Eric
Keep passing to the TE’s and RB’s – We had great success in the passing game last week by going to the TE’s and RB’s – in fact the top two receivers were at TE/RB. USC will be a lot better in pass defense than Navy was, and we will need to spread it around in order to be able to move the ball at all against them.
Better blocking from the RB’s – Apparently, given what’s been said among the Buckeye blogosphere the last few days, I was too harsh on the offensive line and not nearly hard enough on the running backs. The RB’s need to learn to pick up the blitzes better in pass blocking or LiC is going to be on his back every single day.
The Defensive Line must slow – if not stop – the run – Barkley is going to be a fantastic quarterback for USC for the next several years. Fortunately for us, he’s still a freshman and prone to mistakes if he’s forced to make them. USC cannot be allowed to run the football and must be forced to have Barkley win the game with his arm. If the DL succeeds in making USC one-dimensional, USC should be a lot easier to control.
The secondary has to grow up and make plays – Kurt Coleman did a wonderful job against Navy. Anderson Russell…well…not so much. The corners weren’t tested much, unfortunately. If we’re going to force USC to beat us through the air, we need to be able to take advantage of it. Mistakes in the pass defense game will kill us as easily this year as last.
Jim
We must make some big plays early – The crowd is going to be fired up for this game without a doubt. Throw in an early sack from Thaddeus on third down or a 40 yard scramble from Pryor and the stadium will be shaking. Energy from the crowd is going to play a major role in this game, and nothing will bring that energy to a fever pitch like a few big time plays early in the game.
We must break Matt Barkley – I want ears ringing before kickoff. I want his ass on the ground every time he drops back. I want him crying for mommy at halftime. I want him curled up in the fetal position when the game is over. Barkley is a cocky little snot, we must shatter his confidence early, we must hit him constantly, we must break him.
Pryor must roll out of the pocket – Pryor came to Ohio State to become a passing quarterback. He can do that later. I want Pryor rolling out of the pocket early and often and I want him taking off the moment he sees some open field. Pryor outside of the tackles is the most dangerous weapon that we have on offense. Take advantage of it.
We must stop pulling guards on short yardage plays – Pulling a guard clogs the hole with a slow lineman, it forces the running back to slow down and adjust when he needs to be hitting the hole full speed, it allows weak-side penetration which usually runs into the running back who is waiting on the guard to get out of the way, it only works about half the time at best and we need to STOP DOING IT.
Jeff
A freshman quarterback on his back A LOT – If you’re going to rattle Barkley into turnovers (and he CAN be forced into a bad night, he hasn’t had many good days in practice so far), you’ve got to make him wonder where the hits are coming from next. Two sacks in the first two drives will do that. Be all up in his jersey and he will throw three interceptions by game’s end.
No mental mistakes – That means EVERYBODY. No unnecessary penalties. Don’t blow the coverage. Kick the FG on 4th-and-2. Heads in the game…you’re at HOME. The pressure is on THEM. Let them know it.
Terrelle Pryor – leave the pocket – Not that he spends a lot of time there anyway, but the best way to knock USC off is to make Pryor as mobile as possible. USC has never handled mobile QBs very well and they tend to surrender a lot of points when they face one. With this young defense, it could get lead to a lot of yardage, but only if we force them to chase LiC.
Make Joe McKnight have more than half of USC’s total offense – McKnight is going to get 130 yards rushing and a few receiving yards. The rest of USC combined needs to be held to less than that. McKnight alone cannot beat us….so stop the rest of the Trojans and you get the W.
NOISE NOISE NOISE* – There’s 105,000 of you in that stadium, and I can’t be one of them. If you have tickets and you’re as quiet as you were last week, I’m personally going to beat the shit out of you Sunday morning. This is the biggest game in the Shoe since Michigan 2006. Act like it!
MaliBuckeye
Barkley flustered – Look, champ- this isn’t your seventh grade all-stars game. It’s THE Horseshoe, the BDBITL, and 105,000+ screaming fans. Plus, eleven warriors who’ve been waiting all summer to make your acquaintance, and who couldn’t play like their hair was on fire last week because of the “read and react” option offense. I want him to have a Colt McCoy type night, circa 2006.
No false starts or stupid offensive line penalties – I’m going to keep asking for it until it happens.
U$C’s defense out of position – Open the playbook, make them guess where you’re going next. LiC, work your magic.
Mark May with his foot in his mouth – Dig your way out of the hole when the Bucks win, you hack.
—————-
* – “15 bucks, little man. Put that shit in my hand”
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
