All right, I’m starting my rewatch of the Ohio State/Purdue game. Like each week, I look to see what plays and trends could carry over and affect Ohio State in its next matchup against Michigan State.
Here’s what I saw from the first quarter.
First quarter
I think one of the things that allowed Purdue to move the ball consistently against Ohio State in the first 15 minutes was actually the run game.
Other than the fumbled handoff from quarterback Jack Plummer — which head coach Jeff Brohm said after the game was supposed to be a wide receiver reverse back to the quarterback — the Boilermakers kept the offense on schedule. Sure, it wasn’t any long runs like the 57-yard touchdown run Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson had, but it was five-to-seven yards consistently, moving the ball downfield.
It wasn’t something Purdue turned to often against the Buckeyes, but it seemed to work.
One more defensive play that showed Ohio State’s struggles defensively, other than the bunch-formation touchdown by Jackson Anthrop.
Facing a 2nd-and-3, Aidan O’Connell, facing a three-man rush and a prevent defense, just checked the ball down to the middle of the field to running back Kind Doerue. Ohio State linebacker Steele Chambers, the nearest body to the back, was in zone and five yards away, giving Purdue the easy first down.
This is what Ohio State gives you defensively and has been consistent all year.
Offensively, Ohio State had the same approach, but with the perimeter pass game.
In the first 15 minutes, redshirt freshman quarterback had 10 completions on 11 pass attempts for 123 yards, only two of which were above 10 yards: his 21-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson and a 49-yard shovel pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said after the game that this was the reason why the Buckeyes’ passing game had so much success: taking what the Purdue defense was giving them on the outside and letting the athletes find running room.
What it means for Michigan State
I don’t think Day’s going to have the same approach to the passing game against Michigan State than he did against Purdue.
Michigan State has by far the worst pass defense in the Big Ten, getting lit up by Michigan and Purdue earlier in the season. Ohio State’s more than likely to focus more downfield with those opportunities, beating the Spartans with its speed on the outside. But what this approach showed was the variety in the pass game, something Day calls an “extension to the run game.”
In terms of the defensive approach, that on-schedule mentality was something that worked for Purdue: by far the worst running game in the conference.
Michigan State will have an opportunity to try this with arguably one of the best running backs in the country in Kenneth Walker III.
Here’s what I saw from the first quarter.
First quarter
I think one of the things that allowed Purdue to move the ball consistently against Ohio State in the first 15 minutes was actually the run game.
Other than the fumbled handoff from quarterback Jack Plummer — which head coach Jeff Brohm said after the game was supposed to be a wide receiver reverse back to the quarterback — the Boilermakers kept the offense on schedule. Sure, it wasn’t any long runs like the 57-yard touchdown run Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson had, but it was five-to-seven yards consistently, moving the ball downfield.
It wasn’t something Purdue turned to often against the Buckeyes, but it seemed to work.
One more defensive play that showed Ohio State’s struggles defensively, other than the bunch-formation touchdown by Jackson Anthrop.
Facing a 2nd-and-3, Aidan O’Connell, facing a three-man rush and a prevent defense, just checked the ball down to the middle of the field to running back Kind Doerue. Ohio State linebacker Steele Chambers, the nearest body to the back, was in zone and five yards away, giving Purdue the easy first down.
This is what Ohio State gives you defensively and has been consistent all year.
Offensively, Ohio State had the same approach, but with the perimeter pass game.
In the first 15 minutes, redshirt freshman quarterback had 10 completions on 11 pass attempts for 123 yards, only two of which were above 10 yards: his 21-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson and a 49-yard shovel pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said after the game that this was the reason why the Buckeyes’ passing game had so much success: taking what the Purdue defense was giving them on the outside and letting the athletes find running room.
What it means for Michigan State
I don’t think Day’s going to have the same approach to the passing game against Michigan State than he did against Purdue.
Michigan State has by far the worst pass defense in the Big Ten, getting lit up by Michigan and Purdue earlier in the season. Ohio State’s more than likely to focus more downfield with those opportunities, beating the Spartans with its speed on the outside. But what this approach showed was the variety in the pass game, something Day calls an “extension to the run game.”
In terms of the defensive approach, that on-schedule mentality was something that worked for Purdue: by far the worst running game in the conference.
Michigan State will have an opportunity to try this with arguably one of the best running backs in the country in Kenneth Walker III.
