Opposing Coaches: "It's not JT Barrett, it's Meyer's offense that is the problem"

[Judge Smails]

https://sports.yahoo.com/opposing-coaches-whats-wrong-ohio-state-offense-not-qb-221518967.html

In the regulation periods of Ohio State’s past three games against marquee opponents – Michigan, Clemson and Oklahoma – the Buckeyes have what can be considered 34 full offensive possessions. Over that time, Ohio State can claim just one sustained touchdown drive – a seven-play, 44-yard drive against Oklahoma on Saturday night. The Buckeyes have punted 17 times, committed eight turnovers (counting downs) and kicked eight field goals (four makes and four misses).

But Yahoo Sports spoke with multiple coaches who’ve studied the Buckeyes during this stretch of recent futility, and the main culprit behind Ohio State’s offensive struggles against top competition isn’t quarterback J.T. Barrett, new play caller Kevin Wilson or the undistinguished receiving corps.

“I think it’s probably more the offense than the quarterback,” said a veteran coach who studied the Buckeyes intensely this offseason. “I like J.T. and think he’s a capable athlete. The offense is hindering his ability to excel. It’s more of the offense than the player, in my opinion.”

“There’s not a lot of creativity,” said the coach. “He’s doing a lot of the same things he did at Utah. We thought it would be different [with Kevin Wilson], but it hasn’t been.”

“They have some damn athletes,” said a coach who studied the Buckeyes. “Their wide receivers can run and they’re all athletic. Their offensive line is good and there’s two good running backs. There’s no way that an offense like that should put 16 points on the board.”

A coach who studied the Buckeyes this offseason charted Barrett’s throws in the Big 10, and more than 85 percent of his attempts were 15 yards or less.

An NFL scout familiar with the Buckeyes came away with this observation after Saturday night: “It’s like four of the six years Meyer has been there, they’ve had zero identity on offense.”

 

[MoyerJones]

I have not studied OSU offense intensively and I don't know as much as these coaches, but:
I agree with the lack of creativity, even in just the short passing game and RPO. No isolating receivers like their TE.
IMO I think JTB looks hesitant. Does not stretch out runs...there were times where I thought he could've stretched his legs and gained an extra yard or two (perhaps not). More importantly, he seems to be a second or more behind on throws. Could also be his receivers.

 

[tboyer]

Funny how things go. Times change, the system that worked 10 years ago suddenly doesn't work. Sounds a little like Penn State in the late 90s-early 2000s. Good players but not a lot of offense.

Though really the players do have a lot to do with it. The receivers are inexperienced. Dobbins is going to be a great back but he's a true freshman.

The line is good by college football standards but not by Ohio State standards.

And Barrett.... It's a little like the discussions PSU was having about Hack when ARob and a good line graduated and Franklin installed a new offense. Hack was probably the same player but he didn't look like the same player.

 

[anon_xdc8rmuek44eq]

It's also Barrett.

 

[BobPSU92]

Quarterbacks don't kill offenses. Coaches do.

Everyone kills offenses, kills you, kills me...

 

[BobPSU92]

We ain't come here to play offense.

 

[canuckhal]

Urban's offense by year:

2012 Avg. 37 pts/game 12-0 record
2013 45 12-2 Scored 24 and 35 in loses
2014 45 14-1
2015 36 12-1
2016 39 11-2 21 in loss to PSU; 0 against Clemson
2017 49 against IN and 16 against OK

All this talk about Meyer's offense doesn't appear to hold water.

OSU lost to OK because Mayfield was able to scramble around the rush and make accurate passes downfield. That is unlikely to happen too often.

Barrett is not a good passer. Everyone knows that.

 

[BisbeeMike]

None of this matters at all. They can beat their next 3 opponents with their backups, and without passing more than 5 times per game, anyway. Ohio State is just fine.

 

[Cosmos]

https://sports.yahoo.com/opposing-coaches-whats-wrong-ohio-state-offense-not-qb-221518967.html

In the regulation periods of Ohio State’s past three games against marquee opponents – Michigan, Clemson and Oklahoma – the Buckeyes have what can be considered 34 full offensive possessions. Over that time, Ohio State can claim just one sustained touchdown drive – a seven-play, 44-yard drive against Oklahoma on Saturday night. The Buckeyes have punted 17 times, committed eight turnovers (counting downs) and kicked eight field goals (four makes and four misses).

But Yahoo Sports spoke with multiple coaches who’ve studied the Buckeyes during this stretch of recent futility, and the main culprit behind Ohio State’s offensive struggles against top competition isn’t quarterback J.T. Barrett, new play caller Kevin Wilson or the undistinguished receiving corps.

“I think it’s probably more the offense than the quarterback,” said a veteran coach who studied the Buckeyes intensely this offseason. “I like J.T. and think he’s a capable athlete. The offense is hindering his ability to excel. It’s more of the offense than the player, in my opinion.”

“There’s not a lot of creativity,” said the coach. “He’s doing a lot of the same things he did at Utah. We thought it would be different [with Kevin Wilson], but it hasn’t been.”

