Anonymous opposing Big Ten coach believe Ohio State has ‘fixed’ defensive issues
You usually get the best assessment of someone else when those comments are under the cloak of anonymity and secrecy. That’s why we’re pretty partial to checking out Athlon magazine’s anonymous coaching comments because there are usually some pretty good nuggets that come from it.
It’s that time of year again because if you’ve walked by your local grocery store or newsstand, you’ve probably noticed that the annual Athlon College Football Preview has been set out for inquiring college football minds that want to know.
As it turns out, the annual mag believes Ohio State is going to have a pretty fantastic year on the gridiron again, but when you leaf through to the anonymous coaches’ comments, it’s also clear that there is a lot of jealousy in the league when it comes to a so-called down year in Columbus. These comments are thanks to 247Sports.
“Most coaches in the country would do anything to have a season that’s considered a bad year for Ohio State,” one anonymous coach said. “Their bad year is a great year for anyone else. When we broke down their roster last season, it was like editing your NCAA video game on dynasty mode and you put everyone at 99. Essentially they could do whatever they wanted on offense for most of the season.”
And yeah, by OSU standards that have been set as of late, 2021 was a bit of a letdown with two regular-season losses — one to (burp in my mouth) Michigan, and no Big Ten title. But hey, that Rose Bowl victory was pretty fantastic and memorable.
Still, the defense more or less kept Ohio State more than arm’s reach away from the College Football Playoff and a shot at the national title, but another anonymous coach believes that’s about to change on the banks of the Olentangy.
“The sole issue that kept them out of the playoff has been fixed,” the second coach said. “It’s all about how fast (Jim) Knowles gets them fit for what he wants. If you’re looking for a criticism here, they’re short superstars on this side lately.”
I know these things are anonymous, but I’d love to know where the comments come from. You can bet the offense is going to be a dynamic one again, so if this second coach is correct, the Buckeyes could very well have a monster year this fall.
We’re also going to go out on a limb and guess that whatever two anonymous coaches made these comments weren’t wearing khakis and a hat with a suit, a.k.a — this guy.
Jul 19, 2019; Chicago, IL, USA; ÊMichigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh speaks during the Big Ten Football Media Days event at Hilton Chicago. Mandatory Credit: Jim Young-USA TODAY Sports
We are only two and a half months away from the college football season and we’re here for what we believe Ohio State is going to do in 2022.
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