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Has the coaching staff been holding anything back for Ohio State?

IANit

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Dec 8, 2002
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I've been optimistic that we could hang with them, but what I've seen the last two weeks on defense has me worried that we're going to be run out of the stadium on Saturday unless we can score a lot of points ourselves. It would sure be a nice time for a legit third receiver to emerge and Noah Cain to return. For that matter, I hope we're going to even have KJ. Does anyone think we'll have some new wrinkles for tOSU - maybe new plays or new players making an appearance - or is what we've seen what we'll get? What I saw yesterday looked like about a 3 TD or more loss in Columbus.
 
I don't know that the coaching staff specifically holds stuff back for a big opponent. However, there may be things that they see on film that they will game plan for so we may see things we haven't seen. For example, in 2016, I believe the coaching staff saw something about their FG block unit that made them think they could block one. You may recall that Allen said he almost blocked one earlier in the game and adjusted slightly to block the kick that turned into a TD.

I think if the defense and offense play as well as they can play, it will be a close game. That's obviously a big if. But I do think PSU is the best team OSU has played this year by a decent amount.

If it is a close game into the 4th quarter, it will be interesting to see how OSU responds. They have not had a close game this year and who knows how they will respond.
 
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We would have seen a few new looks against IU or Minny if they were planning something. They like to try things before they experiment in prime time.
 
Holding back anything???? My Lord, we were fighting for our lives against Iowa, Minnesota and Indiana. We better get a pass rush of some kind, cover their receivers like a blanket and tackle!! Our once vaunted D has regressed terribly. Let's hope they can regroup in Columbus.
 
Holding back anything???? My Lord, we were fighting for our lives against Iowa, Minnesota and Indiana. We better get a pass rush of some kind, cover their receivers like a blanket and tackle!! Our once vaunted D has regressed terribly. Let's hope they can regroup in Columbus.
I don't necessarily agree that the defense has regressed. What is the difference between the defense versus Buffalo and Pitt and the defense versus MN and Indy? I would suggest not much. All four of those teams had success throwing the ball and PSU's pass rush was negated to an extent. Obviously MN and IN are better than Buffalo and Pitt so they are better able to exploit PSU's weaknesses. PSU's defense is based on stopping the run and making the opposition one dimensional and for the most part they have done that every week. It is true the pass rush has not been good for the past month but I'm not sure it was great for Sept and the first part of October either.
So I don't believe we have regressed. We are at the point in the seaso where "we are what we are". I think we will make some adjustments to pass coverage next week to try and avoid letting OSU WRs get behind us for big plays; that has been an issue the past two weeks.
 
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No way the coaches are holding anything back but I can probably tell you once they exited the Michigan State game and were 8-0, there is no way the 1-0 mentality was kept up by the players. They can say it and say it but those players since the bye week have had 1 thing on their mind and have probably been pretty distracted by it.

If you remember all winter, the rallying cry was how bad letting those Ohio State games slip thru their fingers hurt them. We obviously saw it the game following those loses how bad it hurt them. They were on a mission all winter to not let that happen again. It doesn’t mean they beat Ohio State but I think it shows they are human and have been looking ahead. How could you not in the position of a 18-20 year old kid with this kind of game ahead and this much hype.
 
I don't necessarily agree that the defense has regressed. What is the difference between the defense versus Buffalo and Pitt and the defense versus MN and Indy? I would suggest not much. All four of those teams had success throwing the ball and PSU's pass rush was negated to an extent. Obviously MN and IN are better than Buffalo and Pitt so they are better able to exploit PSU's weaknesses. PSU's defense is based on stopping the run and making the opposition one dimensional and for the most part they have done that every week. It is true the pass rush has not been good for the past month but I'm not sure it was great for Sept and the first part of October either.
So I don't believe we have regressed. We are at the point in the seaso where "we are what we are". I think we will make some adjustments to pass coverage next week to try and avoid letting OSU WRs get behind us for big plays; that has been an issue the past two weeks.
Bingo. Defense was overrated. Buffalo, Pitt, Iowa, Michigan, and Indiana all outgained us. Buffalo, Michigan, Minnesota, and Indiana have all gained over 400 yards and Pitt with 396 yards just missed that mark. Even the Iowa offense everyone likes to ridicule put up 356.

