Ohio State Targeting Defensive Coordinator at Oklahoma State/Jim Knowles

[osubuckeye89]

Eh, that's kinda picking nits. Soph i consider underclassman. RS or not. At most, they have 1 year experience on the field prior to this season. That means a lot. Outside of their D-Line, most of the guys who saw major game time were pretty inexperienced.

The 3 things that really jumped out to me this year were:
- D-Line was average at best. No real game wreckers up front
- Linebacker play was very poor. This could possibly be due to youth, but maybe they just arent very good
- Safeties (especially Shaw) took terrible angles on plays and often got burned for huge gains

Their CB play was for the most part pretty good, and when they got out to leads, they could rush the passer pretty well. But yeah, overall the defense this year was mediocre. Upgrades and improvement need to be made. Perhaps the new DC can help here.

Eichenberg is terrible, always waits for the play to come to him and is very slow reacting, he made me wish we had Tuf Borland back.

The other guys you can maybe claim youth/poor scheme on, I guess we will see next year.

Shaw is ok in pure pass coverage but a absolute mess against the run and trying to catch a receiver after the catch. Hopefully we get Proctor back after his injury this year and he bumps Shaw out of the starting lineup

 

[Wamu]

Eh, that's kinda picking nits. Soph i consider underclassman. RS or not. At most, they have 1 year experience on the field prior to this season. That means a lot. Outside of their D-Line, most of the guys who saw major game time were pretty inexperienced.

The 3 things that really jumped out to me this year were:
- D-Line was average at best. No real game wreckers up front
- Linebacker play was very poor. This could possibly be due to youth, but maybe they just arent very good
- Safeties (especially Shaw) took terrible angles on plays and often got burned for huge gains

Their CB play was for the most part pretty good, and when they got out to leads, they could rush the passer pretty well. But yeah, overall the defense this year was mediocre. Upgrades and improvement need to be made. Perhaps the new DC can help here.

The RS sophomores mentioned. Of those how many had meaningful playing time and how many didn't (not garbage time) because they had to wait their turn to get on the field? I don't follow the depth charts or anything like that.

 

[Tharvot]

The RS sophomores mentioned. Of those how many had meaningful playing time and how many didn't (not garbage time) because they had to wait their turn to get on the field? I don't follow the depth charts or anything like that.

I'm terrible at remembering names of everyone. Just pulled the depth chart and going 3-deep most are youngsters. Lots on the injury/reserve list tho, so those could be guys who got a lot of PT all year too.

2022 Ohio State Buckeyes Football Depth Chart | Ourlads.com

The most respected source for NFL Draft info among NFL Fans, Media, and Scouts, plus accurate, up to date NFL Depth Charts, Practice Squads and Rosters.

www.ourlads.com

 

[NewPhoneWhoDis]

Eh, that's kinda picking nits. Soph i consider underclassman. RS or not. At most, they have 1 year experience on the field prior to this season. That means a lot. Outside of their D-Line, most of the guys who saw major game time were pretty inexperienced.

The 3 things that really jumped out to me this year were:
- D-Line was average at best. No real game wreckers up front
- Linebacker play was very poor. This could possibly be due to youth, but maybe they just arent very good
- Safeties (especially Shaw) took terrible angles on plays and often got burned for huge gains

Their CB play was for the most part pretty good, and when they got out to leads, they could rush the passer pretty well. But yeah, overall the defense this year was mediocre. Upgrades and improvement need to be made. Perhaps the new DC can help here.

It isn't nit picking. All red shirting means is you weren't going to play. It doesn't stop them from learning the playbook, practicing with the team, going thru the strength program, etc.

Using your definition of underclassmen and inexperience, Michigan was even more inexperienced than OSU on defense.
Ojabo had 1 tackle total at UM coming into this year.
Mazi Smith had 3 tackles total.
Chris Hinton was a back up last year.
DJ Turner had no stats at all coming into this year.
Rod Moore is a true freshman
Junior Colston is a true freshman
Nikhai Hill-Green had 1 assist in his career
RJ Moten had no stats at all coming into this year

So the talk of inexperience or underclassmen when they've been their 3 years is non-sense, unless you have inept coaching.

 

[Tharvot]

It isn't nit picking. All red shirting means is you weren't going to play. It doesn't stop them from learning the playbook, practicing with the team, going thru the strength program, etc.

Using your definition of underclassmen and inexperience, Michigan was even more inexperienced than OSU on defense.
Ojabo had 1 tackle total at UM coming into this year.
Mazi Smith had 3 tackles total.
Chris Hinton was a back up last year.
DJ Turner had no stats at all coming into this year.
Rod Moore is a true freshman
Junior Colston is a true freshman
Nikhai Hill-Green had 1 assist in his career
RJ Moten had no stats at all coming into this year

So the talk of inexperience or underclassmen when they've been their 3 years is non-sense, unless you have inept coaching.

That has been the issue, no doubt. On the defensive side of the ball at least.

 

[NewPhoneWhoDis]

That has been the issue, no doubt. On the defensive side of the ball at least.

Isn't Larry Johnson your defensive line coach? I may be wrong, as I don't pay complete attention to OSU's coaching staff, but I thought he was the guy who has been there forever and built the lines with beasts like Nick Bosa, Joey Bosa, Chase Young, etc? With the recruits OSU brings in -- there is no way 5 sacks should lead their team. And only 3 sacks leads their defensive ends.

If Johnson hadn't been there for as long as he has -- I'd blame coaching, but at some point you have to point at the recruits and something missing.

