I am surprised this was not talked about more after the spring football game. It was the buzz word in 3 or 4 of Gundy's press conference, Spencer talked about it in his presser addressing the ability to cause TO's and "taking it back", and several of the players mentioned it as a corner stone of spring practices. The defense and especially the secondary really worked on being more physical.
Every football team wants to be physical yet many lose this identity over time due to one reason or another. Spread offenses are often associated with finesse over physicality and become thought of as "soft". This is one of the reasons I think Gundy is changing the identity of our offense. We will still be a pass first team(obvious from the QB's we are stacking) but with the advent of the Cowboy backs, the hiring of a special coach to coach the TE's and H-backs, and the renewed emphasis on being physical, Gundy is making the statement that he intends to be ready to take on the power of teams from the SEC or the Big 10 when we make the playoffs the next time.
It is the offense that I want to focus on. You had to be at the spring game to appreciate this renewed emphasis. I mentioned earlier the physicality of the WR's with their blocking. The TE's and the H-backs are like having extra OL in the game. We are putting a premium on recruiting bigger OL. In the past we have resorted to recruiting kids with frame and then growing them after we got them. Now, we are going after the high school 300 pounders. But there is one place where there is a renewed physical presence that has been overlooked. That position is TB. Much was made over Rennie losing 5 to 8 pounds and increasing his speed and quickness. His long run in the spring game high lighted this. But lost in the hub bub of all this was his toughness between the tackles. Several times he could have tried to juke a LB or DB and pick up more yardage but he chose to lower his shoulders and just plow the opponent. On one occasion he took the DB 3 or 4 yards straight backwards. He is not as big as Roland but he played every bit as physical.
There are 2 reasons for this. One is coaching and the other is the TB that is coming in this summer. Chris Carson is going to offer us the type of physicality at TB that is often seen in the SEC. He likes and seeks contact. Rennie was doing the same thing. This will give us a great 1/2 punch. We will be VERY effective in short yardage situations this fall, something we have not seen for several years. We won't be short matched if we get a meeting with another physical team. I am anxious to see us match up against Baylor. Baylor has the best DL in the conference and finished 9th in the nation against the rush last year. This should be a great match up.
Physicality-I think this OSU team will have it.
Every football team wants to be physical yet many lose this identity over time due to one reason or another. Spread offenses are often associated with finesse over physicality and become thought of as "soft". This is one of the reasons I think Gundy is changing the identity of our offense. We will still be a pass first team(obvious from the QB's we are stacking) but with the advent of the Cowboy backs, the hiring of a special coach to coach the TE's and H-backs, and the renewed emphasis on being physical, Gundy is making the statement that he intends to be ready to take on the power of teams from the SEC or the Big 10 when we make the playoffs the next time.
It is the offense that I want to focus on. You had to be at the spring game to appreciate this renewed emphasis. I mentioned earlier the physicality of the WR's with their blocking. The TE's and the H-backs are like having extra OL in the game. We are putting a premium on recruiting bigger OL. In the past we have resorted to recruiting kids with frame and then growing them after we got them. Now, we are going after the high school 300 pounders. But there is one place where there is a renewed physical presence that has been overlooked. That position is TB. Much was made over Rennie losing 5 to 8 pounds and increasing his speed and quickness. His long run in the spring game high lighted this. But lost in the hub bub of all this was his toughness between the tackles. Several times he could have tried to juke a LB or DB and pick up more yardage but he chose to lower his shoulders and just plow the opponent. On one occasion he took the DB 3 or 4 yards straight backwards. He is not as big as Roland but he played every bit as physical.
There are 2 reasons for this. One is coaching and the other is the TB that is coming in this summer. Chris Carson is going to offer us the type of physicality at TB that is often seen in the SEC. He likes and seeks contact. Rennie was doing the same thing. This will give us a great 1/2 punch. We will be VERY effective in short yardage situations this fall, something we have not seen for several years. We won't be short matched if we get a meeting with another physical team. I am anxious to see us match up against Baylor. Baylor has the best DL in the conference and finished 9th in the nation against the rush last year. This should be a great match up.
Physicality-I think this OSU team will have it.
