Ohio State took the road to Champagne this week and, unsurprisingly, they dominated once again. It was the same scenario we’ve seen all season. The offense looked solid and did more than enough to win, but the defense completely took control of the game, never leaving the score in doubt, as they won 34-16.
The Silver Bullets are better than any other offense or defense in the country. Looks like they are recruiting at least 10 guys who will be everyday players in the NFL once they play on Sundays. We’ve already seen Indiana get the better of Illinois with an outstanding defensive performance, but seeing this type of performance on the road is a very good sign for Ohio State.
They are also starting to generate more turnover. The pass rush is on another level, and between Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese, there aren’t two more athletic linebackers in the country. If I want to nitpick this defense a bit, Lorenzo Styles could limit them in man coverage. Still, I have full confidence in defensive coordinator Matt Patricia to apply enough pressure and hide enough coverages where it’s not an issue.
On the other side of the ball, you can see there’s an elite offense somewhere; we just haven’t seen it yet. I don’t know if this is a Ryan Day or Brian Hartline issue, but the offense seems so predictable at the moment.
They rely heavily on RPOs in their offense, which leads to frequent use of the zone play, the weakest spot on the offensive line. This team needs more verticality in all areas on offense. Whether it’s downfield passes near the sidelines for Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, chasing attacks in the middle of the field with Max Klare, or Bo Jackson being more involved in power schemes, verticality would do wonders for this offense.
My other complaint with the offense is the tempo and formations. They have the best athletes in the country on offense, pushing the pace and putting the opposition in situations where they can’t sub, which will help Julian Sayin attack on the field. Every time the two-minute offense is used, I feel much more confident in the offense. The running game isn’t as developed, so lean more on the passing attack.
Also, if you’re trying to run the ball, maybe make it a little less obvious. Should you take Jeremiah Smith off the court every time you line up in heavy sets? Do you also have to move the tight side every time? At least they ran a few QB sneaks on a short route, something no team in the country is going to be able to stop by running behind Carson Hinzman.
Now that Penn State appears to be in total freefall, there aren’t many challenges left on the Buckeyes’ schedule. Keep the momentum going and make sure the offense is ready for Team North.
