Welcome back for another edition of “A-Deck” at BuckeyeGrove.com, where I’ll bring you thoughts, what I’m hearing, inside scoop, tidbits, and more for Ohio State recruiting and team coverage, every Wednesday.
Last week’s “A-Deck” provided inside scoop on a new running back target, thoughts from a 2021 prospect who got offered, a catch up with a pair of commits, and a look back at game one, with a look ahead to game two.This week we evaluate an Ohio State commit and some targets from Friday night, talk with a wanted 2021 recruit, see if there’s any smoke with Jaheim Thomas, and break down the win over Cincinnati, as well as the upcoming match-up with Indiana.
ST. PETER’S VS. E-HALL SCOOP
I attended the St. Peter’s Prep (NJ) vs. Erasmus Hall (NY) game on Friday night at Caven Point Field in Jersey City, New Jersey. The game featured a number of prospects relevant to Ohio State, and I wanted to provide a quick breakdown on those talents (photos here).
Cody Simon: The 2020 linebacker from SPP is committed to Ohio State, and it was easy to see why. He’s a great looking prospect coming off the bus, and continues to put on good muscle every time I see him. As a player he is very comfortable in space, and is more than capable of playing the pass, which would make him a good SAM linebacker in OSU’s system, (Pete Werner’s position). He’s very good going sideline to sideline and shows great lateral and closing speed when chasing the ball. He definitely needs to get stronger and better at shedding blocks to get to the ball carrier, as well as improve on his ability to blitz. Off the field, he’s a tremendous leader and has command of his team. The Buckeyes are getting a good one in Simon.
George Rooks: The 2021 SPP defensive lineman holds an Ohio State offer. He plays strong-side end in high school, but I see him as a 3-tech defensive tackle in college. I wasn’t super impressed with Rooks’ first step and burst coming off the line, but he played with good leverage and showed he can use his strength to make plays in the run game, as well as hold contain on the edge. I wouldn’t call Rooks a no-brainer take like his offer list may indicate, but he’s definitely a player that is worth keeping an eye on, especially with strong bloodlines (his father played at Syracuse). The Buckeyes are definitely “in this one right now”, but Rooks admitted he isn’t think about a decision anytime soon, so there is time for both sides to feel this one out. Syracuse, Notre Dame, and Penn State are big players for the junior lineman as well.
Keith Miles Jr.: The 2022 prospect is considered as a defensive lineman by most schools, but plays both ways for SPP, which was impressive. He’s older for his grade, which may have helped him early on, as he was physically more mature than most he was going against, and that could be something that catches up to him to some extent. For example, Miles received an offer before even playing a high school game, but he could be a guy that stood out early because of his physical advantage but gets caught up to by others as their bodies develop as well. That said, I liked (didn’t love) what I saw from him on Friday. I see an interior player on either side of the line at the next level, but he didn’t really flash at any point during the game. Part of that could be because he basically didn’t leave the field and was probably exhausted, but I will say the performance left some to be desired when you stack it up to the offer list (11 schools so far, including Georgia, Michigan, Penn State, Tennessee, and others). Ohio State hasn’t offered yet, and I would agree with that decision---need to see more.
Christian Lebrun: The 2022 safety missed all of his freshman year with an injury, but is back and is starting for the Marauders. Rutgers is his only offer thus far, but I think that will change after programs get to see him this season. SPP wasn’t challenged too often vertically, but just watching Lebrun move in space and come down to play the run, you can tell this kid is absolutely going to be a Power 5 prospect. Definitely someone Ohio State should keep an eye on the next year or two.
Jahzion Harris: The 2021 Erasmus Hall product holds an Ohio State offer and it’s easy to see why when looking at him. He is a legitimate 6-foot-4, and now weighs over 200-pounds, but his frame will easily be able to hold 250 or so once he hits a college strength and conditioning and nutrition program. He’s got a tremendous first step and burst off the line, which I have seen in the past. What I was most impressed with was what I saw on Friday night, which was his ability to play gaps, take on blockers (multiple at times), and seal the edge against the run. He did a really nice job there, which is what the E-Hall staff asked him to do in this one, to free up their linebackers, who had a big day. Harris continues to get better every time I see him---when I first saw him he was a speedy edge rusher who used no technique and was a bit out of control---now he’s using his hands more, utilizing a variety of moves (including some he learned from Larry Johnson), and understanding how to play the game more. I think he’s got a ways to go to become the player he’s capable of, but I think his ranking (90th nationally) reflects what his ceiling is. As far as his recruitment goes, I feel comfortable saying Ohio State is the favorite right now. Harris is a big fan of LJ’s, as well as a fan of Chase Young. He’s seeing what OSU did with a similar looking player in Young and he’s loving that. If the Buckeyes decide he’s a top of the board kid, I think he could be the next from E-Hall to come to Columbus.
