r06ue1
Special Teams Player
Didn't see one of these yet and I know most don't want to think about last night. I re-watched the game, was really looking for things that we did which were good. I want to start out by analyzing our first series as it, I believe, sets the tone for the rest of the game.
1st series - kickoff - Wandale tries to run it out of the end zone (mistake #1), if he had taken a knee, would have been ball at the 25, instead, gets tackled before he gets to the 20 and a holding penalty (mistake #2) starts the first drive at the 8.
1st play - Martinez under immediate pressure from the collapsing O-Line (from a four man rush), penalty on OSU gives Nebraska the first down, one of the few mistakes Ohio State makes on the night. Scumbag play by Harrison, going low on our QB out of bounds.
2nd play - Very nice play call by the staff and run by Washington, pick up of 9.
3rd play - First down on a short yardage run.
4th play - 3 yard pickup by Wandale.
5th play - No gain, Washington banged up a bit on the play.
6th play - O-Line collapses instantly, pressure by Young (basically unblocked) forces Martinez to make the throw on the run, ball is thrown behind the receiver instead of leading him and picked off (good play by the DB). Ohio State ball at the 50.
Fast forwarding a bit from here on, just wanted to show the first set downs as it highlights the issues of the offensive line and also the stupid mistakes which set the tone for the entire game.
Bad call on Cam, he played the ball perfectly, poor officiating right there, wish they would review pass interference calls. Ohio State probably still would have scored even without the bad call but who knows for sure, the tone was already set in the first series with the turnover at mid-field.
Fields scores easily on no one being in the middle of the field. Why no spy on him? Barry was the closest and he was 15 yards away, gets burned on a simple turn to the inside.
2nd series - Touchback (good call to not run it out) on the kickoff. Series goes nowhere, bad punt, good coverage.
Ohio State second TD drive. Some good plays by the D (stopped Dobbins a few times for no gain, contained Fields in the pocket) but also some bad plays (Dobbins breaks off ten yard runs, Fields, with Honas spying, breaks a long first down run, Honas was blocked on the play). WR's for Ohio State are getting a big cushion, indicative of our DB's inability to match their speed.
3rd series - quick hitters to Mills, first as lone back (what formation is that?), then out in the flat, then out of the I-Formation! High snap, throws the play off. I noticed something about Jurgens when he does this; he is anticipating the block before hiking the ball, watch him, indicative of his inexperience. More I-Formation plays, 5+ yards per play, Ohio States D is reeling and takes a time out, disruptive is an understatement. Then comes the second interception; terrible throw by Martinez (again under pressure and hit on the throw from a collapsing pocket), overthrows the receiver and somehow, miraculously, an OSU defender is lying on the ground waiting for it to drop oh so gently into his waiting arms. Question: Why not throw out of the I? A play action pass out of the I on that play likely goes for six or at the very least a first down as the D bites hard expecting a run. I don't understand the change in formation, this likely clued OSU defenders in to it being a pass.
D holds OSU to a field goal.
4th series - Abandoned the I which had been working great, back to throwing the ball and of course, an interception on a poor throw. This interception was all on Martinez (unlike the others). OSU with great field position once again.
D looks deflated, completely uninspired by the turnovers which keep putting them in terrible situations and Fields breaks a long one with a huge running lane my grandma could run through setting up another OSU TD.
5th series = Again no I, Martinez under pressure immediately on 3rd down and gets sacked.
And another OSU TD.
Fast forward to the end of the game.
A few more scores for OSU, Nebraska gets on the board after a long run by Martinez. The option is opening up a lot of the running game, should have scored one more time at the end.
If Wandale doesn't try to run it out on the first play of the game and instead takes the touchback and if Frost had called for the I-Formation from the start of the game instead of waiting until the third series this is a different game. Sure, we still likely lose, Ohio State simply has too many weapons and we would have had to have played a perfect game in order to have a chance at all but the game would have been much closer.
The offensive line caused two of Martinez' interceptions, one was all his. Jurgens also needs to focus on hiking the ball first and blocking second. The option was really disruptive and had a lot of success, need to see a lot more of it next week. Also, Martinez seemed to do better with the quick throws, didn't give him time to think too much. I wouldn't put too much blame on the D in this game, if you watch the game again and analyze it they were put in difficult situations the entire first half and were playing hard until the third interception. Special teams actually had good coverage except for the one long return (I believe, correct me if I missed one) but the punting was terrible.
