Gene Ross
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The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Ohio State’s 35-7 win over Iowa
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
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The Buckeyes only mustered seven points in the first half, but a dominant third quarter opened up the floodgates.
Ohio State scored its fewest points of the season against a good Iowa defense, holding only a 7-0 lead at halftime, but put together a dominant 28-0 third quarter as the Buckeyes coasted to a 35-7 victory and moved to 5-0 on the year. It was a strong performance overall for Ryan Day’s group, who will take their talents to Eugene, Oregon for a battle with the Ducks next weekend.
Here is the good, the bad and the ugly from Ohio State’s victory over the Hawkeyes.
The Run Game
Everyone knew that Ohio State’s two-headed monster at running back combined with Chip Kelly’s play-calling was going to work out in the Buckeyes’ favor. Even still, the duo has looked about as dominant as anyone could have asked, aided by a much more diverse set of run plays and an improved offensive line. Ohio State had it all working on the ground against Iowa, and against a defense of that caliber it was a real treat to watch.
Nothing that Quinshon Judkins or TreVeyon Henderson did really jumps off the page from a stat sheet perspective, but it was the consistency and ease with which they picked up yards that set the tone for the game. Both guys averaged at least 5.5 yards per carry, with Judkins totaling 78 yards on 13 carries and Henderson 61 yards on 11 carries. Judkins has been physically imposing his will on opposing defenders, seemingly never going down on the first tackle attempt, while Henderson has been great at finding the hole and turning on the jets.
What stands out perhaps the most for the Buckeyes as compared to the last few years is both their willingness and their success with running the ball on third-and-short. Ohio State showed that off twice on its first drive alone, with Henderson picking up 12 yards on a third-and-1 and Judkins getting five yards on a third-and-3 later on. Having two stud running backs certainly helps, but a more diverse scheme and great offensive line play has turned short yardage into a strength for this group.
Emeka Egbuka
So much of the shine early on this season has been on the five-star freshman Jeremiah Smith — and rightfully so, as the first-year phenom hauled in yet another ridiculous one-handed grab for a touchdown on Saturday. However, Ohio State’s wide receiver room has another former five-star and a veteran leader that is still among the country’s best pass-catchers, and that is of course Emeka Egbuka.
It was a huge game for the junior against Iowa, hauling in nine catches for 71 yards and three touchdowns. Each one of his trio of scoring plays came on pretty impressive grabs, and he continues to be one of Will Howard’s most reliable targets week in and week out. Egbuka might not put up all of the flashy highlight plays that Smith does, but he is still an incredibly talented receiver in his own right. When Ohio State needs to make a play, it knows Egbuka is as proven and trustworthy a player as they come.
The Silver Bullets
Ohio State’s defense nearly pitched its second shutout of the season on Saturday, and likely would have had the starters stayed in the game past the end of the third quarter. Even with the backups playing the entirety of the final frame, the Buckeyes held Iowa to 226 total yards and forced three turnovers — two forced fumbles and an interception. The Ohio State defense totaled nine tackles for loss and sacked Hawkeyes quarterback Cade McNamara four times, who passed for less than 100 yards in the game.
The big story heading into the game was Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson, who had a lot to say about Ohio State after not receiving an offer from the program as an in-state recruit from Hamilton, OH in the 2022 class. Johnson, who had not rushed for less than 119 yards in a game this season, was held to 86 yards rushing, with 28 of those yards coming on Iowa’s lone touchdown against the second-string defense. Outside the touchdown run, Johnson carried the ball 14 times for 58 yards.
Third Down Cushion
While the defense was largely great, and for the second-straight week did a great job at taking the ball away, Ohio State did struggle a bit on third downs early on. Iowa started the afternoon converting on 3-of-4 third down opportunities, all of which came through the air, including a 22-yard gain on a third-and-8. The Buckeyes got better as things went along, with the Hawkeyes finishing the game just 5-of-12 on third down, but against a better offense those early conversions could prove problematic.