Moses Walker: The other Ohio State-relative kid in this game was the 2022 linebacker from Eramsus Hall. Walker (a nephew of Hershel) already has eight offers, from the likes of LSU, Miami, Nebraska, Rutgers, West Virginia, Syracuse, Texas A&M, and Tennessee. I saw him over the summer in shorts and a t-shirt and was extremely impressed with how he moved and how he physically looked for such a young kid. He didn’t flash to me on Friday night while watching from the sidelines, but it may be a case of having to go back and watch the film, because he was involved in a lot of the pile ups in the middle of the field when stopping the SPP run. I’d say from seeing him a few times that he needs to get better in defending the pass, but I think this kid is going to be big time and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Buckeyes get into this one at some point following the season. Too early to talk favorites or chances if they do decide to offer, but he’s definitely one to watch as well.
BURTON HIGH ON THE BUCKEYES
It’s still early for 2021 prospects, but it appears that OL Jager Burton from Lexington (Ky.) Frederick Douglass will be a top target for the Buckeyes next cycle.
The 6-foot-4, 270-pounder already holds an offer from Ohio State and has been in frequent contact with the staff.
“I mostly talk to Coach [Ryand] Day, Coach [Greg] Stud[drawa], and Coach [Kennedy] Cook (OL Analyst),” Burton told BuckeyeGrove. “They’ve told me how badly they want me and how I fit well in their offense.”
Burton confirmed to The Grove that he’ll be in Columbus for the Buckeyes’ game against Penn State on November 23. It’s very clear that OSU is high on his list early on, and while he can’t take officials until at least the spring, he told us that one will “definitely” be to Ohio State.
Being from Lexington, Kentucky is obviously in the mix here, but the other programs to watch right now are Texas, Clemson, Alabama, Penn State, and Oregon. The Tigers have the early lead on the FutureCast predictions, but this one is still wide open, in my opinion.
ANY SMOKE WITH JAHEIM?
Marc touched on this in Sunday’s Skull Session, but Cincinnati (Oh.) Princeton LB/DE Jaheim Thomas was in Columbus on Saturday to see Ohio State take on Cincinnati.
My first reaction when Kevin texted Marc and I that Jaheim was in The Horseshoe was that this was a “nothing to see”, and that he was just coming up with his teammates to see his future team (he’s committed to UC) in action, with the OSU staff putting him on the visitor list as a sign of “good will” to the Princeton program and his two good friends (and OSU commits) Paris Johnson and Darrion Henry.
It looks like my initial reaction was indeed correct. Marc confirmed with his sources that was exactly the case, and Jaheim confirmed with me as well.
“It was cool,” he told me of taking in the game. “I was hoping for the (UC) win though. I did speak with the Ohio State coaches—they said what’s up and all that. But I just went up there with Coach [Mike] Daniels (Princeton HC) and the guys. It’s no run, for real.”
The Buckeyes have always viewed Thomas as a bit of a linebacker/defensive end tweener at the next level. I think they’re good with their linebacker group for 2020, and I believe there are a bunch of players higher on the board for end as well, so I don’t really expect anything to change here. If it does, we will let BG Nation know first.
BREAKING DOWN THE WIN OVER UC, LOOKING AHEAD TO IU
As mentioned last week, during the season we’ll be breaking down the game from over the weekend and looking ahead to the game coming up.
Last Saturday, Ohio State smashed Cincinnati 42-0, which makes the breakdown fairly easy for me this week. There was lots to like, and not much not to like, as the Buckeyes looked good from start to finish in this one.
Below are some notes on the staff and each position group that I took during the game and thought about a bit following:
· Coaching Staff: Hard to complain about these guys when you win 42-0, and they definitely had their team ready to go. Most importantly, they didn’t take their foot off the gas, as it was running on all cylinders for the Buckeyes for 60 minutes. There are a few things I noted throughout the game that had me a bit puzzled (play call on 4th and an inch, a play call on a 2nd and 17 early), but overall this was a very good showing from a staff, that should only continue to grow and build more chemistry as the season goes on. I particularly like that the Buckeyes are being penalized at a much lesser rate than last year, which they deserve kudos for as well.
