Anybody can…nobody has. The running game has been another season (so far) of failed opportunity. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
The passing game is elite, but the Buckeyes still struggle to pound on defenses with the running game. The off week presents an opportunity for fundamental change.
Columbus, OH – Ohio State’s defensive prowess accomplished three things during the first seven games.
First, it didn’t give any opponent a chance to beat the Buckeyes. No first-half touchdowns, 5.9 points per game and 216.9 yards per game suffocates offenses.
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Second, it gave the offense (and continues to do so) adversity-free opportunities to find its identity, polish what it does well and drill on what it must improve. That’s not to say quarterback Julian Sayin couldn’t have performed well under more stress a month ago. But he didn’t have to.
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Third, it makes the Buckeyes boring good, which is a good thing for them. Other than the anticipation of the opener against then-No. 1 Texas, games are devoid of drama. Drippy starts are not dramatic. An iffy run game is not dramatic, only melodramatic for the handwringers out there.
The no-drama-zone fourth quarters, other than a little bit of Texas, don’t have to compete with your nap time, yard work or grill time.
Guess what?
The next four games don’t figure to be any different. The No. 1 Buckeyes welcome down-and-out Penn State (3-4) to Ohio Stadium at noon on November 1. That game was supposed to be a major mid-season test. That will only be true if the Buckeyes fail to focus.
Don’t count on it. Head coach Ryan Day and his staff are experts this season at keeping this team on edge. They avoided the drama of a potential “trap game” at 2-5 Wisconsin on Saturday against a team that can’t score and a head coach in Luke Fickell who is trying to hold on to his job.
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Following Penn State is a trip to Purdue, then visits from UCLA and Rutgers, all with losing records. The season concludes against Michigan with the dramatic specter of a four-game losing streak to their rivals threatening their psyche, their stroll to 12-0.
Yet, this team isn’t without flaws.
The running game tops the list, and is quite possibly the list. Explosive plays continue to be elusive. Plays with no push by the line and plays with missed blocks are too common. Saturday at Wisconsin failed to reveal the mid-season form the Buckeyes are searching for. They hope that form shows up no later than noon in Ann Arbor. They’re going to need it.
Explosive plays on the ground (Bo Jackson, above) continue to be elusive.
Two weeks of practice before the next game might be just what the offensive line needs. The glaring deficiency lately is the play of right guard Tegra Tshabola. He’s not the only lineman making mistakes, but he’s the one fighting to keep his starting job.
While the other starters played 70 snaps, Tshabola played 44. Josh Padilla, considered more as the backup center entering the season, played 26 snaps at right guard.
“We’re looking at everything, we’re looking at the stats, not only just coming off the last game, but on the first half of the season, to figure out who and what gives us the best chance to win,” Day said of all things concerning the run game. “We need to improve in those areas. We will evaluate everything to make sure we’re doing what’s right by the team.”
In the third quarter against Wisconsin, Day cited four plays spread across two possessions that went poorly. On second-and-9, Isaiah West was stopped for no gain. On second-and-3, Bo Jackson lost four yards. That drive ended with a field goal. On the next possession, Jackson lost a yard on the first play. Wisconsin sacked Sayin on the next play. Those plays were overcome by Sayin’s one-yard sneak for a first down. The drive ended with a touchdown.
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“There were some breakdowns in terms of technique,” Day said. “I won’t really get into pointing fingers, but we’ve got to be more consistent in terms of identifying who we’re going to and using the technique to block them. There were some really good runs, but then there was a stretch there in the third quarter where four runs went for nothing. On a couple of them, we didn’t identify right, but for the most part it was technique. We abandoned our technique. That’s really what it came down to.”
As Day said, to be fair, some run plays were executed well from the blockers to the running backs. But bad plays stick with coaches and give them something to fuss about and correct when everything else is going well. Practice and meetings, sometimes, need some drama to resharpen focus.
“What we can’t have is guys running free in the backfield, and we had that a couple times in the game, and that wasn’t just one guy,” he said. “Guys will get the feedback on their grades and figure out where they need to get better. But, to me, it was more of a technique issue, and maybe it was a lack of focus in that moment. But either way, it’s unacceptable.”
What is undeniable seven games in, is Sayin and his receivers are sharp. Even the pass blocking, for the most part, is razor-sharp compared to some of the run blocking.
Sayin proved at Wisconsin that he can handle the offense being almost completely put in his hands. He threw 42 passes and completed 36 of them for 393 yards and four touchdowns. After such a performance, he’s showing up as high as third in odds to win the Heisman Trophy.
Sayin’s accuracy had been seen from setting up in the pocket. But Wisconsin’s pass rush made him move around more. His 33-yard touchdown pass to Carnell Tate in the first quarter and his 13-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Inniss in the fourth quarter showed his ability to elude defenders, reset and deliver on-target passes.
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“Each week he’s grown more and more, he’s built confidence, and I think his teammates believe in him now,” Day said. “We’re just halfway through the season, so we got a lot of football left. But the number one thing to do is continue to take care of the football, lead the team, command the game. We’re getting into the stretch run of the season, and then obviously playoff football. So all of these games, all these decisions, everything we’re doing is going to be just ramped up and amped up at a higher level. It’s good to see him get some of these games under his belt as we make this run.”
The defense, presumably, will continue to give the offense room to be ready for Michigan and the playoffs. Matt Patricia’s unit has been so good that questions about the defense are rarely asked of Day.
Patricia, unlike Jim Knowles the past two seasons, rarely meets with the media. Without any drama, it seems, there’s nothing to report.
Boring is good.
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