I expect we will see a lot of 2 high S zone. Georgia will want to make us earn it with 10+ play drives. Of course you have to convert in the red zone and that’s on the play calling. But you cannot commit stupid penalties and make mistakes. That’s on execution.
See I thought all year as did many that Coaxch Day was keeping things close only to explode on 11/26. Then The Game and it was the same old BS play calling. And now we are going to change. Watched the film breakdown by Georgia, we dont do anything different, we have a list of plays that we continue to recycle through and try to run. Will the genius Ryan Day please come back or was he a fraud ? Or is this offense part of the problem because we have a pocket QB. The point PENALITIES and PREPARATION seem to be lacking.
Ohio State should definitely be okay with methodical marches down the field. Eat up the clock and then score. That keeps the Georgia offense off the field along with giving our defense plenty of rest. Also, when an offense is kept on the sidelines, it has trouble gaining a rhythm which helps the defense. That is a reason why, IMO, Stroud hasn't looked quite as sharp this year. We seldom go tempo to get him into a passing rhythm like we did last year.
We don't need to call a perfect play every time. The defenses we have played against this year have two things in common. They shift right before the snap causing the "perfect play" to be not-so-perfect and they play a two safety deep secondary to limit our deeper passing routes. We haven't adjusted yet...maybe this will be the game (fingers crossed).
I am 100% in agreement here. UGA will most likely open the game up with 2 high s's and then try to run the ball and be physical on offense. Ohio state will have to show willingness to run the ball effectively and utilize the short passing game. If Ohio st begins to gash UGA in the early stages and UGA brings that other safety down, I would say at that point it is Ohio st's game to win. Ohio st has to be able to run the football.
"Life is not about how hard you can hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. THATS HOW WINNING IS DONE!!" - Rocky Ballboa
Knarcisi, 100% agree. In fact I would think that would be every D's game plan. Force the O to execute, execute and execute. And pressure the O into misfiring. A great O will take what the D gives and punch thru the red zone. Thats when it gets demoralizing for the D. But if your D is your weakness the O needs to make sure that they are tactical with long drives and not expose their D to long drives setting the D up for knock out punches in the 4th quarter.
Our play calling in the red zone has been vanilla and predictable against good D. Afraid that's not getting fixed at this point.
Disagree. They had 7+ penalties in a single game once (7) generally against better competition. OSU had 7+ five times with a high of 11. That's lack of discipline and it's on the coaching staff.
Stop with (we) "have to play perfect to win." That is BS ... there is no "perfect." I 100% agree with being disciplined. Penalty yards are those hidden yards that cost you the game, especially pre-snap on offense and post-snap on defense during critical moments.
Three keys to victory that are not rocket science:
1.) Discipline as pointed out in this article. Must stay in front of the chains on O, and not give up 1st downs that aren't earned on D.
2.) Win the turn-over battle, and have none at crucial times. This is especially true on Special Teams plays (punt/kick returns).
3.) Control the A and B gaps on both sides of the ball.
The mental errors, regardless of how physical or angry your team plays and if they do or do not have that "bully" mentality, are flat out inexcusable at the level Ohio State plays at. If you're an elite team you have to play like an elite team and elite teams don't have those untimely, insanely costly penalties that the Buckeyes have been seen to have at various times this year.
This is one area that they have to be perfect to win.
The Excellence of Execution, the Best there is, the Best there was, the Best there ever will be!
Don't understand why we have so much trouble with gap integrity and discipline. I watch so many other teams and they don't seem to have so many issues with filling gaps and with blown coverages. Maybe I am just imagining it but it seems that way. Penalties are also a concern, especially false starts and delay of game issues.
Agree 100%. Watching Wisconsin last night (albeit against an inferior opponent compared to UGA), and the gap integrity is always a given in a Jim Leonard coached defense. Players are almost always where they are supposed to be. Additionally, the reality is also that the last two years the LBs and DBs have been playing "catch" (waiting for the ball carrier) compared to attacking the ball carrier. We were much better this year in that regard, that is until portions of the game at Maryland and the 2nd half of The Game. Especially at the LB position, we must attack the gaps in a disciplined fashion and not play "catch."
I always tend to think it's a talent thing ( like NFL talent)... these 5 star kids are usually massive fish in small ponds most of high school playing for teams that let them freelance, because they can, and usually because they are faster/more talented and can make up for poor decisions..
Basically, NFL caliber guys tend to play a lot of hero ball, because that's what they did for a decade plus from pee wee ball through high school.
The other side of that.. is the 2-3 star kids, who aren't as athletic or fast ( for the most part) and in order to stay on the field from pee-wee through high school, doing what the coaches ask them to do is paramount.
