While I am a Solich supporter I find it hard to believe his comments around the success of the WMU running game was the result of all our LB injuries. Stopping the run all starts at the line of scrimmage not with the LB's.
I am a firm believer that we lost this game on both the "D" and "O" lines. WMU was more physical than we were.
In addition I also believe that not making that 4th and 1 in the 1st half hurt, especially since WMU then went down the field and scored.
Another thing was that we were not able to force some turnovers which up until this game we were quite proficient at.

I do believe that we have a team that can put this loss behind them and win at Buffalo this week. A win this week will go a long way to righting the ship. It will be up to Solich to inspire the team for this weeks game. I think more responsibility will fall on the "O" and "SPECIAL TEAMS" this week as we are beat up on the "D" and therefore will not be able to rely on them as much.

GO BOBCATS

Ohio's approach to stopping the run has always been for the defensive linemen to tie up the offensive line, allowing the linebackers to flow to the play, and it is the linebackers who make the vast majority of the tackles. If the defensive line is ineffective then the linebackers get blocked and can't make the tackle. If the linebackers aren't getting their job done, they also don't get the tackle. Thus multiple problems can lead to similar symptoms.

One of the disadvantages of the cover 4 scheme seems to be that if the linebackers don't make the tackle, the cornerbacks and safeties are not in position to make tackles in the 10 to 15 yard range, so once the running back gets by the linebackers the 10 yard run becomes 50 yards. With the cover 4 there are definitely more runs for no gain, or even losses, but also more big runs. I'm undecided if the trade-off is worth it.

At this point I tend to lean towards going back to the cover 2 most of the time, and using the cover 4 intermixed. The cover 2 gave up lots of 4-5 yard gains, but few super explosive runs.

The LB's currently playing behind Poling/Brown/Johnson have a LONG way to go.