BM5: 'This is the perfect Urban Meyer game' - 247Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


BM5: 'This is the perfect Urban Meyer game'
247Sports
The spread on Ohio State-Wisconsin slightly moving. * The perception of running back recruiting greatly changing for Meyer over the last few years. * The latest on the nation's No. 1 wide receiver recruit, Donovan Peoples-Jones. What's next for the ...

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Jabril Peppers for Heisman? Are You Kidding Me?
Ben van Ooyen via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


If you are like me, you are sick and tired of hearing about Jabril Peppers and him being a Heisman candidate. Sure he plays on both sides of the ball and is a dynamic play-maker with the ball in his hands, but what really has he done? Is he worthy of all the hype that surrounds him? Is he the next Charles Woodson? My simple answer to these questions is no. Let’s delve into this shall we?

Peppers has been decorated early in his career, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Freshman All-American in 2015. He also earned First Team All-Big Ten and was a Second-team All-American last season. But do the stats back up those awards?

In Peppers freshman season he played in only three games, notching only eight total tackles and returning one punt for six yards. He was then injured against Appalachian State and was granted a redshirt for the rest of the season. He played in 12 games his redshirt freshman year notching 45 tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss on defense. He also returned 17 punts for and 11.4 yard average, and eight kickoffs for a 27.9 average. He also played on offense, having 18 rushes for 72 yards and eight receptions for 79 yards. He had two touchdowns on the season.

This season through six games, Peppers has 35 total tackles, with eight being tackles for a loss along with two quarterback sacks. He has also returned 14 punts for a 17.8 average with one touchdown and three kickoffs for a 31.7 yard average. On offense he was basically not utilized until this past week against Rutgers, but now has five rushes for 98 yards and two touchdowns to his name.



With those numbers above he is ranked 5th in ESPN’s Heisman voting and 4th in CBS’s. Is he even the most valuable player on his own team? I would say no, that Jake Butt, Jehu Chesson and even Amari Darboh might be more valuable to the Wolverines than Peppers. The Michigan defense is good, and take away Peppers I still think they would be good. Take away those three offensive weapons and Michigan would struggle in the Big Ten, unless they are playing Rutgers.

Sure Peppers brings a different dynamic to the offense but you know when he is in the game that the ball is probably going to be going his way or at least attempted. He is used as a decoy as well because teams think that he can expose them, while letting Wilton Speight find Darboh or Chesson deep down the sidelines. On defense he is able to make the plays he does because Michigan blitzes on what seems like every play. He is bound to be in the backfield making tackles for a loss when the whole team is selling out for the sack. He has not been challenged this year except for one game against Wisconsin and what was his stat line that game? He had two punt returns for 19 yards, one kickoff return for 14 yards and three total tackles. No sacks, no tackles for a loss, no interceptions (he doesn’t have one in his entire college career). Sure he can show out against Rutgers and Colorado and Hawaii, but when the real money is on the line against teams that have a pulse how will he fair? Against Ohio State last year he accounted for 55 yards of offense, and made five tackles, and was a non-factor in the Buckeyes 42-13 drubbing of the Wolverines. Against Michigan State last year he had 35 yards of offense and made two tackles.

Until Peppers proves that he can become a big game player, he doesn’t deserve to be in the discussion for the Heisman. Charles Woodson played both ways for the Wolverines and won a National Championship. Chris Gamble played both ways for the Buckeyes and also won a National Championship. What has Jabril Peppers won? A Citrus Bowl in which he didn’t even play.







The post Jabril Peppers for Heisman? Are You Kidding Me? appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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The long and winding road of Ohio State QB JT Barrett - ESPN
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


