On Saturday, the Ohio State defense will be playing against their thirteenth starting quarterback this season. This time, however, they’ll be facing a lefty.
Wisconsin sophomore southpaw Alex Hornibrook is currently No. 2 in the Big Ten in pass efficiency (155.93) behind Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett, which is pretty impressive. Hornibrook’s 13 interceptions, however, are not. He has thrown an interception in every conference game this season save for last week’s battle at Minnesota.
Protecting the ball will be vital for the Badgers, and yet the Ohio State defense will be intent on forcing Hornibrook into mistakes that they can take advantage of. Playing against a left-handed quarterback requires a few additional focal points throughout the week in practice just because it is abnormal compared to the type of passers that defenses normally face.
All quarterbacks have tendencies, and lefties are no different. They generally roll to the left more, which is a product of the plays that are called for them.
“Right-handed guys have a tendency to have right-handed plays called for them,” Urban Meyer explained on his call-in show Thursday. “Whether it’s done on purpose or not, but that’s something we watch very closely. For example, there will be hit charts, and a lot of times a left-handed quarterback – Tim Tebow had a tendency to go certain places with the ball.”
In this week of preparation, the Buckeyes will no doubt have charts on Hornibrook’s tendencies and where he likes to throw the ball, but that’s no different than any other quarterback.
“There is certainly differences, but you don’t prepare much differently though,” Meyer said. “You can’t do that. You start having players overthinking and you want them to be reactionary.”
Part of that reaction involves a coaching technique that defensive coordinator Greg Schiano borrowed from New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.
“He’s a lefty, which presents a different ‘match the hand’ that we’ve been working,” explained defensive end Sam Hubbard.
Matching the hand is a simple technique where a pass rusher provides a mirror image when approaching the quarterback. When the quarterback takes his hand off the football, that means he’s getting ready to throw the ball, so the defender is supposed to “match the throwing hand” and worry more about getting his mirrored hand up and disrupting the ball than hitting the quarterback.
In two of Ohio State’s biggest games last season, the technique led to pick sixes.
Matching the proper hand will take a little bit of practice, but they have been drilling it all season long and it’s not like they’ll be surprised to find out on Saturday that Alex Hornibrook throws left handed.
There was significant payoff last season in matching the hand, and the Buckeyes have continued to use it this season.
“Our big thing is you want to disrupt the path of the ball,” Schiano told FoxSports.com back in April. “Sometimes you tap it, and sometimes the quarterback changes his angle. It’s one of those deals where, like, if you change the compass on a boat one degree. If it goes a mile, it doesn’t really change it that much, but if it goes 50 miles, you’re gonna be off course. Same thing with a pass. If you can change it at the point of departure, it can be [two-feet different], and that’s how you make interceptions.”
Hornibrook played pretty well in last year’s overtime loss to Ohio State, completing 16-of-28 passes for 214 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
The Buckeyes sacked the Badger quarterback four times last season. They’ll be looking to better that number this weekend.
And aside from just matching hands, they’ll also be matching wits against a quarterback who is only getting better.
“He’s really progressed since last year,” Hubbard said. “His throws he’s making on the run. When they do bootlegs and stuff he’s really a great quarterback. He’s tall in the pocket. He gets great protection and he’s going to throw a great ball.”
If the Buckeyes are going to beat the Badgers on Saturday, they must obviously stop the run first.
When he throws the ball, however, the Ohio State defense is intent on making sure that Alex Hornibrook meets his match on each and every occasion.
This may be 1 of the important keys to the game. In the Iowa self-destruction the Hawkeyes’ linebackers and DBs were far more aggressive than any the Buckeyes played and J.T. had four INTs. Hornibrook is usually known for INTs but has been improving.
If Barrett has 2 or more INTs the Bucks lose big. If Hornibrook is harassed like no other game this year the Buckeyes, who are not a ball-hawking team this year, should get a relatively easy win.