COLUMBUS — Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer spoke with reporters Monday for his customary start to the football week. He looked back at the Indiana game a bit. Meyer also provided updates on football team and then looked ahead a bit to Saturday’s upcoming game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Here are the highlights.
+ Meyer began by going over the Champions from the Indiana game.
+ Binjimen Victor “just keeps coming on.”
+ There were no special teams players of the game because there wasn’t much going on there and the effort was lacking.
+ The offensive line didn’t play very well. The protection hasn’t been bad, but there needs to be improvement across the board.
+ There has been conversation about using Tate Martell in short-yardage situations. “Tate’s a very dynamic player.” They talk about it all the time.
+ The pass blocking and picking up blitzes has been good by the offensive line, but blocking for the run game is more complicated. They have to do better as coaches and players in executing the running game. The struggles aren’t always because of a loaded box.
+ Meyer has dealt with headaches and he takes medicine for it and it is something he monitors. “I’m fine now.” There are no plans for another procedure to deal with it.
+ Meyer has conversations with his staff, but he has confidence that they will get things righted defensively.
+ Things are going well for the injuries to Malik Harrison and Jonathon Cooper, but they’ll know more tomorrow.
+ Meyer likes the way the team has responded to significant injuries and stepped up. “It’s a good group to coach.”
+ The defense was good in the second half. There were a lot of positives. They look at everything and overanalyze things. They try to build on the positives while looking at everything.
+ Press coverage is a very hard skill and most programs with it teach their corners to not turn back for the ball unless they are even with the receiver. That’s not just Ohio State specific, that’s a philosophical stance that many, many coaches have.
+ “Third and 1 is tough right now.” The weakness on offense is the lack of balance and short-yardage struggles. Meyer doesn’t feel too far off in confidence between third and 1 and third and 7, which speaks well of the passing game, but poorly of the running game.
+ When you don’t have a running quarterback, you have to be willing to throw the ball a little more on short-yardage downs.
+ Minnesota has an outstanding defense. They are not a big pressure team, but they’ve dealt with injures on defense.
+ Brian Hartline could very well be a full-time coach at Ohio State down the road. He has performed well enough to prove that.
Anyone who keeps typing that they should put the QB under center… just stop. You are clearly do not know that we run 99.9% of our plays out of shotgun. Under no circumstances should a defense know what is called, and by putting our QB under center it would give the play away. So if you think putting the QB under center for 3rd and short would work in the long run… You are fooling yourself. Now I’m sure there are those out there saying he could throw from under center too, you again haven’t been watching games in the past 7 years. There is only one play in Urban’s play book that puts our QB under center, and that is the Victory formation. Get over it.
Now that that’s out of the way… How to successfully pick up 3rd and shorts with our current offensive scheme? Go back to 5 wide (like JT used to run) and let Haskins throw, and if everyone is covered… he can leave the pocket and pick up the first down with his feet while all the defenders are dropped into coverage. And if they try to press us off the line and blitz? Quick slant to the house should stop that anyone from trying that again. You don’t need to do vastly different things, you just need to curtail the already existing plays to the talent you have.
You don’t always have to run the same play under center. Even 3 or 4 different ones would probably be enough.
Allen- nah, it’s s not out of the way and we’re not over it. You see, the point is that our offensive coordinators should be making that call…and the call does not have to be a sneak either. There are about 50 years’ worth of examples of how to run a BASIC formation, it is hardly new age thought. It is you who needs to get with the program.
So you’ve watched 7 years of Urban’s offense… and you still think he’s going to put the QB under center… and you think I’m the one that needs to get with the program?
Allen- hey, you got something right! I’ll alert the media.
It is really surprising and disappointing that with all this brain power in the offense room, they would not have anticipated an issue with short yardage plays and the run game as a whole when they knew for a year who is going to be running the show.
It was equally surprising they went into the PSU game full well that PSU was going to pressure DH a lot and yet, they did not have a plan to combat it early and often. Sure DH was off but that was the result of their bad preparation and planning, and of course silly drops.
Finally I still believe Schiano and his line up style was the reason for.The two collapses last year, and unless Meyer stepson now, it will happen again more than once this year. We would never had the Iowa performance under Fickle and Fickle.learned on the job.
