What’s wrong with the running game? The Buckeyes failed to run effectively enough to win the big games in 2023. (Press Pro Feature Photos)
Deemed ‘the best team money can buy’ by cynical fans, ‘Buckeye Nation’ is apparently less than impressed with the proof (strength) of schedule in 2024.
In Ironton last week, where the Ohio State Buckeyes are revered alongside the hometown high school Tigers in terms of annual football optimism, old friends there were quick to ask, “Are they going to be good this year, or just expensive?”
The expensive part comes from the certain knowledge that talent like TreVeyon Henderson, Emeka Egbuka, and Denzel Burke did not return for one more year for the privilege of singing Carmen Ohio, post-game. NIL (name, image, and likeness) is what enticed them back…that and whatever human pride is left in college sports after losing to Michigan three straight years, and a dismal Cotton Bowl performance against Missouri last December 29, when the Buckeyes’ offense spit and sputtered its way to a 14-3 loss.
Yes, they played without quarterback Kyle McCord and All-American wide receiver Marvin Harrison. McCord entered the transfer portal and Harrison sat out so as to not risk injury before the draft. But people still expected better than 14-3.
Rank-and-file Buckeye fans along the river, home of Buckeyes great Ken Fritts and Jessie Arden (?…remember him), have failed to buy in to the optimism that this year’s ‘best team money can buy’ is any better to compete against Georgia, Texas, and Alabama for national glory than in past years and past disappointments. The Missouri game left a lasting impression.
“If you believe what we all read there’s no way that Missouri was better than Ohio State,” said long-time friend and junior high classmate, Dan Burcham. “They were worse than they were against Michigan, which is another game they should have won. There’s just too many things they don’t do well to beat the best teams in the country.”
Burcham comes from a rich football background, and cites deficiencies like the running game, a less-than-dominant offensive line, and lack of pass rush as difference makers in those two losses.
Beaten embarrassingly in the Cotton Bowl, Missouri got behind the Buckeye secondary to ice the game in the second half.
“You have to control the line of scrimmage to win and football and they can’t do that anymore. They were lucky to beat Notre Dame,” he added, without fear of being proven wrong. “You see that team play every week. How can you disagree?”
Well the message must have been received at the Woody Hayes facility by Ryan Day and staff over the winter, as an infusion of talent was woohed from Alabama (center Seth McLaughlin and safety Caleb Downs), Ole’ Miss (running back Quinshon Judkins), and Kansas State quarterback Will Howard. This, along with the usual top-five recruiting class has stoked that same old notion for national dominance from so many years past. Only now the faithful outside of Lane Avenue and High Street aren’t as optimistic as in year’s past. There must be proof on the field, something better than the gaslighting from the Big Ten Network and the Columbus Dispatch.
And their schedule does little to lend optimism.
There’s always been the parade of patsies by which to warm to the task by the nation’s anointed Top Ten, but this year the Buckeyes have really bottomed out. Akron, Western Michigan, and Marshall, all home games, will prove to be little more than a scrimmage before they open Big Ten play on September 28 at Michigan State. Between the three of them, they finished 12 and 25 in 2023. Marshall finished with 6 wins in 13 games.
“You’ve got to play someone better than that,” added Buckeye football follower Ken Hamlin, from Huntington. “This is men playing against boys.”
Hamlin went on to observe that the Buckeyes will not be truly tested until they play Oregon, in Eugene, on October 12th. And along the way they have Iowa, Nebraska, Penn State, Purdue, Northwestern (in Wrigley Field) and Indiana before meeting Michigan on November 30, in Columbus. Many consider it the weakest schedule among all of the nation’s pre-season Top Ten, and OSU’s weakest schedule, at least on paper, in years! Penn State is to be respected, of course, but the Nitany Lions have beaten Ohio State just eight times in 31 games, going back to 1993…and have lost eight of the last nine meetings. One can make the case for men against boys.
In addition, Ohio State plays eight of its twelve games in Columbus this year, with Oregon and Penn State being the only two formidable opponents with any chance of beating the Buckeyes on the road. And both are regarded as being better than that Missouri team, who embarrassed them in the Cotton Bowl.
Editor/publisher Sonny Fulks writes OHSAA and Big Ten sports for Press Pros Magazine.
“There’s something wrong up there,” adds Hamlin, who rarely misses a Buckeyes game, in person or on TV. “If they’re that good it has to be coaching and preparation. And if they stumble again this year Ryan Day has to be questioned, seriously. They’ve lost three times in a row to Michigan, games that they should have won.”
In his own defense Day reminded this past week that losing to Michigan last year was hardly an embarrassment. “That was a very good football team, but we still should’ve won that game.”
Expectation in football follows very closely with would’ve, could’ve and should’ve, which only means that wins over Akron and Western Michigan will do little to assuage the cynicism for ‘the best team money can buy.’ It’s payday in Columbus, and not for centers and running backs.
No one cares about beating Western, or Eastern, or Central Michigan.
Which only leaves one other choice…..!
Logan Services proudly supports the Ohio State Buckeyes on Press Pros Magazine.com.