Fulton Analysis: Scheme and Personnel

Ohio State’s defensive performance against Arkansas State underscored some of the strengths—and weaknesses—of Jim Knowles’ scheme and the Buckeye defensive personnel. Knowles again opened by principally playing cover 1 man buzz weak (a deep safety in the middle of the field with the other safety coming down in the hook/curl zone away from the offense’s formation strength,) on early downs—allowing the hook/curl safety to be heavily involved in filling against the run.

As with Notre Dame, Knowles again frequently changed his defense’s gap responsibilities against the run game, repeatedly creating a free hitter by occupying an offensive linemen with a…