2021 Ohio State Football

[bucksfan2]

Name a team in P5 college football who has played a harder opening stretch of games than OSU.

This team is flawed and needs to improve, but its what happens when you replace a top tier QB with a freshman.

Defense is a mess, but I think it will get better. Two simple changes I would make is to get Tuf Eicheburg and Shaw off the field. They are limited and there are more explosive players behind them.

As for the recruiting, they whiffed on DB's when Coombs was gone, but their DB's look to be solid, and are even trending upward with what they brought in last class.

With the exception of the Urban-Day transition year, Day has recruited as good if not better than Urban did at OSU.

I am ok with McCord getting some more PT, but Stroud has never thrown a pass before in college, he needs snaps as well.

The first few weeks of the season have been bad across the board. Look at OU, Clemson, ND, etc. The first weeks of the season are always chalk full of overreactions, this year is the same.

OSU will get better, there is too much talent on this team. The question is how much better?

[RedTeamGo!]

Tulsa is garbage and were down 7 points in the 4th, man. Just not sure what else to say.

[WVRed]

Name a team in P5 college football who has played a harder opening stretch of games than OSU.

This team is flawed and needs to improve, but its what happens when you replace a top tier QB with a freshman.

Defense is a mess, but I think it will get better. Two simple changes I would make is to get Tuf Eicheburg and Shaw off the field. They are limited and there are more explosive players behind them.

As for the recruiting, they whiffed on DB's when Coombs was gone, but their DB's look to be solid, and are even trending upward with what they brought in last class.

With the exception of the Urban-Day transition year, Day has recruited as good if not better than Urban did at OSU.

I am ok with McCord getting some more PT, but Stroud has never thrown a pass before in college, he needs snaps as well.

The first few weeks of the season have been bad across the board. Look at OU, Clemson, ND, etc. The first weeks of the season are always chalk full of overreactions, this year is the same.

OSU will get better, there is too much talent on this team. The question is how much better?

I think I posted this in the other thread but I see a LOT of similarities to Ryan Day and Lincoln Riley.

Both are high octane offensive coaches who aren’t involved with the defense unless they have to be. Riley gets away with having a lackluster defense in the Big 12 because the Big 12 as a whole isn’t very good defensively. Can’t say the same for the Big 10.

It may take pairing Day with a solid defensive coordinator (not saying Coombs can’t be that) in order for it to work.

[bucksfan2]

I think I posted this in the other thread but I see a LOT of similarities to Ryan Day and Lincoln Riley.

Both are high octane offensive coaches who aren’t involved with the defense unless they have to be. Riley gets away with having a lackluster defense in the Big 12 because the Big 12 as a whole isn’t very good defensively. Can’t say the same for the Big 10.

It may take pairing Day with a solid defensive coordinator (not saying Coombs can’t be that) in order for it to work.

I think they are similar in some manner, both offensive wizards, but differ in the reason I like Day more than Riley.

I think Day understands the need for a top tier defense and pushes for it more than Riley. I think OSU recruits better defensive players than OU and I do think Day puts more of a focus on that side of the ball than Riley.

Two things about that, the single high is a very effective D to run, but I have heard it takes talent in order to do that. And Day hired Coombs to up the recruiting at DB (which he has done) but it was as whiff as a DC. Had Hafley stayed for another season it may be another story.

OU's D coordinator came from OSU and was part of the 2018 D that was a certified dumpster fire. I know some people like him, but he never has impressed me.

[jwdoc77]

I think I posted this in the other thread but I see a LOT of similarities to Ryan Day and Lincoln Riley.

Both are high octane offensive coaches who aren’t involved with the defense unless they have to be. Riley gets away with having a lackluster defense in the Big 12 because the Big 12 as a whole isn’t very good defensively. Can’t say the same for the Big 10.

It may take pairing Day with a solid defensive coordinator (not saying Coombs can’t be that) in order for it to work.

Ive often had this thought once Hafley left....it may take finding and identifying the next hot defensive coordinator and paying him close to a head coaches salary to keep him in place. "Head Defensive Coach" or something of that nature. I think some of the offense sputtering against Tulsa, is Day putting in too much time with the defense when he is usually hands off there. Taking him away from fully focusing on the offense. Not to say he couldnt lean more on Kevin Wilson to run the offense, but it would involve Day giving up play calling duty more than likely.

[BillDoran]

I think some of the defense's struggles are directly related to the costs of running a high octane offense. You put your defense in bad spots when you go for it on fourth at the 50. You don't rest your defense as much when you throw three consecutive incompletions (or score in 25 seconds). That aggression is is a double-edged sword.

It's not a right or wrong thing, it's a preference thing. I think Urban had a better handle on the totality of the team. I think Day wants to run an offensive juggernaut and leave a defensive guru to dial up his own dominant scheme. But no holds barred offense comes at a cost, and if you're going to try to score 60 every Saturday, the likelihood that you allow 40 goes up substantially. And when you have your offense geared up to score 60 and only hit 28, it's a problem. You've still ratcheted up the degree of difficulty for the defense.

