Ohio State v. Marshall Offensive Review

What strikes me more than anything in reviewing the OSU offensive performance vs. Marshall was how 'in sync' and 'cohesive' the OSU offense has become.  Last year it appeared that the coaches were groping for what would work, oftentimes changing schemes and emphasis from game to game.  Now, this tentativeness is nowhere to be found.  The coaches have embraced a philosophy for this group that everyone believes in and are attacking the defense with a multiple scheme that embraces the principles of the inside run game, ball-controlled, horizontal passing game, and downfield play action schemes that get Terrelle Pryor in space. 

Snag works well against underneath cover 2 and 3, as it stretches the underneath flat defender to the outside, giving the snag route plenty of open grass to settle in.  Pryor repeatedly hit the snag route after the flat defenders were pulled out by the flat route.

The second example is OSU's featuring of the 'drive' shallow crossing route.  

 

This is a versatile route--against man coverage the crossing route can run away from the defender, against zone you get a vertical hi-lo stretch against the ILB.  OSU then incorporated Posey running a backside deep cross above the in-route.  Pryor hit all three routes at different times on this play.

When OSU wants to get the ball vertical, it then turns to its play-action game.  The adoption of the sprint draw and half-roll off zone has been critical to this development.  As noted, OSU hit a long 'NCAA pass" off the sprint draw action. 

My colleague had a great post regarding Terrelle Pryor's development, with which I concur.  But it goes without saying that Pryor's job is made far easier by great line play.  The interior trio of Mike Brewster, Justin Boren, and Bryant Browning played at all Big-10 level.  Brewster had a breakout game.  In winning the offensive linemen of the week, he displayed both the strength that had previously been lacking to lock up interior defensive linemen, and the athletic skills to get outside pulling on the outside zone pin and pull play.

Boren is a meat-grinding run blocker.  Time and again against Marshall he was able to change the line of scrimmage in single man blocking.  Though Brewster won offensive linemen of the week, Boren may have been better.  He is the reason OSU tends to be a left-handed running football team.  Browning is not far behind, however.  These three not only guarantee OSU a strong inside run game, but also a strong pocket for Pryor to be able to step up into and deliver throws.  The only linemen who had hiccups during the Marshall game was Mike Adams.  He did a very good job run blocking, but had a tendency to reach and get his pads too low pass blocking, allowing the defensive end to grab and throw him.  He seemed to correct this as the game went on, however, as he did a far better job sitting down and using his hands and feet.  This could have been attributable to the fact he has less game experience than the others.

My last final thought is that I was impressed with the development of both Boom and Saine.  Herron displayed a patience and vision that was lacking all last year.  Several times during the game he cut back or bounced outside when he would not so previously.  Saine, meanwhile, showed a serious second gear once he hit the hole and got vertically.  I would still like to see him dance a bit less before he gets to the hole, but once he hits it he is a load to catch and bring down.  

It is this combination of balanced talent throughout the offense melded with an offensive scheme that fits the group's skill that will make this a tough offense to stop this year.   The Marshall game showed, however, that the offense has developed from a run-first team to a Terrelle Pryor based team.  Though OSU will continue to have an effective run-game, the offense is based around getting the ball in Pryor's hands to make plays.  

Below, is a play-by-play breakdown through the first OSU 2d half TD:

 

First Possession:  Marshall 23 yd line

1^st-10:  gun split backs left.  Marshall 4-3 under. 1 high.  Dropback weak flood pattern.  Stoneburner on the short cross route comes underneath the linebackers untouched.  Nice job on the edge by Adams letting his guy run himself out of the play.  10 yd.

1^st-10:  Gun ace strong right.  Marshall 4-3 over.  Marshall brought 3 on the strong side.  Adams and Boren picked up the outside, rather than inside guys, allowing man to come from B gap.  All curl route, Pryor attempted to dump it to Saine in the flat but overthrown

2d-10:  I twins left.  Marshall-4-3 stack plus.  2 high.  Sprint draw right.  Nice release by Brewster onto the Mike and great drive block by J. Boren, creating backcut opening. Hard run by Saine

3d-5:   Strong I right.  Marshall 4-3 under 1 high.  Dropback, spacing/hitch combo.  Marshall brings a strongside blitz, Boren and Saine pick up well.  Goes to Posey with single coverage on hitch.  TD

Second Possession:  Marshall 49

1^st-10:  Ace wing right, twins left.  Dropback strong flood route.  Pryor hits Posey in rhythm on a short scat route.  6 yd gain.

2d-4:  I right.  Marshall 4-3 under.  1 high.  Lead zone left.  Marshall brought a strong-side safety blitz but he attacked Pryor on the bootleg.  Great POA blocking by Brewster and Boren, each single-handedly man-handled their counterpart.  Nice read by Z. Boren, and then Saine hit the hole.  Great job by Mike Adams maintaining his block all the way downfield.  Made the long run possible.

1^st-goal at the 6:  Strong tight I right.  Outside zone toss "pin and pull."  Great blocks by Brewster pulling around from center, and Shugarts from tackle, and Z. Boren.  All locked up their men, making an easy TD.

Third Possession:  OSU 24

1^st-10:  I twins right.  Sprint draw left.  Again great blocking by Boren and Brewster at POA.  Nice vision by Boom finding the hole.  4 yd gain. 

2d-7;  Gun ace tight trips strong right.  Dropback  Tons of time, good protection.  4 verticals pass.  Hit’s Snazenbacher over the safeties.  30 yd gain.

1^st-10:  Gun tight trips right strong.  Dropback ‘drive’ crossing route.  Pryor underthrew Sanz.. 

