Buckeyes Tomorrow Morning
@TomOrr4 and @RossRFulton breaking down some of Matt Patricia's favored schemes.
✏️Penny front
✏️Passive pressure
✏️Differences from his NFL days
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Is that inside zone or duo? The question is asked routinely amongst film enthusiast. Well, I got you covered now. First article for https://t.co/wCIeTolMAi... A handy flowchart for y'all! Enjoy. Pass it along
https://t.co/ISTK5nRwHN
Ohio State in a "Walk" Front (4-2), creating a "Penny" (5-1) look with Reese as the weak side Edge.
This was the Buckeyes' standard package in 2025.
Great look at how it works against a run by Rutgers.
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Ohio State majored in Cover 3, and they used their 3-Safety system to get into Tampa looks.
Under Matt Patricia, they ran Tampa and Quarters/6 coverages at about the same rate (~17%).
Here is a look at a popular 2-Hole "rotation."
Show Cover 3/1, "pop" to the Deep 1/2, and let the Post Safety play from depth.
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Ohio State is running an NFL favorite weak-side overload pressure.
This is Mike Macdonald's "Sand" path, but instead of "Deuce" (Palms), the Buckeyes run it as a traditional Fire Zone (3u/3d).
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Ohio State's NFL-style defense was highlighted by the use of a Penny (5-1) alignment within their 4-2 Nickel defense.
Arvell Reese (Giants) and Caleb Downs (Cowboys) were the main leverage points of the defense.
Below is a look at the hybrid nature of the defense.
Reese will cut to the flat once he sees pass, morphing the defense back into a traditional 4-2 weak rotation Cover 3 look.
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@chiwizardry It doesn’t fit OSU’s D because it reduces the versatility of their coverage rotations and run fits. But when they go dime Matthews will bump inside.
Spring game starters
Offense
QB Julian Sayin
RB Ja’Kobi Jackson
WR Jeremiah Smith
WR Brandon Inniss
WR Devin McCuin
TE Nate Roberts
LT Ian Moore
LG Luke Montgomery
C Carson Hinzman
RG Gabe VanSickle
RT Carter Lowe
Defense
DE Beau Atkinson
DE Kenyatta Jackson Jr.
DT Eddrick Houston
DT Will Smith Jr.
LB Christian Alliegro
LB Payton Pierce
CB Devin Sanchez
CB Dominick Kelly
NB Jermaine Mathews Jr.
S Jaylen McClain
S Terry Moore
Total offense was at its lowest point since the prehistoric, pre-Air Raid era.
The architect of the nation's top offense has ideas why.
https://t.co/M7I9Go7sTS
@maxtoscano1 OSU not using Klare in-line definitely decreased his effectiveness/utilization in the pass game because his role never really fit in the offense.
Some very simple, very effective play sequencing off of wide zone by Ohio State.
The key to offense is building off of things and making it all look the same. It's not just in design. It must be in personnel, formations, everything.
Very similar to last year’s Super Bowl, if you can’t even maintain a pocket for 2 seconds when the defense is rushing 4 and playing split safety zones behind it, it’s gonna be a long night. Tough to beat Stubbie/Book/Area/Special/Mini/Taxi/Erase/Lock/Mix without that pocket.
NBC guest analyst Kyle Shanahan on Seattle D:
If you can’t run the ball, they’ll keep their two safeties very deep, they’re going to give up no explosives. I’ve looked for two years, you can’t get the explosives unless you run the ball, unlock them, bring (the safeties) up. ...