· QB: It was another great performance for Justin Fields, who finished 20-of-25 passing for 224 yards with 2 touchdowns against 0 interceptions, and also had 42 yards rushing and 2 scores on the ground. Most of Fields’ incompletions were throwaways or receiver drops, so he was certainly on the money and making good decisions. I wrote multiple times in my notes about how he escaped trouble, made smart decisions, and made some good reads, in addition to executing throws and showing tremendous arm strength in throwing to the opposite hash multiple times throughout the contest. There were some teachable moments in this one (taking too long to throw it or take off and taking a sack, making a couple wrong reads, sliding a yard too early to set up the 3rd and an inch failure, etc.), but overall you have to love what you’re seeing from the first year starter. He’ll have a tougher test this week in his first road and conference game, but confidence is high in what he is capable of doing.
· RB: While things started a bit slow for J.K. Dobbins and the rushing attack, that changed quickly in this one once Fields started opening things up for them with his ability to hit some throws and runs. Dobbins showed better vision, more physicality, and speed + acceleration on his way to a 141 yard and 2 TD performance on 17 carries (8.3 ypa), including a couple long gainers. Let’s see if he can keep it up again this week at IU. Master Teague also got some run, looking good in averaging 5.5 yards per carry on his 11 attempts (60 net yards). He runs hard and with a great motor and hits the hole quickly. He’s never going to be a shifty type of back that makes a lot of defenders miss, but there’s absolutely a role in this offense as a guy who can pound the rock. While he only had two touches, I did like to see the way Steele Chambers looked at the end of the game.
· WR: Early in the game, I didn’t love this group, as Austin Mack missed a key block, and then KJ Hill uncharacteristically dropped another pass, as well as fumbled, which would’ve been a turnover had UC not committed a penalty. After that, things got better, including an awesome first career reception for Garrett Wilson that went for a score. Hill finished with a team-high 8 catches for 57 yards and 1 TD, so he redeemed himself a bit, and Binjimen Victor didn’t do anything too flashy, but had another nice day with 5 receptions for 69 yards. This group has to get stronger as far as their blocking on the edge goes, but they’ve been doing a solid job of getting open and making most of the plays that come their way.
· TE: Not as good of a game in week two on the receiving front, as none of the tight ends caught a pass. In the blocking game they did a relatively good job, but there were a few moments where I saw missed assignments by Luke Farrell once again (including that same 4th and an inch play). It was nice to see Jeremy Ruckert with a nice block on Dobbins’ long run, though.
· OL: Other than a Jonah Jackson penalty (soft!) early to set OSU back on the first drive, and a slow start the first two drives in the ground game, the line was very good in this one. They did a much better job adjusting to the UC blitzes in week two versus how they handled in week one, and did a nice job of getting to the next level and making some plays on some of the longer runs. The second team line was a clear drop-off when they entered the game, but that is a lot of younger/inexperienced guys out there who need reps.
· DL: Tremendous game for this group with guys flashing including Chase Young, Davon Hamilton, and Tyreke Smith. I thought Tommy Togiai was active as well, but he gets dinged a bit for a bone-headed late hit on what would have been a 3rd down stop. Sure, it was somewhat of a weak call, but it was technically a penalty and just an unneccesary action taken by a young player. Hopefully he learns from it and applies that to future games. The second team defensive line struggled with the read option a bit, but one guy I thought who stood out there to me was Javontae Jean-Baptiste.
· LB: Really good showing by these guys, as they helped hold UC to 107 team rushing yards on 34 carries (3.1 average), including holding star back Michael Warren to just 15 rushing yards on 10 attempts. Malik Harrison continues to look like a monster out there and finished with 5 tackles, 2.5 TFL, and 0.5 sack. Pete Werner had a really strong game, and they used him in some unique ways. Tuf Borland had an interception in this one (although was chased down by a lineman!), and Baron Browning continues to look like a different player as well. Nice to see Dallas Gant not give up when it looked like UC was going to score late, and punch the ball out at the 1 to preserve the shutout. So far, through two games, this group looks much improved over last year.
