Michael Citro
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Three positions on offense that need to produce for Ohio State in 2024
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
A look at three key spots that could affect the ceiling for Ohio State’s offense this fall.
As Ohio State goes through its spring preparation for the 2024 season, thoughts turn toward how good the team could be in the fall. Denzel Burke is on record as saying his attitude is that it’s “natty or bust” for the Buckeyes in 2024.
While many fans likely agree with that sentiment, there are always far too many variables over the course of a college football season for things to be that simple, regardless of how much talent a team returns. There are injuries, weird weather, game-changing calls, and more that can ultimately decide how the season goes. The waters get muddied a bit further in 2024 with the expansion of the College Football Playoff.
But the Buckeyes, at least on paper, appear to be at least one of the favorites for the national championship. That seems to be a consensus from writers across the country who have already tried their hand at predicting who will reign supreme at the end of a college football season still months away in the future.
If Jim Knowles’ defense continues to make forward strides this fall, that side of the football will take care of itself. After an unusual 2023 season in terms of Ryan Day’s offense, I have more concerns about the Buckeyes’ supposed strength entering the upcoming season.
There are three spots that I’ll be paying more attention to than usual.
Emeka Egbuka is the most accomplished returning receiver, but he’ll need to bounce back from a season slowed by injury and hampered (at times, anyway) by the play of first-year starter Kyle McCord, who has since departed for Syracuse.
Largely due to those two factors, Egbuka dropped to fewer than half of his 2022 totals for yards (1,151) and touchdowns (10) in 2023, totalling 515 yards and four touchdowns last season in just three fewer games played. His receptions dropped from 74 to 41.
Egbuka, if healthy, is an oustanding wide receiver and a potential first-round NFL pick. This will be the season he shows whether he can realize that potential. Gone is generational WR1 Marvin Harrison Jr., so there will be no secondary cornerback assigned to cover Egbuka. He’s going to draw the coverage assignment for the other team’s best guy every week.
The speedy native of Steilacoom, Washington, will easily be a first-round pick if he stays healthy and approaches his 2022 numbers again in 2024. There will be plenty of film and sustained success for a team to spend one of those valuable first-round spots on him.
However, some of his success isn’t solely up to him. The two positions mentioned below will have some effect on Egbuka’s level of success in 2024. Additionally, it will be up to his fellow wide receivers to ensure other teams can’t double-team him by also showing they can provide yards, first downs, and touchdowns. Carnell Tate, Jeremiah Smith, and Jayden Ballard seem like they’ll be the guys to do that, and none of them are proven...yet.
The Buckeyes grabbed Will Howard out of the transfer portal and likely expect him to win the starting position. With a less talented cast around him at Kansas State, Howard put up statistics that weren’t dissimilar to what McCord did at Ohio State. That alone should be an indication that he can do as well or better with the Buckeyes’ talent around him. However, it’s not a given that Howard will take advantage of his opportunity.
Should Howard not seize the day, Devin Brown is waiting in the wings. Brown has the advantage of having been in the program, and therefore has a big head start. He fought for the starting quarterback role in 2023 and got snaps early in the year in key moments, but didn’t do enough to win more than leadership of a red zone package that focused on QB runs, until an injury on such a play limited his participation. From that point on, it was all McCord until his departure.
By all accounts, Brown was exceeding expectations and impressing in the run-up to the Cotton Bowl in December. But an injury early in that game ended his night early and Ohio State’s offense could do nothing against Missouri. Brown will not only have to prove he can keep his ankles intact to win the starting job, but he’ll have to perform if and when given his opportunity.
If Howard or Brown don’t show enough, and if there aren’t significant strides made by sophomore Lincoln Kienholz, there are two talented and highly touted freshmen waiting for their chance. Air Noland and Julian Sayin will be raw, but both have got all the tools required for the position.
Whoever wins the quarterback position has to improve upon what McCord did in 2023, especially on third downs. Ohio State’s offense will almost certainly be better when running the football with the addition of Quinshon Judkins joining an already loaded running backs room. The passing game needs to be up to its usual OSU standards and that starts with the quarterback.
OK, maybe the passing game’s success doesn’t start with the quarterback after all. There is another player who handles the football on every snap before the quarterback even touches it. Ohio State had some issues at center in 2023 and have added another player to the mix out of the transfer portal.
Battling Carson Hinzman will be Alabama transfer Seth McLaughlin, a graduate student from Buford, GA. Hinzman had some struggles a year ago, but McLaughlin did as well, despite having three years of college experience at the position. The big job for OSU offensive line coach Justin Frye is to get one of those guys playing his best football in 2024. This will be important on multiple levels.
The center must recognize what the defense is doing and help with assignments before the snap. They need to deliver good, easy-to-catch snaps. In the run game, they must help provide lanes for TreVeyon Henderson, Judkins, and Dallan Hayden. And, of course, they must protect the quarterback.
For me, these are the three positions that have to step up in 2024 for the Buckeyes to compete for the Big Ten title, let alone a national championship. There are other spots on the offense that I’ll be watching, but those three may be the difference between a decent season and a special one.
