11W Mailbag: Looking at How Ohio State Will Attack Nebraska's Offense, the Freshman Question and Alternate Uniforms

How well does K.J. Hill grade as a blocker right now? I ask because, when Hill has been healthy, he has shown signs of being perhaps the best downfield playmaker among Zone 6. — Run_Fido_Run

The last time we talked to Ohio State wide receivers coach Zach Smith was on Sept. 14 when the Buckeyes were 2-0 and scoring a boatload of points. So if we ever do get a chance to talk to him in the immediate future, I will ask him that question because Urban Meyer hasn't been asked it this season. Even if he was, he would say, "That is a question for Coach Smith."

I think Hill deserves more snaps and more touches like you and remember him finishing some solid blocks on the edge earlier season when J.T. Barrett ran to the outside. So I doubt he is grading out too poorly in terms of blocking. But Hill not getting more snaps is at Smith's and Meyer's discretion.

J.T. Barrett's future at QB at the NFL level does not look as promising as other top college quarterbacks. As we face Nebraska this weekend, it had me thinking (because of Taylor Martinez and Eric Crouch) that would J.T. maybe better off going into the NFL for a different position such as RB/H-Back. He reminds me of former Penn State QB Michael Robinson, who was very athletic but lacked the Ideal measurables to be a successful NFL QB. J.T. is 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, is very strong and determined runner with the football. I think a team like the Chiefs, Seahawks, 49ers who like that type of gadget player would make great use out of his talents. If you were J.T. how would you view your future at QB? — MacG91

To me, J.T. Barrett's ceiling at the NFL level is Russell Wilson. His floor is someone you mentioned like Crouch or Martinez but I personally think he will end up somewhere in the middle. Barrett is a much more determined worker and leader than Crouch or Martinez, so you put that together with his great athletic ability and the fact he can actually throw a decent ball (don't you dare try to convince me Crouch and Martinez can) and I think someone will take a chance on him in the league.

When Wilson left Wisconsin I was really down on his ability to make it in the NFL. Related: I am an idiot. Wilson is excellent at extending plays and getting the ball to playmakers where they can do something with it. Barrett can do that too, though Wilson has a much stronger arm than Ohio State's quarterback.

If I was Barrett, I would view my future in the NFL that way and not listen to folks that say he should change positions. He is too good of a passer to do that.

The pass protection was a lot better against Northwestern than it was against PSU, is that more due to the Northwestern pass rush not being very aggressive or was there a significant improvement in the way the offensive line played? How does Nebraska's pass rush compare to Northwestern's and Penn State's? — Barfolomew

I believe the offensive line played much, much better against Northwestern than it did at Penn State. The majority of times J.T. Barrett had to run for his life in State College came when only four or five rushers came after him, which the line should be able to handle.

Northwestern's pass rush also didn't impress me too much outside of Ifeadi Odenigbo, the Big Ten's sack leader. And he didn't even get close to Barrett. Playing at home and with confidence were the biggest thing in improving the line's performance last weekend after a poor performance at Penn State.

Nebraska's pass rush isn't on the same level as Penn State's but is tied for fifth in the Big Ten with 19 sacks. The Cornhuskers are not bad defensively but are doing what the Nittany Lions didn't have to when they play the Buckeyes: play in Columbus.

I think the spread this week is way too high. Please tell me why I'm wrong. — Buckeyes01752

I agree with you. The line started at Ohio State (-16.5) which in my opinion is way too much. It dropped some but now hovers around Ohio State (-17) in most places that I have seen. But the lower the spread, the more people would bet on Ohio State and likely win money which is bad for the folks in Vegas. For the record, I think Nebraska covers.

Ohio State has seemed to run a decent amount of the outside option, whether it be with J.T. and Mike Weber or J.T. and Curtis Samuel, and continues to run it (even in some big spots) despite it seeming to never work. Are they continuing to run it because they believe it will work or are they using it to eventually run something else off of that look? — Northeastbuckeyefan

I assume you're talking about the failed option run on 3rd-and-6 in the fourth quarter last Saturday? That play call made me scratch my head too but I think the Buckeyes intended to go for it on 4th down provided they actually gained some yards with the option. Samuel lost yards, so a punt happened.

I am convinced Ohio State continues to run it because it thinks it will work and wants to be able to use it later in the season. Should that happen, another option like a reverse flip to the wide receiver on that side could come. We've seen that kind of action a few times this year just not necessarily from an option look.

Earlier, it was said that Austin Mack hit a wall, as most freshmen do. Binjimen Victor hit the same wall but Urban said he has since "flourished." Any news on how Mack has been progressing? Will we see him on the field again this season? — Byaaaahhh

Austin Mack plays on punt and kickoff team, so he has played in every game. Not on offense, though, which I believe is more of the direction you wanted to go with your question.

