How Will the Football Team Approach Ohio St This Season?

It's pretty tough to say when your team has not named a starting Quarterback yet. But I'll give it a shot:

Ohio State's secondary is going to be REALLY inexperienced, but they will grow up by the time December rolls around. Offensively, I think Michigan will run early right at Ohio State and then will attempt to unleash Chesson, Darboh, and Butt on their inexperienced corners and safeties. I imagine the offense will try to slow the game down as opposed to getting into a track meet with J.T. Barrett and Urban Meyer.

Defensively, if healthy, it is a much better matchup this year as opposed to last year. If the weather is bad, I don't see any way Ohio State will move the ball as Barrett's arm is not near strong enough to push it through the elements down the field vs our experienced secondary. I expect our defense to really attack their O-Line and really think McCray will be a difference maker as the good guys roll into the Big Ten Championship at 12-0.

Probably by land but if necessary by sea

Very carefully, so they don't get blown out of the building again.

with malice

oh the dog days of summer are here already. OP, serious question: In your contemplation of trying to create a thought provoking discussion, did it ever occur to you that maybe it would be a much more informed discussion if we first see how we approach our first 11 opponents and how that plays out before figuring out the best way to approach Ohio State?

#dumbassthreads

With an enthusiasm unknown to mankind?

We will approach it with the knowledge that the team with more points at the end will win The Game.

Repeatedly.

I believe we will put 8 or 9 in the box as long as they have a running back in the game. DB will dare Barrett to throw on JD and Strib and without Elliott/Couple OL starters we will try to totally shut down their run. If we are fully healthy we can definitely hold Urban's turd-spread hybrid to under 300 yards. I know their young guys are talented and will have a whole year to gain experience before we go to Columbus, but I just don't see a bunch of underclassmen getting the edge on the best D in the country, especially not after how they embarrassed us at home last year.

TL;DR - stuff the box, make JT beat Lewis & co. vertically w/o Thomas, Marshall, etc.

with character and cruelty

Probably by taking a bus or two.

I don't think Michigan's defensive stats (both normal stats and advanced stats) will be as good as last year. I actually think they take a small step back, though not a huge step back. The defense is a bit more complex, it's a bit more aggressive, they are going to give up some big plays.

That said, it will be more diverse, it will be more multiple. And because of that, I think it prepares them better to face an OSU. So the overall stats drop a little, and the performance against Indiana and OSU (or the like) improves at least a little based on the fact that the defense is prepared by taking a multiple approach (i.e. more zones,etc) through both spring and fall camp into the actual season, they aren't just (or so) reliant on cover 1 and a blitz package. 

So the philosophy going into the season changes a lot. That gives them more options when OSU comes around. Look, they aren't going to shut OSU down. I hear a lot of talk about "does Brown have a defense that can shut OSU down?" No. The answer is no. Maybe Michigan plays crazy and they slow them down, maybe there is bad weather, something crazy, but OSU's offense is, in general, going to score their points. It's going to be good to great. But they can be better prepared to generate some more stops based on their ability to play multiple zones, get more eyes on the football, and try to generate some negative plays.

I thought for the most part the offensive gameplan wasn't a huge issue last year. Michigan moved the ball pretty well until Rudock got hurt and they were forced to try to play catch up. They averaged nearly 60 yards a drive the first half and had one stalled drive then got inside the 10 on the only two offensive drives with Rudock in the 2nd half. Put simply, I thought the offensive gameplan was sufficient and performed well given OSU's defense. So I don't think the approach changes greatly on that side.

By taking 23 south to 75 south and then to 23 south.

really hard.  Then watch film, and then practice more.  Then try to install some plays no one has film on.

With an enthusiasm unknown to mankind.

Worry about Hawaii and the summer injury free. Osu game is at the end of the season, if we can't take care of business before that then it's a mood point as we know how its gonna end.

They will approach them with character and with cruelty.

This thread is kind of dumb. 

 

But if there is a real question to be answered here, I think it's how Jim Harbaugh approaches Ohio State. Most Michigan coaches have always made a bigger deal of The Game, both publicly in the week prior (something that Urban Meyer does currently) and of course to the team. Jim Harbaugh did not take any special note of either rivalry last season and obviously he had poor results against both, but especially against Ohio State. I wonder if that will change this year. I for one would welcome him speaking out about the significance of the rivalry. It's not just another game.