Not much fireworks. But an interesting game for both teams.
Much uncertaintly loomed for the UT offense and Ohio State defense with offseason losses. Honestly, not a lot was answered for either of those squads. Ohio State achieved a great result overall holding the McCoy-led offense to 7 points, but looked really shaky on a play-by-play basis, which is what will be important for success in the future. Meanwhile, Texas couldn't even muster more than a touchdown (and that with a ridiculous phantom roughing the passer penalty), but had a surprising amount of success on a play-by-play basis in the running game. I don't think either team's fans is confident about what's going to happen with those squads for the rest of the year.
On the other side, when Ohio State possessed the ball, there was some great play by two outstanding squads. Troy Smith looked fantastic, and Ginn disappointed no one, showing his tremendous value playing a more traditional flanker roll this year. On the other side of the ball, while clearly depressed, the Texas run defense can at least feel good that it stoned the traditionally strong Buckeye run attack, both on an individual block-to-tackle and pursuit basis.
Overall, while certainly not a nailbiter, it was an entertaining game for fans of college football play.
Sterling performance by Smith, Ginn, Gonzalez & Co. The only thing missing here was stiffer Texas coverage to really push them and make the performance even more entertaining. Smith had a lot of wide open receivers open quickly, but he also hit some tough passes that showcased his abilities.
First of all, Ohio State unrolled a formation they didn't use at all against Northern Illinois. They put two tight ends strong, employed three wide receivers and no backs. It looked like this:
To begin with, the obvious wide open passes caught everyone's eyes here. The Buckeyes used four fairly basic techniques to create some wide open passes. They recognized that the UT was playing quarters (and variants) which meant that it's cornerbacks would cover deep routes. Accordingly, they ran a split end through the outside zone to draw corners deep out of that zone. Then had a slot (usually Gonzalez) run an out. Technically the linebackers had responsibility to go all the way to cover it, but they'd never make it over and also had to keep an eye on Smith. They did that twice out of the 2 TE strong 3 WR formation, putting more pressure on the linebackers covering underneath.
The second way was simply to quickly recognize blitzes when Texas remained in zone and have receivers hit the vacated blitzers' zones for open passes. Third, Smith would roll out, and linebackers would leave zones to pursue the gifted runner, leaving open receivers. Finally, when Texas was in quarters or man, Foster and Ross gave a huge cushion, allowing for easy stop routes all the way up to 11 or 12 yards past the line of scrimmage.
Each of those techniques were possible, at least in part, because of adjustments to Ohio State's excellent offensive players. Texas played quarters to try to assure deep coverage of Ginn. Texas' linebackers aggressively left zones to pursue Smith to prevent costly runs and long scrambles shaking open deep receivers. And Texas felt it had to blitz to try to take pressure off of Longhorn defensive backs.
Texas blitzed on 36% of Ohio State's passing plays (12 of 33). They started out their pass defense with a blitz that was disastrous. Killebrew blitzed the strong B after play action, Ginn crossed into the vacated zone and got space to let him out sprint defenders for a 46 yard gain.
Texas didn't again blitz for a while, until they then started doing so on most of the Buckeye's pass plays at the end of the half. Clearly didn't get the desired result. Texas blitzed on the final flag route to Ginn beating Ross for the TD with 17 seconds left in the half. Texas was trying to keep Ohio State from advancing for a close field goal, and Ross was just flat out burned for 6 points. What shouldn't be overlooked is also the great opposite hash throw by Smith.
Tarrell Brown's backup Foster was smoked badly on a very simple out for a touchdown. You'd like to say something nice here, but let's be blunt: he honestly looked like a high school freshman who had never seen an out route in his life. He turned his back, then took his eyes off the receiver altogether, as if the receiver simply stopping or turning wasn't possible. There was no confusion re help. None was around. I'm not even sure what route he thought he could stop with such coverage -- they were in the endzone.
We also saw the same good things from Ohio State they showed against Northern Illinois. They usually had Smith quickly read throw or dump, essentially taking away the possibility of pressure effecting him. For routes that took time, they rolled Smith, which created even more problems with defenders vacating zones to pursue. There were times when even unblocked rushers couldn't get to Smith before his quick throws. This permitted passing game success, even though they had issues controlling the line of scrimmage in this game.
