Ohio State’s offensive line concerns are still real. The Michigan loss will never not stop hurting. But the time has come to focus on Tennessee and game planning for every situation.
Columbus – Will Howard’s one chance to beat Michigan will always be a regrettable afternoon for him.
“It hurts, man, I’m not gonna lie,” he said Monday. “We all still feel it.”
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“But …,” he said.
And it’s the most important “but” of the season.
“… we moved on.”
Veteran columnist Jeff Gilbert writes Ohio State football and OHSAA sports for Press Pros Magazine.com.
Howard’s words must be true, from head coach Ryan Day to the backup special-teamers, for the Buckeyes to go on a significant playoff run. Because Tennessee is coming to the Horseshoe Saturday night in the 8-9 game with another stout defense.
As great a test as the mental hurdle of trying to beat Michigan has become for Ohio State, an even greater hurdle for the Buckeyes is trying to time up their steps to clear the next hurdle. Mentally, the opponent is immaterial.
“We can’t let it beat us twice,” Howard said of the Michigan defeat.
A short memory, good game planning and prepping the offensive line lead the list of what the Buckeyes must do to advance to the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day for another shot at No. 1 and unbeaten Oregon.
Like a snooze alarm, Michigan kept making noise as questions were asked Monday of head coach Ryan Day, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, running back TreVeyon Henderson, left tackle Donovan Jackson and Howard. There was Michigan fatigue in the eyes, body language and answers as the topic came and went and came back again.
Michigan ran the ball in the November meeting…Ohio State tried and couldn’t. The reasons for why, and why, still dominate discussion for the upcoming playoffs.
After a week of sulking, a week of practice and now a week to fine-tune the game plan, they all said the right things about looking forward.
Kelly: “We got two losses on the season by four points combined. But we still have an opportunity to finish the way we want to finish.”
Howard: “This is a new season – it’s the playoffs – and the fact of the matter is, if we don’t beat Tennessee, none of it matters. So we’re worried about Tennessee right now.”
Henderson: “I truly believe God using those losses, God using those hard times, to humble us and help us to see him. I truly am thankful for that, but I’m also thankful for this opportunity that God has given us to make a run for a national championship.”
Day: “They understand when they come here the high expectations of what’s expected. But they also know what’s in front of them. Like anything else, once you identify it you move on. That’s life.”
The next thing in life is Tennessee, a program that head coach and Heisman runner-up Josh Heupel has brought back to life. So … backing up those words will require the Buckeyes to be single-minded. That means no more Michigan mourning.
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The Volunteers may not be used to sub-freezing temperatures that will settle into the Horseshoe Saturday night. But they bring a rush defense, much like Michigan’s, that would be happy to tangle with polar bears.
The Volunteers made defensive line recruiting a priority when Heupel took the job in 2021. Led by all-SEC end James Pearce Jr., this deep and talented group stops the run the same as Ohio State does. The Buckeyes rank seventh nationally against the run at 96.8 yards per game. The Volunteers are eighth at 99.6.
“We can’t let it beat us twice,” says quarterback Will Howard said of the Michigan defeat.
The only similar defense the Buckeyes have rushed well against is ninth-best Penn State (103.6) when the Buckeyes kept the ball on the ground for a game-clinching drive. But against Michigan, statistically the third-best rush defense in the country, the Buckeyes rushed for 77 yards.
Beyond their mental state – which they to a man say is where it needs to be – the personnel question of the night will be the Buckeyes’ patchwork offensive line against Tennessee’s front.
The season-ending injuries to left tackle Josh Simmons and center Seth McLaughlin sabotaged the offense. McLaughlin played in 10 games, and that was enough for him to win the Rimington Trophy as the nation’s best center.
Just like the Michigan game, those losses are behind the Buckeyes. They must continue to improve daily in practice with Donovan Jackson still at left tackle, Carson Hinzman back at center, where he started last season, and the group of Tegra Tshabola, Austin Siereveld and now Luke Montgomery at the two guard positions.
As much as the Buckeyes are expected to always win with what is likely the most talented group of receivers and running backs in the playoffs, blocking matters more than anything.
“I got all the faith in the world in those guys no matter who it is,” Howard said. “No matter who it is out there, just got to make sure we’re playing with confidence, playing fast, playing physical and just go and attack. Because this is all we have left.”
Kelly’s play calling against Michigan has been criticized in Columbus and beyond. Too much running into the line, not enough use of the receivers and too conservative in the red zone. In his first public comments since the Michigan loss, Kelly didn’t defend that day or his lack of readiness for difficult field-position situations.
“If anybody says, ‘No, we wouldn’t change anything,’ well, then you’d still lose the game,” he said.
Howard suffered a hard hit against Michigan but came back quickly after getting checked out by the medical staff. Like everyone else on offense, Howard had his worst day. And now, as team spokesman and the de facto leadership that comes with his position, Howard pledged Monday to continue to be the leader he came from Kansas State a year ago to be.
“My ability to push this team and to lead this team in this game is going to be crucial,” Howard said. “If we can maintain that edge that we had in that Indiana game, I need to be the one that that sparks that. And I need to make sure that I’m bringing that all game.”
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