Key matchup - OSU WR

[FirstDownB]

I hope our defense is up to the challenge on Saturday.. in particular we need our secondary to step up in a big way. These OSU receivers are a nightmare. Campbell, Hill, McLaurin, and Mack. You know the dream we have of one day seeing Moore, Bell, Sheffield, and Robinson playing together? Well take that and add 2-3 years of experience. As a group they make the Mizzou receiving corps look mediocre.

I don't expect any miracles from our secondary, but they need to do enough to keep us in the ball game. We can't match them athletically on the back end, but having good fundamentals, keeping them in front, even taking a penalty if you're beat for a long ball could keep our offense within striking distance. And of course a semblance of a pass rush couldn't hurt either. This could be a wild west shootout. IMO whoever makes the most big plays wins.

 

[Dandelion1972]

A PASS RUSH!

 

[FirstDownB]

A PASS RUSH!

Sure would help with the deep ball. But these OSU receivers are gong to get the ball on a lot of quick hitters too. They have multiple guys similar to Rondale, including Dobbins out of the backfield, that can turn short passes into long gainers.

 

[BoilerBulldog]

A PASS RUSH!

I expect Holt to blitz early and often.

 

[CANARD]

I expect Holt to blitz early and often.

You can pick your poison.

 

[Summy1]

It's obvious Purdue will have to score a lot of points to win this game.

 

[JohnnyDoeBoiler]

You can pick your poison.

My best guess is that Holt will try to blitz and take chances when OSU has the ball until they drive to the Purdue 30-35 yard line and then will try to hold OSU to a FG. If Purdue can get OSU to turn the ball over twice and hold them to a FG once or twice, that would mean Purdue would be +17 in the potential points category.

 

[BoilerBulldog]

You can pick your poison.

My poison is pressuring the quarterback and we won’t do that without stunts and blitzes. I agree with JDB that we likely will get conservative in the red zone.

 

[nat100]

Move Barnes to Leo for the bulk of the game and play nickel

 

[JohnnyDoeBoiler]

Move Barnes to Leo for the bulk of the game and play nickel

I honestly wouldn’t be mad to see Thieneman move to the Leo to get an extra DB in at spots. He plays best at the LOS and he could bail out and cover the flat relatively well. Could bring pressure from the other side when you bail him in to coverage as well...but that would essentially be bringing back the 3 man front though.

 

[nat100]

I honestly wouldn’t be mad to see Thieneman move to the Leo to get an extra DB in at spots. He plays best at the LOS and he could bail out and cover the flat relatively well. Could bring pressure from the other side when you bail him in to coverage as well...but that would essentially be bringing back the 3 man front though.

Wouldn’t hold the edge well enough

 

[JohnnyDoeBoiler]

Wouldn’t hold the edge well enough

Totally agree with you. Was thinking on 3rd and very long downs it might be advantageous.

 

[wolve1972]

Sure would help with the deep ball. But these OSU receivers are gong to get the ball on a lot of quick hitters too. They have multiple guys similar to Rondale, including Dobbins out of the backfield, that can turn short passes into long gainers.

You're exactly right. That's what beat PSU who sold out to the pass rush and got burned in the 2nd half - specifically the last two drives of the game when the Buckeyes amassed 161 yards of offense including the game winning 96 yard final drive. I realize the terms "pass rush" and "blitz" are terms fans like to use but a good coaching staff can turn them against a team.

 

[BoilerFYF]

Move Barnes to Leo for the bulk of the game and play nickel

Ding ding ding.. this to me is the key. You can end up in perma nickel one of two ways Saturday.. 1) if you’re smart 2) when you adjust after going down 10