If you watch a lot of regular season college football, the teams that always seem to have blow coverages are the better teams with the better talent ( NFL).. and a team like Wisconsin, you ask the linebacker to cover the tight end in space.. and that's what they do.. their job.. you ask one of these five start kids to cover the tight end, and over and over, team after team, you see these guys start thinking, what if the QB runs, what if the ball is actually going to the running back, they get nosey, and leave the coverage... and busted..
I do think though for the most part this gets weeded out at the better programs and ultimately in the NFL... where Coach Day has allowed this crap to fester, is trying to be everyone buddy/friend, and there doesn't ever seem to be much discipline.. we did see a lot more of it with Knowles... but like when you're DB is jogging across the formation in coverage, and not matching speed of the WR, the offense has already won... Coach Day either leans on the DB Coach to lean on those kids, or he makes an executive decision... he doesn't do that... so poor technique and sloppy plays is allowed to happen..
Same reason we have so many penalties.. you know what Saban and Kirby smart do if someone gets a bad penalty... sideline... you start sending kids to the sideline vs Notre Dame and Arkansas... and guess what, they clean it up.... you don't punish these kids for dumb mistakes, and you have dumb mistakes later in the season..
So the Buckeyes average a whole 5 yards per game more in penalty yardage per game than Georgia. Stop the presses- we have a new headline.
C’mon man, you’re freaking out. In a game where it’s likely there will be 800 yards of offense in both directions I don’t see how five yards will tilt the field.
In fact I wish 26 had face masked that guy on the 65 yard touchdown and I wish 13 had held or interfered on that other long touchdown in the first half. Those would have been better outcomes than whiffing on the tackle and turning inside out. A 15 yard penalty would have been a better outcome on those two plays.
I am not saying I want stupid stuff or false starts in the red zone. But I don’t think five yards in penalties is going to be a tipping point.
We need to make teams earn it. The last few games, especially the last game, we gave them so much help. You can't help really good teams with undisciplined plays like unforced penalties, dropped passes, turnovers, missing open receivers, missed tackles. Especially in big moments like 3rd down. OSU has not been good in those moments recently against good teams. They need to be clutch again.
"Everyone has a plan, 'til they get punched in the mouth."
Its not about those 5 yards, its the context of the game and the penalty. What is worse? A delay of game on the offense on a 4th and 4 from the 9 yard line that gives the kicker a better angle or a defensive holding on a 3rd and 21?
Penalty yards is a misleading stat. What matters instead are how many offensive penalties lead to dead drives, or when a defensive penalty allows a drive to continue.
Well yes I agree. The Shaun Wade targeting penalty when he helmeted Trevor Lawrence turned the ENTIRE game. Knocking over the long snapper against LSU in the title game (is that what the call was?) But this particular column was focused on the number of penalties and the amount of yards. Holding and unsportsmanlike on the same play against ttun ruined that drive. Do that on separate drives and maybe we can recover. So we are in agreement that badly timed and critical penalties can be ruinous - but five more penalty yards per game is not specifically making that point. Thank you.
It's not a regular season game. These big ones depend on the officiating crew. Mixed crew or from a conference. Assuming SEC & BIG10 crews verboten. If from ACC or PAC10 don't expect to win the penalty game. We've been on the wrong side of the 12th player before. Hopefully a BIG12 crew.
1. kick into the end zone and not kick out of bounds and put the dawgs starting at 35
2. let the team know that personal and bonehead penalties are unacceptable
3. no block in the back penalties to back our O at the 5 yard line.
4. avoid late hits, especially on Bennett. If he runs make him feel your tackle.
5. on false start, reset and regroup. We tend to go backwards as if one false start means automatic end of drive.
6. Secondary should know a good PI vs a bad PI play.
Be in your zone and stay focused on your job. Coaches need to keep reminding the team that its a 12 round bout.
Limiting penalties is and will always be a goal. It’s the difference in a lot of games. It’s kind of overblown that the difference between Georgia at 12th and osu at 51st place is according to the numbers literally one more penalty for 4 yards each game. Not the difference the ranking suggests I’d say.
OK remember the penalty issue was a great deal of discussion after ND and Ark St (7,9 and 170 yards). The next 2 games had (1,3 and 32 yards) and really did not have any penalty issues until Maryland and TTUN (9,11 and 188 yards). So, my hope is Day et al. get it corrected as they did between game 2 and 3. The 2-penalty sequence in the early 3rd which was not only 25 yards of penalty but negated a 20+ play (so more than a 45-yard cost) was really a killer. So, keeping focused and playing smart is key as it always is in a match-up of 2 very good teams.
