Fulton Analysis – Buckeye Scoop

2021 National Championship Game Justin Fields

Fulton Analysis: Couldn’t Keep Pace

An Ohio State offense that needed to keep pace with Alabama largely lost any chance to do so with Trey Sermon’s opening play injury in the Buckeyes’ national championship loss. Ryan Day’s offensive system is predicated upon the wide zone stretch play. Although the aim point of the play is the inside leg of the …

2021 National Championship Game Alabama passing Mac Jones

Football Fulton Analysis

Fulton Analysis: Death By A Thousand RPO Cuts

A short-handed Ohio State ran into a buzz saw in its 52-24 national championship loss to Alabama. The Buckeyes’ defensive scheme was a poor matchup—schematically and personnel-wise—for the Crimson Tide’s RPO-heavy offense. As previously discussed, Ryan Day utilizes a variant of Pete Carroll’s NFL scheme. The defense generally plays a coverage where the safety is …

Football Fulton Analysis

Fulton Analysis: Breaking down the Alabama offense

Despite operating the number one SP+ offense (an advanced statistical measure of efficiency—Ohio State is number two), Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian does not utilize a bevy of plays. Instead, he operates a few schemes that build off of, and are centered on, one core concept—the run-pass option. With an RPO, the quarterback reads a …

Football Fulton Analysis

Fulton Analysis: Targeting the Alabama defense

It is unlikely that there is a defensive scheme that Nick Saban, at some point in his career, has not used. Traditionally known as a 3-4 coach, Saban and his Alabama defensive staff had adapted to the spread era. Against Ohio State’s spread set, Alabama will likely primarily play a 4-2-5, with the nickel (what …

Football Fulton Analysis

Fulton Analysis: Hemming Clemson In

The Ohio State defense played effectively against Clemson by making critical adjustments within their defensive philosophy to slow the Tigers in the Buckeyes’ 49-28 Sugar Bowl win. Except on third downs and late in the fourth quarter, the Ohio State defensive staff did not play nickel against Clemson’s spread sets. Instead, the Buckeyes remained true …

Football Fulton Analysis

Fulton Analysis: How the Ohio State offense kept Clemson guessing

Ryan Day and his staff came out with a plan to target both the play calling system and the structure of Brent Venables’ Clemson defense in Ohio State’s 49-28 Sugar Bowl playoff semifinal win. As was much discussed leading into the game, the Clemson staff has a reputation for stealing play call signals. At a …

Football Fulton Analysis

Fulton Analysis: Looking at the Clemson offense

Like its defense, the Clemson offense has maintained continuity in its offensive system that began with Chad Morris https://matchquarters.com/2018/12/01/the-morris-clemson-offensive-system/ since the Tigers’ rise to national prominence. Although both Clemson and Ohio State would be considered “spread” offenses, there are significant differences. Ryan Day effectively utilizes a pro-style offense from the shotgun; principally based around the …

Football Fulton Analysis

Fulton Analysis: Attacking the Clemson defense

Perhaps no current college football defensive coordinator has had more sustained success than Clemson’s Brent Venables. Although Venables came to the Tigers known as a four down, cover 4, match quarters coach, he has long since moved to mixing a variety of single high and split safety—primarily zone—schemes from both odd and even fronts. For …