Continue reading...
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Matthew Visinsky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
A look at three key spots that could affect the ceiling for Ohio State’s offense this fall.
As Ohio State goes through its spring preparation for the 2024 season, thoughts turn toward how good the team could be in the fall. Denzel Burke is on record as saying his attitude is that it’s “natty or bust” for the Buckeyes in 2024.
While many fans likely agree with that sentiment, there are always far too many variables over the course of a college football season for things to be that simple, regardless of how much talent a team returns. There are injuries, weird weather, game-changing calls, and more that can ultimately decide how the season goes. The waters get muddied a bit further in 2024 with the expansion of the College Football Playoff.
But the Buckeyes, at least on paper, appear to be at least one of the favorites for the national championship. That seems to be a consensus from writers across the country who have already tried their hand at predicting who will reign supreme at the end of a college football season still months away in the future.
If Jim Knowles’ defense continues to make forward strides this fall, that side of the football will take care of itself. After an unusual 2023 season in terms of Ryan Day’s offense, I have more concerns about the Buckeyes’ supposed strength entering the upcoming season.
There are three spots that I’ll be paying more attention to than usual.
WR1
Emeka Egbuka is the most accomplished returning receiver, but he’ll need to bounce back from a season slowed by injury and hampered (at times, anyway) by the play of first-year starter Kyle McCord, who has since departed for Syracuse.
Largely due to those two factors, Egbuka dropped to fewer than half of his 2022 totals for yards (1,151) and touchdowns (10) in 2023, totalling 515 yards and four touchdowns last season in just three fewer games played. His receptions dropped from 74 to 41.
Egbuka, if healthy, is an oustanding wide receiver and a potential first-round NFL pick. This will be the season he shows whether he can realize that potential. Gone is generational WR1 Marvin Harrison Jr., so there will be no secondary cornerback assigned to cover Egbuka. He’s going to draw the coverage assignment for the other team’s best guy every week.
The speedy native of Steilacoom, Washington, will easily be a first-round pick if he stays healthy and approaches his 2022 numbers again in 2024. There will be plenty of film and sustained success for a team to spend one of those valuable first-round spots on him.
However, some of his success isn’t solely up to him. The two positions mentioned below will have some effect on Egbuka’s level of success in 2024. Additionally, it will be up to his fellow wide receivers to ensure other teams can’t double-team him by also showing they can provide yards, first downs, and touchdowns. Carnell Tate, Jeremiah Smith, and Jayden Ballard seem like they’ll be the guys to do that, and none of them are proven...yet.
QB1
The Buckeyes grabbed Will Howard out of the transfer portal and likely expect him to win the starting position. With a less talented cast around him at Kansas State, Howard put up statistics that weren’t dissimilar to what McCord did at Ohio State. That alone should be an indication that he can do as well or better with the Buckeyes’ talent around him. However, it’s not a given that Howard will take advantage of his opportunity.
Should Howard not seize the day, Devin Brown is waiting in the wings. Brown has the advantage of having been in the program, and therefore has a big head start. He fought for the starting quarterback role in 2023 and got snaps early in the year in key moments, but didn’t do enough to win more than leadership of a red zone package that focused on QB runs, until an injury on such a play limited his participation. From that point on, it was all McCord until his departure.
By all accounts, Brown was exceeding expectations and impressing in the run-up to the Cotton Bowl in December. But an injury early in that game ended his night early and Ohio State’s offense could do nothing against Missouri. Brown will not only have to prove he can keep his ankles intact to win the starting job, but he’ll have to perform if and when given his opportunity.
If Howard or Brown don’t show enough, and if there aren’t significant strides made by sophomore Lincoln Kienholz, there are two talented and highly touted freshmen waiting for their chance. Air Noland and Julian Sayin will be raw, but both have got all the tools required for the position.
Whoever wins the quarterback position has to improve upon what McCord did in 2023, especially on third downs. Ohio State’s offense will almost certainly be better when running the football with the addition of Quinshon Judkins joining an already loaded running backs room. The passing game needs to be up to its usual OSU standards and that starts with the quarterback.
Center
OK, maybe the passing game’s success doesn’t start with the quarterback after all. There is another player who handles the football on every snap before the quarterback even touches it. Ohio State had some issues at center in 2023 and have added another player to the mix out of the transfer portal.
Battling Carson Hinzman will be Alabama transfer Seth McLaughlin, a graduate student from Buford, GA. Hinzman had some struggles a year ago, but McLaughlin did as well, despite having three years of college experience at the position. The big job for OSU offensive line coach Justin Frye is to get one of those guys playing his best football in 2024. This will be important on multiple levels.
The center must recognize what the defense is doing and help with assignments before the snap. They need to deliver good, easy-to-catch snaps. In the run game, they must help provide lanes for TreVeyon Henderson, Judkins, and Dallan Hayden. And, of course, they must protect the quarterback.
For me, these are the three positions that have to step up in 2024 for the Buckeyes to compete for the Big Ten title, let alone a national championship. There are other spots on the offense that I’ll be watching, but those three may be the difference between a decent season and a special one.
Continue reading...