That's half of our games so far being outgained and half giving up 396+ yards. They obviously did a nice job with red zone defense against Buffalo and Pitt and dominated against Purdue and truly awful Idaho, Maryland, and MSU teams, which make the stats look pretty good. But red flags have been there pretty much all season.

But hey, look at a team like OSU. Their defense was really talented yet pretty bad for most of last season. They appear to have turned it around in a big way this year (though to be fair, they haven't faced many good offenses). A lot of pieces are in place on our defense. If a DE can consistently step up, we find a reliable safety in coverage, and we figure out our blitz packages, I think they could be a truly great D. Maybe that happens next weekend, but more likely, we'll have to wait until next year.
 
i expect the following wrinkles:

Short Yardage: look for a fullback and for the QB to line up under center
Secondary: The tall kids are gonna play and will still be counted as redshirt season(s)
 
Shorter, George, and Chisena will catch all of their targeted throws. Just kidding, none of them can actually catch the football.
 
Holding back anything???? My Lord, we were fighting for our lives against Iowa, Minnesota and Indiana. We better get a pass rush of some kind, cover their receivers like a blanket and tackle!! Our once vaunted D has regressed terribly. Let's hope they can regroup in Columbus.
I think having the DB’s in the vicinity of the receivers would be progress after the past 2 games.
 
YES.........from what I understand PSU defensive players were told to drop all interceptions so that tOSU QB wouldn't know they were capable of catching the ball. :( Seriously though it would be nice to have some effective screens for tOSU game.
Screens would be good. Have we seen a wheel route for a big play this year? They pulled that one out of the bag of tricks in the Big Ten Championship game. I can't recall seeing that this year.
 
Rahne and Pry are flip/flopping coordinator positions for the game. :p


Actually the coaches in the box call the plays using this mechanism

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I do think that CJF is an ultra competitive person and this game is always the most important to him (no mater what he says). The team always gets up for this game, just not sure how worn out they are. That was a damn tough stretch. hope it made a tough team
 
I've heard that they are using nothing but trick plays. Supposedly CJF got free advice from an incredibly expensive consultant.
 
Shorter should play at 215lbs not 235lbs at wr's, Chisena dose get separation but dose not catch the ball, All them need to hit the juggs machine after practice.
 
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I've been optimistic that we could hang with them, but what I've seen the last two weeks on defense has me worried that we're going to be run out of the stadium on Saturday unless we can score a lot of points ourselves. It would sure be a nice time for a legit third receiver to emerge and Noah Cain to return. For that matter, I hope we're going to even have KJ. Does anyone think we'll have some new wrinkles for tOSU - maybe new plays or new players making an appearance - or is what we've seen what we'll get? What I saw yesterday looked like about a 3 TD or more loss in Columbus.

Ummmmm- no. Why would they hold anything back and lose to Minnesota? You hold back against a Kent State.

There is no getting around this one- unles Ohio State plays a dud of a game, this one probably won't be pretty. Our offense can't consistently move the ball, and the defense is starting to look small and tired.
 
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10 games into the season... and we are talking about catching the ball, tackling, separation and basic coverage.

The team has not regressed - its been exposed. Pass rush... not so good against good / solid teams, pass coverage - not so good against good / solid teams, tackling - no so good against good / solid teams.

On offense, Hamler and Friermuth are the targets and are not open nearly as much against good / solid teams. The other receivers simply can not catch. The offense is predictable and pedestrian.

OSU is not good or solid. They are outstanding. Their defense is very good. Their offense protects Fields and will score on PSU without issue passing and running. Playing at home. Its going to get ugly...
 
Clearly they have been sandbagging the x receiver all season. This week they unleash that secret five star who's 6-4 and runs a 4.4 40.
 
10 games into the season... and we are talking about catching the ball, tackling, separation and basic coverage.