The long and winding road of Ohio State QB JT Barrett
ESPN
Two years ago, as a redshirt freshman at Ohio State, Barrett glided into the starting lineup in the opening week after Braxton Miller reinjured his shoulder and went 11-1 as a starter in the Buckeyes' national championship season. This season, Barrett ...
Ohio State vs. Wisconsin: Buckeyes football heads to Madison for Badgers showdownUPI.com
Ohio State vs. Wisconsin | Buckeyes defense braces for bruising BadgersColumbus Dispatch
Ohio State Buckeyes Vs. Wisconsin Badgers: Bold Predictions For Week 7 Of 2016 College Football SeasonThe Inquisitr
Akron Beacon Journal -Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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Ohio State Buckeyes show young talent on 4th-down stop - MyDaytonDailyNews
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Ohio State Buckeyes show young talent on 4th-down stop
MyDaytonDailyNews
2 Buckeyes led 31-17 at the time. Indiana needed a yard to get a first down or four yards to score and climb within one touchdown with just over 10 minutes to play. The Buckeyes ended up winning 38-17 to improve to 5-0, but it was hardly a given at ...
Where is ESPN's College GameDay going next Saturday? Ohio State at Wisconsin: Buckeye Breakfastcleveland.com

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Could a brotherly reunion be happening at Ohio State?
Austin Kemp via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Marcus Hooker visited with the Buckeyes over the weekend.

2018 defensive back Marcus Hooker, brother of Malik, was in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday, and had a good visit according to reports. However, the four-star defensive back did not come away with an Ohio State offer. It looks like the Buckeyes are treating Hooker as an in-state prospect and an offer will only be extended if they know that there's room in the class. Hooker is a top 250 player according to 247Sports and holds four offers as of now, with the most prestigious being West Virginia. Marcus, like his brother, is a good-looking athlete at 6-foot, 185 pounds and there's been whispers that he may be a better football player than his brother was at the same stages of their career.


Though most agree that Malik has the highest ceiling when it comes to athletic ability. The Buckeyes will keep recruiting Marcus throughout the season and as Bill Kurelic reported, Urban Meyer and Marcus will have a "talk" after the season sometime about becoming a Buckeye. Marcus Hooker is the No. 8 ranked player in the state of Pennsylvania for the class of 2018.

A top contender from MD


In other reports, Ohio State is pursuing and is one of the "top contenders" for 2017 defensive end Josh Paschal. From Maryland, Paschal has scouts raving over his athletic ability as he's the No.10 ranked DE in his class. At 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, Paschal possesses elite size, but also has the speed to get around the edge with ease. Holding 29 total offers, in-state Maryland is thought to be the favorite, but the Buckeyes are lurking and waiting for an opportunity to make a move. This could come down to strictly numbers, and if Ohio State has enough room to take Paschal. Larry Johnson has taken the lead in this recruitment and if the Buckeyes end up pushing hard, there's a good shot that they land the four-star defensive end.

Here is Paschal’s highlight reel from the website Hudl.

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Ohio State football: Development of defensive line a key to Buckeyes' early success - Akron Beacon Journal
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Ohio State football: Development of defensive line a key to Buckeyes' early success
Akron Beacon Journal
Columbus: With only three starters back on defense, the Ohio State football team was afraid it was going to have to play a game of, “What's my line?” this season. Worse yet for the Buckeyes, only preseason All-American defensive end Tyquan Lewis was ...
Buckeyes 'attack' offense before BadgersBuckeyeGrove.com (subscription)
Ohio State football | Urban Meyer says this could be his most-talented teamColumbus Dispatch
Ohio State Buckeyes Vs. Wisconsin Badgers: Bold Predictions For Week 7 Of 2016 College Football SeasonThe Inquisitr
MyDaytonDailyNews -Eleven Warriors
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Ohio State football | Urban Meyer says this could be his most-talented team - Columbus Dispatch
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Ohio State football | Urban Meyer says this could be his most-talented team
Columbus Dispatch
A Wisconsin reporter reminded Meyer that the coach had said during Big Ten media days in July that the 2016 Buckeyes were loaded with talent but it was uncertain how quickly they'd progress. “There have been some growing pains,” Meyer said, “but I'm ...
Ohio State Buckeyes Vs. Wisconsin Badgers: Bold Predictions For Week 7 Of 2016 College Football SeasonThe Inquisitr
Wisconsin out of mulligans in national title hunt as Ohio State looms ...ESPN (blog)