Re Brown's absense, Foster playing corner clearly was a liability, regardless of coachspeak otherwise. As well, it might have been the reason Texas played more quarters, which created lots of different problems. To be clear, I'm not sure how we'd have played different, if at all, mostly because I really haven't seen Texas' 2006 defense without now NFL players Huff and Cedric Griffin from last year. We'll know more about the schemes we'll employ with Brown by watching how we play later this year, assuming Tarell Brown makes it back in the lineup (and that looks to be the case).
Re Ohio State's offense, here are the 2005 and 2006 depth charts, reflecting first string losses (click on 2006 player for bio):
And here is the Longhorns 2005 and 2006 defensive depth charts with first string losses (click on 2006 players for bios) are here:
As sketchy as Texas pass coverage was, the Longhorn run defense was outstanding. They consistently controlled the line of scrimmage, beat Buckeye OL blocks and greatly limited the running game, even though linebackers had to concentrate greatly on pass coverage given what Texas had to do defensively.
The linemen and linebackers were able to do that while staying in their gaps, preventing most of the cutbacks Pittman likes.
Except for an initial cutback into Killebrew's C gap, Killebrew did a very good job of fighting through blocks. Credit the Buckeye coaches testing him, as he had some issues fighting off blocks last year. But he really passed the test.
Texas did a great job handling the classic Buckeye I-Formation isolations and pulling linemen power plays.
Texas allowed a few medium runs when the Buckeyes employed two tight ends to the strong side, getting outnumbered. But one of those was on 3rd and 15 where the Horns prevented a first down with a good Michael Griffin open field tackle.
The only real error here were complete flubs in position around the goal line on a touchdown facing a 3 TE I-Formation set. Robison and Crowder couldn't decide which side was the strong side. They flipped from one to the other and then back again. Unfortunately, the cagey Smith noticed this, flew through his snap count and commenced the play while both DEs were still wondering around. The play went directly into a vacated C gap, with Pittman falling right on the goal line for a touchdown. That play followed a play where Robison played a 9 Tech, but jammed inside with linemen pulling strong, leaving the strong D open (not sure who was at fault there).
Also, starting weakside linebacker Drew Kelson coudln't play, but his replacement Rod Muckelroy didn't do poorly at all. He beat some blockers to make tackles and used his speed to get into holes.
We saw a little of talented freshman Chris Wells. It should be fun to see what the Buckeyes do with him as the year goes by and he learns more of their offense.
This area of the offense was pretty good on a play-by-play basis for Texas. Unfotunately, that doesn't help after generating a whopping one touchdown on the night, and that wasn't even a rushing touchdwon.
Texas opened the night with a stretch strong out of their 3 WR set, where Studdard blocked Luarinaitus and Young ran for 11 yards. That pretty much told the story of their run game the whole night. Laurinaitus was easily blocked, and there was a lot of space in the C and D gaps both directions. Like most teams, Ohio State played that formation usually with a nickel, because Texas has one less blocker (no fullback).
After Ohio State's defensive troubles in the Northern Illinois game, Texas unveiled a power play pulling Sendlein and Studdard to the strong D. When first run, they hammered Laurinaitus there, and Young scooted for 13 fairly easy yards.
Breaking out of it's normal shotgun formations, Texas also tried to run out of a two tight end set with McCoy under center. They didn't have a lot of success with it.
The slimmed down healthy Selvin Young looks closer to his freshman year form. He ripped off some nice runs.
Pretty much none of the running success matters when only one touchdown was scored. From Texas fans' perspective, quite a few annoying things happened with the run game:
(1) On the second, drive, Texas stuck with the run out of it's 3 WR set and rammed it right down the Buckeye throats. It was brutal. 10-15 yard runs nearly every play, with Buckeye defenders getting hammered in edge gaps. Then, facing the same Buckeye front, it mysteriously abandoned it. Four passes in a row. Now, to be fair, one drew a PI and one was a great check to Pittman on a blitz where he coudl have set up Texas the goal line if he didn't idiotically attempt to extend the ball out in traffic. But, nonetheless, it left Texas fans stunned why Texas abandoned the incredibly succcessful run with a freshman QB at such a crucial phase of the game.
(2) The Pittman attempt to extend the ball to the goal line in traffic. Nothing more need be said. It speaks for itself.
