Coach -

Before we get into last night’s game, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the horrific attack in New Orleans, and we pray for the safety of everyone there today.

Ohio State’s recent performances in the College Football Playoffs are a testament to elite preparation and execution, particularly on defense. Their transformation into a dominant defensive force has set a new standard for playoff readiness.

In back-to-back games, the Buckeyes have silenced two high-powered offenses, including a historic effort against Oregon. They held the Ducks to minus-23 yards rushing and recorded eight sacks on quarterback Dillon Gabriel—three more sacks than Oregon allowed in any game over the past two seasons. The contrast to their first meeting in October is striking: Ohio State had zero sacks and only two tackles for loss then, compared to 13 TFLs in the playoff rematch.

The defensive adjustments weren’t just about schemes—they were about mindset. Defensive leader Tommy Eichenberg emphasized the team’s shift in attitude:

“There were plays in the first game where we weren’t aligned or ready to go. With an offense like Oregon’s, they thrive on that. We had tough conversations, made changes, and became better for it.”

The statistics tell the story:

• In October, Oregon averaged 7.63 yards per play against Ohio State. In the playoff game, that dropped to 3.9 yards per play.
• Oregon’s ground game, which churned out 155 yards in their first meeting, was non-existent this time, with leading rusher James limited to 14 yards on seven carries.

Tyleik Williams explained the defensive game plan:

“We changed a lot to confuse Gabriel, taking away his first read and making him uncomfortable. When we play like that, we’re hard to beat.”

This turnaround came after a humbling 13-10 loss to Michigan in November—a defeat that galvanized the Buckeyes. The response has been emphatic, with a 42-17 dismantling of Tennessee preceding their domination of Oregon.

What’s clear is this: Ohio State's defense has matched their offense’s intensity, proving that preparation, adaptability, and attitude can redefine a season. These lessons are applicable to any program aiming for excellence under pressure.

Defensive Coordinator Jim Knowles and Safeties Coach Matt Guerrieri work together goes back to Duke in 2012 where Guerrieri met Knowles working a camp. He then served under Knowles at Duke as both a graduate assistant (2012-2014) and safeties coach (2015-2017) before taking over his defense as co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach in 2018 when Knowles left Duke to become defensive coordinator at Oklahoma State. 

Let’s take a look at some insight from each coach…

Stop Rate

The total offense yards per game are on the rise as well with the uptempo style of the game and more plays being run as a factor.  Yards per game are not the best indicator of success. Points will always be the bottom line.

As those points continue to rise, we need to look at what numbers define a good or great defense. 

In his talk at the 3rd Annual Lauren’s First and Goal Clinic, Ohio State Defensive Coordinator explained that “stop rate” is a better indicator of defensive success.

He shared, according to Max Olsen, senior writer for The Athletic, Stop rate is the percentage of a defense’s drives that end in a punt, turnover, or turnover on downs. This simple metric can offer a more accurate reflection of a defense’s effectiveness in today’s faster-tempo game than yards per game or even points per game.

Stop Rate is something Coach Knowles's defenses have been successful with.  He shares what the stop rate is and the results in this video (click on image for video):

Video: Stop rate

We are Teachers

Coach Guerrieri presented at the Virtual Summit while he was DC at Duke, and his presentation is an outstanding example of how he teaches and prepares his players.  In this video, he shares his thoughts on teaching:

Video: We Are Teachers

You can bet that the focus will stay on preparing at a high-level.  Following the game, Ryan Day said this, 

“We knew we had to be at our best today, and it’ll be the same thing next week. When you’re playing in the playoffs, you’re playing against very, very good teams and so we hold ourselves to a high standard. … We’re not staying the night. We’re getting back on that plane, we’re headed back to Columbus, we’ll get some rest and then we’ll focus on Texas.”

Ohio State goes into the game with Texas as a 5.5 point favorite.  If they are to advance to the National Championship, preparation and execution will remain the keys to their success.

Happy New Year!

Coach Grabowski

P.S. 

Get the bundle of Coach Knolwes and Coach Guerrieri’s presentations here.