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Football: Buckeyes using momentum of big plays to succeed - OSU - The Lantern
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Football: Buckeyes using momentum of big plays to succeed
OSU - The Lantern
Against Tulsa, the Buckeyes were searching for their footing against a nonconference opponent that should have been a cakewalk for a team ranked inside the top 10. Finding themselves up by only three points, OSU was searching for something to shift ...
JT Barrett is OSU's undisputed leaderMilwaukee Journal Sentinel

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Oberg, Bulldogs survive Buckeyes' challenge - Athens Messenger (registration)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Oberg, Bulldogs survive Buckeyes' challenge
Athens Messenger (registration)
It's the second season in a row in which the Bulldogs have dropped a set against the Buckeyes. Athens has now won 45 TVC-Ohio matches in a row, and the only two times it has been pushed to four sets during that streak have come against the Buckeyes.


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Women's basketball: Mitchell developing into more of a leader for Buckeyes - OSU - The Lantern
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Women's basketball: Mitchell developing into more of a leader for Buckeyes
OSU - The Lantern
Mitchell said she now has made it her goal to become more of a leader for the Buckeyes. McGuff has already seen improvements. “She's talking more, she's more engaged,” McGuff said. “She's obviously a great kid, one of the hardest workers I've ever been ...


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Ohio State vs. Wisconsin | Buckeyes defense braces for bruising Badgers - Columbus Dispatch
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Ohio State vs. Wisconsin | Buckeyes defense braces for bruising Badgers
Columbus Dispatch
Urban Meyer said that as the week began for Ohio State in preparation for a showdown at Wisconsin on Saturday night, one group in particular among the Buckeyes was feeling good about itself. “Oh, the defensive line … they're walking around here like ...
Buckeyes 'attack' offense before BadgersBuckeyeGrove.com (subscription)
Ohio State Buckeyes Vs. Wisconsin Badgers: Bold Predictions For Week 7 Of 2016 College Football SeasonThe Inquisitr
Ohio State Buckeyes show young talent on 4th-down stopMyDaytonDailyNews
247Sports -Eleven Warriors -Land-Grant Holy Land
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Buckeyes 'attack' offense before Badgers - BuckeyeGrove.com (subscription)
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Buckeyes 'attack' offense before Badgers
BuckeyeGrove.com (subscription)
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The last time The Ohio State Buckeyes' season is already six weeks in, but the team will go on the road for only the first time after a month at home when they travel to Madison, Wis. for a date with the No. 8 Wisconsin Badgers ...
Meyer: 'We're right in the middle of it with every top RB'247Sports
College Football Betting Preview: Ohio State Buckeyes at Wisconsin BadgersSports Memo (blog)
Buckeyes locked in at No. 2 in AP, Coaches PollsWaiting For Next Year
Land-Grant Holy Land -Scarlet and Game
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Ohio State basketball: No Buckeyes on preseason All-Big Ten team again, when will that change? - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State basketball: No Buckeyes on preseason All-Big Ten team again, when will that change?
cleveland.com
The Buckeyes have some talented players who could play their way to being among the best in the Big Ten, but they haven't had a returning player with the kind of clout to garner being on this list now for the three years running. The preseason ...

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Ohio State Football Releases Rutgers Highlight Video
Shannon Sommers via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

We all know how The Ohio State University is the best for releasing game highlights or hype videos. They just released the video with the highlights from the Rutgers destruction.

Sure it isn’t we keep our first stringers in for the whole game to score 78 points against the Scarlet Knights.


Hope you all enjoy these as much as we do here at The Buckeye Battle Cry Studios.

Go Bucks!!!

The post Ohio State Football Releases Rutgers Highlight Video appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Depth Chart: Wisconsin (is) Weak
Brandon Zimmerman via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Another week has passed and another “depth chart” has been released with no changes. On the offensive side of things, Mike Weber is still battling for the starting running back job. Corey Smith and Johnnie Dixon are fighting tooth and nail for that second wide receiver position. Curtis Samuel is still trying to work his way into the discussion as clear-cut starter at H-Back. Defensively, the big battle is at the cornerback spot where Marshon Lattimore hopes to become the paper starter to go along with, you know, actually starting real football games. Good luck to all these young athletes battling hard to make an impression with the coaching staff and earn the title of Paper Starter at Ohio State.

