Can Oregon Be Offensive Enough for Ohio State's Defense?

The theme that seems to be building through all the stories is that Oregon's strength is it's offense, while Ohio State boasts a great defense.  That is where the game lies. If the Bucks cannot keep the Ducks out of the endzone, it doesn't much matter what Ohio State's offense can do. It probably won't be enough.

Here is what Oregon's Offensive Coordinator said about the Buck's 'D':

Their defense is complete and has no weaknesses. They have great schemes, tackle well and are big, fast, talented and athletic. If I had to compare them to another team probably the great USC defenses from the early and mid-2000s. Their line can cause pressure when they rush three or four so they don’t necessarily have to blitz. They have a successful system in place and execute it well and it has paid off for them.”
– – ­Mark Helfrich, Offensive Coordinator

That part about Ohio State not needing to blitz kind of scares me. Opponents' blitzes make Masoli's job easier. He reads the blitzes and attacks the void. But a good defense that knows to stay home and stick to assignments can conceivably remove the trickery and deception and force the Duck players to rely purly on their own talent.
 
The running backs' holes may not be as big or open as long. The receivers will have to work that much harder to get open and pull in the ball. Masoli will have to be sharp as a tack.
 
This is not to say that the misdirections and fake handoffs won't work. I believe they will. But the Ducks will have to pull out all the stops. Leave nothing to chance.

Another quote by Helfrich shows that confidence still runs deep in the offensive minds at the Casanova Center. This story from the Cleveland Plain Dealer gives Buckeye fans the plain truth:

Ohio State offense vs. Oregon offense: "Our No. 1 job is to score."
By Doug Lesmerises, The Plain Dealer
December 29, 2009, 3:28PM

Mark Helfrich, the Oregon offensive coordinator, today offered a quick glimpse into the different offensive philosophies that will be on display in the Rose Bowl.
I told Helfrich that a coach had once said the first job of the offense is to not put the defense in a bad position. I neglected to mention it was Ohio State's Jim Tressel that espoused this idea. What is the take of Oregon, and head coach Chip Kelly, on the offense's most important job?
"Our No. 1 job is to score," Helfrich said. "I don't think we approach it that way. We don't operate too much, and I think this comes from Chip, we don't operate too much in 'nots.' We don't operate in 'don't do this.' We want to play fast and have fun."

 
I can say it in two words:
\/
\/
 

OVER

 

WHELM

 
That's it. No fooling around. The rapid pace between snaps -- "As fast as I can talk," says Coach Kelly. The fakes. Misdirections. LaMichael James. Ed Dickson. Masoli. A stable of receivers.  And then, just like in the Civil War -- On my command, unleash Blount.
 
Just when the Buckeyes think they've got a handle on Little Train James, just when they think they can contain Masoli, just when they think they can eat everything Chip Kelly dishes to them, the coach needs to come to the Buck's table like a server at Olive Garden holding a peppermill. And he needs to pour on a generous sprinkling of Blount onto their heaping plate til it overwhelms the senses. 

What do the Duck offensive players think about their chances against this great Ohio State team? Let's ask Ed Dickson . . .
“[Ohio State defensive players] all look like they could play in the NFL today. They are very physical and we have to match that toughness…when our offense is faced with a challenge we’ll usually rise to the occasion and we are really excited about that. They are very fast and very big, but we feel we have a slight advantage. We will never back down from anybody. We welcome all comers.”

– – Ed Dickson, tight end

"Would you like some ground pepper with your meal? . . . . . . Say when . . . ."
 
Be advised though, Ohio State is VERY aware of what they'll be up against with Oregon's offense. They will be entering this contest with their eyes open. And if the pace is too fast, not to worry. They have a plan.
Here's the latest from the Columbus Dispatch:
 
Buckeyes brace for Oregon's fast pace

Wednesday, December 30, 2009 3:07 AM
By Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

LOS ANGELES -- The Oregon offense is like a kid playing hide and seek, rushing through the countdown and shouting "Ready or not, here I come!" way too early.
The Ducks actually delight in this. They love catching defenses in mid-adjustment.

"Oh yeah, it's a chance to get a cheap pancake," left tackle Bo Thran said yesterday. "Sometimes, (defenders) are late getting into their stance or late getting lined up, so yeah, our tempo definitely helps out a lot."

Running back LaMichael James said he enjoys surveying a defense scurrying this way and that, chests heaving.

"It's really fun to look at those guys and see them tired and have their heads down," he said. "I tell (quarterback Jeremiah) Masoli to speed it up and say 'hut' right now, because it really is fun to see."
[Come, come now, LMJ. That's just mean.  You're sounding like the kind of guy who would heckle the Special Olympics.]

Much has been made of the Ducks' frantic pace. Some of it seems legitimate; some seems to be entering the territory of urban legend.

Oregon definitely pushes the tempo. Of its 65 offensive scoring drives in regulation this season, 25 -- or 38 percent -- took less than two minutes off the game clock.

That's how the Ducks are seventh nationally in scoring (37.7 points a game) while only 115th in time of possession (26 minutes, 58 seconds).

It is what sets the Ducks apart. They are not the only team to run the spread and the read option, not the only team relying on quickness and a dual-threat quarterback.

But when you pair the scheme and the talent with the go-go-go pace, it can be disconcerting. Confusion becomes Oregon's ally.