(3) On the third drive, Texas was driving once again and got in a 3rd and 1. In their 2 TE one running back set, Ohio State put nine near the line of scrimmage, with six on the line, Laurinaitus 3 yards off and both safeties very tight only 5 yards deep. McCoy didn't check out of a called slow developing stretch (doomed to fail with nine defenders there in a 2 TE no fullback set), with a big loss.
(4) Even on the drive where Texas scored (with the aid of that horrible roughing the passer penalty), Texas again abandoned the run.
Here are the 2005 and 2006 Texas offensive depth charts, reflecting first string losses (click on 2006 player for bio):
Here are the 2005 and 2006 Buckeye defensive depth charts, reflecting first string losses (click on 2006 player for bio):
Not good. Most of the game's major plays happened here -- most bad for Texas.
The first play symbolized these plays overall. It was a one hop pass to an open Quan Cosby in the flat. It set Texas up in a third and long.
Among the many bad occurrences were the Pittman goal line fumble trying to extend the ball in traffic, McCoy's pick to a still Laurinaitus and a few screens and flares on 3rd and long assuring punts.
There were plenty of other gaffes that weren't disastrous. Blown assignments picking up blitzes, route miscommunication, McCoy quickly throwing some footballs into coverage that could be picked (but weren't) instead of going to another receiver, inaccuracy generally not hitting guys in stride, etc.
There were a few bright spots. The short touchdown out to Pittman in front of Oneal. On a blitz, McCoy threw the a skinny post hot read to Sweed, who drew a PI from Jenkins trying to single cover him. When the Buckeyes showed Blitz, McCoy checked into a flip strong to slot Pittman to burn it. Then, at the end of the play, Pittman attempted to reach for the goal line in traffic, with a disastrous fumble being run back to the 50 yard line.
Most passes were short -- screens, flares, short outs, throws to backs over the middle, etc. It's difficult to determine what was going on downfield from a a TV broadcast. The Longhorn receivers dropped a few balls they should have caught, but they were also usually reaching for them. They weren't usually on the numbers.
Ohio State only blitzed on 7 of Texas' 37 passing plays (18%), though many of those were later in the game when Ohio State played back. Most of the time, their defense was successful on plays on which they blitzed.
I'm not sure what the refs could have possibly seen on the roughing the passer penalty. It wasn't late. If it was "helmet-to-helmet," that's even worse. Helmets touch at some point on nearly every tackle. Outside of Oklahoma, humans walk upright. Their heads generally touch at some point on a collision. It was actually great defense by Ohio State that gave Texas the ball 1st down near the goal line.
Vince Young's Departure Changes A Lot On Offense - That was fairly obvious to those paying attention, but the media likely will now catch on. Young changed everything about the way teams played Texas. That, in itself, isnt' catastrophic. However, here, it has been combined a relative three year draught in QB recruiting classes in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Consequently, Texas now must rely on a freshman that doesn't have spectacular gifts to helm the offense. Many pretended that wouldn't be tremendously significant. Not really working out for them. Texas will light up some lesser opponents on the schedule to decrease media pressure on McCoy. But the story of McCoy's development along with Snead,
Brantley and
Chiles (the latter two coming next year) will be interesting to watch unfold.
Ohio State's Defensive Departures Effect Rushing Defense - While the win is great fun for Buckeye fans, they continued to show that fundamental rushing issues exist with the new Buckeye defenders. They simply aren't getting off blocks and tackling. Especially Laurinaitus and Kerr. And jumping on the pile at the end for tackle stats don't matter. That could have been nightmarish on Saturday, but Texas effectively shot itself in the foot enough to make it a non-issue, along with a very good Buckeye offense. The question going forward is whether they can remedy those problems before facing stronger, better executing offensive teams this year.
Huff and Cedric Griffin Are Missed - The departure to the NFL of Michael Huff and Cedric Griffin was clearly felt by the Texas defense. With Brown's return, Foster and Palmer's development and play of young highly recruited players like Chykie Brown and Deon Beasley, Texas fans hope it won't be much of an issue later. Texas didn't feet comfortable without Huff back and Ced Griffin and Brown outside to play a lot of cover two against Ginn, or go to man. They did that with success not only against Ginn, but also Santonio Holmes, last year. Big difference without them.
More Games Like This Should Be Played - Even after my team lost, I wish many more games like this would be played. Getting to watch great teams and players face off is a treat. The atmosphere seemed like a blast, as well.
Below are the game clips (not special teams) in order of play.
VS 