Georgia will do what has been shown on tape to frustrate Day and Stroud, run cover 2 high and make them go play by play down the field. We'll see if they have finally learned their lesson from the past 2 years and are willing to take 5 yards a play that WILL BE GIVEN TO THEM and methodically move down the field. Just because you didn't get a first down or touchdown on a play doesn't mean it's a bad thing. There's something to be said for analytics sure, but when they give you something, you have to take it. All comes down to discipline, both sides of the ball, from coaches to players to the water boy. As an old grumpy dude with a hoodie once said, DO YOUR JOB
Did you push yourself to be great today? If ya didn’t, ya lost a day. We ain’t got many days to lose. -Urban Meyer
Georgia will do what has been shown on tape to frustrate Day and Stroud, run cover 2 high and make them go play by play down the field. We'll see if they have finally learned their lesson from the past 2 years and are willing to take 5 yards a play that WILL BE GIVEN TO THEM and methodically move down the field. Just because you didn't get a first down or touchdown on a play doesn't mean it's a bad thing. There's something to be said for analytics sure, but when they give you something, you have to take it. All comes down to discipline, both sides of the ball, from coaches to players to the water boy. As an old grumpy dude with a hoodie once said, DO YOUR JOB
Did you push yourself to be great today? If ya didn’t, ya lost a day. We ain’t got many days to lose. -Urban Meyer
Comments Show All Comments
I expect we will see a lot of 2 high S zone. Georgia will want to make us earn it with 10+ play drives. Of course you have to convert in the red zone and that’s on the play calling. But you cannot commit stupid penalties and make mistakes. That’s on execution.
That’s it in a nutshell.
All of these have been noticeably absent during the second half of the season.
Read my entire screen name....
See I thought all year as did many that Coaxch Day was keeping things close only to explode on 11/26. Then The Game and it was the same old BS play calling. And now we are going to change. Watched the film breakdown by Georgia, we dont do anything different, we have a list of plays that we continue to recycle through and try to run. Will the genius Ryan Day please come back or was he a fraud ? Or is this offense part of the problem because we have a pocket QB. The point PENALITIES and PREPARATION seem to be lacking.
Ohio State should definitely be okay with methodical marches down the field. Eat up the clock and then score. That keeps the Georgia offense off the field along with giving our defense plenty of rest. Also, when an offense is kept on the sidelines, it has trouble gaining a rhythm which helps the defense. That is a reason why, IMO, Stroud hasn't looked quite as sharp this year. We seldom go tempo to get him into a passing rhythm like we did last year.
We don't need to call a perfect play every time. The defenses we have played against this year have two things in common. They shift right before the snap causing the "perfect play" to be not-so-perfect and they play a two safety deep secondary to limit our deeper passing routes. We haven't adjusted yet...maybe this will be the game (fingers crossed).
I am 100% in agreement here. UGA will most likely open the game up with 2 high s's and then try to run the ball and be physical on offense. Ohio state will have to show willingness to run the ball effectively and utilize the short passing game. If Ohio st begins to gash UGA in the early stages and UGA brings that other safety down, I would say at that point it is Ohio st's game to win. Ohio st has to be able to run the football.
"Life is not about how hard you can hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. THATS HOW WINNING IS DONE!!" - Rocky Ballboa
Knarcisi, 100% agree. In fact I would think that would be every D's game plan. Force the O to execute, execute and execute. And pressure the O into misfiring. A great O will take what the D gives and punch thru the red zone. Thats when it gets demoralizing for the D. But if your D is your weakness the O needs to make sure that they are tactical with long drives and not expose their D to long drives setting the D up for knock out punches in the 4th quarter.
Our play calling in the red zone has been vanilla and predictable against good D. Afraid that's not getting fixed at this point.
There’s really not that big of a gap in penalties between UGA and OSU, it just depends on when those penalties happen.
Disagree. They had 7+ penalties in a single game once (7) generally against better competition. OSU had 7+ five times with a high of 11. That's lack of discipline and it's on the coaching staff.
you're right. it seems we commit the penalties at the worst possible time. drive killing penalties.
Big B
I’d also compare the last 4 games versus the whole year. I bet we averaged at least two more per game.
Indeed. Dont make it harder than it needs to be, focus.
CBus love
Wassup wit day? Focus? All the coaching on technique. Gotta teach discipline too.
I teach my cat discipline with a squirt gun. Might be something to it.
Upset? If we lose, it'll be an upset. But, we ain't loozin.
Stop with (we) "have to play perfect to win." That is BS ... there is no "perfect." I 100% agree with being disciplined. Penalty yards are those hidden yards that cost you the game, especially pre-snap on offense and post-snap on defense during critical moments.
