FILM STUDY: HOW LUKE FICKELL AND MARCUS FREEMAN BUILT THE TOP-10 DEFENSE THEY'LL BRING TO OHIO STADIUM THIS FALL
With Brian Kelly at the helm, who built upon a foundation started by Mark Dantonio, the Bearcats won back-to-back Big East titles in 2008 and 2009, reaching the Orange and Sugar Bowls while losing just two regular season games in as many seasons. Kelly's successor, Butch Jones, quickly rebounded after an initial 4-8 campaign in 2010 to post a pair of 10-win seasons himself before bolting to Tennessee.
Not since Sid Gillman led the program in 1951 had UC won ten games in a season and all of a sudden they did so four times in the matter of five years. But Tommy Tuberville couldn't continue the momentum through conference realignment, and the Bearcats went 4-8 in 2016, his last of four years in charge.
Luke Fickell needs to introduction among Buckeye fans. Years of service under a pair of title-winning bosses could have made him the heir-apparent in Columbus. But after 15 years as an assistant, the former Ohio State captain made the trek down I-71 to take his turn as a true head coach, able to lead a program as he desires.
In just two years, Fickell seems to have already left his mark. After a tough 4-8 first season in 2017, UC went 11-2 last fall. Their only losses came in a close, turnover-filled, defensive slugfest with Temple and during a November trip to Orlando in which they were outplayed by conference champion UCF in front of the College Gameday crew on national TV.
Though the latter left many thinking the Bearcats still weren't ready for primetime, all other indicators point the other way, as Fickell and one of his former pupils have quickly assembled one of the nation's best defenses. Cincinnati ranked ninth nationally in total defense last fall, allowing just 303 yards-per-game, while
the advanced stats liked them even more, ranking sixth in rushing marginal efficiency and first in completion rate allowed.
Now, after never getting the chance to even interview for the head role at his alma mater, Fickell will get the chance to show Gene Smith and 105,000 or so spectators what they passed on during a week-two matchup in the Horseshoe. Though many Buckeye fans have decried the 2019 schedule as being without any signature out-of-conference opponents, this in-state clash has all the makings of a potential 'trap' game on September 7th.
The Bearcats began their 2018 campaign by holding Chip Kelly's UCLA offense to just 350 yards during a to the Rose Bowl and followed it up by stifling nearly the entire American Athletic Conference. Even in their 38-13 loss to UCF, the Knights were held to a regular-season low 402 yards, as three Bearcat turnovers tipped the game toward the home favorites.
While Fickell certainly played a major role in this defensive revival, former Buckeye linebacker and captain Marcus Freeman is in charge of the unit on a daily basis. After spending six seasons working for another former Buckeye assistant, Darrell Hazell, Freeman was given his first shot as a coordinator by his former position coach.
Today, despite both players learning the ropes in strict 4-3 systems, the Bearcats would best be described as 'Multiple' under Freeman and Fickell. Lining up with two big tackles inside, a stout strong-side end and a standup, hybrid
Jack linebacker, UC can seamlessly switch between odd and even fronts from play-to-play.
Despite a lack of recruiting stars, this group was the bedrock of the entire team last fall. Seniors Kimoni Fitz, Cortez Broughton, and Marquise Copeland combined for 152 tackles in 2018, a total which, by comparison, was only last matched by a trio of D-linemen in Columbus in 2015 when Tyquan Lewis, Joey Bosa, and Adolphus Washington tallied 154.
Fickell and Freeman cycled through a deep rotation up front, allowing their wrecking crew to not only stay fresh but give valuable experience to younger players. When the seniors were in the game, however, they were incredibly disruptive (as seen from Copeland #44 below).
But the Bearcat front wasn't just a group of wild penetrators, as they proved quite capable of occupying blocks to allow their linebackers the freedom to track the ball. As seen below, both tackles force double-teams while inside linebackers Byran Wright (#11) and Jarell White (#8) use those space-eaters like shields while they maintain inside and outside leverage (respectively) on the back in this outside zone run.
Entire article:
https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...e-top-15-defense-theyll-bring-to-ohio-stadium