We haven't heard much about Mack's progression, however, though if I was a betting man I'd say Meyer would share some similar thoughts on it like he says with regards to Victor being "close."

Will either of them play wide receiver again this season? I don't know. I wouldn't count on it. If they haven't consistently been in the rotation come the start of November, it just doesn't seem likely. However, if Parris Campbell's ankle injury keeps him out against Nebraska it could force Smith's hand to insert one of them into the lineup.

Eric, I miss Bo Pelini. Are there any good coach meltdowns as of late?

After the first week of games, are you sold that Russell Westbrook will be NBA MVP? 

Was Clayton Thorson's dismantling of the B.I.A. an aberration or a sign of things to come? Is it fair to single out someone like Damon Arnette and say it's his fault, or is it on the whole unit? — Smartone29

I miss Bo Pelini too. I want him back in the land of Division I college football so badly. Butch Jones went a little nuts after Jalen Hurd peaced out of Knoxville and Brian Kelly is always good for a purple-faced tirade every once in a while.

I think Westbrook is easily the frontrunner for NBA MVP after one week. It's hard to pick anyone else considering he dropped a pair of triple-doubles (including one where he scored 51 points) in the first two games. That's Magic Johnson-level play. Watching Russ this season is appointment television because he's going to shoot it 40 times a game and is really pissed Kevin Durant left. It's wonderfully entertaining, as was his outfit before the Thunder and Warriors played Thursday night. Too bad Golden State romped.

Russell Westbrook has arrived. (Of note: One of Kevin Durant's hobbies is photography): pic.twitter.com/Tvus1gnxx4

— Royce Young (@royceyoung) November 4, 2016

(For the uninformed, one of Durants biggest hobbies is photography. Westbrook's troll game: :100-emoji:. Westbrook's swag level: 9,000+)

On Thorson, give credit to Northwestern for picking out the weak spots in Ohio State's secondary and getting Austin Carr first matched up with Damon Arnette then later Damon Webb. The Buckeyes corrected it slightly in the second half but it is fair to single those two guys out. Ohio State wants to play press coverage so when guys get beat, it is mostly their own fault.

Aside: I think Thorson and Carr are both going to play in the NFL for a long time.

Do you think the lack of true receivers is hurting the offense or do you think it is playcalling/coaching? It doesn't look like Ohio State attacks a defense like years past. Why can other teams isolate their best players to get them in favorable situations but Ohio State can't? It seems like every week we hear about someone taking Curtis Samuel away but Austin Carr eats Damon Webb and Damon Arnette up.  — Buckeyeman

I think it is more the lack of true wide receivers than anything. Ohio State is going to call plays it believes can help win games and as Meyer admitted this week, the Buckeyes aren't as explosive as they have been.

Is that recruiting? Sure. Is it a lack of development by the coaching staff in practice? Sure. There are plenty of places to lay blame, which will always be the case from fans because Ohio State isn't going to average 60 points a game and constantly break off 80-yard passes/runs.

To your point about not getting Samuel on a weaker defender like Northwestern did with Carr on Webb and Arnette, Ohio State has shown and will continue to show an attitude of "we recruited better than you and we know it, so we're going to run our base stuff on offense and defense because our players are better." That works most of the time. It did last week. It did at Wisconsin. It did at Oklahoma. It should have at Penn State, but special teams blunders changed that.

The staff does move Samuel around a bunch and personally I thought did a nice job of getting him the ball in space on Saturday. The play where he broke a tackle on third down short of the line to gain and picked up a first down showed his ability to be better than a defender.

What does that mean going forward? I don't know. Each game plan is different, each opponent is different. But I think you're a fool if you don't believe Meyer, Warinner and the other offensive coaches try to isolate Samuel in situations where they know his athleticism can provide winning plays.

Any reason for the drastic lack of a back shoulder throw in the offense? Kyle's piece this week demonstrated the overly deep coverage defenses are playing so why not hit a back shoulder pass in the soft spot of the zone. — D1145Fresh

Unlike D.J., I don't have a direct line to Ohio State's play callers during the game to alert them that it is time to run the good plays like a back shoulder throw here or there.

I don't know why they are not called more.

I like these alt uniforms. What's your opinion? Are these your favorite alternate jerseys OSU has worn? If not, which one do you prefer? — BUCKSOMIES and Gwolkoff5

I usually reserve my judgment until I see how the uniform looks on the players actually in-game and I'll do that here—to an extent. The photos Ohio State released with J.T. Barrett modeling the new threads were a nice preview and I'm really into the socks and helmet.

They are not even close to my favorites, though. That distinction will always be reserved for the beloved Cocaine Whites.