Three keys to victory that are not rocket science:
1.) Discipline as pointed out in this article. Must stay in front of the chains on O, and not give up 1st downs that aren't earned on D.
2.) Win the turn-over battle, and have none at crucial times. This is especially true on Special Teams plays (punt/kick returns).
3.) Control the A and B gaps on both sides of the ball.
JOB
4.) Score more points that the other team
Big B
I conducted some serious research to verify your claim. Checks out.
Time and change will surely show how firm thy friendship, O HI O.
The mental errors, regardless of how physical or angry your team plays and if they do or do not have that "bully" mentality, are flat out inexcusable at the level Ohio State plays at. If you're an elite team you have to play like an elite team and elite teams don't have those untimely, insanely costly penalties that the Buckeyes have been seen to have at various times this year.
This is one area that they have to be perfect to win.
The Excellence of Execution, the Best there is, the Best there was, the Best there ever will be!
Speaking of unforced errors and penalties, If Gee Scott jr gets on the field, he owes Ryan Day and the team a big play vs the dawgs.
"Life is not about how hard you can hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. THATS HOW WINNING IS DONE!!" - Rocky Ballboa
Don't understand why we have so much trouble with gap integrity and discipline. I watch so many other teams and they don't seem to have so many issues with filling gaps and with blown coverages. Maybe I am just imagining it but it seems that way. Penalties are also a concern, especially false starts and delay of game issues.
Agree 100%. Watching Wisconsin last night (albeit against an inferior opponent compared to UGA), and the gap integrity is always a given in a Jim Leonard coached defense. Players are almost always where they are supposed to be. Additionally, the reality is also that the last two years the LBs and DBs have been playing "catch" (waiting for the ball carrier) compared to attacking the ball carrier. We were much better this year in that regard, that is until portions of the game at Maryland and the 2nd half of The Game. Especially at the LB position, we must attack the gaps in a disciplined fashion and not play "catch."
JOB
I always tend to think it's a talent thing ( like NFL talent)... these 5 star kids are usually massive fish in small ponds most of high school playing for teams that let them freelance, because they can, and usually because they are faster/more talented and can make up for poor decisions..
Basically, NFL caliber guys tend to play a lot of hero ball, because that's what they did for a decade plus from pee wee ball through high school.
The other side of that.. is the 2-3 star kids, who aren't as athletic or fast ( for the most part) and in order to stay on the field from pee-wee through high school, doing what the coaches ask them to do is paramount.
If you watch a lot of regular season college football, the teams that always seem to have blow coverages are the better teams with the better talent ( NFL).. and a team like Wisconsin, you ask the linebacker to cover the tight end in space.. and that's what they do.. their job.. you ask one of these five start kids to cover the tight end, and over and over, team after team, you see these guys start thinking, what if the QB runs, what if the ball is actually going to the running back, they get nosey, and leave the coverage... and busted..
I do think though for the most part this gets weeded out at the better programs and ultimately in the NFL... where Coach Day has allowed this crap to fester, is trying to be everyone buddy/friend, and there doesn't ever seem to be much discipline.. we did see a lot more of it with Knowles... but like when you're DB is jogging across the formation in coverage, and not matching speed of the WR, the offense has already won... Coach Day either leans on the DB Coach to lean on those kids, or he makes an executive decision... he doesn't do that... so poor technique and sloppy plays is allowed to happen..
Same reason we have so many penalties.. you know what Saban and Kirby smart do if someone gets a bad penalty... sideline... you start sending kids to the sideline vs Notre Dame and Arkansas... and guess what, they clean it up.... you don't punish these kids for dumb mistakes, and you have dumb mistakes later in the season..
Go Bucks!!!
So the Buckeyes average a whole 5 yards per game more in penalty yardage per game than Georgia. Stop the presses- we have a new headline.
C’mon man, you’re freaking out. In a game where it’s likely there will be 800 yards of offense in both directions I don’t see how five yards will tilt the field.
In fact I wish 26 had face masked that guy on the 65 yard touchdown and I wish 13 had held or interfered on that other long touchdown in the first half. Those would have been better outcomes than whiffing on the tackle and turning inside out. A 15 yard penalty would have been a better outcome on those two plays.
I am not saying I want stupid stuff or false starts in the red zone. But I don’t think five yards in penalties is going to be a tipping point.
Michael
We need to make teams earn it. The last few games, especially the last game, we gave them so much help. You can't help really good teams with undisciplined plays like unforced penalties, dropped passes, turnovers, missing open receivers, missed tackles. Especially in big moments like 3rd down. OSU has not been good in those moments recently against good teams. They need to be clutch again.
