The Ohio State football team has shown multiple different packages on defense with Matt Patricia as the defensive coordinator. He has simplified things from what they were under Jim Knowles, allowing the defense to play faster. Defenders no longer have to think as much.
Because of that, Patricia has been able to put in multiple packages to confuse offenses. Teams still don't know exactly how to attack the defense, as the Ohio State Buckeyes have the top-ranked defense in terms of points allowed. Teams can't get into the end zone.
Miami comes into the Cotton Bowl only scoring 10 points against Texas A&M. Carson Beck has been wildly inconsistent this season at the quarterback position. In fact, the numbers show that Ohio State should make sure that they give a healthy dose of blitzing to him.
Ohio State football team should blitz Carson Beck and Miami
According to PFF, Beck is just the 112th-ranked passer in the country when facing the blitz. Pressure is the key to fluster Beck. He doesn't do a good job of identifying pressure off the edge or finding his hot route once he is pressured. That bodes well for the Buckeyes.
Arvell Reese has shown an incredible propensity for rushing the quarterback when Patricia dials him up as a blitzer. His production has slowed down in recent games, but it could ratchet up again against the Hurricanes. If Beck is this bad against the blitz, Reese could be in his face quite a bit.
Patricia is going to have a great game plan dialed up for the Cotton Bowl. He has been a massive upgrade from Knowles. Having him as the architect of the defense is part of the reason why Ohio State was able to earn a first-round bye in the CFP this year.
Beck could be in for a very uncomfortable evening on New Year's Eve.