· DB: I love how willing this group is to come up and play the run, especially Jeff Okudah. That has been huge, not to mention their ability to succesffully tackle/wrap up the ball carrier (versus last year). I love how the staff is using Shaun Wade, and seeing him blitz off the corner and cause a fumble, as well as seeing him deflect the ball that Borland intercepted (even though he didn’t see it coming) was enjoyable. Brendon White isn’t playing as much as I thought he would so far, but he did have 3 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 TFL. Expect to see him more as the schedule gets tougher. Wanted to call out two younger guys in Cam Brown and Amir Riep who made some nice plays late in the game. Some bigger tests ahead, but so far BIA looks back.
· ST: The return game has been better than last year and Drue Chrisman is one of the best in America. Coverage units have been strong. The one knock I have on this team is kickoff and it will eventually come back to bite them. It is an area that needs to be fixed ASAP, as it is so inconsistent, and usually results in some poor kicks. The first attempt by Blake Haubeil was kicked through the end zone, and I’d love to see OSU just do that every time to avoid what could be some risky plays otherwise. Outside of that, there were a few short, poor kicks, and one that went out of bounds. Haubeil had to save the team on a return with a tackle once, too. This is an area that absolutely needs to be worked on moving forward.
This week Ohio State travels to Indiana, for their first Big Ten game and road game this season. Vegas was off the mark big time last week with the 16.5-point spread, and I was a bit surprised to see the line open at 14, although it’s already creeping up to 15.5-17, depending on what book you look at.
I think it’s really important for the staff to have the guys ready to go. Playing a noon game in Bloomington (not the most electrifying/motivating atmosphere) while coming off of a game that may give a bunch of 18-22 year olds some inflated confidence is a recipe for a slow start out the gates. If Ohio State can avoid that, I think they can roll and easily cover the point spread. They haven’t always been able to do that in the past handful of years against the Hoosiers, and if they aren’t ready to rock at the opening whistle, it could be a closer game than it should be.
From a talent perspective, this should be another 42-0 type of game for the Buckeyes, but I think that Tom Allen will have IU giving OSU their best shot. I like Ohio State to win, and eventually cover the spread, but I think you’re looking at a closer first half (call it 7-10 points at half), with the Scarlet and Gray pulling away midway through the third quarter by something like 17-21 points.
This should be OSU’s most difficult opponent to date, and will be a good test for Fields, the new defensive scheme, the coaching staff, and the rest of the team.
Last week’s “A-Deck” provided inside scoop on a new running back target, thoughts from a 2021 prospect who got offered, a catch up with a pair of commits, and a look back at game one, with a look ahead to game two.This week we evaluate an Ohio State commit and some targets from Friday night, talk with a wanted 2021 recruit, see if there’s any smoke with Jaheim Thomas, and break down the win over Cincinnati, as well as the upcoming match-up with Indiana.
ST. PETER’S VS. E-HALL SCOOP
I attended the St. Peter’s Prep (NJ) vs. Erasmus Hall (NY) game on Friday night at Caven Point Field in Jersey City, New Jersey. The game featured a number of prospects relevant to Ohio State, and I wanted to provide a quick breakdown on those talents (photos here).
Cody Simon: The 2020 linebacker from SPP is committed to Ohio State, and it was easy to see why. He’s a great looking prospect coming off the bus, and continues to put on good muscle every time I see him. As a player he is very comfortable in space, and is more than capable of playing the pass, which would make him a good SAM linebacker in OSU’s system, (Pete Werner’s position). He’s very good going sideline to sideline and shows great lateral and closing speed when chasing the ball. He definitely needs to get stronger and better at shedding blocks to get to the ball carrier, as well as improve on his ability to blitz. Off the field, he’s a tremendous leader and has command of his team. The Buckeyes are getting a good one in Simon.
George Rooks: The 2021 SPP defensive lineman holds an Ohio State offer. He plays strong-side end in high school, but I see him as a 3-tech defensive tackle in college. I wasn’t super impressed with Rooks’ first step and burst coming off the line, but he played with good leverage and showed he can use his strength to make plays in the run game, as well as hold contain on the edge. I wouldn’t call Rooks a no-brainer take like his offer list may indicate, but he’s definitely a player that is worth keeping an eye on, especially with strong bloodlines (his father played at Syracuse). The Buckeyes are definitely “in this one right now”, but Rooks admitted he isn’t think about a decision anytime soon, so there is time for both sides to feel this one out. Syracuse, Notre Dame, and Penn State are big players for the junior lineman as well.
