• Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
  • Consider registering! Fewer and higher quality ads, no emails you don't want, access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Even if you just want to lurk, there are a lot of good reasons to register!

Game Thread tOSU at Penn State, Sat. Nov. 2, 12pm ET, FOX

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Sort by date Sort by votes
www.elevenwarriors.com

Quick Hits: Caleb Downs Says Winning One-on-Ones Key for Ohio State Defense, Carnell Tate Sees Offensive Line Improving in Practice

Caleb Downs said it’s not complicated what Ohio State’s defense needs to do to have more success against Penn State than Oregon: The Buckeyes need to win their one-on-ones.
www.elevenwarriors.com www.elevenwarriors.com

Quick Hits: Caleb Downs Says Winning One-on-Ones Key for Ohio State Defense, Carnell Tate Sees Offensive Line Improving in Practice​

S Caleb Downs​

  • On defending Penn State TE Tyler Warren: “He's a really good player. He's played really good ball this season. They give him the ball in a lot of ways. So I feel like the biggest thing is just handling all the shifts and motions. And once you get past that, at the end of the day, it's football. So you've just got to make the play when your plays come.”
  • Downs said he treats every game the same but he’s looking forward to the experience of playing in Beaver Stadium. His older brother, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs, took a visit to Penn State in high school and “said it was a really good place to play.”
  • Downs said the key for the Buckeyes is to play assignment-sound football. “We only have one assignment each play. And at the end of the day, we have to play that one assignment. If everybody on the defense does that, then we'll be in good shape.”

WR Carnell Tate​

  • Tate said the offensive line has “been doing pretty good” in practice this week. “They’ve been getting at it. New guys, new places, stuff like that. We’re all trying to pick up from the injuries.”
  • Tate feels thankful he was able to contribute during Ohio State’s four-point win over Nebraska after he had spent some time battling an injury. “I knew the ball would come my way. Each and every week, we have plays for all of us. It just really depends on what the defense gives us. If they give us one thing, now the ball goes away from me or comes to me. Ultimately it’s not my decision where the ball goes.”
  • When asked about Penn State’s pass defense, Tate said the Nittany Lions have “pretty solid corners.” Because of that, Tate said Ohio State has to “win our one-on-ones” on the perimeter to keep the chains moving in the passing game.

WR Emeka Egbuka​

  • Egbuka believes for a sustainable passing game, the Buckeyes need to run the ball better. “To be able to pass the ball efficiently, you have to run the ball effectively. So I think it starts with our mindset on the outside, being able to be willing to block in the run game, make those dirty plays that wide receivers aren't typically known for, and then you'll see those passes spring later in the game.”
  • On Carnell Tate having his first 100-yard game: “Obviously he didn't have probably all the production he wanted, especially through the last couple weeks. But he stayed diligent in all the practice and all the film study, all that type of stuff. So he's a really mature kid. Sometimes you forget, you know, he's only 19, 20 years old.”
  • Egbuka said perimeter blocking continues to be a big emphasis for the receiver room. “I think that whenever you see those run plays of, you know, 50 yards, 75 yards, it's always the wide receivers who are blocking downfield. It's always us who's going to really spring that play. Explosives are found on the perimeter. So I think just being physical and asserting our dominance is something that we try to do all season. I think we've done a decent job.”

CB Lorenzo Styles Jr.​

  • Styles said earlier this season that 2024 has been the most fun he’s had playing football. After playing a season-high snap count against Nebraska, Styles called his extra playing time “a good opportunity.” He added: “It was definitely a good game – not one that I expected to go down to the wire like that, but sometimes it goes like that. A lot of the situations and stuff that we talked about we went out and executed, so it was fun to be a part of that.”
  • Styles said Ohio State has planned for both Drew Allar and Beau Pribula to be Penn State’s quarterback on Saturday. When asked how the Buckeyes have prepared, Styles said, “You just got to plan for a lot of different things. We got to be very conscious in our studying for who’s gonna be in there and what their different skill sets are, things of that nature.”
  • After a subpar performance against Oregon two weeks ago, Styles said Ohio State’s defense is “definitely” hungry to prove itself in another top-five game against Penn State. “I don’t really think it took the Oregon game to wake us up like that. But it was part of our season, so we have to bounce back overall as a defense, as a team and use that to ignite a fire in us.”

TE Bennett Christian​

  • Christian missed all of last season after testing positive for a banned substance in January 2023. Now that he’s back in the lineup for the Buckeyes, Christian wants to take advantage of each opportunity he receives. “I mean, it feels amazing (to be playing). It’s so rewarding. Putting in all the work last year and seeing it all come on the field now has been great.”
  • Christian said Ohio State’s tight end room is “in a pretty good spot” despite Will Kacmarek’s injury. “Losing Will was a huge loss for us, and I hate it for him, but he’s a fighter and is gonna get back really quick. But for us, we just got to continue building the depth with everyone rolling in. And then going super hard and giving the best effort possible.”
  • Christian said Ohio State has trained hard to protect Will Howard and pave lanes for TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins against Penn State’s front six. “They’re a really good team. You can see it all over the film. But we’ve trained so hard. I think we have to trust our training. So it’s not learn as you go but remember your training when the time comes.”
Just sayin': Click on the link for the entire video on each player.
 