Since this matchup is between the No. 6 Buckeyes and the No. 9 Huskers, is this the #nicest game of the weekend? — Dweinz

You're damn right it is, even though the College Football Playoff committee ranked Nebraska 10th on Tuesday night and screwed everything up. I'll let wrestling junkie Dave Wills express my feelings on how Saturday needs to be No. 6 against No. 9.

But the Ohio State-Nebraska is the best game of the weekend. Don't even try to tell me its Alabama-LSU, either. Crimson Tide by three touchdowns.

Are we going to see a higher number of personnel packages involving Branden Bowen at tight end coming down the stretch? Can you offer your guess as to whether or not Branden Bowen will catch a pass vs. Nebraska while posing as a TE? — Buckeyechuck5 and 1MechEng

I think we'll see Bowen involved more as a blocker in the immediate future. I liked that wrinkle and it definitely helped out the offensive line.

But no I don't think Bowen will catch a pass on Saturday night if ever this season. Meyer joked on Monday that Bowen was practicing post routes but he wasn't even close to serious.

Over/under 2.5 completions over 30 yards — SFlaBuckeye13

Under.

Why is our stadium so quiet? — Buckeyeman

Because it's filled with millennials! Just kidding, though I'm sure that doesn't help. I think Ohio State fans are spoiled with how well the Buckeyes have played under Urban Meyer so this season when there hasn't been all that much excitement in the form of a boatload of points every weekend, fans get "bored." Having alcohol readily available for purchase also gives fans another reason to leave their seat.

I think the fans will bring it on Saturday night, however. Night games get people riled up and all day consumption of adult beverages won't hurt. Especially if those beverages are consumed at The Eleven Dubgate VI.

Despite their fast start, I can't say I am very familiar with the Cornhuskers. What are some important position group matchups to keep out eye on this game and who are their players to watch that could cause us some trouble? — BuckeyeCWRU

Nebraska's wide receivers don't have the best statistics in terms of receiving yards (none of them have more than 329 this season) but Jordan Westerkamp, Stanley Morgan Jr., Alonzo Moore, Brandon Reilly and De'Mornay Pierson-El all average at least 14 yards per catch. I really like Moore's game and he is the most explosive of the bunch, plus Westerkamp catches everything thrown at him.

Don't sleep on Pierson-El, either. That dude returned three punts for touchdowns as a freshman in 2014. He is lightning in a bottle.

In terms of group matchups I'll be watching, Ohio State's receivers against Nebraska's secondary comes up first. The Cornhuskers have 15 interceptions this year, tied for the most in the country. You all know how well Ohio State's wide receivers are playing right now and the way they claim defenses are playing off to take away the deep pass. Nebraska is known for a bit more press coverage, so can the wide receivers beat somebody?

Also: Ohio State's defensive line against Tommy Armstrong Jr. I don't think Nebraska's offensive line is that great so if the Buckeyes' front seven can get by them, will they be able to bring down the quarterback? He is mighty slippery.

Are we going to see anything new? The offense seems determined to not change. Where are the wrinkles? — FitzBuck

I could make the argument that playing Branden Bowen as a third blocking tight end (which Meyer claims only happened due to injuries at that position) is a "wrinkle" but it probably wouldn't make fans that happen. Oh well.

The offense is very simple right now and has been the case over the last month. Ohio State called a few more of those misdirection toss sweeps last week, however, so you could classify that as a wrinkle too. But it is clear the staff trusts that the personnel they have to work with is better than that of the opponent. It's not the most exciting or pretty way to win games but it does work.

Maybe this is the week we see something "new" or an expansion of the playbook. But I wouldn't bet the rent on it.

I think we should realize that after last week's loss to Wisconsin, this becomes "a go for broke" game for Nebraska. Will the Bucks be able to take advantage of this attitude and break some big plays? Any chance we might run a screen play for once? — BadApple

Folks have been dying for a screen pass in these forums for weeks now and I keep saying Ohio State is running some. A quick hitch to Noah Brown where he cuts behind the offensive linemen streaking out in front of him happened the last two weeks, though it didn't result in that massive amount of yards many expect.

This is "a go for broke" game for both Ohio State and Nebraska. A loss essentially knocks the loser out of the College Football Playoff race. The Buckeyes need to be prepared and should be but so will the Cornhuskers. We should see some desperation from both sides of the ball, so both teams will likely break some big plays.

What type of sorcery and nightmare fuel was used to make this? — BuckeyeSki

Haha, this one actually made me laugh because I honestly have no clue. I'm also not sure of the reason behind the Cornhuskers even having Lil' Red be part of their repertoire. Maybe to appeal to kids?

Nebraska also has Herbie Husker, which is a pretty solid mascot all things considered. The mascot is the Cornhuskers which is a dude who farms corn. Think they did about as well as they could with Herbie, though Lil' Red should be locked away in a basement forgotten about for eternity.