Keith Miles Jr.: The 2022 prospect is considered as a defensive lineman by most schools, but plays both ways for SPP, which was impressive. He’s older for his grade, which may have helped him early on, as he was physically more mature than most he was going against, and that could be something that catches up to him to some extent. For example, Miles received an offer before even playing a high school game, but he could be a guy that stood out early because of his physical advantage but gets caught up to by others as their bodies develop as well. That said, I liked (didn’t love) what I saw from him on Friday. I see an interior player on either side of the line at the next level, but he didn’t really flash at any point during the game. Part of that could be because he basically didn’t leave the field and was probably exhausted, but I will say the performance left some to be desired when you stack it up to the offer list (11 schools so far, including Georgia, Michigan, Penn State, Tennessee, and others). Ohio State hasn’t offered yet, and I would agree with that decision---need to see more.
Christian Lebrun: The 2022 safety missed all of his freshman year with an injury, but is back and is starting for the Marauders. Rutgers is his only offer thus far, but I think that will change after programs get to see him this season. SPP wasn’t challenged too often vertically, but just watching Lebrun move in space and come down to play the run, you can tell this kid is absolutely going to be a Power 5 prospect. Definitely someone Ohio State should keep an eye on the next year or two.
Jahzion Harris: The 2021 Erasmus Hall product holds an Ohio State offer and it’s easy to see why when looking at him. He is a legitimate 6-foot-4, and now weighs over 200-pounds, but his frame will easily be able to hold 250 or so once he hits a college strength and conditioning and nutrition program. He’s got a tremendous first step and burst off the line, which I have seen in the past. What I was most impressed with was what I saw on Friday night, which was his ability to play gaps, take on blockers (multiple at times), and seal the edge against the run. He did a really nice job there, which is what the E-Hall staff asked him to do in this one, to free up their linebackers, who had a big day. Harris continues to get better every time I see him---when I first saw him he was a speedy edge rusher who used no technique and was a bit out of control---now he’s using his hands more, utilizing a variety of moves (including some he learned from Larry Johnson), and understanding how to play the game more. I think he’s got a ways to go to become the player he’s capable of, but I think his ranking (90th nationally) reflects what his ceiling is. As far as his recruitment goes, I feel comfortable saying Ohio State is the favorite right now. Harris is a big fan of LJ’s, as well as a fan of Chase Young. He’s seeing what OSU did with a similar looking player in Young and he’s loving that. If the Buckeyes decide he’s a top of the board kid, I think he could be the next from E-Hall to come to Columbus.
Moses Walker: The other Ohio State-relative kid in this game was the 2022 linebacker from Eramsus Hall. Walker (a nephew of Hershel) already has eight offers, from the likes of LSU, Miami, Nebraska, Rutgers, West Virginia, Syracuse, Texas A&M, and Tennessee. I saw him over the summer in shorts and a t-shirt and was extremely impressed with how he moved and how he physically looked for such a young kid. He didn’t flash to me on Friday night while watching from the sidelines, but it may be a case of having to go back and watch the film, because he was involved in a lot of the pile ups in the middle of the field when stopping the SPP run. I’d say from seeing him a few times that he needs to get better in defending the pass, but I think this kid is going to be big time and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Buckeyes get into this one at some point following the season. Too early to talk favorites or chances if they do decide to offer, but he’s definitely one to watch as well.
BURTON HIGH ON THE BUCKEYES
It’s still early for 2021 prospects, but it appears that OL Jager Burton from Lexington (Ky.) Frederick Douglass will be a top target for the Buckeyes next cycle.
The 6-foot-4, 270-pounder already holds an offer from Ohio State and has been in frequent contact with the staff.
“I mostly talk to Coach [Ryand] Day, Coach [Greg] Stud[drawa], and Coach [Kennedy] Cook (OL Analyst),” Burton told BuckeyeGrove. “They’ve told me how badly they want me and how I fit well in their offense.”
Burton confirmed to The Grove that he’ll be in Columbus for the Buckeyes’ game against Penn State on November 23. It’s very clear that OSU is high on his list early on, and while he can’t take officials until at least the spring, he told us that one will “definitely” be to Ohio State.
Being from Lexington, Kentucky is obviously in the mix here, but the other programs to watch right now are Texas, Clemson, Alabama, Penn State, and Oregon. The Tigers have the early lead on the FutureCast predictions, but this one is still wide open, in my opinion.
