DEFENSE Buckeyes' primary goal is to stop McGahee
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
TEMPE, Ariz. -- In the pick-your-poison dilemma that Ohio State's defense faces against Miami in Friday night's Fiesta Bowl, the Buckeyes' cyanide of choice is quarterback Ken Dorsey.
Stopping tailback Willis McGahee is OSU's priority as the nation's only unbeaten teams clash for the national title.
"We're approaching it to stop McGahee from the get-go and put the game in Ken Dorsey's hands," Ohio State senior linebacker Matt Wilhelm said. "They have so many weapons, you really can't stop them. We want to slow down Willis McGahee. With a great offensive line, it's tough to do; no one's done it all year long."
McGahee set seven Miami season records, including rushing yards (1,686) and all-purpose yards (2,036).
He led the nation in rushing touchdowns with 27, getting six in the finale against Virginia Tech.
In his first season as a starter, the sophomore posted 10 100-yard games and managed 60 yards in just more than a quarter against Florida A & amp;M.
Struggled against Seminoles
The only team to limit McGahee's effectiveness was Florida State, which held him to 95 yards on 26 carries.
But he added 78 yards receiving in the nail-biter against the Seminoles, including a 68-yard screen pass that set up the game-winning touchdown.
As illogical as the Buckeyes' strategy seems, Wilhelm said there is a method to their madness.
"They set up everything with the play-action," Wilhelm said of Miami. "They'll run at you two times, then they'll play-action with Dorsey and hit Andre Johnson on a deep ball. Everything they do begins with the run. If we take that away early, we have a good feel for when it's going to be play-action and when Dorsey's going to go for that deep ball."
Ohio State ranks fourth nationally against the run, giving up 78.6 yards per game. Defensive coordinator Mark Dantonio said Ohio State allowed 11 runs of more than 15 yards in 13 games, and four of those runs were in the first half at Wisconsin. The Buckeyes held Penn State running back Larry Johnson, who finished third in the Heisman voting (McGahee was fourth), to 66 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown.
"Larry Johnson is probably the hardest-running running back we've played all year," Ohio State senior free safety Donnie Nickey said. "McGahee's vision is extraordinary, his open-field speed is good."
But Nickey thinks the Buckeyes can slow McGahee.
"They haven't played a run defense like ours," Nickey said. "I've watched every film. The way Miami lives is off the big play, a missed tackle here -- they've got the players to make 'em miss tackles -- and busted assignments. That's how they've won a good part of their games."
Scored quickly this season
Miami has scored 37 of its 67 offensive touchdowns in drives of two minutes or less, 18 of those in less than a minute. More than 25 percent of the Hurricanes' total offensive plays have gone for 10 or more yards.
McGahee adds to that quick-strike ability. He scored on a 61-yard run at Syracuse, turned in a 69-yard TD against Pitt, caught a 57-yard pass at West Virginia and went 77 yards on a screen pass against Boston College.