The Front Row

I'm sure Meyer and Fickell will have plenty to say on the matter later today. In the meantime, here is what Duane and I think are the major issues and what can be done about them.

Dave-a lot of people have tried to analyze our Defense, and some with fancy logic and terms..to the casual football viewer many things are just plain and simple in viewing their play. Here are mine:
a) Meyer still working wiht the old 6-7 team he inherited--talent level though hyped, suspect from the start!
b) lack of over-all speed to the ball
c) poor tackling techniques, angles taken,
d) group seems to be "out of place" on big plays...schemes seem wrong, missed assignments
e) Line of Scrimmage schemes and technique seems wrong....to much cushion given
f) lack of effenctive pass rush and pressure most of the time
g) lack of talent depth....freshmen stars still not ready nor capable to fill in
h) football is a "head game"..you have to want -it. Our guys seem they are going thru the motions..its a 60 minute game..we are not playing a 60 minute game .its like as a kid we taught in baseball" to run thru first base no to it"
these kids are running to the base only.
I) untill Meyer gets "his guys" things will not change.
j) Not sure Fickell and Vabrael and Withers are the answer....so far they have not gotten the job done as most
Buckeye fans would expect!

Here is my take for what it is worth. Linebacker crew is pretty inept. No secret there. I dont care who is coaching them if you have to use your fullback who last played LB in high school you have a serious issue. This leaves the pass rush to the boys up front who have no help from blitzing linebackers. Shazier seems to spend a lot of time in the defensive backfield. Lets face it if you have no pass rush you have a qb who can take his time and pick you apart. RBs can break through the line and see a lot of wide open spaces. If we want to criticize lets blame the recruiting. Two pretty good lbs are now playing in Texas and Alabama, both from Ohio. You throw in injuries and playing some inexperienced people with the number of spread offenses we have seen and you have Indiana scoring 49. I also thought we had some gassed linemen towards the end of that game. You cant say we need to rotate guys in then complain when you take out a Simon or Hankins. Come on people it is not as simple as fire the coach.

mrtbuck..pretty good...The game with Purdue this week is a great time to experiment with a true 5-2 defensive front..This will eliminate the need to have three LBers in the game(best two)will give a much better pass rush (not allowing the QB to just take his time!) which will take some pressure off the DB's..This seems a better plan than just same ole defense scheme each week!! The description of "insane" Just keep doing the same thing week after week and expecting a different result!

As I said on the show, my biggest problem with this defense is lack of aggression. Yes, you're going to get burnt every once in a while if you play balls-to-the-wall aggressive. However, this D is getting torched playing soft zones! If the D would take on the mindset of OSU's offense, I think the "Silver Bullets" would be back. I've never seen such a passive OSU defense. It's like we're all shocked when they bring all-out pressure (or the few times we see some man-press coverage).

Lack of aggression is the No. 1 problem with this defense, IMO.

The only problem is the scheme. Fickell, et al. are trying to get pressure by rushing 3 or 4 against 5 to 7 blockers. All we hear is how complicated this defense is. Then why not make it simpler by allowing one of the remaining players to blitz or game with the DL on almost every play? As it is, our LBs are trying to read and react and are usually a step or two behind the play. IMO, every LB should be in motion as the ball is being snapped - take the thinking out of it. Get someone in the opposing backfield to cause chaos on every play. It makes everything easier for the entire defense. We don't have a Lauranitis or Speilman to fly to the hole and stuff the ball carrier, but we do have good enough athletes to disrupt a QB on an unsuspected blitz or two. I imagine every blitzer would really love it - just go like a crazed dog. All of our opponents have used the blitz to disrupt our offense, mainly because they had inferior athletes and needed an edge. We sit back and try to use our superior athletes to play a passive bend-but-don't-break scheme. Then we are surprised when someone gashes us.
This is much simpler than everyone is making it. Look back at every blitz we have used this year. I would wager most of them created a loss or a sack or something bad for the opponent. One created a big enough loss that a blocked punt ended in a TD on the next play.
A point guard in basketball does not like an Aaron Craft in his face the entire game. A QB does not like a defender coming from nowhere on each and every play.

Great show. Absolutely great show.

Fire Fickell. This is stupid shit he is pulling with the redshirts, personnel decisions, etc.

We're going to lose to Michigan, folks.

Shazier would be a great safety. I wonder where else he would be playing LB, especially with the lack of talent we have there. I respect our coaches for not criticizing individuals to the public, but I wonder what they are saying when they sit around and discuss the issue.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe we blitzed on both big plays, the long touchdown run right up the middle and the long Shane Wynn pass. We at least were up in "agressive" coverage. I don't know if this defense has the horses to play agressive, whatever that means. The word "aggressive" is just like the word "physical." If you are good, you are aggressive and physical, If you are bad, you aren't aggressive or physical enough. The key is to have the right defense called. Good defenses mix up "aggresive" and droping back into coverage.

deleted by poster