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Formula For Success
For defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock, achievement is all in the analyzing
Oct. 7, 2006 by Courtney Walerius
When he was young,
Quinn Pitcock used to experiment in his high school chemistry lab. Sure, it likely was frowned upon to not follow directions and randomly combine chemicals, but that is where Pitcock developed his curiosity for exploring different formulas. His love of science has temporarily moved to the back burner, but Pitcock is still trying to perfect his formulas - this time on the football field.
Pitcock began his career at Ohio State as an engineering major and while he changed his major to consumer affairs because of the time engineering required, he hopes to someday return to college and complete his original major. Meanwhile, the 6-foot-3-inch, 295-pound defensive tackle, who has a passion for science, applies his analytical thinking to the Buckeye defense.
"Growing up, math and science just came naturally to me. The answers always came to me," Pitcock said. "I started out in engineering and I really want to come back and finish up the engineering degree. I just feel like I don't have the time to put into it right now. I know there are guys on the team that are majoring in engineering, and I give them props because it's a lot of time invested. I switched majors so I could have more time, but it's definitely something I want to pursue in the future."
As one of the few seniors on the 2006 Ohio State defense, Pitcock has helped formulate the early success the unit is experiencing this season.
After losing nine starters from the 2005 team, there were key components missing. Instead of trying to plug different athletes into the vacated roles like plugging numbers into an equation, Pitcock said this year's defense has created its own formula.
"It's different," Pitcock said. "Last year we were No. 1 in the nation in run defense, but we were giving up third downs and big plays. This year, we're kind of average, but we're working more on third downs and creating a lot more turnovers. So maybe we don't have the great formula of last season, but we still are doing pretty well and still having success."
Pitcock had been a key factor in that success. Through four games, he already has increased his career sack total to 10. In three seasons, Pitcock had six sacks. This year, he has already registered four sacks for a combined 30 yards, with a career-high three sacks against Cincinnati. The formula for a sack is one he has begun to perfect as a senior, analyzing opposing offenses in pursuit of the right equation to get to the quarterback. And that equation involves two "S's" - spacing and speed.
"I look at the spacing, look at the guards and tackles," Pitcock said. "I really just try to find that area to get through there and find a way to the best route to get from point A to point B.
"Speed is another factor. If the team just ran straight with no blockers, it
would take you about 1.5 seconds to get to the quarterback. And chasing him takes about 2-3 seconds. With someone blocking you, if there's anyone in front of you in your way, it's going to make it more difficult to get there. Good coverage in the back end helps so you have more time to get to the quarterback."
There is nothing like the feeling of a sack to a defensive tackle. The player breaks through the offensive line, winning the blocking battle and then prevents an opposing play from taking place. His formula has worked perfectly while preventing the opponent's from starting.
"It's just a whole flash," Pitcock said. "Things happen so quick you don't even really get to experience it. It's like, `Boom!' - and then it's over. It is weird watching it on film; it happens so quick you don't even realize what's happening. Other times, when you don't make a play, it feels like forever."
The calculating and analysis into what it takes to get a sack is only an example of Pitcock's formulas for defensive success. He sees and studies the opponent differently by using his mathematical and scientific astuteness. Taking his observations and applying them to the field in a systematic way is his trademark method to football.
"Quinn analyzes everything and every technique that he does - in a good way,"
Jim Heacock, Ohio State's defensive coordinator, added. "He really thinks things out. He really studies the opponent and really figures out what they're doing and what their strengths and weaknesses are and how to attack them He's very intelligent and uses that to his advantage."
Pitcock and fellow senior defensive tackle
David Patterson have anchored the defensive line this season, both on the field and in the locker room. The only returning starters, the two have developed a chemistry to the point where head coach
Jim Tressel remarked after the Cincinnati game, "I've said all along, our two inside guys, Quinn and David, I don't know if anybody in America has a pair like that."
"Quinn is an outstanding player and I've said many times that our two inside guys are as good as it gets," Tressel said. "Those guys create havoc and you've got to really figure out a way to slow them down."
