Upvoting. Not a huge vote of confidence in our two deep. Taking an untouted fifth year senior developmental project who played poorly at a small school and thinking he’ll perform better against much better competition? That‘s just an awful lot of wishful thinking for a program that should be getting elite talent.

Agreed

Prevent usually sucks. Georgia is too well coached to be bothered by it. Base 4-2-5 with Quarters or Cover 2 man would have been much safer. And still allowed for some well timed blitzes and stunts to get pressure in the right situations.

Leaving one safety to cover the entire deep zone was just unnecessarily risky. Credit to Todd Monken for calling the right route concept. McCallister was so fooled on the play that even if Ransom didn’t fall it’s a 50/50 ball at worst. 
 

Unless you have vintage Malik Hooker playing centerfield, that coverage is a really tall order for any safety against the play Georgia ran. Knowles should be anticipating things like this, which is why he’s paid millions and I’m here in the comments section of a fan site.

No one is asking for prevent. The base 4-2-5 defense was fine. But maybe a less aggressive coverage scheme. The one thing we couldn’t afford to do was give up quick scores. If GA has to burn clock on an extended drive, the game is over.
 

On the long TD, McCallister was the single high safety and got froze by Bennett looking at the other side of the field at another vertical route. Hickman was close to the box and Ransom was covering the slot receiver with only a 6 yard cushion. Everyone else, including 2 out of 3 safeties, were playing man coverage. Even if Ransom doesn’t fall, there’s still a good chance they hit the long fade since McCallister froze so badly in centerfield and Ransom was in trail technique. Kirby made the high safety pick between two vertical routes and he chose poorly, compounded by Ransom falling. Execution was poor, but the scheme left no margin for error. The coverage was vulnerable to multiple vertical routes, and that’s exactly what Georgia did.
 

I have actually retract a previous Knowles criticism. I thought he sent pressure on that play, but after reviewing the play again he only rushed 4. And in hindsight maybe he should have blitzed at least one backer because Chambers covered no one and literally just stood around on the play.

Same. I didn’t have a great feeling about our defense at that point, but I had no idea they were going to implode so rapidly. Hindsight I guess

Classy. I guess I just don’t make excuses for millionaires that inherit a roster loaded with Top 100 recruits. Contrary to what some say, the cupboard isn’t bare on defense.

100% agree. He’s going to have a great career and will go down as one of the best QBs to ever play at OSU. He deserved that W more than anyone.

Idiot fan here. Gonna have to disagree with you, respectfully of course. After watching Maryland, TTUN, and now GA rip off a bunch of huge plays, I think opposing teams are starting to pick up on some keys vs a Knowles defense. Mainly, if you recognize his blitz cues and execute your hot routes and protections, you’re going to have some huge plays available since he frequently leaves guys on an island while he’s selling out to get to the QB. Duh, right? But the problem is that quality opponents must have picked up on some of his tendencies because they seem to be anticipating his pressures and protecting really well. He stayed hyper aggressive in the 4th quarter and we paid dearly. I’m far from a prevent defense advocate, but I’m also not a degenerate gambler who would send zero blitzes while trying to protect a lead. Well coached teams seem to have a formula for capitalizing on his gambles. Pointing this out is a valid criticism. He’s paid the big bucks to make adjustments and tailor his scheme to the players he has available. 
 

The worst part is he came into this game with the stated goal of reducing explosive plays, but from the cheap seats it looked very much like the same gambles that he consistently lost against TTUN. Georgia is very well coached, and they weren’t fooled by anything the “mad scientist” cooked up.

I feel like an old man shouting at the sky, but yes, this was awful for all the reasons that people have pointed out. But the one that I haven’t seen mentioned much is that in order to overturn that call they needed irrefutable evidence. I’m staggered that anyone could watch that video and see irrefutable proof that he didn’t take a huge hit to the head.

That’s two major games in a row where he’s left players like Ransom on an island to get torched. He can absolutely adjust his scheme to account for some of the holes in the secondary. I’m not saying roll out the prevent defense, but Jesus. Maybe leave some safety help over the top when you’re up 14 in the 4th quarter. Maybe they only get 30 yards instead of 70 and a TD.

No offer for Sperling yet. That’s kind of a bummer. Probably going to Kentucky instead. 

He probably didn’t wow people at camps where everyone plays touch football in shorts and t-shirts. Plus programs are probably knocking his size, which is sorta crazy to me because size (weight) is the one thing that a D1 strength and conditioning program can 100% fix. His vision and instincts aren’t things that can be taught easily. The recruiting “gurus” salivate over traits more than production. But this kid made a lot of elite programs with elite recruits look awful silly these past two years.

Call me crazy, but I would be excited about Sperling. I know guys are ragging on him about being a Buffalo recruit, but that production is just crazy. Hoban plays the best teams in the state and their only losses this year came against the D1 and D2 state champs. I’ll take Sperling and give him a couple years in our strength and conditioning program to add some weight. 205-210 would be a great size for him.

This kid gained a huge fan as soon as I saw the mustache. 

Film reminds me a lot of Zeke in HS. Explosive one cut runner with breakaway speed and pass catching ability. About the same size as Zeke was in HS too. Moeller plays against the best competition in the state too, which makes the film and stats even more impressive. Hoping Mr. Marshall ends up with the good guys.

Oh I guess they like money too

You're right. Definitely no value for the program to have a strong alumni network of high draft picks and NFL stars. Recruits definitely don't care about any of that. We shouldn't wish them more success and money in their future careers as ambassadors of our program. 

Bummer. I was hoping he'd have a monster showing in the next 1-2 games and really boost his draft stock. 

Edit: Also selfishly wanted to see him ball out and help us beat Georgia

Georgia has looked very beatable at times this year, and obviously we’ve also played down to inferior teams as well. But if we can move the ball on their defense, all bets are off (huge “if”). Otherwise if Day continues his love affair with the bubble screen it could be a long night.

Me too. But I think the committee chickens out and we play Georgia.

Let’s. Fucking. Go.

JSN healthy with Route Man Marv. Please let me see at least one full game of that.

USC fans going hard in the paint on Wikipedia pic.twitter.com/noSAJ1r5CK

— Jason Cocca (@jason_cocca) December 3, 2022

I’m down with most of the points in the round table. I want the Bucks in the playoff. Furthermore, I want a grudge match against Michigan. This team is way too talented to flop like that again. If they do, then Day will officially be Cooper 2.0

I was just about to say—I wanted to see more Trayanum! That dude was a load going north/south with authority and ripping off 7 ypc between the tackles. Something we haven’t seen much of from the RB room this year. Love Miyan, but he just didn’t look healthy. Hayden is still a little light in the loafers to get consistent yardage between the tackles.

Yep, it would be great to see more in-state kids on the roster. But I understand going with the "best player" approach. Hamilton came on the biggest recruiting weekend possibly hoping to get a lot of love and 1-on-1 time with the staff and an offer, didn't, then immediately committed to the arch rival and went scorched earth on the OSU staff to the papers. Maybe that was his plan all along regardless of whether he got an offer. Pending any sort of actual evidence of mistreatment, it just comes off as sour grapes. It would be pretty reasonable for the staff to want to see him at camp again next year and gauge his development against other prospects, but apparently he was on a different timeline. Happens to a lot of guys.