OFFENSE

POS NAME HT WT CLASS
QB J.T. BARRETT 6’2” 225 JR (R)
JOE BURROW 6’3” 208 FR (R)
RB MIKE WEBER OR 5’10” 215 FR (R)
CURTIS SAMUEL 5’11” 200 JR
WR1 NOAH BROWN OR 6’2” 222 SO (R)
PARIS CAMPBELL 6’0” 205 SO (R)
WR2 COREY SMITH OR 6’1” 195 SR (R)
JOHNNIE DIXON 5’11” 198 SO
H-BACK CURTIS SAMUEL OR 5’11” 200 JR
DONTRE WILSON 5’10” 195 SR
TE MARCUS BAUGH 6’5” 255 JR
AJ ALEXANDER 6’2” 254 FR (R)
LT JAMARCO JONES 6’5” 310 JR (R)
EVAN LISLE 6’7” 308 JR (R)
LG MICHAEL JORDAN 6’7” 310 FR
MATT BURRELL 6’4” 305 FR (R)
C PAT ELFLEIN 6’3” 300 SR (R)
BRADY TAYLOR 6’5” 300 SO (R)
RG BILLY PRICE 6’4” 315 JR (R)
DEMETRIUS KNOX 6’4” 308 SO (R)
RT ISAIAH PRINCE 6’7” 310 SO
BRANDEN BOWEN 6’7” 315 FR (R)
WR-Z TERRY MCLAURIN OR 6’0” 204 SO (R)
JAMES CLARK 5’10” 186 JR (R)



There were no changes to the offensive depth chart. While there continues to be a number of “OR’s” we pretty much know who is starting by now.

DEFENSE

POS NAME HT WT CLASS
DE TYQUAN LEWIS 6’4” 266 JR
RASHOD BERRY 6’4” 252 FR (R)
DT DRE’MONT JONES OR 6’3” 280 FR (R)
DAVON HAMILTON 6’4” 297 FR (R)
DT MICHAEL HILL 6’3” 295 JR (R)
ROBERT LANDERS 6’1” 285 FR (R)
DE SAM HUBBARD OR 6’5” 266 SO (R)
JALYN HOLMES 6’5” 274 JR
SLB CHRIS WORLEY 6’2” 228 JR (R)
JEROME BAKER 6’1” 225 SO
MLB RAEKWON MCMILLAN 6’2” 243 JR
CRAIG FADA 6’1” 225 SR
WLB DANTE BOOKER OR 6’3” 236 JR
JEROME BAKER 6’2” 230 SR
CB GAREON CONLEY 6’0” 195 JR (R)
DAMON ARNETTE 6’0” 195 FR
CB MARSHON LATTIMORE OR 6’0” 195 SO (R)
DENZEL WARD 5’10” 185 SO
S MALIK HOOKER 6’2” 205 SO (R)
ERICK SMITH 6’0” 202 JR
S DAMON WEBB 5’11” 193 JR
JORDAN FULLER 6’2” 205 FR



While there was no change, the big question going into Saturday night will be who gets the start if Dante Booker is healthy? Jerome Baker has been playing out of his mind the past couple of weeks and is a future star. Will he move back to strongside linebacker and challenge Worley for that job? Or did Booker just get Wally Pipped?

SPECIAL TEAMS

POS NAME HT WT CLASS
P CAMERON JOHNSTON 5’11” 195 SR
K TYLER DURBIN 6’3” 210 SR
LS LIAM MCCULLOUGH 6’2” 210 FR (R)
PR DONTRE WILSON OR 5’10” 195 SR
COREY SMITH OR 6’1” 190 FR
CURTIS SAMUEL OR 5’11” 200 JR
KR DONTRE WILSON OR 5’10” 195 SR
JAMES CLARK OR 5’10” 186 JR (R)
JOHNNIE DIXON 5’11” 198 SO



No changes to special teams this week. While he is still not listed as one of the three kick returners, Parris Campbell has seemed to solidify his spot as the starter. It must be an oversight by the coaching staff. I’ll text them and let them know.