"He's a great defensive lineman," Patterson added. "I can always count on him to make plays or force the ball back to me. And I know if I force the ball back to him, he's going to make the tackle. We compliment each other very well. He has some great attributes and he's having a tremendous season."
Pitcock, along with Patterson, sets the defensive tone. With such a young and somewhat inexperienced defensive unit, it was one reason the duo was picked to help captain the team. Defensive success was one formula Ohio State fans were questioning heading into the season, but Pitcock knew the concerns had to stop once preparation for the season began.
"It's been exciting for me," Pitcock said. "We got to play against a great offense all preseason in camp so we were experiencing a lot and we learned a lot from them. We came into this season and it was like, `hey, no one believes in us except for those of us in this room, so let's go out there and play hard.' Yes, we have some areas to work on, but we're making big plays, too."
"The thing that I have noticed is his leadership," Heacock said. "Before, he was younger and working with some guys who were a little bit older, but it's interesting to me to see how he's taken over a leadership role once he became a captain and a senior. I've seen the leadership and the way he's working with the young kids and getting them going in the right direction. He's been a really positive leader for us."
The player with a passion for science takes a somewhat different route than the average player to prepare for an opponent. As a person who is naturally analytical and calculating, everything that is done before the game, before the season, during the game and after the game is done for a reason. The formula has been tweaked the last three years to a point where Pitcock has developed into an All-America candidate. The preparation for playing is the key ingredient he credits for his football success.
"The biggest thing is what you do in the offseason," Pitcock said.
"Conditioning, strength-training in the weight room, doing pre-hab exercises to prevent injury, watching extra film - that's all part of it. Then you really get ready to play all out."
The attention Pitcock is getting for his defensive play is well deserved, according to Heacock, who said he has always admired Pitcock's work ethic and consistent performances during his first three seasons on the field. Pitcock may have been out of the spotlight earlier in his career, but his contributions to the defense have been invaluable.
"He's been good ever since he came here," Heacock said. "I thought even when he was younger, every play he plays is good. I just don't see him ever making mistakes. He always is in the right spot. He always knows what he's doing. He always plays hard. You never see him ever take a play off, and he's been like that ever since his first season. He's been a big part of our defense. We've had some pretty good defenses the last couple of years that he's been a major factor in those defenses."
The formula for maintaining and building on that success continues into the season. Pitcock's strategic thinking is applied throughout the week. Practice, training, diet and film study are components he tries to calculate perfectly for his success.
"I like to start out the week looking at the film - how our opponents generally run or pass the ball," Pitcock said. "Each day, slowly break it down more, so by Friday I'm really breaking down the player I'm going to play against mainly and see what he shows differently in various formations. I start by looking at their whole offense and what they do scheme-wise so that it's just trying to narrow everything down during the week."
"Quinn takes it beyond what most players do to prepare for an opponent," Heacock said. "He takes it to the next level when it comes to film study and studying the opponent and learning. He's always been like that and really in high school he was like that as well. Even when we recruited him we talked a lot about the fundamentals and the little things that most kids don't think about. He's very into the little things and tries to find a way to get an edge."
His analytical, calculating ways have not gone unnoticed - by offenses or even his own teammates. Pitcock takes the ribbing by his teammates in stride because at the end of the day, this All-America candidate's formula has undoubtedly been successful.
"After the Penn State game, someone made fun of me because the camera was on me and all they said was that my eyes were moving back and forth," Pitcock said. "That's because when I get in front of the line, first I look to see what formation it is, where their weakness is, where their strength is, and I kind of break down what they want to bring out of this formation. So I give myself an edge and try to line myself up."
"I can always tell how he's figuring things out on the field," Patterson said.
"He's always looking at formations. Sometimes when I don't pick up on something, he'll let me know. He's always aware of what's happening on the field."
His eyes, like his analyzing, have not stopped. Every new piece of information Pitcock collects, he adds to his defensive formula. Every calculation he can perfect leads to greater achievement for both him and the Ohio State defense. The man with a passion for science has discovered a new formula - this time it is for success on the football field.