It has been a common theme for Jim Knowles’ defense this season to play the corners way off the receivers in the first half of games, and teams are starting to take advantage. Michigan State did a good job of it in the first half, and Iowa did well to attack it on third downs in the first half of this game. The Spartans and Hawkeyes did not quite have the firepower to do much with it, but Oregon definitely does. Ohio State has some really good cornerbacks out there, and there is no reason for them to be playing so far back.
Fourth Down QB Draw
Ohio State’s play-calling with Chip Kelly at the helm has been mostly stellar. The Buckeyes look far more dynamic than they have in the past and are way less predictable. That being said, that doesn’t mean there aren’t going to be one or two head-scratchers in any given contest, and that was exactly what the failed fourth down quarterback draw early in the second quarter could be considered.
The Buckeyes picked up four yards on a third-and-6 play on a short catch from Egbuka, setting up a fourth-and-2 at Iowa’s 42-yard line. Ohio State had been running the ball incredibly effectively with both Henderson and Judkins, but elected to come out on fourth down in a shotgun look with an empty backfield. Howard caught the snap and attempted to run straight up the middle, but was denied as the team turned it over on downs while leading just 7-0 at the time.
It seemed like the Buckeyes tried to get a bit too cute there, and should have just handed the ball off or ran one of their now-signature RPOs — like they did on fourth-and-2 later in the game for a 21-yard gain.
Will Howard’s Interception
For the third-straight game, Will Howard threw an interception. Unlike last week, where Howard was picked off attempting to throw into double-coverage, this time it was an under-thrown ball to Egbuka with the cornerback draped all over him. Howard has been great for Ohio State overall, but some of his passes downfield have lacked the necessary zip to make it to its intended receiver. This was another example of that on a ball that likely shouldn’t have been thrown in the first place.
Even with a few bad passes, Howard finished the game with excellent numbers against a highly-touted defense. Howard completed 21 of his 25 pass attempts for 209 yards and four touchdowns, while also adding 28 yards and a score on the ground. Any time you can score more total touchdowns than you have incomplete passes is a pretty good day at the office, especially against a defense of this caliber. The three-straight weeks with an interception is a little concerning, but it would be tough not to like what Howard has done with the Buckeyes thus far.
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Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes only mustered seven points in the first half, but a dominant third quarter opened up the floodgates.
Ohio State scored its fewest points of the season against a good Iowa defense, holding only a 7-0 lead at halftime, but put together a dominant 28-0 third quarter as the Buckeyes coasted to a 35-7 victory and moved to 5-0 on the year. It was a strong performance overall for Ryan Day’s group, who will take their talents to Eugene, Oregon for a battle with the Ducks next weekend.
Here is the good, the bad and the ugly from Ohio State’s victory over the Hawkeyes.
The Good
The Run Game
Everyone knew that Ohio State’s two-headed monster at running back combined with Chip Kelly’s play-calling was going to work out in the Buckeyes’ favor. Even still, the duo has looked about as dominant as anyone could have asked, aided by a much more diverse set of run plays and an improved offensive line. Ohio State had it all working on the ground against Iowa, and against a defense of that caliber it was a real treat to watch.
Nothing that Quinshon Judkins or TreVeyon Henderson did really jumps off the page from a stat sheet perspective, but it was the consistency and ease with which they picked up yards that set the tone for the game. Both guys averaged at least 5.5 yards per carry, with Judkins totaling 78 yards on 13 carries and Henderson 61 yards on 11 carries. Judkins has been physically imposing his will on opposing defenders, seemingly never going down on the first tackle attempt, while Henderson has been great at finding the hole and turning on the jets.
What stands out perhaps the most for the Buckeyes as compared to the last few years is both their willingness and their success with running the ball on third-and-short. Ohio State showed that off twice on its first drive alone, with Henderson picking up 12 yards on a third-and-1 and Judkins getting five yards on a third-and-3 later on. Having two stud running backs certainly helps, but a more diverse scheme and great offensive line play has turned short yardage into a strength for this group.
Emeka Egbuka
So much of the shine early on this season has been on the five-star freshman Jeremiah Smith — and rightfully so, as the first-year phenom hauled in yet another ridiculous one-handed grab for a touchdown on Saturday. However, Ohio State’s wide receiver room has another former five-star and a veteran leader that is still among the country’s best pass-catchers, and that is of course Emeka Egbuka.