ANY SMOKE WITH JAHEIM?
Marc touched on this in Sunday’s Skull Session, but Cincinnati (Oh.) Princeton LB/DE Jaheim Thomas was in Columbus on Saturday to see Ohio State take on Cincinnati.
My first reaction when Kevin texted Marc and I that Jaheim was in The Horseshoe was that this was a “nothing to see”, and that he was just coming up with his teammates to see his future team (he’s committed to UC) in action, with the OSU staff putting him on the visitor list as a sign of “good will” to the Princeton program and his two good friends (and OSU commits) Paris Johnson and Darrion Henry.
It looks like my initial reaction was indeed correct. Marc confirmed with his sources that was exactly the case, and Jaheim confirmed with me as well.
“It was cool,” he told me of taking in the game. “I was hoping for the (UC) win though. I did speak with the Ohio State coaches—they said what’s up and all that. But I just went up there with Coach [Mike] Daniels (Princeton HC) and the guys. It’s no run, for real.”
The Buckeyes have always viewed Thomas as a bit of a linebacker/defensive end tweener at the next level. I think they’re good with their linebacker group for 2020, and I believe there are a bunch of players higher on the board for end as well, so I don’t really expect anything to change here. If it does, we will let BG Nation know first.
BREAKING DOWN THE WIN OVER UC, LOOKING AHEAD TO IU
As mentioned last week, during the season we’ll be breaking down the game from over the weekend and looking ahead to the game coming up.
Last Saturday, Ohio State smashed Cincinnati 42-0, which makes the breakdown fairly easy for me this week. There was lots to like, and not much not to like, as the Buckeyes looked good from start to finish in this one.
Below are some notes on the staff and each position group that I took during the game and thought about a bit following:
· Coaching Staff: Hard to complain about these guys when you win 42-0, and they definitely had their team ready to go. Most importantly, they didn’t take their foot off the gas, as it was running on all cylinders for the Buckeyes for 60 minutes. There are a few things I noted throughout the game that had me a bit puzzled (play call on 4th and an inch, a play call on a 2nd and 17 early), but overall this was a very good showing from a staff, that should only continue to grow and build more chemistry as the season goes on. I particularly like that the Buckeyes are being penalized at a much lesser rate than last year, which they deserve kudos for as well.
· QB: It was another great performance for Justin Fields, who finished 20-of-25 passing for 224 yards with 2 touchdowns against 0 interceptions, and also had 42 yards rushing and 2 scores on the ground. Most of Fields’ incompletions were throwaways or receiver drops, so he was certainly on the money and making good decisions. I wrote multiple times in my notes about how he escaped trouble, made smart decisions, and made some good reads, in addition to executing throws and showing tremendous arm strength in throwing to the opposite hash multiple times throughout the contest. There were some teachable moments in this one (taking too long to throw it or take off and taking a sack, making a couple wrong reads, sliding a yard too early to set up the 3rd and an inch failure, etc.), but overall you have to love what you’re seeing from the first year starter. He’ll have a tougher test this week in his first road and conference game, but confidence is high in what he is capable of doing.
· RB: While things started a bit slow for J.K. Dobbins and the rushing attack, that changed quickly in this one once Fields started opening things up for them with his ability to hit some throws and runs. Dobbins showed better vision, more physicality, and speed + acceleration on his way to a 141 yard and 2 TD performance on 17 carries (8.3 ypa), including a couple long gainers. Let’s see if he can keep it up again this week at IU. Master Teague also got some run, looking good in averaging 5.5 yards per carry on his 11 attempts (60 net yards). He runs hard and with a great motor and hits the hole quickly. He’s never going to be a shifty type of back that makes a lot of defenders miss, but there’s absolutely a role in this offense as a guy who can pound the rock. While he only had two touches, I did like to see the way Steele Chambers looked at the end of the game.
· WR: Early in the game, I didn’t love this group, as Austin Mack missed a key block, and then KJ Hill uncharacteristically dropped another pass, as well as fumbled, which would’ve been a turnover had UC not committed a penalty. After that, things got better, including an awesome first career reception for Garrett Wilson that went for a score. Hill finished with a team-high 8 catches for 57 yards and 1 TD, so he redeemed himself a bit, and Binjimen Victor didn’t do anything too flashy, but had another nice day with 5 receptions for 69 yards. This group has to get stronger as far as their blocking on the edge goes, but they’ve been doing a solid job of getting open and making most of the plays that come their way.