“They have some damn athletes,” said a coach who studied the Buckeyes. “Their wide receivers can run and they’re all athletic. Their offensive line is good and there’s two good running backs. There’s no way that an offense like that should put 16 points on the board.”

A coach who studied the Buckeyes this offseason charted Barrett’s throws in the Big 10, and more than 85 percent of his attempts were 15 yards or less.

An NFL scout familiar with the Buckeyes came away with this observation after Saturday night: “It’s like four of the six years Meyer has been there, they’ve had zero identity on offense.”

Far be it for me to shoot from the hip but I seem to recall an Urban-Meyer-coached-team with Cardale Jones (aka 'shotgun) at QB which whipped Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Something tells me it's the QB, and so long as he's there we got a chance at the Shoe. Even with our new and improved offensive line.

 

[anon_1eeb2b426hv3y]

It's also Barrett.

+1
The system works. But it does require the right players and they have to execute. And even in a solid system, tweaks and adjustments need to be made.

In Utah, it was a game changer and allowed their best players (notably, Smith) to really excel. In Florida, it worked even better, but he also had some lights out defenses and two once in a lifetime players on the same team (Harvin and Tebow).

At tOSU, he won a championship and they're in the running EVERY year. Whoever these coaches are, safe to assume they haven't been as successful.

The system doesn't give the advantage it once did but they've also lost very few games to solid teams, and are seemingly trusting their defense and talent advantages all over the field. Most of us grew up admiring a coach with a similar recipe and results (except a few years in early 2000s). JTB has all the tools, but he's not Tebow, or Mayfield, or Watkins.

Meyer has solid talent all over (players and coaches-PSU and UM are the only B1G teams that compare; we solved our talent problem and UM solved their coaching problem). For now, I'm happy it's a 3-horse race in the B1G. To the extend Meyer has a "problem" with his system (part JTB, part adjustments and execution), I hope Kevin Wilson doesn't solve it too soon.

 

[cvilleelkscoach]

I totally disagree with these comments. I've been coaching offensive football for a couple of decades and the issue isn't the offense. I know his offense. In fact I attended practice when Meyer was at Florida and use a few of his concepts and naming conventions that I saw. There is more variability in that offense than is in PSUs right now. But the problem is their ability to execute the full offense. The fact JT is struggling to make throws down the field is limiting the variability. Meyer has always used the deep ball to establish his run game. The stretching of the field and resulting need for the defense to not play the LOS as tightly has created a strong run game. Take away the ability to stretch and the defense can then play the LOS and control the run game and reduce the YAC on the less than 15 yard throws they are currently depending on.

Meyers a great football coach, he's not some dumb ass. He knows his young QBs are not ready to play yet so he has to stick with JT. He also isn't a dumb ass like Kelly who would throw his QB under the bus and impact his confidence. I expect Meyer to get one or both of his young guys plenty of reps against Army this week in hopes of seeing how they react in a game situation.

All that said, from a PSU alum prospective, I wish Meyer was a dumb ass.

 

[Judge Smails]

Someone texted Cardale Jones and said they needed him back at Ohio State. Jones replied that he didn't want to be back at Ohio State running the ball 20 times a game.

 

[BBrown]

I totally disagree with these comments. I've been coaching offensive football for a couple of decades and the issue isn't the offense. I know his offense. In fact I attended practice when Meyer was at Florida and use a few of his concepts and naming conventions that I saw. There is more variability in that offense than is in PSUs right now. But the problem is their ability to execute the full offense. The fact JT is struggling to make throws down the field is limiting the variability. Meyer has always used the deep ball to establish his run game. The stretching of the field and resulting need for the defense to not play the LOS as tightly has created a strong run game. Take away the ability to stretch and the defense can then play the LOS and control the run game and reduce the YAC on the less than 15 yard throws they are currently depending on.

Meyers a great football coach, he's not some dumb ass. He knows his young QBs are not ready to play yet so he has to stick with JT. He also isn't a dumb ass like Kelly who would throw his QB under the bus and impact his confidence. I expect Meyer to get one or both of his young guys plenty of reps against Army this week in hopes of seeing how they react in a game situation.

All that said, from a PSU alum prospective, I wish Meyer was a dumb ass.

Agree. I'm not so certain some of the WR's aren't the issue as well. Last year all they had was Samuel (who by the way Meyer wasted).
Should be interesting I"ve heard this is the best Army team in a very long time.
Also of interest to me is the Akron/Iowa st. game.

 

[Still in State College]

It is hard to feature a WR when the QB isn't great at distributing the football. I have always viewed Meyer as a pound the ball and then go over the top. Usually the WR's are wide open and the QB doesn't need to deliver a great ball. This offense will generally score enough with a lights out defense.

 

[GreggK]

Quarterbacks don't kill offenses. Coaches do.
Everyone kills offenses, kills you, kills me...

Hahaha amazing. Hate to say it, but I think Mr. Pryor and Mr. Parsons have a lot in common.
Difference I think is that Parsons can at least string together a sentence.