It was a huge game for the junior against Iowa, hauling in nine catches for 71 yards and three touchdowns. Each one of his trio of scoring plays came on pretty impressive grabs, and he continues to be one of Will Howard’s most reliable targets week in and week out. Egbuka might not put up all of the flashy highlight plays that Smith does, but he is still an incredibly talented receiver in his own right. When Ohio State needs to make a play, it knows Egbuka is as proven and trustworthy a player as they come.
The Silver Bullets
Ohio State’s defense nearly pitched its second shutout of the season on Saturday, and likely would have had the starters stayed in the game past the end of the third quarter. Even with the backups playing the entirety of the final frame, the Buckeyes held Iowa to 226 total yards and forced three turnovers — two forced fumbles and an interception. The Ohio State defense totaled nine tackles for loss and sacked Hawkeyes quarterback Cade McNamara four times, who passed for less than 100 yards in the game.
The big story heading into the game was Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson, who had a lot to say about Ohio State after not receiving an offer from the program as an in-state recruit from Hamilton, OH in the 2022 class. Johnson, who had not rushed for less than 119 yards in a game this season, was held to 86 yards rushing, with 28 of those yards coming on Iowa’s lone touchdown against the second-string defense. Outside the touchdown run, Johnson carried the ball 14 times for 58 yards.
The Bad
Third Down Cushion
While the defense was largely great, and for the second-straight week did a great job at taking the ball away, Ohio State did struggle a bit on third downs early on. Iowa started the afternoon converting on 3-of-4 third down opportunities, all of which came through the air, including a 22-yard gain on a third-and-8. The Buckeyes got better as things went along, with the Hawkeyes finishing the game just 5-of-12 on third down, but against a better offense those early conversions could prove problematic.
It has been a common theme for Jim Knowles’ defense this season to play the corners way off the receivers in the first half of games, and teams are starting to take advantage. Michigan State did a good job of it in the first half, and Iowa did well to attack it on third downs in the first half of this game. The Spartans and Hawkeyes did not quite have the firepower to do much with it, but Oregon definitely does. Ohio State has some really good cornerbacks out there, and there is no reason for them to be playing so far back.
Fourth Down QB Draw
Ohio State’s play-calling with Chip Kelly at the helm has been mostly stellar. The Buckeyes look far more dynamic than they have in the past and are way less predictable. That being said, that doesn’t mean there aren’t going to be one or two head-scratchers in any given contest, and that was exactly what the failed fourth down quarterback draw early in the second quarter could be considered.
The Buckeyes picked up four yards on a third-and-6 play on a short catch from Egbuka, setting up a fourth-and-2 at Iowa’s 42-yard line. Ohio State had been running the ball incredibly effectively with both Henderson and Judkins, but elected to come out on fourth down in a shotgun look with an empty backfield. Howard caught the snap and attempted to run straight up the middle, but was denied as the team turned it over on downs while leading just 7-0 at the time.
It seemed like the Buckeyes tried to get a bit too cute there, and should have just handed the ball off or ran one of their now-signature RPOs — like they did on fourth-and-2 later in the game for a 21-yard gain.
The Ugly
Will Howard’s Interception
For the third-straight game, Will Howard threw an interception. Unlike last week, where Howard was picked off attempting to throw into double-coverage, this time it was an under-thrown ball to Egbuka with the cornerback draped all over him. Howard has been great for Ohio State overall, but some of his passes downfield have lacked the necessary zip to make it to its intended receiver. This was another example of that on a ball that likely shouldn’t have been thrown in the first place.
Even with a few bad passes, Howard finished the game with excellent numbers against a highly-touted defense. Howard completed 21 of his 25 pass attempts for 209 yards and four touchdowns, while also adding 28 yards and a score on the ground. Any time you can score more total touchdowns than you have incomplete passes is a pretty good day at the office, especially against a defense of this caliber. The three-straight weeks with an interception is a little concerning, but it would be tough not to like what Howard has done with the Buckeyes thus far.
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