game plan xo's

slobberknocker · #1 (**permalink**) 08-31-2004, 12:32 AM

Was sitting on my thrown, thinking about the game sat. Jt knows cinci will load the box with 8. How is Jt going to counter this, Dantonio is going to make Zwick beat him thru the air, because he's going to do what he did at osu make the offense 1 dementional. The priority is to stop the run first. I have a few ideas but was wondering what you'all think.

BIATCHabutuka · #2 (**permalink**) 08-31-2004, 01:01 AM

play action passing, specifically to the TE hamby. i look for hambone to have a big game saturday.

BuckeyeInTheBoro · #3 (**permalink**) 08-31-2004, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Jt knows cinci will load the box with 8. How is Jt going to counter this, Dantonio is going to make Zwick beat him thru the air...

I'm not 100% sure this is true. Dantonio also knows our running game is suspect at best especially without Joe, so he might feel he can play it straight-up. Also, JT will want to establish the run until they prove they can stop it (and maybe even a few plays after just to prove it wasnt a fluke) before he'll change anything.

Just the same, I'd like to see some runs to the outside or passes to the flats where we should have a speed advantage and I bet Roy Hall can throw a good block. The TE should be another position where we have a size advantage over the D.

slobberknocker · #4 (**permalink**) 08-31-2004, 01:12 AM

agree need to get our speed guys one on one in the flats, along with hamby, frost against lb's.

not sure I agree with you on cinci defense scheme, they have to make us one dimensional or we will pound them.

KillerNut · #5 (**permalink**) 08-31-2004, 08:29 AM

I know I am not a defensive genius like Dantonio, but I wouldn't stack the box unless it was needed. It sticks with his pattern. I don't think Dantonio will assume anything the first couple series. Then he will start to make his adjustments. To be clear He is not going to assume he is going to get dominated up front and therefore stack the box. He is not going to assume that his CB will have a hard time with our WR. He is not going to assume that J Zwick can pick them apart if they sit in a zone defense. Once he sees where our weakness is and where their strengths are, adjustments will be made. Ohio State will likely score a Touchdown on our first drive, that doesn't mean it will be smooth sailing.

I would assume his goals would be to make sure our atheticism is not the factor that beats them, and pressure our young QB's into making quick decessions. He has two pretty good DEs to one will have to go up against Sims, (and probably get punked), but one will be going against schaffer who is starting his first game and could be a target. If Dantonio can do this without blitzing that would be huge for them because it takes away opportunities.

Offensively, I assume it will be much of the same we have seen in the past from UC. Pass to set up the run. Probably a lot of spread formations, draws, Shovel passes. Nickel and Dime stuff. UC will attack my favorite CB, and the Nickel back. Don't be surprised if Gugdeckeliekitkickici does some draws or CK type of plays.

That is what I expect from them.

AKAKBUCK · #6 (**permalink**) 08-31-2004, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Don't be surprised if Gugdeckeliekitkickici does some draws or CK type of plays.

This is the only thing I'm not sure of.... And you'll only see it if the game is close... this one game is not going to make their season... and getting Gugdeckeliekitkickici killed isn't going to help them win in the Big East....

But if they want to let a LB or Nate Salley have a free shot at him... I say fine.

Other than that... I think you're right... they'll dink away until they think they can get vertical down the middle of the field....

MegaWoody · #7 (**permalink**) 08-31-2004, 08:59 AM

I don't think JT will gameplan so much against D'Antonio as for Zwick. By that I mean, the offense will be geared to what Zwick can do right now, two years into the program as a first time starter. IMHO that means heavy run emphasis and some high-completion-percentage passes.

If D'Antonio's boys stack 8 in the box (and that's questionable), I would assume JT will ask for quick release, short passes, likely to big tight ends. Things that Zwick can do fast, are fairly simple and don't require tremendous touch.

If Cinci plays straight-up, waiting to see what JT intends and what Zwick can do, I think we'll see a lot of runs with Ross testing the both the middle and the outside. Then JT will go to play action passing. (Guys on this board were very critical last year of Krenzel's play action fakes -- nobody was buying them. I think there was some truth to that critique and assume JT and Bollman have worked on that with Zwick. I would guess play action will be more effective this year than last.)

Because this is such a big game for Cinci, I'd expect their adrenalized D, playing in the 'Shoe with zillions watching, to overpursue somewhat. That might mean some draws and screens, maybe even a reverse.

exhawg · #8 (**permalink**) 08-31-2004, 09:01 AM

Dantonio hasn't been in a situation like this for at least 3 years. His defensive group is outclassed by the offense of his opponent. JT and Dantonio both subscribe to the stop the run and make them beat you through the air defense. Back in the mid 90's when I played against them at YSU they always loaded 1 more guy in the box than we could block in order to stop the run. The worst thing you can do on offense when they load the box is try to pound the ball anyway even if you have superior athletes. The best thing we can do is start out with play action and quick passes to open up the passing game. When Dantonio adjusts to the short passes we need to hit a couple deep. If we can show that the Cinci D can't stop us they should go back to a base 4-3 and just let the game grind out. Our biggest key is to hurt them with the pass early so that they will worry about it the whole game. Dantonio's biggest key is to convince his DB's that they can man up our young receivers and that their blitz will be able to get through our young o-line to pressure our young QB into making mistakes. I would love to see a play action Iso pass deep to Hall on the first play of the game.

DaytonBuck · #9 (**permalink**) 08-31-2004, 09:04 AM

I think we're going to try to pound them on the ground. UC doesn't have much depth or size on defense. I think Tressel will try to protect the QBs with the ground game and look to get some play action and short passes going.

KillerNut · #10 (**permalink**) 08-31-2004, 09:12 AM

Tressel is going to test UC against the run that is a given. The key to the game is do they need to bring that 8th man up to stop it. If they don't, like I currently believe, then this game is going to be very close. If they do Zwick one on one with our wideouts will kill them.

Defensively we need to get pressure on the QB. We can not let Guigdelickickileckikici get comfortable in the pocket. Hopfully our front four will be able to do this. If not we are going to need to send a 5th man every time (from lots of different spots) to make sure he is not comfotable and is never sure about what he sees. The draws will keep the middle of te field open for slants. Yound defenders are going to need to stay in their lanes and know there assignments. If not he will find the holes.

I really am thinking this will be a 10 pt game at most.