 

[Tharvot]

Isn't Larry Johnson your defensive line coach? I may be wrong, as I don't pay complete attention to OSU's coaching staff, but I thought he was the guy who has been there forever and built the lines with beasts like Nick Bosa, Joey Bosa, Chase Young, etc? With the recruits OSU brings in -- there is no way 5 sacks should lead their team. And only 3 sacks leads their defensive ends.

If Johnson hadn't been there for as long as he has -- I'd blame coaching, but at some point you have to point at the recruits and something missing.

He's still there and is fantastic.

The problems have been behind the lines and general defensive coordination (playcalling, etc).

 

[NewPhoneWhoDis]

He's still there and is fantastic.

The problems have been behind the lines and general defensive coordination (playcalling, etc).

The defensive line was blown off the ball against Oregon and UM. Your starting DE's had a total of 6 sacks combined. That is a HUGE problem.

 

[navamind]

Good pickup. 8th in the country in scoring and only gave up 4.3 yards per play

 

[osubuckeye89]

The defensive line was blown off the ball against Oregon and UM. Your starting DE's had a total of 6 sacks combined. That is a HUGE problem.

See my point about the coaches seemingly refusing to play younger players this year and hanging on to upperclassmen who were severely under performing

Main hope is that the new DC doesn't go with that strategy.

 

[osubuckeye89]

Sawyer had 3 sacks and JJT had 3.5 with SIGNIFICANTLY less opportunities than the 2 starters.

 

[NewPhoneWhoDis]

Sawyer had 3 sacks and JJT had 3.5 with SIGNIFICANTLY less opportunities than the 2 starters.

But those guys were getting sacks once games were already over and they were playing against backups and third stringers. Sawyer's sacks were all in games when they emptied the benches. MSU after you were up 50. Rutgers after you were up 50. Akron - same story.

JTT was about the same story. The only sack he had against starters was against PSU.

The production is impressive, but thinking they are better than starters because they beat up on backups is the wrong way of thinking. OSU's 2nd string would be the starters on the overwhelming majority of teams in the B1G. Now if they were putting up the sacks on the 1st string of these teams, I would agree with your thought pattern.

 

[osubuckeye89]

But those guys were getting sacks once games were already over and they were playing against backups and third stringers. Sawyer's sacks were all in games when they emptied the benches. MSU after you were up 50. Rutgers after you were up 50. Akron - same story.

JTT was about the same story. The only sack he had against starters was against PSU.

The production is impressive, but thinking they are better than starters because they beat up on backups is the wrong way of thinking. OSU's 2nd string would be the starters on the overwhelming majority of teams in the B1G. Now if they were putting up the sacks on the 1st string of these teams, I would agree with your thought pattern.

They could not have been worse than the starters, IMO. I woulda rather them gained a lot of experience by fire this year then watch the other 2 struggle to do anything all season.

 

[NewPhoneWhoDis]

They could not have been worse than the starters, IMO. I woulda rather them gained a lot of experience by fire this year then watch the other 2 struggle to do anything all season.

No doubt -- I agree with you. What is funny -- I screamed the same thing this year with JJ McCarthy. I wanted him to be our QB, as I thought we were going to be mediocre. I didn't see this year coming at all.

Way I see it -- these coaches are paid millions of dollars to do one thing -- win games. They are going to play the guys who give them the best opportunity to do win games for them.

 

[osubuckeye89]

No doubt -- I agree with you. What is funny -- I screamed the same thing this year with JJ McCarthy. I wanted him to be our QB, as I thought we were going to be mediocre. I didn't see this year coming at all.

Way I see it -- these coaches are paid millions of dollars to do one thing -- win games. They are going to play the guys who give them the best opportunity to do win games for them.

that may be true but college coaches sometimes do tend to favor upperclassmen even if they aren’t performing to standard.

 

[NewPhoneWhoDis]

that may be true but college coaches sometimes do tend to favor upperclassmen even if they aren’t performing to standard.

I think people let themselves believe that. But CFB is big business. Coaches aren't going to play favorites if it doesn't benefit them. If you could lose your job and millions of dollars, would you? I know I wouldn't.

 

[Tharvot]

The defensive line was blown off the ball against Oregon and UM. Your starting DE's had a total of 6 sacks combined. That is a HUGE problem.

See my point about the coaches seemingly refusing to play younger players this year and hanging on to upperclassmen who were severely under performing

Main hope is that the new DC doesn't go with that strategy.

I kinda consider it a 1-off season for the D-Line. If anything, Ohio State's defense is known for their superb corners and top end defensive end play. This year, they didn't have the personnel really for either. Happens sometimes. Similarly, Ohio State almost always has a dominant running back. Last year they didn't, this year they did. Sometimes there's just a weird gap in recruiting for whatever reason.

 

[Wamu]

I'm terrible at remembering names of everyone. Just pulled the depth chart and going 3-deep most are youngsters. Lots on the injury/reserve list tho, so those could be guys who got a lot of PT all year too.

2022 Ohio State Buckeyes Football Depth Chart | Ourlads.com

The most respected source for NFL Draft info among NFL Fans, Media, and Scouts, plus accurate, up to date NFL Depth Charts, Practice Squads and Rosters.

www.ourlads.com

Thanks.

 

[NewPhoneWhoDis]

I kinda consider it a 1-off season for the D-Line. If anything, Ohio State's defense is known for their superb corners and top end defensive end play. This year, they didn't have the personnel really for either. Happens sometimes. Similarly, Ohio State almost always has a dominant running back. Last year they didn't, this year they did. Sometimes there's just a weird gap in recruiting for whatever reason.

It could be a one off, guess we won't see until next year. As a UM fan -- i hope it is a sign of things to come, but that is just wishful thinking.