** 2024 Opponent Preview : Ohio State (Game 8) **

admo said:
WR:  Only one returning starter.  Had 500 yards. Lost Harrison, Julian Flemming and a lot of explosive production.  Next best returning WR had 18 catches.  The position has a few 5 star true freshmen recievers.  

 You have a weaker WR group than you've had in years. 
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He's not going to be Marvin Jr. on day 1, but they know their receivers at OSU and Jeremiah Smith has more hype from their staff, not just media guys, than any receiver that has come through there so far. I would love to be wrong here, but their weakest group in years 1) probably isn't actually their weakest group in years, and 2) is still one of the best in the country. They processed a former top-5 overall recruit with 79 career catches who will now be the #1 receiver at the preseason #8 team in the country (admittedly the passing game is not Penn State's strong suit) - they feel good about their WRs. Even these Michigan guys have them ahead of Oregon and Texas.

 
On Chip Kelly (and somewhat on Frost too), I feel like he had so much success for the first several years because he was doing something new and innovative and defenses had to prepare for it just for 1 team per season back then. Now people know the offense a lot better, and more teams are running a version of it or at least some plays, and he hasn’t been as successful. I don’t think he will ever be as successful, unless he can keep changing things up. 

I don’t know if he will work out at OSU. If he does it’s only due to the far superior talent, IMO. 

 
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Moiraine said:
On Chip Kelly (and somewhat on Frost too), I feel like he had so much success for the first several years because he was doing something new and innovative and defenses had to prepare for it just for 1 team per season back then. Now people know the offense a lot better, and more teams are running a version of it or at least some plays, and he hasn’t been as successful. I don’t think he will ever be as successful, unless he can keep changing things up.
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I think that's a good take. Totally was an innovator.

But he also definitely wasn't recruiting the same caliber of players across the board at UCLA as he was at Oregon. He did a lot to make a really unique brand at Oregon and that brought in great players also.

Somehow the brand just didn't entirely transfer over to UCLA.

 
Undone said:
I think that's a good take. Totally was an innovator.

But he also definitely wasn't recruiting the same caliber of players across the board at UCLA as he was at Oregon. He did a lot to make a really unique brand at Oregon and that brought in great players also.

Somehow the brand Nike money just didn't entirely transfer over to UCLA.
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FIFU

 
Undone said:
I think that's a good take. Totally was an innovator.

But he also definitely wasn't recruiting the same caliber of players across the board at UCLA as he was at Oregon. He did a lot to make a really unique brand at Oregon and that brought in great players also.

Somehow the brand just didn't entirely transfer over to UCLA.
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I think UCLA is far from an easy job right now. They are little brother to USC, it's not a "college town" meaning that people don't pay near the attention to t he program as lots of other fanbases, and I'm not sure they have a lot of NIL money coming in. 

 
Gorillahawk said:
I think UCLA is far from an easy job right now. They are little brother to USC, it's not a "college town" meaning that people don't pay near the attention to t he program as lots of other fanbases, and I'm not sure they have a lot of NIL money coming in. 
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Agreed. Mainly just pointing out how much easier it is to have great seasons when you have great recruiting classes.

Chip had the X's & O's and the talent with the Ducks.

 
Hilltop said:
At least we will have some continuity for a couple weeks.  Guessing UCLA ends up being an early game as well if we lose to Indiana.  
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I was thinking UCLA would probably be a 2:00 game so it's not like they are playing a 9:00am game.  But, maybe they don't think about that.

I'm hoping not for an 11:00 game for UCLA, I'm going to it.

 
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