Ohio State football – Buckeye Scoop

Singleton staying patient, still high on the Buckeyes

The past year has been a real test in patience for major college football recruits, particularly in the class of 2022. For those prospects, visits with player and coach interaction have been off the table for about a year now during what would normally be a critical time for information gathering on the schools that …

Recruiting

The Buckeye Scoop: Building momentum for Davis, DB recruiting notes

Top 100 linebacker Raesjon Davis made it to Columbus after all. The four-star prospect spent Friday and Saturday on Ohio State’s campus with his parents before flying back to Southern California on Sunday. Have the Buckeyes done enough to surge to the lead? While Davis was in Columbus, his class of 2022 teammate, five-star defensive …

Recruiting

Buckeye Scoop: Recruiting notes from the Sunshine State

The state of Florida is an important one for virtually every major program in college football. Ohio State has seen its foot print in South Florida dwindle over the past couple of cycles. What are the reasons behind that and will things ramp up in that neck of the woods soon? The South Florida Express …

2021 National Championship Game Justin Fields

Football Fulton Analysis

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 Uncategorized

10 Observations: Bama runs past Buckeyes for National Championship

Ohio State’s dream season came crashing to an end on Monday night, falling to Alabama and the Crimson Tide’s explosive offense 52-24 in the National Championship game. My 10 Instant Observations from a tough night for the Buckeyes in Miami. 1.Credit to Alabama. The Crimson Tide were the better team the whole way. That was …

Football

Scoop Staff Picks: Will the Buckeyes add another championship?

Another CFP showdown with Alabama, but this time for all of the marbles. Ohio State has overcome injuries, COVID absences, and schedule disruptions to make it to Miami and a chance for another National Championship. Can the Buckeyes, who come into the game as eight-point underdogs, pull off another upset after dominating Clemson last week? …

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 …