Greatest need for improvement....

[SanAntonioBuck]

Actually, it's been 19 touchbacks in a row since a team has started pass the 20 yard line.

[Jeffcat]

our offense and smith are looking better but they are still not on track yet. it still just isnt clicking like its going to be there when you need it against a quality opponent. as far as defense we are alright. my only complaint is our soft zone and how we give up short pass plays all the time. in reality a team could realistically beat us just by passing for 5 yd routes the whole game. i dont think we should abandon it completely but we should mix it up more. id rather have a team make one or two big plays on us in a game rather than have them burn time and score anyways when we could give our offense more time on the field to work with.

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

Originally Posted by Jeffcat

in reality a team could realistically beat us just by passing for 5 yd routes the whole game.

Doubtful. This kind of defense becomes progressively more difficult to move the ball on as the field gets shorter. What's more, OSU has been playing this way for several years now with pretty good success in the W/L column.

[osugrad21]

Greatest need for improvement?

Easy...

1) OC--JT is clueless about offensive football

2) A new recruiting coordinator because JT can't close

3) Better nacho chips at the 'Shoe so OH8 will quit bitchin'

4) Recruit more instate OL like Incarnato, Braxton, and Tilley. They are obviously good enough but JT and co are just clueless

5) Fox to saf..wait sorry wrong year.

6) Fire Dick Tressel because, based on Pittman's growth, he obviously cannot coach

7) Bench Ginn because his latest hot streak is only because the other teams suck

8) Quit playing a soft zone when we bring the house. Even though the 3 yard gains in the flats are frustrating, the possibility of a big play in man coverage is much more entertaining.

9) Start getting the other teams' gameplans because there is no way people should be able to come up with solid gameplans that avoid absolute and total dominance from kickoff to final horn. I mean, who the hell do these other coaches think they are, Division 1 football minds?

10) Find a damn kicker who won't constantly kick the ball in the damn endzone. I want to see some kickoff returns.



In all seriousness, the redzone efficiency is a direct result of JT's conservative nature and refual to risk losing points. I will give the critics that one. I would like to see more creativity there.

Since I am actually critiquing for once, I would also like to see more playaction game with more intermediate and flats routes to spread the defense out. The weak ISO fake and reversal to find the TE in the flats on the strong side is unstoppable when run with consistency. That also keeps SAM honest. With backs like tOSU has, that extra step while the LB is reading could be a major difference. It seems that TS was slow on his PA reads yesterday...if I had to complain, which I will gladly pass on doing.

[AKAKBUCK]

#3 Is a serious issue- I can't beleive you'd take that lightly... Fire Holbrooke.

[Jeffcat]

Originally Posted by Buckeyeskickbuttocks

Doubtful. This kind of defense becomes progressively more difficult to move the ball on as the field gets shorter. What's more, OSU has been playing this way for several years now with pretty good success in the W/L column.

and its the reason they lose the games. hence michigan state a game we were lucky to walk away with a W, minnesota which had a questionable passing offense that went all over us, and texas which passed all over us. im not saying stop the soft zone but mix it up at least and give some new looks. we run it about all the time and the opposing team knows it and uses it against us and throws the short routes. MSU destroyed us with it. we improved int he second half by tightening up and playing a little more man.

btw has anybody noticed that our d-line always does lackluster in the first half then dominates in the second? i understand they make adjustments but its rather odd.