OSU/Wisconsin - 2003

[asdodge]

All right, kids... before we go worrying about the defense and What Wisconsin's vaunted offense will do to it... let's look inside the numbers about the defense here. (I should just put this as a seaprate thread, but the issues were brought up here)....

Last Years first 5 games:
Passing Rushing
Att- Com- Yrds- Td- Int Rus- Yrds-Td
1. TT 44- 26- 341- 3- 1 20- 31- 0
2. KSU 35- 17- 187- 2- 2 45- 171- 0
3. WS 45- 26- 263- 1- 2 22- 17- 0
4. UC 52- 26- 324- 1-2 23- 91- 1
5. UI 32- 19- 283- 2- 0 28- 56- 0

totals: 208-114-1398-9-7 138-366-1
Co%: 54.81 YPA: 6.72 YPA: 2.65
YPG: 279.6 YPC: 12.26 YPG: 73.2

This years first 5 games:

1. UW 49- 26- 255- 0- 0 24- 7- 1
2. SDS 41- 24- 188- 1- 2 26- 28- 0
3. NCS 52- 35- 315- 4- 2 30- 21- 1
4. BG 56- 33- 326- 2- 3 23- 40- 0
5. NW 25- 10- 64- 0- 0 40- 121- 0

totals: 223-129-1148-7-7 143-217-2
Co%: 57.85 YPA: 5.15 YPA: 1.52
YPG: 229.6 YPC: 8.90 YPG: 43.4

Okay, so what we have here is some information that says- OSU is better vs. the pass THIS year. Yes, OSU has given up a higher completion percentage, but are also giving up well over a yard less per pass and per completion. OSU has surrendered fewer TD passes while intercepting the same number as this time last year.

And yet, they are actually better against the run.

In all honesty, I think the level of QB opponents are a wash (Klingsbury- Rivers, Gesser- Pickett, Giuduglia-Djugolecki (sp), etc)...

Despite the apparent "collapse" in the late stages of the games this year, OSU's defense has been better than advertised.

So, now, are we going to fret and point out all the dangers of each team OSU will play- putting ourselves in shock over each opponent's dangerous offenses. Guess what, our defense is rather lethal, too!

[lvbuckeye]

while i certainly agree that i would be VERY upset if we lost a game simply because we were saving plays for later games, i think that (to use the SDSU game as an example) we didn't NEED to run anything else. hell, we couldn't even run the base package effectively, what makes you (figurative) think that using one of the 'tricks' would work? if i was Tressel, and i was planning on throwing something against tendency at them, i would be more than a little hesitant to try it if our most basic plays were failing. execution is key. if you can't execute the base stuff, you have (IMO) no business trying any funny stuff.

EDIT: that was horrific. tressel only calls plays that work when the game is on the line, he is simply content to waste the first 50 minutes or so of the game by forcing the offense to go 3 and out, and putting the onus on the defense to score. when they FINALLY(!) attempted to move the ball late in the 4th quarter, they were largely effective. they (Tressel) seem to think that he can simply reproduce the magic of last season at any given time, and that was the downfall. if the Akron Zips can go into Camp Randall and score 31, or the UNC Tarheels can go into Camp Randall and score 27, there is absolutley NO EXCUSE for such offensive inneficiency. this team has more talent than those two teams COMBINED. i am disappointed that we lost, hey who isn't, but what truely sickens me is that this team was/is VERY capable of going up there and beating the pants off of the badgers.

Alas, our Coach won't allow that.

[KillerNut]

Exactly.

I am glad you see that, but what I am worried about is Fox vs. their wideouts.


If Sorgi is on, and doesn't get pressure, that would be my concern. Not the running game. Then when we start pressuring the passer, the hit a big one up inside.


This is the most balanced attack we have played. We can't pin our ears back and sic the QB, and we are going against the best O-Line we have faced this season.


Do I think we will win? I do, but the more I read, and study the game, the less confident I become.

[MililaniBuckeye]

"but what I am worried about is Fox vs. their wideouts"

I don't know what Fox is going to have to do to convince folks that he belongs there at corner...

"and we are going against the best O-Line we have faced this season."

I'm not so sure about that...NCSU's OL was pretty good. Keep in mind that Wisconsin has played nobody yet.

[BuckNutty]

I don't know what Fox is going to have to do to convince folks that he belongs there at corner...

There is only one game in the last two years I can remember him getting abused, the Illinois game, and it's common knowledge he played hurt. He had a few PI calls against NC State and struggled a little bit but had no more trouble than any other QB would. He has gone up against the likes of Kingsbury, Gesser, Rivers, Dorsey, Navarre, and Pickett and has played on a high level despite the fact people attack him to stay away from Gamble. I have my theories on why Fox is criticized like he is but I'll keep them to myself.

[Clarity]

I just hope ND and Pburgh aren't the reasons I'm going to miss most of the 1st quarter of our game.

There's not enough hate in the world to cover that scenario for me.

I'd like to throttle whatever anus at ESPN decided to start one game at 6, and another at 9.

[MililaniBuckeye]

We only missed our first possession, which resulted in a punt, so no biggie. By the way, last year the cut late to the game also and we ended up behind at halftime, and we still won the game. We'll be alright.