The post Depth Chart: Wisconsin (is) Weak appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Ohio State basketball adds Braxton Beverly, but may not be done in 2017 recruiting class - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


Ohio State basketball adds Braxton Beverly, but may not be done in 2017 recruiting class
cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State basketball coach Thad Matta has known for more than a year that he'd have his big man in the 2017 recruiting class. But Matta didn't want to end it that way. With a roster short on ball-handlers, the Buckeyes needed to add ...


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Scarlet and Gray Drive Time Re-Wind: Men’s Bball Commit, Heard Around the Shoe, B1G Power Poll, Scott’s Opinion
WVaBuckeye via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Welcome to the daily rewind of the previous days or weekends articles here on the Buckeye Battle Cry with some commentary and links to the author’s twitter account!




Shannon Sommers covers the latest commit to the Buckeye Men’s program and Thad Matta . . ,



Ben van Ooyen brings his latest Heard Around the Shoe . . ,



Shannon Sommers brings this weeks edition of the B1G power poll . . ,



Scott brings the heat in this opinion piece Why All the Angst . . ,



Scott wraps up the What Do you Want to See results in this weeks AYNE?



Daily Funny



The post Scarlet and Gray Drive Time Re-Wind: Men’s Bball Commit, Heard Around the Shoe, B1G Power Poll, Scott’s Opinion appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.

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Nigel Hayes, Badgers highlight 2016-17 preseason All Big Ten Team
BTN.com staff via Big Ten Network

BTN Live announced the 2016-17 preseason All-Big Ten Team on Monday night. Wisconsin senior Nigel Hayes, the lone unanimous selection and one of three Badgers to earn accolades, claims the preseason player of the year award. Teammates Ethan Happ and Bronson Koenig join Hayes on the list. The only team to boast multiple honorees is Indiana (James Blackmon and Thomas Bryant). View the full preseason team below. 2016-17 PRESEASON BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE YEAR Nigel Hayes, Wisconsin You are looking at the 2016-17 preseason @B1GMBBall player of the Year. Also, the only unanimous selection. pic.twitter.com/5BKLDZmaXm — Big Ten Network

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Both Wisconsin and Ohio State should use 2014’s 59-0 game as motivation
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Both teams could learn a lot from the 2014 Big Ten Title Game.

“But who's going to take a swing pass in the flat and turn an 8-yard gain into a 50-yard gain? Who's going to wiggle past one tackler and run away from another? More likely, a Buckeye... The game could swing on who pops a big play in the midst of the grind.”

-Doug Lesmerises, Cleveland.com


While the young No. 2 Ohio State offense is averaging over 53 points per game this season, they are doing it with expert efficiency, rather than the explosive firepower that an Urban Meyer offense is known for.

According to Football Study Hall, the Buckeyes rank 94th in Offensive Explosiveness, but second in Offensive Efficiency. Currently, the Buckeyes have the 45th most plays over 10 yards in college football, but drop to 49th, 73rd, 100th, 110th as the stats increase by 10 yards. So, despite Heisman contenders quarterback J.T. Barrett and H-Back Curtis Samuel, the yards are coming in small bunches for the Buckeyes, as opposed to large chunks.

However, that does not mean that the team is incapable of exploding on occasion. Running back Mike Weber has appeared to be inches away from breaking more than a handful of runs this season, and Samuel and Dontre Wilson are always capable of doing the same. If Barrett is able to bounce back after a poor performance against Indiana, wide receivers Noah Brown and Parris Campbell are more than capable of creating big plays.

As you begin to look at this weekend’s primetime matchup between Ohio State and No. 8 Wisconsin, it becomes clear that this year’s Badgers squad is every bit built in the program’s familiar mold. Despite being 4-1, the Badgers are averaging just 15.6 points per game, scoring over 20 only against Michigan State.

Their Offensiveness Explosiveness is 115th nationally and their Efficiency is 89th. The Badgers sit at 90th in terms of 10+ yard plays and 112th in 20+.

So, if Saturday night brings rain and wind to Madison, as it is currently forecasted to, it seems pretty clear which team will have the advantage in both explosiveness and efficiency, which could just spell the difference between a win and a loss.

