I don't typically write these out since I have the podcast to be able to pontificate a bit. However, there are a lot of things racing through my mind I know I'll forget this afternoon when @Kirk Barton @NevadaBuck and @Ross Fulton and I record the Monday show.
Your typical qualifiers: YES, it's just Rutgers (as last week it was just Oregon State). So every observation I have, it should be assumed I'm taking the competition into account.
Unlike Oregon State, who legitimately is bad on defense, Rutgers actually profiles as an above-average defense. I'm not sure the iteration we saw on Saturday will be a good defense because that team had several injuries and suspensions to key players, but the past two years they were No. 56 & No. 52 in the S&P+ defensive rankings and were currently No. 15 in week two (which is based on projections as well as the week one performance).
I'm not arguing this is a top-20 defense, certainly not the personnel that was out there on Saturday, but just saying for context this wasn't a bad defense that Ohio State chewed up and spit out.
Anyhow, my thoughts:
1. Dwayne Haskins will be the real deal. His footwork, his arm strength, his release, his accuracy, it all is the stuff that top-10 NFL draft picks are made of. IF he keeps this up, he'll have a shot at being the top QB taken in 2019. That said, long season ahead and who knows whether he'll keep this up.
2. I wish people would stop trying to rewrite history and act like the Haskins we've seen in two games is somehow the Haskins we would have seen in 2017, ergo that he should have started. It's not. That Haskins took four months to develop to what we saw in Ann Arbor. He was erratic early, stared down receivers and made poor reads. And those aren't my words. He was No. 3 on the depth chart when Joe Burrow got hurt for a reason. Motivation, in part, but also because he simply wasn't a passer at that time. He was a thrower. Haskin's time is now. It wasn't 2017.
3. I said last week I felt the Ohio State receiving core was going to be the best it's ever had. I'm feeling good about that. It doesn't appear to have THE GUY that it's had in the past. There are no Bostons, Glenns, Thomases, Jenkinses, etc., but there are so many legitimate receiving threats.
4. Offensively the line for me is still the biggest question mark. If they block/protect like they have these last two weeks, then this is a championship caliber team. If you give Haskins time to throw, he's going to pick apart any and all defenses he faces. I do still have some reservations how the line will fare when they face a Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn State, etc.
5. The defensive line... not much to say. It's dominant. Bosa is the best player in college football. And he has one of the most talented pass rushers in the country opposite him and two of the best run-stoppers in the middle.
6. Linebackers still concern me against the pass although they were awesome on Saturday. Baron Browning made a few instinctive tackles where he looked great, but it's still clearly up to Tuf Borland to lead the defense from inside for this year. Malik Harrison had a great game, I thought. Just need he and Werner to show up on those outside runs, screens & flat passes.
7. Secondary is going to be very good. Shaun Wade looked like a stud on Saturday. With Fuller back, Wade starting to come into his own and the other corners, I'm not worried about Ohio State's back four...at all.
I really don't know what to think of TCU yet, but I have a feeling Ohio State is going to put up a crooked number against them. It's not even that I'm convinced Ohio State will run through the schedule like some juggernaut. I'm not saying that at all. I just think on Saturday we're not going to see them slow down much.
Line & linebackers are where I'll need to see this team further to have a better idea if this is legit. The the potential is scary.
Your typical qualifiers: YES, it's just Rutgers (as last week it was just Oregon State). So every observation I have, it should be assumed I'm taking the competition into account.
Unlike Oregon State, who legitimately is bad on defense, Rutgers actually profiles as an above-average defense. I'm not sure the iteration we saw on Saturday will be a good defense because that team had several injuries and suspensions to key players, but the past two years they were No. 56 & No. 52 in the S&P+ defensive rankings and were currently No. 15 in week two (which is based on projections as well as the week one performance).
I'm not arguing this is a top-20 defense, certainly not the personnel that was out there on Saturday, but just saying for context this wasn't a bad defense that Ohio State chewed up and spit out.
Anyhow, my thoughts:
1. Dwayne Haskins will be the real deal. His footwork, his arm strength, his release, his accuracy, it all is the stuff that top-10 NFL draft picks are made of. IF he keeps this up, he'll have a shot at being the top QB taken in 2019. That said, long season ahead and who knows whether he'll keep this up.
2. I wish people would stop trying to rewrite history and act like the Haskins we've seen in two games is somehow the Haskins we would have seen in 2017, ergo that he should have started. It's not. That Haskins took four months to develop to what we saw in Ann Arbor. He was erratic early, stared down receivers and made poor reads. And those aren't my words. He was No. 3 on the depth chart when Joe Burrow got hurt for a reason. Motivation, in part, but also because he simply wasn't a passer at that time. He was a thrower. Haskin's time is now. It wasn't 2017.
3. I said last week I felt the Ohio State receiving core was going to be the best it's ever had. I'm feeling good about that. It doesn't appear to have THE GUY that it's had in the past. There are no Bostons, Glenns, Thomases, Jenkinses, etc., but there are so many legitimate receiving threats.
4. Offensively the line for me is still the biggest question mark. If they block/protect like they have these last two weeks, then this is a championship caliber team. If you give Haskins time to throw, he's going to pick apart any and all defenses he faces. I do still have some reservations how the line will fare when they face a Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn State, etc.
5. The defensive line... not much to say. It's dominant. Bosa is the best player in college football. And he has one of the most talented pass rushers in the country opposite him and two of the best run-stoppers in the middle.
6. Linebackers still concern me against the pass although they were awesome on Saturday. Baron Browning made a few instinctive tackles where he looked great, but it's still clearly up to Tuf Borland to lead the defense from inside for this year. Malik Harrison had a great game, I thought. Just need he and Werner to show up on those outside runs, screens & flat passes.
7. Secondary is going to be very good. Shaun Wade looked like a stud on Saturday. With Fuller back, Wade starting to come into his own and the other corners, I'm not worried about Ohio State's back four...at all.
I really don't know what to think of TCU yet, but I have a feeling Ohio State is going to put up a crooked number against them. It's not even that I'm convinced Ohio State will run through the schedule like some juggernaut. I'm not saying that at all. I just think on Saturday we're not going to see them slow down much.
Line & linebackers are where I'll need to see this team further to have a better idea if this is legit. The the potential is scary.
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