You are Al Borges for this week. What is your game plan to beat Ohio State?

Submitted by M-Dog on
In a bizarre College Football Kafkaesque twist, you wake up not as a giant cockroach, but as Al Borges.(Do NOT go there.)
 
Your season is shot, your program is reeling, and your job is in the crosshairs.  The Game is your last desperate chance at redemption before the long cold winter sets in.
 
Forget about what you want the offense to be in the future or what you wanted it to be in the past, how are you going to beat Ohio State this week with these players?
 
You are not going to beat them straight up.  You will have to think outside the (9 men in the) box.  There is no point in any risk aversion at this juncture.
 
Do you roll the dice, spread 'em out, and go NASCAR, ala the first half of the CMU game?  Do you try to run Devin to put pressure on their D knowing that he may be injured?  Do you cross your fingers and hope that Green and the OL have made enough progress to fall forward for 2 yards at a time and keep Devin out of third and long?  Do dare give Morris some reps?
 
None of these are very good options, most of them are a little desperate, but desperate is all you've got at this point in time.  You won't beat Ohio State without doing something risky and imaginative.
 
What's your plan, Al?  
 

Wolverine Devotee

November 24th, 2013 at 12:30 PM ^

Call and beg Cam Cameron to come and take my job and house. 

Really: Run on 1st down. If Green gets 3-4 yards, you can run again or a short pass or screen. 

ALWAYS pass on third down unless it is 3rd and 1. And I mean short passes like a slant.

Hey, it worked on NCAA 14. I beat iowa 39-38 in 2OT going for 2 & the win on my Friday night simulation game. 

M-Dog

November 24th, 2013 at 12:30 PM ^

I'm not Al Borges.  No, not me.  That would be crazy.  I'd never do anything like that.  Not me.

So, um, anyway, if I was Al Borges, what would you do?  

You know, I'm just asking.  Just for fun and all.  I don't really care about your opinions on a blog.  Especially your opinions about 3rd and long.  

 

PrincetonBlue

November 24th, 2013 at 12:41 PM ^

Alright.  I think I posted this further down the thread but it's genius so it bears repeating

 

1. Run QB sneak with the strongest linemen and Derrick Green as the wildcat QB every single play.  This will help prevent long third downs

2. Wait until the last second to get every play off.  This will make the game shorter

3. Ohio is unable to score as much, and it gives the defense a chance to win the game with pick-sixes

4. ??????

5. Profit

Mitch Cumstein

November 24th, 2013 at 12:25 PM ^

Lots of cute and predictable responses to this thread already I see. 

 

I would take your suggestion and go NASCAR in the 2nd and 4th quarters.  For the 1st and 3rd quarters, I would have Mattison watch all the offensive film on Michigan and consult on where the tendencies and predicatbility lie.  Then I would set up specific fakes and misdirection to take advantage of a team being prepared for those

PrincetonBlue

November 24th, 2013 at 12:26 PM ^

Start all underclassmen on the team while keeping out the upperclassmen from the game because of "team misconduct".  Then, after an 80 point loss, say youth was the reason.  Job saved

An Angelo's Addict

November 24th, 2013 at 12:27 PM ^

Is his job really in the crosshairs? Everyone seems so certain he will be back next year regardless. We need trick plays and turnovers to win this game. Tempo and spreading the field, no more than 10 called run plays to keep either defense honest but limit our negative plays

Schmozerine

November 24th, 2013 at 1:54 PM ^

This has been the worst offensive production since, dare I say '08.  We are at the bottom of 120 damn teams in the FBS for plays of negative yardage which does not even include the FCS (which may put us at around 250 however many schools there are in the FCS).  

This is just unacceptable!!! Arrggrgggrhagagaah.

I cannot even believe the state of our offense.  We have an amazing D and that is with a horrible offense so think of how much better our D would be with an average to OK O!

Yeah I would say... unless he wins this week, which would be awesome but highly unlikely, he is done as soon as the bowl is over, if not before.

PrincetonBlue

November 24th, 2013 at 12:33 PM ^

I, as Al Borges, would QB sneak every single down with Derrick Green as the wildcat QB.  I would snap only when the playclock reaches 1 second. This would:

1) prevent negative yardage

2) keep the clock moving so ohio has less time to score

3) allow the defense to rest

Suddenly, the score differential is lower and my job as OC is saved.  Bonus points if the defense scores for me and wins the game.

 

Wendyk5

November 24th, 2013 at 12:40 PM ^

First thing I do is therapy up Devin Gardner. Do whatever it takes to get him into a frame of mind where he can go out on to that field with a desire to win and the feeling he can do it.

Mabel Pines

November 24th, 2013 at 12:44 PM ^

I can't believe he was taking the blame yesterday.  Pretty sure if someone said Brendan Gibbons deserved the blame for Penn State, he would defend Gibbons and say it's a team game.  I would tell them to have fun, who cares, it's the last game of the year.  Also pass like crazy.  All the time.  Spread 4 wideouts every play.