“Although we don't know what the College Football Playoff Committee thinks until the first ranking comes out later this season, it's a safe bet the Badgers remain firmly in the discussion.”

-Jesse Temple, ESPN.com


In 2014, Ohio State benefited from the new College Football Playoff system to turn a one-loss season into a national championship. That journey was aided by wins over quality opponents like Navy, Michigan State, Michigan, and Wisconsin bolstering their strength of schedule.

After this Saturday’s game against the Buckeyes, Wisconsin’s schedule is light on quality competition, with No. 10 Nebraska being the only ranked team remaining. Therefore, if Wisconsin were to beat No. 2 Ohio State, they would then need to rely on the strength of their early season schedule to compensate for a narrow 14-7 loss to No. 4 Michigan.

Saturday’s matchup with the Buckeyes will be the Badgers’ fourth game against teams ranked in the Top-10 at the time that they played, following wins over No. 5 LSU and No. 8 MSU. However, the fortunes of both teams have tumbled since they squared off with Bucky, as both are now unranked, and LSU fired head coach Les Miles.

So, even if No. 8 Wisconsin (4-1, 1-1) does win as a home-underdog this weekend, they would still likely need help from their early season foes to prop up their weaker second-half schedule.

“Ohio State players have to figure the Wisconsin Badgers have extra motivation going into a Saturday night matchup of top-10 teams. After all, the last time they met, Ohio State strutted away with a 59-0 victory in the 2014 Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis.”

-Tim May, The Columbus Dispatch


Heading into the season finale against Michigan in 2014, Buckeye fans had begun to allow themselves to dream of what might be after the heart-breaking Week Two loss to Virginia Tech. Ohio State had gone undefeated since, with just their arch-rival standing between them and the Big Ten title game.

When those dastardly Wolverines broke Barrett’s ankle in the fourth quarter, no one knew exactly what to expect from Cardale Jones, who had only appeared in mop-up duty to that point. However, the following week in Indianapolis reassured a nervous Buckeye Nation as Jones threw for 257 yards as Ohio State went on to a historic victory en route to the first College Football Playoff Championship.

While it has become cliché around Columbus, the “Next Man Up” mantra is just a byproduct of another of Meyer’s favorite sayings:



So, while the Badgers should rightly use the 59-0 defeat as extra motivation for this week’s Top-10 matchup, the message from that game, and the subsequent postseason run, will be fresh in the Buckeyes’ minds as well.

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B1G awards race tracker: JT Barrett secures top spot with another win - ESPN (blog)
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".


B1G awards race tracker: JT Barrett secures top spot with another win
ESPN (blog)
Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett (five first-place votes): The Buckeyes offense didn't throw much against Indiana, but Barrett still found a way to be a game-changer with the ball in his hands. He ran 26 times for a team-high 137 yards, including a 5-yard ...
Ohio State's passing game took a step back against IndianaLand-Grant Holy Land
Fulton Analysis: Sorting things outBuckeyeGrove.com (subscription)

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Ohio State needs its passing attack to avoid repeating history
E.L. Speyer via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


The margin for error is razor thin.

The agony of defeat seems to resonate more with college football coaches than the joy of victory. It’s a common trope in sports that the wins stick with you more than the losses.

For Urban Meyer, that seems to especially hold true with last year’s loss to Michigan State, in which the Buckeyes’ unimaginative offense stagnated, and a perfect season unraveled.

“We learned a lesson in a rain storm last year against Michigan State ... you can stop the run,” said a reflective Meyer last Monday.

You’re likely tired of thinking about that loss to the Spartans. Done asking yourself, how did they only pass for 46 yards. Done wondering why Ohio State’s quarterback carried the ball more than one of the greatest running backs in program history.

Yes, the pain from that cold, soggy evening last November might be best left as a fleeting memory. But there are lessens to be learned from last year’s lone loss, as well.

Meyer knows this. It’s why he hearkened back to a game that featured few players from this year’s team while while previewing his current squad’s bout with Indiana, speaking to the media before last weekend’s contest.

“We’re going to face some teams that can stop the run,” he said. “That doesn’t mean you give up on it, that means you have to be balanced and make them pay the price if they’re going to put everybody up there to stop the run.”

