Buckeyes Tomorrow Morning @TomOrr4 and @RossRFulton breaking down some of Matt Patricia's favored schemes. ✏️Penny front ✏️Passive pressure ✏️Differences from his NFL days ⬇️📼

Is that inside zone or duo? The question is asked routinely amongst film enthusiast. Well, I got you covered now. First article for SchwartzNFL.com... A handy flowchart for y'all! Enjoy. Pass it along schwartznfl.com/how-to-ident…

Ohio State in a "Walk" Front (4-2), creating a "Penny" (5-1) look with Reese as the weak side Edge. This was the Buckeyes' standard package in 2025. Great look at how it works against a run by Rutgers. --

Ohio State majored in Cover 3, and they used their 3-Safety system to get into Tampa looks. Under Matt Patricia, they ran Tampa and Quarters/6 coverages at about the same rate (~17%). Here is a look at a popular 2-Hole "rotation." Show Cover 3/1, "pop" to the Deep 1/2, and let the Post Safety play from depth. --

Ohio State is running an NFL favorite weak-side overload pressure. This is Mike Macdonald's "Sand" path, but instead of "Deuce" (Palms), the Buckeyes run it as a traditional Fire Zone (3u/3d). --

Ohio State's NFL-style defense was highlighted by the use of a Penny (5-1) alignment within their 4-2 Nickel defense. Arvell Reese (Giants) and Caleb Downs (Cowboys) were the main leverage points of the defense. Below is a look at the hybrid nature of the defense. Reese will cut to the flat once he sees pass, morphing the defense back into a traditional 4-2 weak rotation Cover 3 look. --

With both Little and Simmons out, have to play Matthews inside.

Notably Ian Moore at LT on this rep.

Total offense was at its lowest point since the prehistoric, pre-Air Raid era. The architect of the nation's top offense has ideas why. footballscoop.com/2026/03/16…

Some very simple, very effective play sequencing off of wide zone by Ohio State. The key to offense is building off of things and making it all look the same. It's not just in design. It must be in personnel, formations, everything.

Very similar to last year’s Super Bowl, if you can’t even maintain a pocket for 2 seconds when the defense is rushing 4 and playing split safety zones behind it, it’s gonna be a long night. Tough to beat Stubbie/Book/Area/Special/Mini/Taxi/Erase/Lock/Mix without that pocket.

NBC guest analyst Kyle Shanahan on Seattle D: If you can’t run the ball, they’ll keep their two safeties very deep, they’re going to give up no explosives. I’ve looked for two years, you can’t get the explosives unless you run the ball, unlock them, bring (the safeties) up. ...

All 3!? Greatest triumvirate since Octavian, Pompey, and Mark Antony!?

CFB is much more of an NFL style game now.

Game possession totals have been shrinking over the last decade due to tempo preferences downshifting, plays per drive increasing with improved offensive efficiency, and game/play clock rule changes. FBS games averaged 23.9 possessions per game in 2025. bcftoys.com/possessions

Experience matters! Starting lineups of the last three College Football Playoff National Champions, all from the Big Ten. 2025 Indiana 0 freshmen 3 second-years 2 third-years 10 fourth-years 4 fifth-years 4 sixth-years 2024 Ohio State 1 freshman (Jeremiah Smith) 3 second-years 4 third-years 9 fourth-years 6 fifth-years 2023 Michigan 0 freshmen 3 second-years 4 third-years 7 fourth-years 8 fifth-years 1 sixth-year

Is Stidham better than Nix?

Former Steelers OC Arthur Smith is finalizing a deal to be hired as the next offensive coordinator at Ohio State, per source.

Love how the NFL has become higher scoring than CFB