It takes a village to stop Ohio State’s Dobbins
CLEMSON, S.C. – While studying film in preparation for the Fiesta Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal, Clemson linebacker Chad Smith noticed a recurring theme. Wherever Ohio State running J.K. Dobbins carried the ball, he drew a crowd.
“You normally don’t see that type of running back go down just by one player,” Smith said. “He’s fast. He’s quick. He’ll make you miss, but he’ll also run you over.”
Dobbins specializes in embarrassing defenders in the open field. He is strong enough to run through halfhearted arm tackles. He is fast enough to run by poor pursuit angles.
Smith concluded that Clemson’s best method to contain Dobbins is not with force but with reinforcements.
“It’s going to take a lot of hats to the ball to be able to bring him down,” Smith said. “It’s gang tackling. We have to make sure everybody’s running to the ball. You can’t relax on defense.”
Clemson effectively employed the swarming strategy this season against a back who is similarly elusive and explosive.
“The closest we’ve seen to Dobbins, with similarities in running style, is probably (Florida State running back Cam) Akers,” Clemson linebacker James Skalski said. “Physical runner. Explosive. When they put their foot in the ground, they’re getting upfield. Can catch it. Breaks tackles. You have to tackle really well to get him down. No arm tackles.”
Clemson limited Akers to 34 yards on nine carries and 1.2 yards under the yards per carry average he compiled in his other 10 games.
Skalski acknowledged that Dobbins will run behind a much better offensive line than Akers. Thus, he might reach the second level of Clemson’s defense more cleanly and more often.
Dobbins averaged 140.7 yards per
game and 6.5 yards per carry through his previous 13 outings. He rushed for 20 touchdowns. According to advanced statisticians Pro Football Focus, Dobbins averaged 3.84 yards after contact.
According to Skalski, tackling has been a perpetual priority in practice this season. Even after collecting 90 total tackles, the second-highest total on the team, Skalski is dissatisfied with his performance. “That’s something definitely that I need to improve on. I’ve been very inconsistent this year. I think everyone who has watched the games, you can see that for yourself,” Skalski said, before listing his checklist to sharpen his tackling tools through the next week of bowl preparation. “Footwork. Running your arms. Running your feet through tackles. Staying square. Getting back in the lab. Getting that practice and really straining yourself.”
Skalski contended that the defense has the appropriate edge to face Dobbins.
The Tigers are still offended by the 104 rushing yards and 387 yards of total offense it allowed in their last game, the 45-point rout of Virginia in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.
“We won 62-17, and we’re pissed,” Skalski said. “They got 300 yards on us. They got 17 on us. That’s too much, and we’re not happy.
“That’s a great win, but there’s a standard we have set for ourselves. If we don’t reach that standard, it’s not OK. We’re just trying to bounce back from kind of a disappointing game.”
Skalski’s unforgiving assessment appears harsh, but such a defiant, relentless, prideful attitude will prime Clemson for Dobbins and the Buckeyes. The same mentality that allows one to stew in anger during a 45-point blowout will not allow one to jog to the football.
“You’ve got to have the mindset that you’re going to be the only one making that play, that the whole defense is relying on you to make that tackle,” Smith said. “If everybody has that mindset and everybody pursues the ball like that, hopefully we’ll have success.”