In Defense of The Defense

[Style]

Just got an email from a friend who's opinion I value, and thought it was good enough to share:

I still need to be convinced that the defense will be able to continue their meteoric improvement and become a shut down unit that is dominating and makes offenses run and hide. However, I think they are fast approaching this level. Consider:

1. Penn State only ran the ball against our nickel zone defense after we were up late 14 - 3. When the game was close we shut them down.
2. Iowa had some success, but we forced several punts and consistently pressured Tate into 3 picks.
3. Texas also had success early, but became predictable once we were up by two scores.
4. We lead the league in scoring defense.
5. We are second in the league in third down defense.
6. We lead the league in TO margin.
7. We lead the league in sacks against.
8. We lead the league in interceptions (11).

Yes, this defense has given up some yards and a few drives, but once you get to our side of the 50 they have been very tough. Another thought to consider: this defense statistically is better than 2002 and nearly as good as the 2005 version. Granted those teams have a larger statistical base, but remember the meat of our schedule is complete. The next good offense we face is MSU, who just imploded against Illinois and then we have UM who has struggled maintaining drives, especially through the air. If Anderson Russell’s replacement gets up to speed this defense should be worthy of a championship.

Add in an offense that should be capable of scoring at least 24 points against anyone’s’ defense (depending on the weather) and this has the potential to be an exciting year!

 

[cdt]

Gholston = Future 1st Rounder
Lauranitis = The Next Great LB
Malcolm Jenkins = Another 1st Round DB
Pitcock and the other dude = 1st day selections

 

[Style]

Gholston = Future 1st Rounder
Lauranitis = The Next Great LB
Malcolm Jenkins = Another 1st Round DB
Pitcock and the other dude = 1st day selections

While we're at it, let's run through some other players:
* Richardson: late draft pick/udfa.
* Wilson, Rose: These young backup DEs are probably 1st day picks by the time they go.
* Freeman, Homan: 1st day Draft picks.
* Anderson Russell: If healthy he's a 1st day draft pick. You're looking at the next Doss. Sucks he blew his knee out last weekend.
* Mitchell: Draft pick.
* Washington, Super Jamario, Coleman, Amos: These young DBs will all be drafted.
* Terry, Grant, Patterson: It will depend on the PT they earn by the time their careers are over. I'm confident that were they starters they'd get drafted, but otherwise they'll almost certainly go undrafted. At this point I will lean toward undrafted. This is a downside of coming to a talent rich team like OSU.
* Antonio Smith, Kerr, Penton: UDFAs. Sorry fellas. I hope you didn't major in recreation!

Speaking of Russell, here's an article on his injury. Fortunately we have the talent to absorb this loss with minimal impact. Super Jamario will fill in, and he's every bit the rising star Russell is, just a different style of DB.
http://ohiostate.scout.com/2/575163.html

 

[Style]

Good googlie mooglie, check out these stats:

1) Troy Smith has thrown for 12 touchdowns and two interceptions, while the opposing quarterbacks that Ohio State has faced have thrown for 4 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

2) Ohio State has allowed just one rushing touchdown all season.

3) Antonio Pittman has not been dropped for a loss this season on 96 carries this year. This streak likely goes back 112 carries without being dropped for a loss, as he had one minus-2 yard run in the Fiesta Bowl.

4) Ohio State's opponents are averaging less than10 points per game, have scored one second-half touchdown (Saturday night), and the Buckeyes have outscored opponents in the second half 86-19.

5) The Ohio State defense is allowing fewer yards per game than the 2002, '03 and '04 squads, and about the same as last year's defense.

6) Going into the Iowa game, twenty Buckeyes, including the top 16 tacklers on the season, had tackles for a loss, and nine had recorded sacks. At Iowa

7) In the last seven Buckeye games (all winners, of course…), the Buckeyes have beaten Michigan (at their place), Notre Dame (on the road) Texas (their place at night) Penn State (in the rain) and Iowa (their place at night). Don’t talk to me about the cupcake eaters or some computer’s measure of strength of scheduling…

8) Give it to me STAT: the Buckeyes are tough nationally in bottom lone stats even if the glitter doesn’t always show us in the best light. OSU's total offense is but 34th in the nation but scoring defense is 5th (a nice combination, no?). They are second in turnover margin, ninth in sacks and fourth in tackles-for-loss. That defines “opportunistic defense”. And who would have guessed that the Buckeyes would have a middle linebacker this year that is sixth in the nation in interceptions!

http://ohiostate.scout.com/2/574583.html

 

[TrueCavsFan23]

Haha keep em comin Style i love it!!!

 

[Style]

We're first in the Big Ten in sacks, first in the country in interceptions, and now up to at least 4th in the country in scoring defense, as one of the teams that was ahead of us gave up 51 yesterday. Wowsa!

 

[Style]

We're first in the Big Ten in sacks, first in the country in interceptions, and now up to at least 4th in the country in scoring defense, as one of the teams that was ahead of us gave up 51 yesterday. Wowsa!

Just heard we're up to #1 in the country in points surrendered. Wow! To be #1 at this point in the season, having played Texas, Iowa, and PSU, that is extremely impressive. Maybe I'm being too harsh on them when I say they're just a good defense, not great?

 

[Style]

For fellow stat geeks, I love to comb the numbers and look for stuff that falls to the wayside. This week, I note:

* OSU is first in the nation in scoring defense (actually tied with LSU) at just 8.25 points per game.
* The Bucks are 11th in scoring offense and 20th in total offense, both all-time high perches in the Tressel Era.
* Back on defense, they are 8th in sacks and 5th in tackles-for-loss. Yes, that’s in the nation…
* In turnover margin, the 2006 Buckeyes are 4th in the nation.

And in the all-important negative-to-weird category, Ohio State ranks 116th (or fourth to last) in kickoff returns with only a 15 yard average. The weirdest parts of that? Powerhouses Louisville and Wisconsin are worse and no individual Buckeye is ranked at all, because you need 1.2 returns per game to qualify. I don’t know if that reflects other team’s pooching the ball to the Bucks or the fact that the Buckeyes give up so few scores that they rarely get a kick-off at all!

http://ohiostate.scout.com/2/582016.html