2d-10:  Strong I right.  Sprint draw right.  Really nice patience by Boom.  Did not force the hole, but eventually cut it outside, 4 yd gain.

3d-5:Ace right.  Three verticals route.  Adams got beat a bit by reaching too much.  Had Posey open but overthrown. 

Fourth Possession:  OSU 40 (second-string oline)

1^st-10:  Ace tight trips left.  Zone right.  Line did not get off the combo blocks to the backside LBer, 1 yd gain

2d-9: Ace motion to trips left.  Rollout left.  Strong flood pattern.  Great job by Pryor rolling left and getting his shoulders turned.  Hits the hitch pattern to Schwartz.

1^st-10’  I right.  Lead zone left.  Decent hole, but safety stuck his nose in and made the play.  3 yd gain.  C. Smith needs to maintain block. 

2d-7:  I twins right.  Sprint draw fake right.  Snag route combo.  Marshall brought overload blitz off the edge.  Pryor used his feet to buy time, hit Schwartz on the snag route. 

3d-3:  Ace offset right.  Fumbled snap.  Bad play by Pryor.  Threw it up deep.  This is why it is dangerous to flip centers and QBs. 

4^th-Blocked FB.  J. Boren let his pads get turned, creating the opening.

Fifth Possession:  OSU 32

1^st-10:  I right.  Fake zone left, naked boot right.  Nice job by Stoney collapsing the edge.  Pryor saw the opening and kept and attacked the edge.  Good decision by Pryor. 

2d-2:  False start

2d-7:  I left.  Sprint draw play action left.  NCAA pass (post –dig).  Safety held up by the play fake, never got back into position.  Pryor hit Sanz over the top.   TD

 

Sixth Possession:  OSU 21

1^st-10:  Ace tight wing right, twins left.  Outside zone toss right.  Browning wasn’t able to sustain his block on the OLB, 2 yd gain.

2d-8:  Strong I left.  Dropback, drive route.  Adams got beat on the backside by reaching too much and not sitting down.  Pryor may have held the ball a hair too long—both crossing routes were open.  15 yd penalty.

1^st-10 at the 29:  I twins left.  Sprint draw playfake left, 3 verticals pattern.  Here was a situation where Pryor tried to force the ball to Posey, rather than look for the open man.

2d-10:  Gun trips left weak.  Bubble screen.  Nice block by Schwartz on the edge, 3 yd gain

3d-7:  Gun 3-wide split backs right.  QB draw.  Big initial hole.  Brewster does not get out on his block quick enough.  Rather than cut it up inside Pryor tried to bounce outside and got strung out.  No gain

4^th Down:  Punt

 

Seventh Possession:  OSU 9

1^st-10:  I right.  Dave right.  Stoneburner allowed too much inside penetration, cutting off Browning from pulllig and leaving the LBer free.  Saine struggled for 3 yards. 

2d-7:  Shift to I strong left.  Sprint draw action play pass left.  Drive route.  Great pocket created.   Nice job by Pryor stepping up into pocket, hitting Stoney.  Adams again did not sit but was instead reaching so that the DE could grab and throw his pads.  Got away with it though.  Great protection by Boren sitting down and setting the pocket.

1^st-10:  Gun ace left strong.  Overloaded blitz, nice pick-up by Shugarts.  Snag route.  T-Wash drop

2d-10:  I twins right.  Outside zone left, not a good run by Saine.  Did not threaten the hole before cutting back, and then danced at the LOS.  The initial hole was there too, Boren had serious leverage on 3-technique. 

3d-9:  3 wide split backs.  Dropback.  Great protection by inside guys.  Pryor tucked and ran-nice decision.  And good run—this time he cut it straight up field and attacked.  10 yd gain.

1^st-10:  Strong I left.  Drive route.  Great protection.  Pryor was able to step up and hit Posey on the deep cross away from the drive combo. 

1^st-10:  Strong I twins left.  Dave.  Great blocking by Browning and Brewster.  Browning drove the playside 1 technique back to Brewster’s downblock.  Once Saine gets through the hole and runs vertical, his acceleration is tough.  TD.

 

SECOND HALF

1^st Possession:  OSU 20

1^st-10:  Gun ace right.  Dropback.  All curl.  Adams did a nice job moving his feet to deal with the speed rush.  Posey dropped.

2d-10:  Ace tight wing right, twins left.  Outside zone toss.  Great job pulling by Brewster and Browning picking up blocks.  Tough run by Herron.  11 yd gain.

1^st-10:  Gun ace right.  Dropback.  Nice pocket by Adams and Shugarts.  Great job by Pryor reading through his progressions, and checking down to the RB in the flat.

1^st-10:  I formation right.  Lead zone left.  Great movement by J. Boren.  Manhandled his guy.  Great cut by Boom.  Very nice vision, very impressive.  14 yd run.

1^st-10:  Strong I right.  Dropback.  CB blitz.  Adams committed to soon to block the inside linemen rather than looking for the blitz.  Pryor is so athletic able to just get away and gain 6.

2d-4:  Strong I right.  Sprint draw right.  Nice cut-back by Boom, gets dragged down. 

3d-1:  Jumbo formation right.  Dave right.  The right side of the line absolutely collapsed the Marshall defense.  Big hole to the right side.  5 yd gain.

1^st-10:  Gun ace left.  Crossing route left.  Great protection.  Stepped up into the pocket.  Hit the throw. 

1^st-10:  Ace tight trips left.  Out route/curl combo.  Stepped up into the pocket.  Much better job by Adams of playing with his feet under him.