OSU Counterintelligence: 11W film study; Urban Meyer analysis
For those who want to see how OSU football wonks view the matchups, here's Eleven Warriors' film study article, which downplays the role of sign-stealing and calls attention to the strength of Michigan's defensive interior.
Meanwhile, Urban Meyer outlines how, in his view, Michigan can be "dominated."
November 24th, 2023 at 12:53 PM ^
It's Urban Mayer.
November 24th, 2023 at 1:29 PM ^
Meyer believes that Barnhart is a major weakness, and he plans to highlight that in his Big Noon commentary.
If you'd like some more neutral/balanced commentary, here's Nick Baumgardner in The Athletic ($). Here's his summary:
The reason this rivalry (in my opinion) remains the best in football is the century-long arms race between the two. When one side finds something good about itself, the other immediately does all it can to ruin it.
There are two reasons why Michigan beat Ohio State the last two years: red zone defense and an ability to completely dominate the line of scrimmage. The Buckeyes’ response, therefore, has been about the trenches on both sides — an adjustment that could make this matchup a true classic.
You’ll note we’ve gone this far without getting into Michigan’s illegal sign-stealing saga. When it comes to being able to fit a run and get off a block, Michigan could’ve given Ohio State its entire game plan the last two years and those rush numbers would’ve remained. However, the number of critical defensive stops Michigan was able to come up with — specifically on third downs — is another story. If Michigan had terrific sign intel, those are moments where Ohio State is right to argue this was a problem.
Harbaugh will miss Saturday’s game as he serves the third of a three-game suspension. Michigan’s offense is paying a price there because Moore — who already was wearing multiple hats as offensive coordinator/OL coach — now is doing the job of three people. Last week’s win over Maryland (without injured LT LaDarius Henderson, who’s expected back Saturday) was Michigan’s worst offensive day of the year.
The offense at Penn State two weeks ago, against a defense similar to Ohio State’s, was ultraconservative in ways it cannot be Saturday.
I expect Ohio State’s defense to have a much better answer versus the run this time, which would put the whole thing back in McCarthy’s hands. McCarthy has had legit Heisman-worthy stretches this season. He’s no longer near the top of that award debate, but his talent is undeniable, and this will need to be the best game of his college career. As part of that, although he’s appeared a bit banged up of late, McCarthy likely will have to be involved in the run game for Michigan to win.
Michigan’s run game has to work or its plan goes to hell. It’s that simple.
This year’s installment of The Game will be won or lost by what happens on third down when Ohio State has the ball in the red zone. I’d expect both sides to be able to move it offensively, though not in any overwhelming sense. It could be a lower-possession game, so if Day’s offense can execute in those moments, the Buckeyes can snap this skid and get the rivalry flipped back their direction.
November 24th, 2023 at 1:37 PM ^
Well shit. There’s some earth shattering news.
November 24th, 2023 at 1:42 PM ^
I want Barnhart to have a next level game tomorrow. We need an inspired game by him. Our lines dominate, and they win. They need to dominate again tomorrow.
None of this leaky offensive line bullshit the last few weeks.
November 24th, 2023 at 2:37 PM ^
Me too.
I've become a believer in what the mgoblog folks are saying.
Start Jones. O$U might be thrown for a loop with that.
November 25th, 2023 at 4:56 AM ^
I think OSU will be ready for anything we throw at them (they have our signs). The question is, can they stop it? I watched Penn state last night and came away even mor impressed by their ends. Those 2 are their version of Hutch/Ojabo. Robinson has one of the fastest first steps I’ve ever seen, no wonder Barnhart looked downright awful. He still scares me against just about anyone, especially guarding JJs blindside.
November 24th, 2023 at 12:56 PM ^
Didn't Urban Meyer admit last season that he was helping gameplan for OSU against Michigan?
November 24th, 2023 at 1:00 PM ^
So we beat him too, he gets an "L"
November 24th, 2023 at 2:09 PM ^
WHICH IS FUCKING IN-PERSON SCOUTING BY HIM. He was at previous Michigan games.
November 24th, 2023 at 12:57 PM ^
I am sick of hearing Urban Meyer talk about anything. Wish he would just retire and expend his energy on chasing college girls again.
November 24th, 2023 at 1:19 PM ^
I don’t like Urban Meyer at all but I could listen to him talk football all day. His Xs and Os stuff is really interesting.
November 24th, 2023 at 1:35 PM ^
His job sends him to a new campus every weekend. Why would he retire if he wants to chase college girls?
November 24th, 2023 at 1:57 PM ^
What makes you think he isn’t?
November 24th, 2023 at 3:47 PM ^
I’d like to retire and chase college girls.
November 24th, 2023 at 1:00 PM ^
Fuck Urban Meyer, his whole family, every women who he has fingerbanged in public, and the entire state of Ohio.
November 24th, 2023 at 1:00 PM ^
We know he's helping them. That's allowed, probably lauded by ESPN for heroism.
November 24th, 2023 at 1:20 PM ^
Battling his cysts. True hero
November 24th, 2023 at 2:11 PM ^
Maybe we can get harbaugh in the studio to give commentary on what he'd do during the game?
November 24th, 2023 at 1:04 PM ^
I'm not watching or listening to that.
But curious how Michigan can be dominated?
November 24th, 2023 at 1:14 PM ^
I believe it involves private investigators, a legal team, corrupt journalists and a cabal called the NCAA and Big Ten.
On the field, not so much.
November 24th, 2023 at 1:33 PM ^
Maybe I missed it, but I didn’t here anything about “dominating” Michigan, and that tease was the reason I listened.
November 24th, 2023 at 3:57 PM ^
I agree. This was not worth a listen for any technical analysis.
