. If he is all of the sudden, like, out of the equation for a substantial portion of the season. I don't know, man. I just don't know.
September 7th, 2018 at 4:18 PM ^
I expected him to be an all conference level player as well. Maybe he still have issues with his core from a particularly tricky appendectomy? I would actually be relieved to hear something like this, because if he's just not playing well enough to see the bulk of the snaps that would be weird.
Also, Mone is not a good player. He is a liability. Maybe he's a "tree," as Mattison says, but he's not a tree who makes plays.
September 7th, 2018 at 7:56 PM ^
Just started sophomore year and coming off surgery. Chill
September 7th, 2018 at 4:13 PM ^
Are we sure this isn't just him recovering from his appendectomy?
September 7th, 2018 at 4:15 PM ^
Marshall and Solomon
September 7th, 2018 at 6:53 PM ^
I thought Marshall was our best interior lineman Saturday.
September 7th, 2018 at 7:44 PM ^
Really? I didn’t catch that but couldn’t stomach a proper rewatch either. Will be interesting to see what the UFR says.
September 7th, 2018 at 3:30 PM ^
Unfortunately we may be forced to.....
September 7th, 2018 at 3:36 PM ^
How about we move him to OT instead.
September 7th, 2018 at 3:44 PM ^
My wife suggested the same thing during the ND game.
September 7th, 2018 at 4:42 PM ^
You know, I promised myself I would only panic when we put an ad for an offensive tackle in the paper, but it was definitely hard not to think about it - even for a misguided, drunken moment - last Saturday.
September 7th, 2018 at 3:48 PM ^
Did you not read Brian's UFR. No. Maybe for a few plays. But you don't take one of your all americans and move him.
September 7th, 2018 at 4:26 PM ^
Don't say that to Peppers.
September 7th, 2018 at 3:51 PM ^
Where is Jeter? Is he the guy hurt? I was kinda expecting him and Dwumfour to man the 3T.
September 7th, 2018 at 3:59 PM ^
Solomon might still be "injured" as he's coming back from his surgery. Didn't get as much PT as you'd expect.
September 7th, 2018 at 3:52 PM ^
FWIW, on obvious passing downs last year, OSU often fielded a defensive line consisting of 4 DEs.
I guess it worked okay, but it's not like they came closes to setting any records for sacks. But it at least shows that it's feasible, so if DTs are going to be a problem, it might be a viable option some of the time.
September 7th, 2018 at 4:00 PM ^
More teams are starting to do that in CFB and the NFL too if they have the guys to do it (Eagles kind of do it off the top of my head).
Didn't have to last year because Hurst could put up DE numbers, but this year on obvious 3rd and 7+ it could be an idea. Kind of like putting in 4 CBs instead of 3 CBs and a SS in coverage on obvious passing downs!
September 7th, 2018 at 4:27 PM ^
The Giants also did that when they won SBXLVI for most of that season when they were heavy in DE talent but thing on the interior. It works well because of the extra speed.
September 7th, 2018 at 6:16 PM ^
Jags have a similar strategy that they employ on obvious passing downs. Malik Jackson stays on the field as a true DT, but they'll move Calais Campbell inside so they can get Ngakoue and Fowler both on the field for pass rush purposes.
September 7th, 2018 at 5:46 PM ^
Notre Dame used this same strategy on third down and obvious pass situations.
September 7th, 2018 at 6:05 PM ^
Last year? They've been doing this since Hoke was in Ann Arbor.
September 8th, 2018 at 7:03 PM ^
This is regularly done in the SEC where they have an embarrassing amount of riches on the DL
we should definitely do it given out DT situation...and quality CBs
September 7th, 2018 at 4:15 PM ^
He does well on edge runs. His pass rushes seem to mainly consist of just trying to run around the tackle. I’d like to see him moved inside and moved around more. He doesn’t seem to have much of another move besides just run wide. Very evident against ND
September 7th, 2018 at 4:20 PM ^
If Gary moves anywhere, it should be to LT.
#notseriousbutmaybe
September 7th, 2018 at 4:42 PM ^
If Solomon is still dealing with an appendectomy issue then it went near-horribly wrong. Which would be added frustration to this team over the last few years (though on a real life level I hope things are going okay, and his health is in fact the number one issue, not making plays for us hooligans).
September 7th, 2018 at 5:56 PM ^
I think it’s a knee issue rumor has it!
September 7th, 2018 at 8:36 PM ^
That's just crazy!
Why would you take an appendix out through the knee?
September 7th, 2018 at 4:54 PM ^
Mattison knows more about what to do than all of us combined. So I trust his judgment on w/e he wants to do.