A revealing second look at OSU’s opening win
Rewatching a football game offers plenty of benefits, and Ohio State’s 45-31 victory over Minnesota was no different.
The Buckeyes had new faces in new places, and some came out looking better than others.
Here are some observations from a second viewing:
1. The offensive game plan was ideal for a young quarterback making his first start on the road.
C.J. Stroud had some ups and downs, but he came out the other side looking good thanks to his gumption and a plan that did not ask him to do too much.
The Buckeyes used more bubble screens than usual, which made sense for multiple reasons. They give playmakers Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave more chances to do something, provide easy throws for the quarterback and prevent the defense from overloading the box to stop the inside run.
Coach Ryan Day and offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson did not ask Stroud to drop straight back much. They relied heavily on play action and dialed up a handful of “shot plays” giving him the opportunity to go deep. He took advantage enough to get the victory.
The touchdown pass to Wilson was a good example of the latter.
Ohio State came out in heavy personnel and got him isolated on a safety who had no chance to stay with him deep.
2. Minnesota’s defensive game plan was uninspiring.
Maybe that’s all they have based on their personnel, but the plan to play two safeties deep and play the running game was not effective. Ohio State remained balanced, ran the ball and still hit
big plays through play action.
Defensive end Boye Mafe, a recipient of a lot of preseason hype, was pretty much invisible live and on the rewatch. He was conspicuously unable to contain Miyan Williams on his touchdown run, though.
Minnesota was able to get exotic and confuse Stroud a couple of times on obvious passing downs, but that was rare.
3. Ohio State’s defenses left a lot to be desired, but it’s far too early to panic.
Minnesota certainly gets some credit. The Gophers had known entities at quarterback, running back and offensive line, and they all did some good things.
Defensive linemen Zach Harrison and Taron Vincent stood out more upon more closer inspection (and Harrison looked pretty good live, too), and everyone up front did a good job of pursuing and keeping the motor running.
Senior linebacker Teradja Mitchell was all over the place, and Cody Simon showed some nice burst on a crucial sack late in the first half.
The front was neutralized on Mohamed Ibrahim’s 56-yard run that set up Minnesota’s first touchdown and again when he got loose for a 19-yard touchdown in the third quarter, but both times a defender was in position to make the tackle and whiffed. That will need to be cleaned up.
4. As promised, Ohio State played a lot of players and used a few different packages on defense.
The base defense had four down linemen, two linebackers, the hybrid “Bullet” position and four regular defensive backs.
With Minnesota using a lot of heavy and super heavy personnel packages (six or even seven offensive linemen), Ohio State also spent a decent amount of time with three traditional linebackers on the field and the Bullet appearing to be the strong safety.
They also used a goal-line package that included hotshot freshman J.T. Tuimoloau, who appeared to hold his own.
5. So far, so good for the new-look offensive line.
Even without center Harry Miller, the reworked front was stellar.
The Buckeyes made holes for every running back who got into the game, and they allowed little pressure on Stroud.
Luke Wypler looked comfortable blocking in Miller’s place, but he did have a couple of misfires on the snap.
Also worth noting: Left guard Thayer Munford, a tackle until last month, sprung Williams on a nice run with a solid trap block. That bodes well for his ability to play inside, and it is an indication of how many options Ohio State has in the running game.
Other notes
Stroud does not look like much of a runner, but he did have a good pull on a zone read to start the third quarter. That’s important for defenses to be aware of to prevent them from cheating inside on the running back.
Williams and TreVeyon Henderson DO look like runners. Williams’ shimmy, shake and relentless effort helped him find holes and make guys miss while Henderson displayed the explosiveness that made him the No. 1 running back recruit in the country. Minnesota was outflanked on Williams’ TD run, but he still had to get outside Mafe, make the safety miss and outrun everyone else to get to the end zone. Check, check and check. The Gophers weren’t lined up at the start of Henderson’s 70-yard TD reception, but he still had to find fifth gear to leave those defenders behind — and he did.
Both defenses tackled like it was the first game of the season, especially in the first half.
Ohio State ran 48 plays, and the Buckeyes used two tight ends at least a dozen times. Looks like “12 personnel” (one back, two tight ends) will remain an important part of the offense.