For that reason alone, Ohio State’s performance in the win against Indiana was more concerning than the 21-point margin indicated. For four quarters J.T. Barrett struggled to do much of anything in the passing game, completing just 9-of-21 attempts for a season-low 93 yards. In response the coaching staff relied on its hulking offensive line, and mushed its way to victory in a manner that would have made Woody Hayes proud.

That’s all well and good against a program like Indiana, which simply doesn’t recruit at a level to match Ohio State in size, speed, or depth in the trenches. But what happens when a team is ready and able to go toe-to-toe with the Buckeyes, like the Spartans were a year ago?

The philosophy of Urban Meyer’s offense is quite simple; football is a numbers game. By using spread formations featuring a bevy of quick-twitch athletes, defenses are forced to guard the 53-yard width of the field, in addition to the length.

If the defense extends itself to combat Ohio State’s wide formations, Meyer will attack with power-run concepts. When the defense inevitably brings extra men into the box to over-aggressively respect the run, he counters with a deep strike off play action.

Under Meyer, Ohio State will always be known as a run-first team, but the offense operates at its best when it’s also able to take the top off of the defense with the deep ball. Devin Smith was an integral piece in the Buckeyes’ 2014 championship run, and his threat to roast defenses kept safeties back deep, which created room for Ezekiel Elliot as a rusher.

Noah Brown seemed to flash similar impact in his four-touchdown performance against Oklahoma, with three scores coming off of run fakes. He’s caught just three passes in the two games since.

That is not to place the Buckeyes’ passing problems in the hands of Brown. The 6’2 sophomore might be better suited for a possession style role, following the archetype of Michael Thomas.

Instead, the Buckeyes could look to Curtis Samuel, who has proven capable of blowing by opposing secondaries. Ohio State tried to find the junior H-back up the seam off a QB rocker step on the offense’s opening drive Saturday, but Barrett misfired short.



It was the first of several poorly thrown balls by Barrett, many of which would have resulted in long gains, if not touchdowns. As the Buckeyes proved incapable of beating Indiana through the air, the Hoosiers responded by aggressively selling out against the run. In consequence, freshman Mike Weber finished the day with 71 yards on 15 carries, his worst output of the young season.

Meyer responded to this predicament with an often-seen wrinkle, his favorite card to play in this numbers game. By using the quarterback as a runner, and the running back as a lead blocker, Ohio State can negate the defense’s numbers advantage when stacking the box. While Barrett struggled through the air he was excellent on the ground, rushing for 137 yards on 26 carries, both season highs.

The quarterback run has been a security blanket of sorts for Meyer throughout his entire coaching career. It’s an effective crutch, and one that Barrett executes as well as any quarterback in the country. But it has its drawbacks, too.

For one, the constant pounding increases the chance of injury for the team’s most important player. Through four years in Columbus, Meyer’s starting quarterbacks have never survived a full season unscathed. And unlike in 2014, when a seasoned team could support an inexperienced backup late in the season, J.T. Barrett is the engine that supports this youthful group.

Secondly, Ohio State’s offense can become too predictable when it relies excessively on the QB run. In the four games that Meyer has lost while leading the Buckeyes, the quarterback has led the team in carriers three times. In all four contests it felt as if the offense left points on the table, in part due to the coaches limiting the playbook in such a single-minded fashion.

Meyer defines offensive balance as rushing for 250 yards and passing for 250 yards, and Barrett has absolutely led such an attack during his time with the Scarlet and Grey. As a redshirt freshman in 2014, he eclipsed the 250-yard barrier six times, and was more known for his distribution skills than his ability as a rusher. Since then he’s thrown for more than 250 yards just once, against lowly Bowling Green in the season opener. It’s fair to question how much the departure of Tom Herman as the Buckeyes’ play caller and quarterback’s coach has stunted Barrett’s progression the past two seasons.

Wisconsin might be one of the few programs in the country capable of containing Ohio State’s core competency. The Badgers rank fourth in the nation in rushing defense, and that’s after playing one of the best running backs in the country in LSU’s Leonard Fournette.

