What did we learn? OSU edition.

With a gutted and already suspect secondary, it could get ugly quick.  They looked pretty good first half, but 2nd half I just thought both looked confused and rattled

Illinois looked terrible,  but without everyone we might look that bad too.  I'm hoping. I even predicted this one as the yesr we finally get them.  Just not expecting it.
Not an excuse but I am guessing just about every team ohio state plays this year until they meet Bama and Clemson will look Rattled and Confused as they get overmatched by Ohio State. 

We had confidence and played like it until we let them score right before half and right after half. Huge Momentum swing. Cant have that when your playing a team superior to 98% of all teams in college football

 
For all the talk about some of the LBs like Henrich and Reimer, sure didn't seem like they played much.  Henrich had one tackle and Reimer recorded zero (not sure if he played).
Reimer didn't travel due to injury, and Henrich played at OLB.  I like Henrich getting on the field, but he may be a bit out of position at OLB.

 
I can say that what I didn't learn on Saturday is what Chinander's real plan is going to be going forward if he doesn't have a guy that can edge rush on 3rd down passing situations.

Feel like I've been waiting two full seasons to get that answer and it's still unclear. Still, the next step our program has to take is to beat Iowa & Minnesota in the same season. I'll wait until we play a team of that caliber before I worry too much about our pass rush.

 
2 questions as I wasn't able to watch 75% of the game. 

1. Did Nadab Joseph play? Since Bootle appeared to get smoked everytime I saw #7. If Joseph is supposed to be a stud- put him on the field. You cant get beat any worse than Bootle so why not try it? 

2. So if we didn't have any deep threats to loosen ohio state up- why not throw a guy like flemming out and just tell him to run deep and toss a few and see what happens? Even if he doesnt know the playbook good enough yet- you dont have to know the playbook to run straight down the field.

 
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2 questions as I wasn't able to watch 75% of the game. 

1. Did Nadab Joseph play? Since Bootle appeared to get smoked everytime I saw #7. If Joseph is supposed to be a stud- put him on the field. You cant get beat any worse than Bootle so why not try it? 

2. So if we didn;'t have any deep threats to loosen ohio state up- why not throw a guy like flemming out and just tell him to run deep and toss a few and see what happens? Even if he doesnt know the playbook good enough yet- you dont have to know the playbook to run straight down the field.
Joseph didn't play.  I'm not sure what's going on with him.  May be injury related.

Fleming is in the same boat as Manning.  His time on the field is being limited due to attitude and practice habits.  Benning mentioned that Fleming was posting on Instagram live 30 minutes before the game, and that's something that can't be tolerated.

 
2. So if we didn't have any deep threats to loosen ohio state up- why not throw a guy like flemming out and just tell him to run deep and toss a few and see what happens? Even if he doesnt know the playbook good enough yet- you dont have to know the playbook to run straight down the field.


I think the way you "loosen them up" is by properly executing the swing & screen passes. This widens the field and keeps their outside linebackers honest.

Then you come back and hit them with the interior rushing game - the QB Wrap plays, inside zone handoffs, etc. The first half on offense for us, we looked like a really well-coached and well-prepared team that was physical in the running game.

I think we'll throw for medium-long passing plays to our tight ends this year off of play action. 

Offensive strategy wasn't really a problem in this game. When Martinez fumbled, the game was over.

 
I think the way you "loosen them up" is by properly executing the swing & screen passes. This widens the field and keeps their outside linebackers honest.

Then you come back and hit them with the interior rushing game - the QB Wrap plays, inside zone handoffs, etc. The first half on offense for us, we looked like a really well-coached and well-prepared team that was physical in the running game.

I think we'll throw for medium-long passing plays to our tight ends this year off of play action. 

Offensive strategy wasn't really a problem in this game. When Martinez fumbled, the game was over.
There has to be a deep threat which emerges to keep safeties back and not have them crash towards the LOS.  Even if the D is stretched wide, NU needs to be able to challenge them vertically.  Ideally, it would come from the outside receiver spot, but it can also be done with Wandale out of the slot or Allen/Vokalek from the TE.

 
There has to be a deep threat which emerges to keep safeties back and not have them crash towards the LOS.  Even if the D is stretched wide, NU needs to be able to challenge them vertically.  Ideally, it would come from the outside receiver spot, but it can also be done with Wandale out of the slot or Allen/Vokalek from the TE.


Good points, good points. I'm more so just saying that had Manning played and if he is the super star we think he is, the OSU score probably isn't that much closer than it was.

But I do believe Manning can help us be a better offense, that is for sure!

 
Good points, good points. I'm more so just saying that had Manning played and if he is the super star we think he is, the OSU score probably isn't that much closer than it was.

But I do believe Manning can help us be a better offense, that is for sure!
Even if Manning doesn't have crazy stats himself- which I think his stats would be good. But he opens things up for Wandale. 

 
Frost seemed to shoulder some of the blame with the lack of vertical game. He did spend a lot of time talking about guys needing to be ready before they'll roll them out, but mentioned that we now have the guys and the staff needs to do a better job of utilizing that. I think (hope) last week was a decision based on a run heavy gameplan and health, and that we'll see more speedy guys moving forward. 

 
1 thing the announcers mentioned was NU's transition to a progression passing game.  For the life of me I don't know what that means.  Every pass play I've ever seen has a progression w/the exception of some RPO's & screens.  

The staple of the Oregon O Frost comes from is the Bubble Y Over.  There's a built it hot route, progression of 3, & a check down.  Anybody know what this was in reference to?

 
1 thing the announcers mentioned was NU's transition to a progression passing game.  For the life of me I don't know what that means.  Every pass play I've ever seen has a progression w/the exception of some RPO's & screens.  

The staple of the Oregon O Frost comes from is the Bubble Y Over.  There's a built it hot route, progression of 3, & a check down.  Anybody know what this was in reference to?
Who knows. Maybe he just meant Martinez is actually going through his progressions instead of just locking in on 1 guy.

 
1. Did Nadab Joseph play? Since Bootle appeared to get smoked everytime I saw #7. If Joseph is supposed to be a stud- put him on the field. You cant get beat any worse than Bootle so why not try it? 


Not sure on Joseph - his name hasn't come up much so I wasn't exactly surprised he wasn't in the mix.  Would be a big help if he were - especially this week.

I'm curious how we play our corners going forward.  I don't think we have been giving that much cushion in previous years so I tend to think we basically went with "keep everything in front of you" for this game.  Which "worked" for the most part in the first half as we only gave up one big play down the field.

I think that was more out of respect for the weapons tOSU could roll out there than a shift if coverage philosophy.  Hopefully we see that change going forward.  Otherwise it's going to be a long (and frustrating) season in the department.

 
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