Ohio State 2013 Season thread

[AZ_]

What are the expectations for the defense next season? More of the same, or should we expect improvement?

How would you rationally not expect improvement?

 

[Cavsfan1985]

I love the hires. It is nice to finally have a DC who knows how to call a game. While I think Fickel is a good coach, he just did not have the experience or skill set to call defensive plays on a top team.

 

[billmac91]

I love the hires. It is nice to finally have a DC who knows how to call a game. While I think Fickel is a good coach, he just did not have the experience or skill set to call defensive plays on a top team.

I think Luke was in over his head, but I think Meyer deserves a bit of blame as well. Urban wanted a downhill, aggressive defense, and paired Fickell with a guy in Everett Withers that he thought could transform Luke into that type of DC. But Luke is from the Jim Heacock tree, and that isn't in his DNA. Withers and Fickell were a disaster together. The secondary struggled horribly in coverages with too much free-lancing, and you could tell Luke wasn't comfortable bringing pressure at times.

Fast forward to next year, and you have a guy in Chris Ash that primarily plays a Cover-4 but still likes to play press man and get aggressive on third down. Ash is known for taking away 3 step drops (probably my favorite thing I've read about him) and he's being paired with a Defensive Line coach in Larry Johnson Sr. that is known to be an expert at stopping screen passes. Meyer took two of our biggest weaknesses and hired guys who are the known experts in those specific fields. But Ash is an experienced play-caller and the system itself should be familiar to the players and staff. I think there will be much more unity on defense as Ash transforms the defense to become one unit. I expect our defense to instantly become one of the best in the Big 10 and probably top 20 nationally.

 

[col63onel]

How would you rationally not expect improvement?

The same way Kenny Guiton is better than Braxton Miller

 

[oasis05]

I wasn't expecting a decline defensively last year, were you?

 

[BimboColesHair]

I wasn't expecting a decline defensively last year, were you?

Considering we lost Simon, Goebel, Williams, Hankins, Howard, Johnson, and Christian Bryant played in like 5 games, yes, a good amount of people were expecting a decline defensively with a lot of underclassmen having to log a lot of snaps.

 

[RealKingofCleve]

Considering we lost Simon, Goebel, Williams, Hankins, Howard, Johnson, and Christian Bryant played in like 5 games, yes, a good amount of people were expecting a decline defensively with a lot of underclassmen having to log a lot of snaps.

No one expected them to be as bad as they were (worst defensive in OSU history going by points).

 

[BimboColesHair]

No one expected them to be as bad as they were (worst defensive in OSU history going by points).

I didn't say people expected that...he said "I wasn't expecting a decline defensively" and I told him why people expected it to regress.

 

[AZ_]

I wasn't expecting a decline defensively last year, were you?

Yes. Given what they lost, I thought it would be obvious.

Next year, with six of the front seven returning and a new Co-DC whose specialty is shutting down the pass, improvement is obviously expected.

 

[RealKingofCleve]

I didn't say people expected that...he said "I wasn't expecting a decline defensively" and I told him why people expected it to regress.

I'm assuming his point what no one anticipated what happened last year, and so he's not just going to go with everyone else's expectations this year. I'm still worried about the defense personally, especially the secondary. Hopeful, but worried.

 

[BimboColesHair]

I'm assuming his point what no one anticipated what happened last year, and so he's not just going to go with everyone else's expectations this year. I'm still worried about the defense personally, especially the secondary. Hopeful, but worried.

Like I said, no one anticipated a historically bad defense, but a lot of people figured they would regress a bit, which oasis apparently didn't think was going to happen. We lost too many players the year before from the front 7, this next year will be the exact opposite with all but Shazier returning. The defensive line might be the best in the country next year and that will go a long way in helping out with the secondary.

 

[oasis05]

A lot of the secondary returned last year and they were the weak spot on the team.

 

[AZ_]

A lot of the secondary returned last year and they were the weak spot on the team.

Cool story bro, did you mention Roby being hampered by injury and CBryant breaking his ankle?

 

[oasis05]

Speaking of Bryant his medical red shirt was denied.

 

[MGMT]

I think our secondary recruits of the past year should fill in nicely, anyway. That is unfortunate but I feel like we are in pretty good hands. I'm excited to see what Vonn Bell can do this year.