Head coach Paul Chryst will undoubtedly follow the blueprint that the Spartans and Hoosiers left behind; stack the box, neutralize Ohio State’s running back, and dare Barrett to win the game with his arm.

At the end of the day it might not matter. Much like with Indiana, Wisconsin doesn’t recruit at Ohio State’s level. Moreover, the Badgers have worse problems to deal with offensively, ranking 97th in passing, 78th in rushing, and 91st in points scored. Even if Barrett has a repeat performance as a below-average passer, the Buckeyes can likely run the ball, avoid turnovers and win the game behind its excellent defense and special teams.

That’s not the point. As Meyer said, the Buckeyes will have to beat someone this year with a balanced approach. Wisconsin might not be that team, and a trip to Camp Randall might not be the tipping point for the Ohio State aerial attack.

But the Badgers do provide an opportunity for Barrett and his receivers to build confidence against a quality opponent, proving capable of carrying at least half of the offense’s output.

If not, expect more conservative play calling and quarterback runs in big moments. And if history tells us anything, expect another painful loss at some point in return.

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Polls: It’s time to pick your Week 7 Big Ten winners
Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor via Big Ten Network

Every week during the 2016 football season, the BTN.com team makes its Big Ten game predictions. We also provide polls for Big Ten fans to select their winners, and to compete with BTN’s Tom Dienhart and Brent Yarina all season long. See our Week 7 predictions below, and scroll down to vote for your winners. Big Ten fans 2016 record: 43-15 Week 7 picks: See polls below Tom Dienhart (@BTNTomDienhart) 2016 record: 42-16 Week 7 picks: Minnesota 28, Maryland 24; Iowa 35, Purdue 17; Rutgers 31, Illinois 30; Michigan State 17, Northwestern 14; Nebraska 29, Indiana 27; Ohio State 30,

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Audio: Listen to your Big Ten coach’s Week 7 Teleconference
BTN.com staff via Big Ten Network

Each Tuesday morning during the Big Ten football season, the 14 Big Ten football coaches hold a Big Ten teleconference with reporters from around the country. We post the audio for each segment of the call here. Filed under: Audio

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Week 7 primer: Don’t sleep on No. 10 Nebraska at Indiana
Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer via Big Ten Network

The headline act Saturday is No. 2 Ohio State’s trip to No. 8 Wisconsin. In fact, depending on how things play out, this could be a preview of the Big Ten title game. And it also will feature two standout defenses. The schools arguably have been the best in their divisions in recent years. The Buckeyes have won the last four meetings and seven of eight. The last Badger win was in Madison in 2010—two coaches ago. The Buckeyes won the last time they visited Camp Randall Stadium, taking a 21-14 decision in 2012. The schools last played in 2014

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Familiar problems hurt Ohio State’s offense vs Indiana
Colton Denning via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Discussing frustration with the offense, the defense’s dominance, and previewing Wisconsin.

Despite Ohio State’s 38-17 win over Indiana on Saturday, many Buckeye fans are asking themselves some familiar questions: Why didn’t Carlos Hyde Ezekiel Elliott Curtis Samuel/Mike Weber get the ball more, and what is up with the Buckeyes’ passing game?

It’s an ultimate first world college football problem to have — Especially when your team wins by three touchdowns — but two issues that have nonetheless reared their head at times the past four seasons.

On this week’s podcast, Matt Brown and Colton Denning discuss those issues, and talk all things Ohio State - Indiana, including:

• Why it’s OK to be frustrated with the passing game, but still happy with the direction the offense is heading in
• Getting Curtis Samuel and Mike Weber more involved
• Giving the Buckeyes’ dominant defense and special teams their due praise

The guys also preview this week’s game versus Wisconsin, why they think the Buckeyes will win comfortably, discuss a new commitment for Ohio State basketball, and look ahead to week seven’s slate of games.

You can find the podcast on our iTunes page, and we strongly encourage reviews, comments, criticisms, etc. to help us deliver the best possible audio product. The more we hear from you, the better we can make it. We’re also on Soundcloud, the SB Nation podcast page, and you can subscribe via RSS on your Android and Windows Phone devices here.

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