· TE: Not as good of a game in week two on the receiving front, as none of the tight ends caught a pass. In the blocking game they did a relatively good job, but there were a few moments where I saw missed assignments by Luke Farrell once again (including that same 4th and an inch play). It was nice to see Jeremy Ruckert with a nice block on Dobbins’ long run, though.
· OL: Other than a Jonah Jackson penalty (soft!) early to set OSU back on the first drive, and a slow start the first two drives in the ground game, the line was very good in this one. They did a much better job adjusting to the UC blitzes in week two versus how they handled in week one, and did a nice job of getting to the next level and making some plays on some of the longer runs. The second team line was a clear drop-off when they entered the game, but that is a lot of younger/inexperienced guys out there who need reps.
· DL: Tremendous game for this group with guys flashing including Chase Young, Davon Hamilton, and Tyreke Smith. I thought Tommy Togiai was active as well, but he gets dinged a bit for a bone-headed late hit on what would have been a 3rd down stop. Sure, it was somewhat of a weak call, but it was technically a penalty and just an unneccesary action taken by a young player. Hopefully he learns from it and applies that to future games. The second team defensive line struggled with the read option a bit, but one guy I thought who stood out there to me was Javontae Jean-Baptiste.
· LB: Really good showing by these guys, as they helped hold UC to 107 team rushing yards on 34 carries (3.1 average), including holding star back Michael Warren to just 15 rushing yards on 10 attempts. Malik Harrison continues to look like a monster out there and finished with 5 tackles, 2.5 TFL, and 0.5 sack. Pete Werner had a really strong game, and they used him in some unique ways. Tuf Borland had an interception in this one (although was chased down by a lineman!), and Baron Browning continues to look like a different player as well. Nice to see Dallas Gant not give up when it looked like UC was going to score late, and punch the ball out at the 1 to preserve the shutout. So far, through two games, this group looks much improved over last year.
· DB: I love how willing this group is to come up and play the run, especially Jeff Okudah. That has been huge, not to mention their ability to succesffully tackle/wrap up the ball carrier (versus last year). I love how the staff is using Shaun Wade, and seeing him blitz off the corner and cause a fumble, as well as seeing him deflect the ball that Borland intercepted (even though he didn’t see it coming) was enjoyable. Brendon White isn’t playing as much as I thought he would so far, but he did have 3 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 TFL. Expect to see him more as the schedule gets tougher. Wanted to call out two younger guys in Cam Brown and Amir Riep who made some nice plays late in the game. Some bigger tests ahead, but so far BIA looks back.
· ST: The return game has been better than last year and Drue Chrisman is one of the best in America. Coverage units have been strong. The one knock I have on this team is kickoff and it will eventually come back to bite them. It is an area that needs to be fixed ASAP, as it is so inconsistent, and usually results in some poor kicks. The first attempt by Blake Haubeil was kicked through the end zone, and I’d love to see OSU just do that every time to avoid what could be some risky plays otherwise. Outside of that, there were a few short, poor kicks, and one that went out of bounds. Haubeil had to save the team on a return with a tackle once, too. This is an area that absolutely needs to be worked on moving forward.
This week Ohio State travels to Indiana, for their first Big Ten game and road game this season. Vegas was off the mark big time last week with the 16.5-point spread, and I was a bit surprised to see the line open at 14, although it’s already creeping up to 15.5-17, depending on what book you look at.
I think it’s really important for the staff to have the guys ready to go. Playing a noon game in Bloomington (not the most electrifying/motivating atmosphere) while coming off of a game that may give a bunch of 18-22 year olds some inflated confidence is a recipe for a slow start out the gates. If Ohio State can avoid that, I think they can roll and easily cover the point spread. They haven’t always been able to do that in the past handful of years against the Hoosiers, and if they aren’t ready to rock at the opening whistle, it could be a closer game than it should be.
From a talent perspective, this should be another 42-0 type of game for the Buckeyes, but I think that Tom Allen will have IU giving OSU their best shot. I like Ohio State to win, and eventually cover the spread, but I think you’re looking at a closer first half (call it 7-10 points at half), with the Scarlet and Gray pulling away midway through the third quarter by something like 17-21 points.
This should be OSU’s most difficult opponent to date, and will be a good test for Fields, the new defensive scheme, the coaching staff, and the rest of the team.
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