"We don't want a defense to be set. We want a false step right at the snap," offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich said. "Hopefully, that's created by playing fast and creating a moment of indecision for those guys."

Taking a closer look at the numbers, though, it may not be that big of an adjustment for Ohio State. Oregon averages 69.3 plays a game; OSU's opponents averaged 64.5 this season -- so the Ducks run about five more plays a game. [Time out!  Back up the Percentages and Statistics 201 Class for just a second there. Let's recap. Only 69.3 plays per game. Time of possession less than 27 minutes per game. As for points per game, let's just throw out the first half of the season and say in the final six games they have averaged a little over 42 points. That's six TD's per game.
Well they're obviously not taking a lot of time on those plays. And they're putting up a lot of points. So how does one explain Oregon not running that many more plays than OSU's other opponents?
You can't, unless you look at the rule book where it says once a team has scored, they have to stop making plays and give the ball to the other team.  And THAT, my friends, is the achilles heel in the Ducks' armor.
Six TD's per game? That's six naps the Buckeye defense can take while the Ducks are forced to kickoff and let Terrelle Pryor and company try to keep up.]
The Buckeyes also have seen some elements of hurry-up and "look-look" (when a team lines up, then looks to the sideline for the call), most recently this season against Toledo and Michigan. [Michigan? You're comparing Oregon to Michigan? Coach Kelly's first year at Oregon when they went to Ann Arbor, THAT Michigan?]

But OSU is certainly concerned -- enough to significantly increase the amount of running and conditioning during the past month. They've dubbed it "the Run for the Roses."

"In the beginning, guys were huffing and puffing, and now guys are more into it," defensive lineman Doug Worthington said. "Guys are running to the ball, the wind is there, and things are more second nature. It has already helped, and hopefully it will help on January 1."

Safety Kurt Coleman said, "It's mind over matter."

Buckeyes defensive coordinator Jim Heacock said the biggest challenge is getting the calls in on time. But he has also prepared his players what to do in case they don't get the call.

In a nutshell, the instructions are: Pick a defense, any defense. Just be set to go at the snap.

"If we don't get the call, as linebackers, we're going to have to make our base call and go out there and ride with it," linebacker Austin Spitler said. "Just get lined up. As long as everybody is on the same page, we're going to be successful." [WOW! . . . Good luck with that, guy.   Pick a defense, any defense? Just go out there and "ride with it"?   These people really don't have a clue, don't they. 

I have to also wonder how far Ohio State's Athletic Director spewed his coffee when he read this.  He must have been thinking, "I've got umpteen million dollars worth of coaches on the sidelines and in the booth.  We're in the freakin' Rose Bowl, and the D. Coordinator is saying, 'In case we don't get in the defensive call in time . . . '

"In case you don't get in the call in time? . . . .   What am I paying you guys for?"

Ya, I'm sure this is going over really well in Columbus.
"In case we don't get in the call in time . . . . . In case Oregon is just snapping the ball and running plays faster than we can look at a chart and give a hand signal . . . . . .
I know, I know, this is the Rose Bowl and all. And we're 0 for 3 in our last bowl appearances, but in case this is just too hard for us to handle . . . . . ."

"You guys just . . . . run a play . . . any play.  And we'll just stand here and pray to God that it works. Because that's all we'll be able to do.

You guys on the field just . . . . just . . . . Ride with it . . . .GO FOR IT . . . . . Go for broke . . . . . Break a leg . . . . . . Take the cheese . . . . . Run one up the flag pole and see who salutes.  We'll be right here rootin' for ya.

Because we won't have time to get in a play. We'll be too busy with our heads down looking at our charts, recalculating Oregon's plays-per-game statistics, wondering how soon our next nap is coming up . . . . . "


Buck(eye)ing Tradition
Another comparison between the two teams has to do with overall style.
Here is Jeremiah Masoli's take on it:

“[Ohio State is] definitely a tradition-rich team with a long history, while we’re known more for our recent teams and flashy uniforms that Nike generously provides for us. We play different types of styles, too, so it will be fun to see them match up.”

– – Jeremiah Masoli, quarterback

Time out for just a minute. I think Masoli has been reading too many national sports mags and blogs. I'm hearing the same thing everywhere: Oregon is flashy, new, edgy. Ohio State is LONG in history (old), and full of tradition. 
Tradition, tradition, tradition. What do people mean? If I were a Buckeye fan, I would take exception. The overuse of the term is suggesting a meaning of 'outdated' or 'antique'.
 
Certainly Ohio State doesn't want that label. After all, they went out and got a top flight QB that Oregon coveted.  If they want to recruit the big guns, they can't allow the "tradition" talk to get out of hand. They'll need to rebuke any talk of a team like Oregon being edgy and new compared to their "tradition" image. 
 
Here's an Ohio State player to set the record straight:

Ohio State senior Kurt Coleman compares the Ohio State and Oregon programs

OK fine . . . Tradition it is.  Ohio State is like "Fiddler on the Roof" -- two entities that no 18 year-old athlete of today can relate to, but you can still count on them to sing and shout the word "TRADITION".

Also he did offer his own word to characterize Ohio State's approach to stopping Oregon's offense:
 
"Hopefully". 
 
Is there any Duck fan out there who is NOT sooooooooo ready for this game?
 
--kb