Meyer needs to stop hiring friends and go get the best there is a la Saban if he wants to really take.offline next level.
Not shocked by score. More surprised by the DLnot getting home. Our run D was legit and our run game did get short yardage in the first half. More concerned that IN was still hanging out late in the third. Could be let down could be IN best shot. It seems that we really miss Combs and Fickell. Our D did stiffen. Not sure this is playoff team yet buy well wait and see.
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If you run the exact same play every time you have 3rd or 4th and one, of course its going to get stuffed once in a while. And with no threat of a run from the QB, it will get worse. With Haskins maybe throw it once in a while, that will loosen things up. Meyers quote was Minnesota has an outstanding defense. They are giving up an average of 45 points in two Big 10 games.
Hank- your observation about Minnesota is spot on, more garbage from the HC. A couple more points about the “enormous task” of converting a 3rd and 1:
1) there’s this player called a “fullback”, coach. Look it up!
2) Line up under center with double TE and PUSH forward. Dwayne Haskins can fall forward 3 feet, I promise!
3) Tired of this HC continuing his overt love affair with a graduated player. After 6 game last year, OSU was 5-1 and ranked 10. This year after 6 the record is 6-0 and the rank is 3. GET OVER IT.
I’ve heard it stated in another way. In press man coverage un toward the receiver and pay attention to his eyes. Once you get the receiver in your player side hip pocket THEN turn back to locate the ball. The receivers eyes will tell you if the ball is coming and with your eyes still on him you can adjust your speed to his actions. Shadow or trail man coverage is a completely different set of techniques and skill sets.
Would love to see Tate in on 3rd or 4th and 1, tight formation with Weber in the backfield.
Ball is snapped and Tater uses a mesh to sell the read option. pulls the ball from Weber and as the remaining defenders try to crash on Tater he fires a laser to a streaking Johnnie Dixon/Terry McLauren/Bin Victor ala Ted Ginn Jr. years ago.
DBs MUST always turn back to ball. This across the board coaching philosophy about not turning unless even is outright bullshit. Most balls are under thrown or 50-50 balls. If the DBs would just turn their heads, most would be picks or tipped away…I absolutely do not buy into this defensive technique at all. It is lazy and most of the time results in Pass Interference ,or receiver make a catch that should have been picked or batted away.This is the same BULLSHIT we hear about our linebackers are playing better. Do they really think most of us are mental midgets? I’ve been around football for over 40 years, and this is plain and simply HORRIBLE fundamental coaching. If it don’t change immediately, this is going to be another underachieving ,loaded with talent, Ohio State football team. I hate to say it, but they don’t teach this way at Alabama, Clemson, or Georgia.. Just watch them play defense. then watch us………worlds apart..
I’m confused…probably just me….if DB’s are not supposed to look back…then why is that the determining factor for the refs to call pass interference?
The key, according to the coach is “if they’re even”, meaning they aren’t beat on the play and trying to make up ground. Problem is, if they’re close enough to get pass interference, they’re ‘even’ enough to make a play on the ball.
I love the way this coach uses these conferences to jab at media/fans who have picked up weaknesses and want them fixed. In bullet point order from the article-
Tate Martell as a gimmick- they “talk about it all the time”. Didn’t they “talk a lot about” Dobbins and Weber being on the field at the same time as well? Still waiting…
The DBs not looking back for the ball- he’s hearing it folks! Don’t much buy his excuse for why they aren’t doing it though…
Third and ONE is NOT tough, most teams would love needing only a yard to gain for a first down. Basic math lesson for the coach here. 3rd and ONE is less to gain than 3rd and SEVEN. Rinse, repeat, rinse, repeat…
This one is especially nauseating. Dwayne Haskins can, in fact, “run”. He has 2 functioning legs and is a skilled athlete. These offensive folks need to refer back to, oh, fifty YEARS of short yardage sneaks by a QB/quick hand offs to RB to gain a first. First order of business- bring the QB under center! It’s not a special skill Urban. Judas Priest!
Once again, it’s obnoxious to listen to excuse making/ using the conference to promote an agenda (more QBS runs in our future, anyone?) rather than for informative exchanges.