2008 Linebacker Discussion

[Buckskin86]

When he arrived at OSU, there were instant comparisons to A.J. Hawk. Laurinaitis thinks Homan, who received a medical redshirt last season, can live up to the lofty predictions for him.

"When he gets a chance to play every down and learns more of the defense, he'll be special," Laurinaitis said.

Homan enrolled early at Ohio State in 2006 after helping Coldwater win a state football title. His younger brother Adam, who will sign a national letter of intent with Ohio State in February, will do the same thing, starting class the day of the Fiesta Bowl.

Has there been any brotherly advice passed along?

"I just give him advice that the reality of it at first is that it's going to be hard, getting used to college life and, especially, football. You have to look at it in the long run and how it's going to help you in the future," Homan said. "He knows that and he's really excited to be here."

There was no big brother waiting in the football program at Ohio State when Homan arrived, but he quickly was influenced by some of the older linebackers, like Hawk and Bobby Carpenter.

"When I came here, A.J. and Bobby, James and Marcus were workout warriors, constantly working out and trying to eat good," he said.

"A.J. and Bobby passed it down to James and Marcus, and James and Marcus kind of passed it down to Spit (Austin Spitler) and me and Tyler Moeller and we're trying to get Andrew Sweat and Etienne Sabino into the program. It's kind of like a waterfall effect, constantly trying to put down the next generation of linebackers."

Homan, OSU linebackers let play do the talking | talking, homan, let - Top Stories - LimaOhio.com

[MSURacerDT55]

Originally Posted by billmac91

Without much background in the X's and O's of football, it still seems like there is just something wrong with our scheme. Especially when you watch teams like Miami, Oklahoma, Auburn, and especially USC.....whom, play after play, have someone untouched getting to the QB.

Why are our blitzes always picked up? I could be wrong, but I really don't remeber many times where USC knocked Todd on his ass by only rushing 4. Their blitzes ate us up.

Why don't our blitzes eat anyone up once we step up to that caliber of team?

The reason that our blitzes don't eat anyone up is because our players are a direct reflection of their coach, there isn't much intensity,and zero swagger.

Those coaches at USC, Florida, Miami, Alabama use motivation as opposed to X's and O's, they severely dumb down their playbook and give players the least amount of responsibility. The objective for them is to totally dominate their opponent.

On the other hand,the advantage of a school like tOSU, Iowa,Boston College,Michigan, Penn State is that they focus on fundamentals, and X's and O's. This type of football training often benefit them when they go to the NFL. You can take a player from a school like that and you often see them play right away, how often you see a Michigan Linebacker, or a tOSU D-back or WR, or an Iowa Lineman? all the time...

[Gatorubet]

Originally Posted by MSURacerDT55

The reason that our blitzes don't eat anyone up is because our players are a direct reflection of their coach, there isn't much intensity,and zero swagger.

Those coaches at USC, Florida, Miami, Alabama use motivation as opposed to X's and O's, they severely dumb down their playbook and give players the least amount of responsibility. The objective for them is to totally dominate their opponent.

How true. We just use that spread play.

[MSURacerDT55]

And if there is any meaningful coaching going on, chances are, the coordinator or coach is from Ohio....

[OSU_D/]

Originally Posted by MSURacerDT55

The reason that our blitzes don't eat anyone up is because our players are a direct reflection of their coach, there isn't much intensity,and zero swagger.

Those coaches at USC, Florida, Miami, Alabama use motivation as opposed to X's and O's, they severely dumb down their playbook and give players the least amount of responsibility. The objective for them is to totally dominate their opponent.

On the other hand,the advantage of a school like tOSU, Iowa,Boston College,Michigan, Penn State is that they focus on fundamentals, and X's and O's. This type of football training often benefit them when they go to the NFL. You can take a player from a school like that and you often see them play right away, how often you see a Michigan Linebacker, or a tOSU D-back or WR, or an Iowa Lineman? all the time...

Having read this, the only thing that comes to mind is the end of Billy Madison.

"What you've just said (typed) is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."

Really, I am just exaggerating with you there, so please don't take that to be too serious.

But, do you really think the northern schools are the only ones on which to focus on fundamentals? I suppose that Lofa Tatupu was selected to the Pro Bowl his rookie year b/c he was not taught fundamentals of linebacking at USC. I suppose LSU hasn't had many linemen do well in the league b/c they lacked fundamentals.

I will however agree that the defense doesn't have the 2002 swagger and I do believe that is a direct result of Tressel. Unfortunately you have too much old guard surround OSU so you will never see a coach like Urban Meyer here who SEEMS to elicit more emotion. But swagger doesn't get sacks. Sound fundamentals, good schemes and disguises and skilled players get sacks.