[BuckeyeRed27]

I think some of the defense's struggles are directly related to the costs of running a high octane offense. You put your defense in bad spots when you go for it on fourth at the 50. You don't rest your defense as much when you throw three consecutive incompletions (or score in 25 seconds). That aggression is is a double-edged sword.

It's not a right or wrong thing, it's a preference thing. I think Urban had a better handle on the totality of the team. I think Day wants to run an offensive juggernaut and leave a defensive guru to dial up his own dominant scheme. But no holds barred offense comes at a cost, and if you're going to try to score 60 every Saturday, the likelihood that you allow 40 goes up substantially. And when you have your offense geared up to score 60 and only hit 28, it's a problem. You've still ratcheted up the degree of difficulty for the defense.

I know what you’re saying but I don’t think that’s what is going on here. Time of possession the last couple weeks has been fairly even and the downs turnovers against Oregon were all around the 30-40 yard line or closer, not a huge defensive strain. They have had some big play TDs, particularly against Minnesota, but I’m not sure that’s a big factor in the defensive issues. They are arguably rotating too much, so I don’t know if fatigue is coming in as much as they don’t have the best 11 guys out there enough.

[Assembly Hall]

In regards to the Tulsa game I surmise that the coaching staff didn't substantially prepare?

[Hillsdale87]

I feel like a lot of you have faulty memories of the Urban era. Urban Meyer was the best thing that could have possibly happened to OSU, but those final years were sloppy. It wasn't like it was a well-oiled machine that he passed off to Day. They beat teams because Urban was an elite recruiter, but the defense was sloppy, and the offense had gotten stale. That 2018 defense was about as bad as this one, with more talent. Then the defensive recruiting went downhill in 2018 and 2019, which partly explains why the defense is so bad right now, although there's of course still more than enough talent to be better than this.

Day has actually recruited better than Meyer to this point. I think it's silly when people say that OSU is struggling now that it's not Urban's team and Day is playing with his guys. Day's recruits are either true freshmen, or redshirt freshmen who came in during the weirdest year of anybody's life. 90% of the contributors on this team are still Urban's recruits.

Day is not perfect. The defense needs to get fixed, and he may need to humble himself a bit to get to the solution. But I still think he's one of the 5 best college coaches and expect OSU to be perfectly fine long term.

[BillDoran]

I know what you’re saying but I don’t think that’s what is going on here. Time of possession the last couple weeks has been fairly even and the downs turnovers against Oregon were all around the 30-40 yard line or closer, not a huge defensive strain. They have had some big play TDs, particularly against Minnesota, but I’m not sure that’s a big factor in the defensive issues. They are arguably rotating too much, so I don’t know if fatigue is coming in as much as they don’t have the best 11 guys out there enough.

I don't know how favoring the offense over the defense manifests statistically, but I have little doubt that the go-for-broke offense hamstrings your defense. It might even be psychological for all I know, but Dantonio's Michigan State and present-day Cincinnati, and even Georgia to a degree, slog it out on offense, because that's what a defensive coach prefers. It sets them up for success. We're seeing the inverse here (and in Oklahoma).

I also think this should turn into a 55-45 run-first team. Henderson's a star. Miyan Williams looks great. Master Teague is very good in the right situations. Ride these dudes. I don't think it's going to turn the defense into world-beaters, nor should they entirely abandon the pass, but I think a more controlled game would benefit both Stroud and the defense.

I feel like a lot of you have faulty memories of the Urban era. Urban Meyer was the best thing that could have possibly happened to OSU, but those final years were sloppy. It wasn't like it was a well-oiled machine that he passed off to Day. They beat teams because Urban was an elite recruiter, but the defense was sloppy, and the offense had gotten stale. That 2018 defense was about as bad as this one, with more talent. Then the defensive recruiting went downhill in 2018 and 2019, which partly explains why the defense is so bad right now, although there's of course still more than enough talent to be better than this.

Day has actually recruited better than Meyer to this point. I think it's silly when people say that OSU is struggling now that it's not Urban's team and Day is playing with his guys. Day's recruits are either true freshmen, or redshirt freshmen who came in during the weirdest year of anybody's life. 90% of the contributors on this team are still Urban's recruits.

Day is not perfect. The defense needs to get fixed, and he may need to humble himself a bit to get to the solution. But I still think he's one of the 5 best college coaches and expect OSU to be perfectly fine long term.

Urban Meyer was absolutely phenomenal, and I don't know an Ohio State fan that thinks otherwise. So, not sure what your point is there.

Is he an egotistical weirdo? Also, yes.

I don't think we know what Day is yet. He's clearly a Grade A offensive coordinator and play caller. The first two seasons were riding Urban's coattails with his (and Hafley's) great schemes. My concern coming into the season was whether Day's nice guy routine would start to show through in player attitudes. I personally prefer Day's approach (minus the Belichickian control of information) to Urban's, but Urban's intensity and insane competitiveness clearly worked. The softer and gentler Day approach is a better fit for Gen Z, but we've yet to see whether it can produce victories at an elite level.

