OSU ‘D’ likes Oregon’s offense

By TIM MAY

The Ducks’ zone read rushing attack will be a challenge for the Buckeyes to stop.

COLUMBUS — In a word association game, Ohio State linebacker Austin Spitler was asked to react to Oregon.

He didn’t hesitate.

“Explosive.”

Being quick to react is good for Spitler, because it will be a key for the Buckeyes defense in the Rose Bowl on Jan.1. Oregon’s offense, directed by quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, was the power behind the Ducks’ rise to the Pacific-10 conference championship — just like Ohio State’s defense was the backbone of its Big Ten title.

In fact, Ohio State’s defense seems designed to stop Oregon’s aim on offense: to befuddle and frazzle the opponent. That point isn’t lost on Ducks coach Chip Kelly.

“I’ve watched every [Ohio State] game so far, and they never seem like they’re out of position,” Kelly said. “I think that’s indicative of two things: their athletic ability and their coaching.

“There’s very, very, very few big plays. You look at the big-play cutup [on video] — it doesn’t take you very long to look at the big-play cutup because there aren’t very many that can be had against these guys.”

Here is the matchup on paper:

UOregon is sixth in the nation in rushing offense (236.1-yard average). Ohio State is fifth in rushing defense (83.4).

U Oregon is 25th in total offense (424.7). OSU is fifth in total defense (262.5).

U Oregon is 46th in turnover margin (giving up 21, including 15 fumbles). OSU is fourth (gaining 1.33 more per game than it gives up, led by 23 interceptions).

But here is the matchup as it appears to the Buckeyes:

It starts with Masoli, who averaged almost 60 yards rushing but also passed for 2,066 yards and 15 touchdowns with just five interceptions. Next is freshman running back LaMichael James, who has gained 100 yards in seven straight games and nine overall, with 1,476 total yards.

By contrast, the Buckeyes haven’t given up 100 yards rushing to a running back all season.

James will be augmented in the Rose Bowl by the power running of LeGarrette Blount, who has played in only two games — the opener and the finale — after he punched an opposing player after a loss to Boise State.

One of the Ducks’ main plays is the zone read option, where the quarterback watches the defense after taking the snap and decides whether he should run the ball himself or hand off to a running back crossing in front of him. Defenses must be wary of not overpursuing either player until the handoff.

“We have seen a lot of teams similar, but this is one team I’d say, just scouting them a little bit early, they do it all,” Ohio State defensive tackle Todd Denlinger said. “They’re a combination of Purdue, Michigan; I mean, every team that you see, they have a package in there that they run.”

The Ducks ran much more often than they threw (514 attempts to 188), and Spitler understands why.

“When you have three threats like they do — they have a quarterback and two solid running backs, it’s hard to stop all three of them,” he said. “The way they can move the ball, run the option and the zone play like they do, it’s a great challenge. But we wouldn’t want to go out any other way.”