Wonder which OSU defensive coach will survive off-season 'cuts'

[lazydave841]

Usually, OSU has enough offensive firepower to get away with this - they get far enough ahead to force an opponent out of their running game.

From what I saw of the first half of the OSU-UM game, I thought that the Buckeyes had a chance to do this early but got sloppy (settle for a FG from the UM 14 on their second possession, screw up a 4th and 2 in plus territory on their next possession - could have had a 21-3 lead possibly) and then started giving up long pass plays (what's the point of the 4-2-5 if you do that?) that let Michigan in the game.

Not that UM wasn't the better team, but OSU could have made it a different game early.

This Michigan team is just sneaky good. I was outright shocked that they matched up so well vs the WRs and TE. Egbuka seemed to be open a lot, but he never broke a big one. Stover had been a security blanket and he did nothing.

Has a team ever ran so miserably in the first half to run so dominant in the second half?

Kudos to Jimmah. Excellent adjustments.

 

[lowhandicapper]

Kudos to Jimmah. Excellent adjustments.

I think Michigan is just on a physical player high, kinda like Penn State was on a skill player high from 2016-19. I really don't think you can build a team long term like that in college but you certainly can get lucky for a few years with the right mix of players/ages. The reasons I say this is because big people development in college for 18-21 year old kids is so wildly unstable. Michigan has had some well developed big people the past two years but that certainly isn't consistent history.
I think it's pretty amazing that I haven't heard one person mention that Ohio State played without Jaxson Smith Ngigma & Treveon Henderson who are two players most experts said are the best player at their position in the country in August. Imagine any team playing without two preseason all-americans.
I just checked the pre season all-america lists from this summer and both were projected as first team all-americans in fact many had JSN as one of the top Heisman contenders.
Some big losses. TIFWIW

 

[lazydave841]

I think Michigan is just on a physical player high, kinda like Penn State was on a skill player high from 2016-19. I really don't think you can build a team long term like that in college but you certainly can get lucky for a few years with the right mix of players/ages. The reasons I say this is because big people development in college for 18-21 year old kids is so wildly unstable. Michigan has had some well developed big people the past two years but that certainly isn't consistent history.
I think it's pretty amazing that I haven't heard one person mention that Ohio State played without Jaxson Smith Ngigma & Treveon Henderson who are two players most experts said are the best player at their position in the country in August. Imagine any team playing without two preseason all-americans.
I just checked the pre season all-america lists from this summer and both were projected as first team all-americans in fact many had JSN as one of the top Heisman contenders.
Some big losses. TIFWIW

Injuries happen though. For 12 weeks, it didn't seem to matter that JSN was out. Henderson being out hurt, but Williams is probably the better RB for the Michigan game to pound out yards, although Henderson definitely is a threat every carry.

Michigan was missing Corum and the Edge player Morris. The key though was the 2nd half. Buckeyes had 3 pts. They couldn't stop the 2nd string Michigan RB. McCarthy never looked crisp but he made a bunch of big, clutch throws. Timely runs as well.

I do think we could have outlasted a Buckeye team under these circumstances if Clifford doesn't 4 turnover the game away, but we didn't challenge the Buckeye WRs as physically as Michigan did.

 

[auxgym]

Harbaugh is a good coach; just a miserable person. Day has one of the best QBs and the best receiver in college in Harrison and several other good WRs and he coached way too conservatively today IMO. Of course the defensive breakdowns were inexcusable.

Huck Farbaugh!