The team has not regressed - its been exposed. Pass rush... not so good against good / solid teams, pass coverage - not so good against good / solid teams, tackling - no so good against good / solid teams.

On offense, Hamler and Friermuth are the targets and are not open nearly as much against good / solid teams. The other receivers simply can not catch. The offense is predictable and pedestrian.

OSU is not good or solid. They are outstanding. Their defense is very good. Their offense protects Fields and will score on PSU without issue passing and running. Playing at home. Its going to get ugly...

I'd say they are well-coached in all facets of the game.
 
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Clearly they have been sandbagging the x receiver all season. This week they unleash that secret five star who's 6-4 and runs a 4.4 40.
Or maybe Shorter stops impersonating Juwan Johnson and catches the ball for once.
 
Ummmmm- no. Why would they hold anything back and lose to Minnesota? You hold back against a Kent State.

There is no getting around this one- unles Ohio State plays a dud of a game, this one probably won't be pretty. Our offense can't consistently move the ball, and the defense is starting to look small and tired.
Minnesota isn't Ohio State. I think the coaches/players thought they could show up and win that game with the game plan they had. It certainly wasn't a game you pointed to during the off-season. My guess is they didn't do anything special planning for that one.
 
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I doubt there is anything to "hold back," so no to the question. The players are what they are at this point and no scheme is going to magically improve things.

However, I will be watching this one exclusively for the coaching as the talent gap isn't like it was when OSU played Rutgers. For OSU, I want to see if Day is Larry Coker or the second coming. And for PSU, whether we get out talented on the field or within the evolving game plan.
 
I've been optimistic that we could hang with them, but what I've seen the last two weeks on defense has me worried that we're going to be run out of the stadium on Saturday unless we can score a lot of points ourselves. It would sure be a nice time for a legit third receiver to emerge and Noah Cain to return. For that matter, I hope we're going to even have KJ. Does anyone think we'll have some new wrinkles for tOSU - maybe new plays or new players making an appearance - or is what we've seen what we'll get? What I saw yesterday looked like about a 3 TD or more loss in Columbus.

If we had some new wrinkles we should have used them during the past 2 weeks.

Cain has been very good for a true freshman but I don't think PSU lost much due to his absence.

I'm curious what the impact would be if we had to play without Hamler. Hamler is probably the best athlete on the field for PSU but it looked like Clifford tried to spread the ball around a little more after Hamler got hurt. I wonder it we wouldhave seen the 2 TEs in the running game if Hamler was still in the lineup.
 
Holding back anything???? My Lord, we were fighting for our lives against Iowa, Minnesota and Indiana. We better get a pass rush of some kind, cover their receivers like a blanket and tackle!! Our once vaunted D has regressed terribly. Let's hope they can regroup in Columbus.
I'm not sure we've regressed …… we've just played better opponents. Padded stats against a weak schedule are meaningless.
 
Mark it down.

3rd and/or 4th and 1... Levis direct snap will take step toward line, peel back and throw one long down the field to Chisena who will catch it for a backbreaking TD as PSU goes on to win 28-27.

I said mark it down... not bet it lol.

Old Dude just broke out the smoke!

https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/104db54c-46e7-430e-881e-c61a27228906

And do note the footballishness of my clip... puff puff pass is code for run run pass. Just sayin...
 
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I've been optimistic that we could hang with them, but what I've seen the last two weeks on defense has me worried that we're going to be run out of the stadium on Saturday unless we can score a lot of points ourselves. It would sure be a nice time for a legit third receiver to emerge and Noah Cain to return. For that matter, I hope we're going to even have KJ. Does anyone think we'll have some new wrinkles for tOSU - maybe new plays or new players making an appearance - or is what we've seen what we'll get? What I saw yesterday looked like about a 3 TD or more loss in Columbus.
Wildcat?
 
I don’t think we hold anything back as much as just design plays which are different for each team we face based on their strengths and weaknesses and our tendencies. We always do a few things which are different and sometimes don’t see things we’ve run successful previously.
 
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