Local Take | OU vs. Ohio State
Posted on: September 16, 2016
Image via USA Today Sports (Tim Heitman)
With the big game here, TFB reached out to one of the biggest Ohio State websites on the internet. We were able to get lead Buckeyes beat writer, Eric Seger, from Eleven Warriors to take a few minutes with us. Here is an excerpt from the conversation and a score prediction…
You all put out Austin Kendall’s comments about the Ohio State defense on twitter. How big of a deal is it really to the team and the fans?
It’s kind of a big deal up here in Ohio. A lot of the Ohio State players have taken notice and taken to twitter. Especially, the Ohio State defense because it obviously pertained to them. The question we all had was what was a freshman back up QB doing on a local show? We know his dad used to be a big Ohio State fan, but so did he if you look at his older twitter posts. Still, confused why a backup QB was interviewed. No offense to him, but that is just not something that would happen here. I just think it did supply “bulletin board material” to Ohio State. I guess won’t matter really, though, when the game kicks off.
Buckeyes starting LB, Dante Booker has been reportedly downgraded to ‘questionable’. How big of a loss would that be for the Buckeyes and what is your take on his possible replacement, Jerome Baker?
That’s a big loss for the Buckeyes. Booker didn’t play against Tulsa last week and it didn’t really matter, but I am a little bit surprised that he(Booker) was downgraded to questionable. Just a huge loss for Ohio State being that he is a third year guy and played special teams and played really well in the opener. Jerome Baker is a really good athlete. He has put on some weight and kept his speed and athleticism, but the loss of Booker and Baker being a run stopper is a big deal the way OU likes to use Mixon and Perine out of the backfield. It’s just something to watch with both those running backs being studs and Baker is a young guy, so it is really big loss if Dante Booker can’t play.
During Urban Meyer’s presser he talked about Oklahoma’s dline being a major strength of theirs. Add in the crowd noise and hostile environment, how do see Ohio State’s oline playing. Is there any worry from the staff and fan base about their very talented, but young offensive line coming into the game this weekend?
Yes. They replaced three offensive lineman from last year. One of the new linemen is a nineteen year old, true freshman, left guard Michael Jordan. It’s definitely something Ohio State will game plan for, especially as much as Urban Meyer has talked about it. Playing in front of 85k plus and it will be loud. Ohio State played in front of more, but at home where all of the fans are Buckeyes fans. Meyer has made it known just how tough that OU defensive line is at his pressers. It’s going to be biggest factor in the game, if you ask me. Because if Ohio State can’t run the ball; I have no confidence in their passing game to keep up with Baker Mayfield and OU’s offense. Ohio State has a lot of 2nd and 3rd year players that really haven’t played much, so it’s their first time, as well, to play a big game on the road. So, if Ohio State can’t block and get run game going it’s going to be tough to move the sticks, I would think.
OU has had some struggles at the CB position opposite of Jordan Thomas the first two games. Teams have been able to have some decent success on the Sooners throwing the ball to that side of the field. What position, for Ohio State, is the one area you feel OU might be able to have the most success against Buckeyes?
Urban Meyer spoke about this because of the Houston game and Tom Herman being a Buckeyes staff member a few years. But he spoke on Houston winning the game because of big passing plays. I think Houston only ran the ball for 89 total yards against Oklahoma. It took over 40 carries to do that, so that is not very efficient at all. Greg Ward Jr had a great, productive day throwing the ball, so the Ohio State staff has definitely noticed that and I don’t doubt that they won’t be going away from Jordan Thomas because he is a very good player. Noah Brown has a couple of inches on OU defensive backs and I could see Buckeyes trying to exploit that, but a lot that is going to be if JT Barrett is going to be protected by offensive line. There is moving parts in all of this, but I would not be surprised if Ohio State tried to exploit the corners opposite of Jordan Thomas.