Did you know Barnhart’s pass pro has been a problem? Did you know Will Johnson is a draftable player who will sometimes be matched up on Harrison? Do you also think Corum and Edwards are good? Do you believe Michigan’s D line is a strength and OSU’s O line is improved?
Then you know literally every single insight Meyer had to offer. Otherwise it was just a lot of reflecting by the host about how great Meyer was because he won games.
November 24th, 2023 at 1:04 PM ^
Urban Meyer is OSU insider? He works for Fox and also works as insider. Nice perks for OSU. Didn't he tell us last year before the game how OSU is going to stop our run? He forgets that Day does not have the coaching chops as himself.
November 24th, 2023 at 1:11 PM ^
Well he came out at halftime of last years game and called out Michigan for not being able to run- then we ran for almost 300 yards in the second half.
November 24th, 2023 at 1:13 PM ^
He’s like Harbaugh he coaches all week and game plans then can’t be on the sidelines as head coach
November 24th, 2023 at 2:11 PM ^
No, he wants to be like Harbaugh!
November 24th, 2023 at 2:13 PM ^
Except he doesn't get credit for the wins.
November 24th, 2023 at 1:13 PM ^
Urban advance scouts Michigan for OSU...
November 24th, 2023 at 1:14 PM ^
Yep, and his film analysis proves it.
November 24th, 2023 at 1:16 PM ^
But that's completely legal.
Oh, that's right. He's not on the coaching staff.
But wait. Neither were the people Stalions may have hired.
November 24th, 2023 at 1:15 PM ^
I could only make it through like 15 seconds and felt dirty watching it.
November 24th, 2023 at 1:21 PM ^
Kirk Barton and Urban Meyer are two of the worst humans on the planet, so no I couldn't watch it. But for those of you with stronger stomachs, how can Michigan be dominated?
November 24th, 2023 at 1:36 PM ^
Meyer isn’t a great guy, but he’s hardly one of the “worst humans on the planet,” and if he’d coached Michigan and did the same amount of winning, he’d be beloved by Michigan fans.
November 24th, 2023 at 1:41 PM ^
There is just a quality about him…. He’s definitely never given a jump start to somebody with a dead battery. He doesn’t push his grocery cart into the collection bin. And he sends ALL his steaks back.
November 24th, 2023 at 5:08 PM ^
He sends his steaks back until there is no unbrowned pink center left to be seen
November 24th, 2023 at 3:13 PM ^
"if he’d coached Michigan State and did the same amount of winning, he’d be beloved by Michigan State fans."
I fixed it for you. I seriously doubt that Michigan fans would accept the coach who had at least 31 players arrested while he was at Florida, or the guy who covered for a spousal abuser at Ohio State. How about the coach who didn't fly back with his team so he could play "quarterback under center" with a young woman on a bar stool? Yeah, we're not that lacking in ethics/morals. If Tennessee fans can reject Schiano, I think we could reject Urban Meyer.
November 24th, 2023 at 4:43 PM ^
I am not so sure about that. I live in Florida and unfortunately work with a lot of people from Ohio. I think it’s because Ohio sucks so bad and a lot of people leave for greener pastures.
Gators and Buckeyes fans I know generally don’t like Urban Meyer, and that’s putting it mildly.
November 24th, 2023 at 1:22 PM ^
Are we sure we want to be sharing this kind of scouting???
November 24th, 2023 at 1:31 PM ^
So Meyer is a paid employee of the athletic department.
He was in person scouting of Michigan at Maryland.
But Stalions guys were ?
November 24th, 2023 at 1:33 PM ^
Kirk Barton (a) sounds exactly like how I thought a guy with his name and being associated with OSU would sound and (b) is the guy who got booted from OSU media access because he stole OSU's practice video, so I guess interesting tact by him. Anyway, the couple minutes I listened to was mostly trash analysis by some dipshits, but I'd like to point to this comment are representative of a LOT of them in that video in response to some narratives going around the internet that there's some "cult" around Harbaugh because his players seem to like him and don't want to see him suspended for half the year because of largely bullshit claims.
Loving Urban Meyer "as a coach and as a person" is one of the most cursed statements I've seen on the internet in the minute. You can absolutely recognize his greatness as a football coach but there are few more loathsome human beings who have scurried along a sideline in recent memory.
EDIT: I have no idea why this image keeps getting scrunched down to text for ants but feel free to load that video in Youtube and you'll see it.
November 24th, 2023 at 1:33 PM ^
All Urban wants for Xmas is a buckeye win and an extra set of hands. Fuk him and his stupid glasses!
November 24th, 2023 at 1:38 PM ^
Consumed a bit more OSU media this week and they are utterly convinced it was all Stalions. To the point where I heard something like “I believe last year I saw a lie,” in one video, and I think they believe there’s going to me an ‘18 like reckoning.
November 24th, 2023 at 1:40 PM ^
OSU fans acting holier than thou followed by a thorough polishing of Urban's balls will never stop being hilarious. Sure, Urbz has recruited more murderers than 2 stars and knowingly hid a wife beater from consequences for years, but Jim employed an analyst that might have violated the spirit of the rules by himself, who's the real villain, UM?
November 24th, 2023 at 1:41 PM ^
I will not be listening to Urban Meyer, but the 11W study was pretty good. Interesting to see what Maryland was doing with their safeties to clog up our run game. I can't say there's much new info compared to UFR though.
November 24th, 2023 at 1:44 PM ^
Urban Meyer works at Fox and has had access to some of Michigan's practices. I'm sure he'd never help Mr. 3rd Base.
November 24th, 2023 at 1:47 PM ^
I have to take another shower after listening to Urban. One thing he said that I agree with is hatred is an incredible motivator. I think the hate is on Michigan’s side.
November 24th, 2023 at 1:49 PM ^
I want to listen to Urban Meyer because........?