"Everyone has a plan, 'til they get punched in the mouth."
Its not about those 5 yards, its the context of the game and the penalty. What is worse? A delay of game on the offense on a 4th and 4 from the 9 yard line that gives the kicker a better angle or a defensive holding on a 3rd and 21?
Penalty yards is a misleading stat. What matters instead are how many offensive penalties lead to dead drives, or when a defensive penalty allows a drive to continue.
Well yes I agree. The Shaun Wade targeting penalty when he helmeted Trevor Lawrence turned the ENTIRE game. Knocking over the long snapper against LSU in the title game (is that what the call was?) But this particular column was focused on the number of penalties and the amount of yards. Holding and unsportsmanlike on the same play against ttun ruined that drive. Do that on separate drives and maybe we can recover. So we are in agreement that badly timed and critical penalties can be ruinous - but five more penalty yards per game is not specifically making that point. Thank you.
Michael
And don't overlook pass interference called on Hickman with an uncatchable ball thrown out of the end zone.
Time and change will surely show how firm thy friendship, O HI O.
It's not a regular season game. These big ones depend on the officiating crew. Mixed crew or from a conference. Assuming SEC & BIG10 crews verboten. If from ACC or PAC10 don't expect to win the penalty game. We've been on the wrong side of the 12th player before. Hopefully a BIG12 crew.
I think someone posted that we are getting a Pac12 crew for our game. TTUN is getting a SEC crew. Hopefully they screw them over like they did to us.
Still hurts...
https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/sports/2020/12/31/clemson-and-con...
1. kick into the end zone and not kick out of bounds and put the dawgs starting at 35
2. let the team know that personal and bonehead penalties are unacceptable
3. no block in the back penalties to back our O at the 5 yard line.
4. avoid late hits, especially on Bennett. If he runs make him feel your tackle.
5. on false start, reset and regroup. We tend to go backwards as if one false start means automatic end of drive.
6. Secondary should know a good PI vs a bad PI play.
Be in your zone and stay focused on your job. Coaches need to keep reminding the team that its a 12 round bout.
Limiting penalties is and will always be a goal. It’s the difference in a lot of games. It’s kind of overblown that the difference between Georgia at 12th and osu at 51st place is according to the numbers literally one more penalty for 4 yards each game. Not the difference the ranking suggests I’d say.
That and having safeties in position.
#walkaway
OK remember the penalty issue was a great deal of discussion after ND and Ark St (7,9 and 170 yards). The next 2 games had (1,3 and 32 yards) and really did not have any penalty issues until Maryland and TTUN (9,11 and 188 yards). So, my hope is Day et al. get it corrected as they did between game 2 and 3. The 2-penalty sequence in the early 3rd which was not only 25 yards of penalty but negated a 20+ play (so more than a 45-yard cost) was really a killer. So, keeping focused and playing smart is key as it always is in a match-up of 2 very good teams.
BuckeyeJim1957
Of all my recent heartache with OSU I would rank being a mentally tough team as number. Unforced errors, penalties, and missed assignments.
"we ain't come to play school"
Georgia will do what has been shown on tape to frustrate Day and Stroud, run cover 2 high and make them go play by play down the field. We'll see if they have finally learned their lesson from the past 2 years and are willing to take 5 yards a play that WILL BE GIVEN TO THEM and methodically move down the field. Just because you didn't get a first down or touchdown on a play doesn't mean it's a bad thing. There's something to be said for analytics sure, but when they give you something, you have to take it. All comes down to discipline, both sides of the ball, from coaches to players to the water boy. As an old grumpy dude with a hoodie once said, DO YOUR JOB
Did you push yourself to be great today? If ya didn’t, ya lost a day. We ain’t got many days to lose. -Urban Meyer
Georgia will do what has been shown on tape to frustrate Day and Stroud, run cover 2 high and make them go play by play down the field. We'll see if they have finally learned their lesson from the past 2 years and are willing to take 5 yards a play that WILL BE GIVEN TO THEM and methodically move down the field. Just because you didn't get a first down or touchdown on a play doesn't mean it's a bad thing. There's something to be said for analytics sure, but when they give you something, you have to take it. All comes down to discipline, both sides of the ball, from coaches to players to the water boy. As an old grumpy dude with a hoodie once said, DO YOUR JOB
Did you push yourself to be great today? If ya didn’t, ya lost a day. We ain’t got many days to lose. -Urban Meyer
Ohio State has been committing penalties the whole year. Don't expect it to stop for this game. You are who you are.
buckjunky