TheWolverine.com - Tressel looks to exploit Michigan defense

November 17, 2009

Chris Balas
TheWolverine.com Senior Editor

Ohio State has found different ways to beat Michigan during its current 7-1 stretch, but big plays have been the culprit for U-M in recent years. Head coach Jim Tressel and his staff have always been adept at exploiting the Wolverines' defensive weaknesses, and they'll have plenty from which to choose this year ?

Even in 2006, when Michigan boasted one of the nation's best run defenses and NFL talent all over the field, the Buckeyes managed 42 points in earning a trip to the national title game with a three-point win.

By comparison, this year's Michigan team ranks ninth in the Big Ten in scoring defense (28.1 points per game), eighth in pass defense (235.5 yard per game), 10th in run defense (164.7) and ninth in total defense (400.2) ? enough to make an offensive coordinator of even a pedestrian offense lick his chops. Despite the gaudy numbers, Tressel and his staff will still skip lunches this week to prepare to exploit the Michigan defense any way they can.

"There are usually two reasons that you give up points. One is if your offense puts you in poor field position, or if you give up big plays," said Tressel at his weekly press conference. "Most defenses don't give up extensive long drives time after time and that type of thing, and there was a stretch in the middle of their season where they had more turnovers than certainly they could afford. And then there was a stretch in there where they gave up some big plays.

"But the interesting thing about watching Ohio State --Michigan film, getting ready for the game is you're not really watching who you're going to play. Maybe the schemes you are, but the people play a notch above, so we'll study the schemes extremely hard."

They'll also assume Michigan will play its most focused game of the year, Tressel added.

"We go into the game assuming everyone's going to be in their gap and everyone's going to be in their zone and everyone's going to be covering their man, and we're going to have to earn every inch," said Tressel. "So I think you have to be a little bit careful. Very seldom do you go into this game and study the statistics sheet. That's just not the way it works."

Tressel was being kind with his assumptions given U-M's problems with missed assignments, but effort shouldn't be a problem. The Buckeyes, though, will also be at their peak emotionally - Tressel made it a point when he arrived in 2001 to let his players know losing to Michigan was unacceptable, according to several of the players he inherited at the time - and have simply played at a different level since his arrival.

Past Michigan teams have been heavy underdogs to the Buckeyes, but there's no Tshimanga Biakabutuka (especially with Brandon Minor less than 100 percent and questionable), Mercury Hayes, NFL line or future Hall of Fame cornerbacks on this year's Michigan team, meaning it would take a solid team effort.

Tressel insisted his team wouldn't let its guard down. Recent history indicates it won't.

"The nice thing of the Ohio State -- Michigan game is it's always let it all hang out because this is it," he said. "This is what it's all about. And I think if you look specifically at Michigan, they could be at eight or nine wins right now with the ball bouncing this way different, or a call being made this way different. That's the fine line in college football, and it's not going to get any easier.

"There are a lot of good football players, a lot of good teams, and what we've got to focus on is feeling like at the end of this game we've played the best we're capable of playing," said Tressel. "Making the assumption Michigan will do that, because most people do that in the Ohio State -- Michigan game, all those other outside things -- whether they're outside things in their world or outside things in our world -- this week there's only one thing."

Notes

? Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier has improved in each of his last two games, and his competitiveness has caught Tressel's attention.

"I've watched more of Michigan's offense than I have of their defense because as we've been getting ready for opponents, Iowa, Penn State ? Indiana ? the guy loves to play; the guy loves to compete," said Tressel. "There's no question about it. If he's got a pulse, he's going to compete. I would think nothing else but for him to feel and say that [he's going to get his seniors to a bowl game], because that's the way he plays. He backs it up with his play."

? Several Buckeyes have stepped up against Michigan in recent years. Quarterback Troy Smith went undefeated in the game, while running back Beanie Wells had his share of huge plays.

The Buckeyes spent Monday making predictions as to who it would be this year.

"I think it's going to start with our QB," senior safety Kurt Coleman said. "Terrelle Pryor has already got one victory under his belt, and he played a pretty solid game last year. I think this year it's going to be more on his shoulders, and he knows that. I don't see why it would be any different. I think he loves the pressure -- he loves the challenge."

? The Columbus Dispatch reports that Ohio State moved in front of Michigan in conference game win percentage with its 2008 victory over the Wolverines, 0.72283 to 0.72282. The Buckeyes have continued to widen the gap.

Last week, Ohio State moved past U-M for best winning percentage for all games while a member of the Big Ten. OSU stands 0.741, just ahead of Michigan's 0.740. U-M could regain the lead with a win Saturday.

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