1st series - kickoff - Wandale tries to run it out of the end zone (mistake #1), if he had taken a knee, would have been ball at the 25, instead, gets tackled before he gets to the 20 and a holding penalty (mistake #2) starts the first drive at the 8.
1st play - Martinez under immediate pressure from the collapsing O-Line (from a four man rush), penalty on OSU gives Nebraska the first down, one of the few mistakes Ohio State makes on the night. Scumbag play by Harrison, going low on our QB out of bounds.
2nd play - Very nice play call by the staff and run by Washington, pick up of 9.
3rd play - First down on a short yardage run.
4th play - 3 yard pickup by Wandale.
5th play - No gain, Washington banged up a bit on the play.
6th play - O-Line collapses instantly, pressure by Young (basically unblocked) forces Martinez to make the throw on the run, ball is thrown behind the receiver instead of leading him and picked off (good play by the DB). Ohio State ball at the 50.
Fast forwarding a bit from here on, just wanted to show the first set downs as it highlights the issues of the offensive line and also the stupid mistakes which set the tone for the entire game.
Bad call on Cam, he played the ball perfectly, poor officiating right there, wish they would review pass interference calls. Ohio State probably still would have scored even without the bad call but who knows for sure, the tone was already set in the first series with the turnover at mid-field.
Fields scores easily on no one being in the middle of the field. Why no spy on him? Barry was the closest and he was 15 yards away, gets burned on a simple turn to the inside.
2nd series - Touchback (good call to not run it out) on the kickoff. Series goes nowhere, bad punt, good coverage.
Ohio State second TD drive. Some good plays by the D (stopped Dobbins a few times for no gain, contained Fields in the pocket) but also some bad plays (Dobbins breaks off ten yard runs, Fields, with Honas spying, breaks a long first down run, Honas was blocked on the play). WR's for Ohio State are getting a big cushion, indicative of our DB's inability to match their speed.
3rd series - quick hitters to Mills, first as lone back (what formation is that?), then out in the flat, then out of the I-Formation! High snap, throws the play off. I noticed something about Jurgens when he does this; he is anticipating the block before hiking the ball, watch him, indicative of his inexperience. More I-Formation plays, 5+ yards per play, Ohio States D is reeling and takes a time out, disruptive is an understatement. Then comes the second interception; terrible throw by Martinez (again under pressure and hit on the throw from a collapsing pocket), overthrows the receiver and somehow, miraculously, an OSU defender is lying on the ground waiting for it to drop oh so gently into his waiting arms. Question: Why not throw out of the I? A play action pass out of the I on that play likely goes for six or at the very least a first down as the D bites hard expecting a run. I don't understand the change in formation, this likely clued OSU defenders in to it being a pass.
D holds OSU to a field goal.
4th series - Abandoned the I which had been working great, back to throwing the ball and of course, an interception on a poor throw. This interception was all on Martinez (unlike the others). OSU with great field position once again.
D looks deflated, completely uninspired by the turnovers which keep putting them in terrible situations and Fields breaks a long one with a huge running lane my grandma could run through setting up another OSU TD.
5th series = Again no I, Martinez under pressure immediately on 3rd down and gets sacked.
And another OSU TD.
Fast forward to the end of the game.
A few more scores for OSU, Nebraska gets on the board after a long run by Martinez. The option is opening up a lot of the running game, should have scored one more time at the end.
If Wandale doesn't try to run it out on the first play of the game and instead takes the touchback and if Frost had called for the I-Formation from the start of the game instead of waiting until the third series this is a different game. Sure, we still likely lose, Ohio State simply has too many weapons and we would have had to have played a perfect game in order to have a chance at all but the game would have been much closer.
The offensive line caused two of Martinez' interceptions, one was all his. Jurgens also needs to focus on hiking the ball first and blocking second. The option was really disruptive and had a lot of success, need to see a lot more of it next week. Also, Martinez seemed to do better with the quick throws, didn't give him time to think too much. I wouldn't put too much blame on the D in this game, if you watch the game again and analyze it they were put in difficult situations the entire first half and were playing hard until the third interception. Special teams actually had good coverage except for the one long return (I believe, correct me if I missed one) but the punting was terrible.
