COLUMBUS — Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer spoke with reporters following practice Wednesday night. He provided some injury updates on the Buckeyes and answered plenty of other questions about his team and the week of practice they have had. He also previewed the Indiana Hoosiers a bit and also covered some other topics as well. Here are the highlights.
+ They don’t have the luxury of thinking about freshmen that they can play for a few games and save them. If they’re ready to play, they’re going to play. There are too many injuries right now.
+ Binjimen Victor has become “one of them”, referring to him become a more willing blocker like the other receivers.
+ Dre’Mont Jones and Damon Arnette will play this week.
+ The offensive adjustments at the half worked. This is the second year for this offensive staff and more experience together makes those things happen more effectively.
+ They are careful this week to not push the team too much after a physical game and with the heat coming back this week in Columbus.
+ Dre’Mont Jones can get mental reps in practice as do other guys who are dinged up a bit. Mental reps are very important in being ready for Saturday.
+ This tea isn’t as deep as others think. They are holding on right now at a couple of positions. “You can never have enough depth.”
+ Having gone through the Penn State game will help him the next time he’s in a similar situation. The crucible of competition always makes you better. It’s something that you can’t teach in practice.
+ Indiana has very good players and an excellent coach.
+ Meyer has seen a lot of good from the OSU defense, aside from the big plays, which cannot be excused. “Just too many big plays.” Playing an aggressive style of defense, you know there will be big plays made, but you have to get the players down. There is a risk in that kind of play.
+ Meyer isn’t sure who will be starting at safety opposite Jordan Fuller.
This is the crappiest tackling defense Ohio State has had since 2004. They aren’t bad tacklers, they are awful tacklers. Even that is being kind. If they were just bad tacklers Trace McSorley wouldn’t be running through them like they don’t exist, junk level running backs wouldn’t be carving the heart completely out of the 2nd level. In just 2 years…and yes the Buckeyes were playing press man earlier than 2 years ago, so that excuse is just that, a pile of worthless excuses and soundbytes spewed to appease sunshine pumpers.
In TFL’s and Sacks the Buckeyes are among the Nations best. The majority of that is defensive line. But the rush defense is among the Nations most pathetic piles of garbage.
And what the hell is up with the “return of the stretch runs?” Stop that trash. You have a massive offensive line, so blow people off the ball and change the damned LOS for the running backs to have lanes to run through, instead of being met at a stagnant LOS by the opponents defensive line. Until the left side of the OLine can move defenders backwards, a linebacker or a safety will be free to attack the right side without a concern about the left side getting gashes by the Buckeye running backs. Ohio State’s offense is literally fighting with their right hand and the opponents are simply overloading the gaps.with free hitters.
Job 1 for the defense….find even “1” competent linebacker.
Job 2 for the defense…find coaches who can teach even basic tackling fundamentals.
Job 1 for the offense….find 2 guys who can drive block for the left side of the offensive line.
Job 2 for the offense…return to power trap rushing and throw those idiot stretch plays in the garbage until basic power runs must be stopped by defenses.
(in just 2 years Ohio State defense has completely forgotten fundamental defense.) ^
’12 and ’13 had more missed tackles I think. This year some defenders are struggling to get close enough to miss.
I realize they play in a smaller conference, but you can’t help but admire the job Luke Fickell is doing down in Cincinnati. Never could have imagined the Bearcats EVER having a defense that is statistically superior to the Buckeyes.Oh well, who needs tackling when opponents can look good gashing your defense every week.
Urban has no problem calling the players out for below standard levels of play, but he never calls out those who are supposed to be teaching respective positions. It’s not because of young players, and certainly not a lack of talent and experience represented by those players. The only ingredient missing is coaching. Then again. Experience is relative to the ability of the coach to teach and motivate. Maybe someday Bill Davis will learn how to coach, but for today that means the Buckeyes have the potential to lose games they shouldn’t. Never once in 2014, 2015, or 2016 that the defense was out of sorts.
Maybe behind the scenes he’s addressing the issues, but when you see a guy who cannot physically run to make a play 5 weeks into the season, and 2 others who don’t have the strength to shed even 1 block, my friend, the kitchen needs a cook.
why doesn’t the subject of too many penalties ever come up?
Somebody would have to be writing a story on penalties in order to want to ask him about it. It may come up on the radio show today, but all he’s likely to say is that it has to stop.
Don’t we have three great offensive minds/coordinators+UM? One would think the adjustments would be quicker. Maybe try better run blocking from an NFL sized O-line. Is this poor coaching or poor execution or both?
On 93 yd TD, replay shows all LB’s appear to blitz but, two clearly stop (ineffective penetration) and without dropping back into coverage give the appearance of all stuck at the line of scrimmage leaving Wade left on island and finished with another poor pursuit angle by Pryor. Poor coaching or execution? Shouldn’t an inexperienced team improve throughout the season? Aggressive D still needs to have back end safety. Luckily, Penn State’s aggressive D gave up some big plays also. That’s how we won the game.
What about Weber ? Will he play ?
https://theozone.net/2018/10/mike-weber-playing-hurt-not-injured/