Sometimes I worry that Day is more Mark Helfrich than Lincoln Riley (who has his own issues), but I also realize that very few coaches are able to win at the clip that Urban did. So, a bit of regression is to be expected. The question is how much, and how much rope does Day get before Gene Smith makes a call to Fickell.

[bucksfan2]

I don't know how favoring the offense over the defense manifests statistically, but I have little doubt that the go-for-broke offense hamstrings your defense. It might even be psychological for all I know, but Dantonio's Michigan State and present-day Cincinnati, and even Georgia to a degree, slog it out on offense, because that's what a defensive coach prefers. It sets them up for success. We're seeing the inverse here (and in Oklahoma).

I also think this should turn into a 55-45 run-first team. Henderson's a star. Miyan Williams looks great. Master Teague is very good in the right situations. Ride these dudes. I don't think it's going to turn the defense into world-beaters, nor should they entirely abandon the pass, but I think a more controlled game would benefit both Stroud and the defense.



Urban Meyer was absolutely phenomenal, and I don't know an Ohio State fan that thinks otherwise. So, not sure what your point is there.

Is he an egotistical weirdo? Also, yes.

I don't think we know what Day is yet. He's clearly a Grade A offensive coordinator and play caller. The first two seasons were riding Urban's coattails with his (and Hafley's) great schemes. My concern coming into the season was whether Day's nice guy routine would start to show through in player attitudes. I personally prefer Day's approach (minus the Belichickian control of information) to Urban's, but Urban's intensity and insane competitiveness clearly worked. The softer and gentler Day approach is a better fit for Gen Z, but we've yet to see whether it can produce victories at an elite level.

Sometimes I worry that Day is more Mark Helfrich than Lincoln Riley (who has his own issues), but I also realize that very few coaches are able to win at the clip that Urban did. So, a bit of regression is to be expected. The question is how much, and how much rope does Day get before Gene Smith makes a call to Fickell.

Urbs got stale towards the end. His offense was no longer elite and his desire to play a non-NFL caliber QB made him an outlier in the top tier of FB. With the exception of Day, he was bringing in his buddies to coach that turned out to be a detriment.

When Day came in he completely revamped the defensive coaching staff. He basically has made one poor hire, one questionable hire, and one questionable decision. Coombs as DC has been an abject failure, Cory Dennis is a questionable hire, and only having 4 defensive coaches is a mistake.

I think OSU is in a better place with Day than Urbs right now. I think Day is a guy who can be at OSU for decades, and Urban was a guy you always worried about when he was going to hang it out.

The only way he becomes Helfrich is if he quits recruiting. If he keeps bringing in top 5 recruiting classes, everything will be fine.

[Hillsdale87]

Urban Meyer was absolutely phenomenal, and I don't know an Ohio State fan that thinks otherwise. So, not sure what your point is there.

Is he an egotistical weirdo? Also, yes.

I don't think we know what Day is yet. He's clearly a Grade A offensive coordinator and play caller. The first two seasons were riding Urban's coattails with his (and Hafley's) great schemes. My concern coming into the season was whether Day's nice guy routine would start to show through in player attitudes. I personally prefer Day's approach (minus the Belichickian control of information) to Urban's, but Urban's intensity and insane competitiveness clearly worked. The softer and gentler Day approach is a better fit for Gen Z, but we've yet to see whether it can produce victories at an elite level.

Sometimes I worry that Day is more Mark Helfrich than Lincoln Riley (who has his own issues), but I also realize that very few coaches are able to win at the clip that Urban did. So, a bit of regression is to be expected. The question is how much, and how much rope does Day get before Gene Smith makes a call to Fickell.

My point was that a lot of people in this thread make comments like what we're seeing is a departure from the Meyer area. Like these last few games wouldn't have turned out as they did if Urban was still in charge. My point is that, as great as Meyer was, these types of games happened a lot when Urban was here. In fact, they've happened a lot less frequently with Day than with Urban. Until this year, I can only think of one game (Northwestern) where it felt like the gameplan was bad and the team was unprepared.

We're spoiled as OSU fans, and so anything other than excellence is a disappointment, but that's probably not realistic. This is a frustrating team 3 games into the season, but IMO does not represent any kind of a unique downturn. I expect the team to get better throughout the season, and then hopefully they can combine a new smart DC with the incredible defensive talent Day has been pulling the last few years.

[DocRed]

Tulsa is garbage and were down 7 points in the 4th, man. Just not sure what else to say.

They really aren't that bad, they nearly beat Okie State too and were basically picked to finish middle of the pack in a pretty decent AAC.

[DocRed]

Dallas Gant in the transfer portal

[RedTeamGo!]

Dallas Gant in the transfer portal

Yep, hoping the kid from my high school transfers to my college - Toledo!