If you want a rundown on how Nebraska's mascots have changed over the years, go to this site. But prepared to be terrified a little.

Eric, would you expect the Bucks D to blitz more frequently than normal this week in an effort to pressure Tommy Armstrong Jr. into mistakes, or would you expect them to play it a bit safer in an effort to keep him in the pocket? Also, if you were going to spy Armstrong, which defensive player would you recommend for the job? — RBurgundy4, Zimmy07

Hmm, that's a good question Mr. Burgundy, one a few other folks had as well. It is a slippery slope with sending extra bodies toward the quarterback regardless his skill set but especially with Armstrong Jr. If he evades pressure and breaks contain, there is a good chance he'll have nothing but green in front of him for upwards of 20 yards.

I don't really expect Ohio State to do anything too crazy in terms of its blitz packages, however. Luke Fickell and Greg Schiano have not really shown that tendency much this season, trusting that their front four can create discomfort in the pocket. The Rushmen package of Nick Bosa, Jalyn Holmes, Tyquan Lewis and Sam Hubbard is excellent at that but it will be interesting to see how Fickell tries to play it. If Armstrong Jr. breaks loose a few times early in the game, does the strategy change? I'm not convinced.

If I were going to assign someone to spy the quarterback it would be Jerome Baker. He is easily the fastest and most athletic linebacker the Buckeyes have and therefore could eye everything Armstrong Jr. does and put a stop to it.

If the offense doesn't score 84 points while amassing 500+ yards of passing this week, will Urban Meyer be fired? — BuckeyeIN NY

I'm struggling to find a scenario in which Ohio State would actually fire Meyer but no, that won't happen this weekend if the Buckeyes don't drop 84 on a solid defense with more than 500 yards through the air. Even if they win 24-23 and 90 percent of the fanbase is pissed about it.

Nebraska has always been known as having a pretty decent defense - where does this team stack up? What difference makers does Nebraska have on defense? As always - what's your final score prediction? — Seattle Linga and BucksFAM4

Nebraska's defense is a pretty stout outfit. The Cornhuskers rank fourth in the Big Ten in total defense (342.1 yards per game allowed) and fourth in scoring defense (18.4 points per game allowed). It also is tied for tops in the country with 15 interceptions in eight games. That is mighty good.

The best player on the unit is senior safety Nathan Gerry. He has 13 career picks and four this season, plus Mike Riley and Nebraska do a great job of moving him around so he can make plays. Gerry is second on the team with 50 total tackles.

Two senior defensive linemen—Ross Dzuris (4.5) and Kevin Maurice (3.0)—are the sack leaders and the former leads the unit with 7.5 tackles for loss. The linebackers aren't that special but Josh Banderas has been there forever and is the smartest guy of the bunch.

In short, I put this Nebraska defense in the same breath as the ones of recent years but a little better at forcing turnovers. That will play a factor on Saturday.

I still haven't picked against Ohio State this season and am not going to this week either. Give me Buckeyes 31, Cornhuskers 20. Too much J.T. Barrett and the home team playing under the lights with alternate uniforms will lead to an Ohio State victory.

What's OSU's record when wearing alternate uniforms? Please show your work. — Swaggernaught

I think it is 13-3, though I'm sure I am forgetting some games they wore jerseys that deviated from the norm. I wrote about that and gave a rundown of past looks in June. You can read that post here.

If you want a more detailed response than that, I suggest you reach out to Andrew Lind. His knowledge on this stuff outweighs mine tenfold.

Do we have both the best and worst fanbase in CFB? Asking for a friend... — GratefulBuck

Sure. Ohio State wins by 50 = fans are salty it wasn't 60. Ohio State wins by 4 = fans want everyone fired. Ohio State loses = fans are contemplating jumping out of a window.

As my good friend and colleague Tim Shoemaker always says: Love your life. Like your sports.

How much do you feel the "appearance of offensive regression" actually should be attributed to the fact that the B1G is just a dang good conference now unlike it has been since the turn of the century and the fanbase is just not accustomed to that after so long of mediocrity? — HuntinWabbits

I think there should be a significant amount of attribution and credit given to the Big Ten. The conference was really awful as recent as five years ago and now has four teams in the top-10. That is pretty impressive.

I'm not sold on Penn State as being a top-15 team yet but they were a lot better than I thought they would be when Ohio State lost there a few weeks ago. In my opinion, the Big Ten is the best conference in the country right now. People forget that.

So there is plenty of blame to go around for the "appearance of offensive regression" but a huge piece is the competition Ohio State has played this season is very, very good. And it is 7-1, ranked No. 6 and in a position to win the Big Ten and national championship. What is bad about that if you're a fan?

Thanks as always for your questions. See everyone at the Dubgate.