Upvote 0

Is it time to worry? Ohio State’s season on the brink​

This article explores whether Ohio State fans should be concerned about the team's recent struggles, particularly under head coach Ryan Day in big games. With offensive line issues, underwhelming performances against Nebraska, and a 2-6 record against top-5 opponents, the pressure is mounting. Can the Buckeyes turn things around, or is it time for fans to start worrying?

If you're an Ohio State football fan like me, you're probably feeling a bit uneasy. After all, the Buckeyes' season has had its share of hiccups, and the pressure is mounting. But the question on everyone’s mind remains: should Ohio State fans panic? Let’s break it down.

Ryan Day's record in big games​

Ryan Day’s tenure at Ohio State has seen remarkable success overall, but his record in top-5 matchups is concerning. With a 2-6 record against top-5 teams, the narrative is starting to shift. True, four of those losses came against a Michigan program that is now under scrutiny for a sign-stealing scandal, and the Georgia loss came down to a missed field goal in the College Football Playoff.

But in Columbus, moral victories don't count. The expectation is clear: you win big games. While Day has guided the Buckeyes to the brink of greatness, he has fallen short too many times when the stakes are highest.

For a program like Ohio State, whose standard is national championships, this is unsettling. And with the looming specter of another showdown against a top-five team in Penn State on Saturday, another Michigan game to end the year, and a potential Big Ten title run, the pressure on Day is more intense than ever. Can Day reverse the narrative, or is his tenure heading toward uncomfortable scrutiny?

One of the biggest causes for concern is the recent offensive struggles, particularly in the run game. Ohio State’s performance against Nebraska was jarring: just 64 yards rushing and a meager 2.1 yards per carry. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has had success this season, but the offensive line’s issues, especially following Josh Simmons’ injury against Oregon, have left fans worried.

Zen Michalski, filling in at left tackle, struggled mightily, and when he went down, the line became even more makeshift. Nebraska’s defense, while respectable, shouldn’t have been able to stymie an Ohio State offense with such talent at running back and receiver. And yet, Kelly seemed determined to force the run game, despite its inefficacy, as if preparing for future matchups rather than focusing on Nebraska.

To make matters worse, Ohio State's two elite wideouts, Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka, saw only four targets each. Jeremiah Smith, considered one of the best young receivers in college football, was largely ignored for most of the second half. Why wasn’t the ball in his hands more, especially in a close game? Imagine if Nebraska had managed to score on their final drive—the post-game fallout would have been even more brutal than what we have already seen.

On the defensive side, there were some positives. The Buckeyes brought more pressure and showed more creativity against Nebraska, registering three sacks and 13 tackles for loss. This was a marked improvement from the Oregon game, where the defense had struggled to get to the quarterback.
.
.
.
continued


Three keys to the Ohio State football team beating Penn State​

The Ohio State football team has another top-five matchup this weekend. Here are the things they need to do in order to beat Penn State

1. The Ohio State football team must have 150+ yards rushing​

2. The Ohio State football team must have the offensive line in a different configuration​

3. The Ohio State football team must keep the quarterback from beating them on the ground​

.
.
.
continued


Ohio State football vs. Penn State key matchups​

A match up between two top 5 teams will take place in State College. Check out this breakdown on the key matchups in the game.

Penn State's offensive coordinator vs. Ohio State's defensive coordinator

Ohio State's offensive line vs. Abdul Carter and PSU's D-line

Will Howard vs. Drew Allar/Beau Pribula

OSU wide receivers vs. Penn State's defensive backs
.
.
.

continued
 
Upvote 0
Man I know I’m stating the obvious here but this team needs this win in the worst way. Here on out any loss eliminates the big ten championship as a goal.

I don’t feel one way or the other to be honest on if we’ll win or not. If the team shows up, plays assignment sound, doesn’t turn the ball over, and doesn’t commit penalties I like our chances.

However we haven’t been able to do that in really big games lately so that for sure makes me nervous.

I just hope game plan wise we do what’s working on offense (don’t try to be balanced if it’s not there) and we don’t die by a thousand paper cuts on defense (don’t just sit back and allow them to dictate what we are doing).
 
Upvote 0
Mike80 said:
I saw Zen is out. Have to think Jackson will be the starter at LT.

I also read something today where UFM said Howard needs to run the ball 15-20 times per game. I'd personally love to see that more - having to account for a running QB by having specifically QB run plays would benefit the offense a lot. The few times they ran it specifically with Howard against Nebraska worked.

In the 4 Big Ten Games Ped has played, they've given up right about 300 yards of total offense. The best offense Ped has played so far was USC, who went for over 400 (and probably should have won).

I feel fairly confident about this one. Assuming the LT spot has been decided and handled, I think a lot of Ped's ranking is paper tiger-ish. If the offense can get regular first downs, can score TDs instead of FGs when they are in the red zone and the plays that are working show up more than the one time they work, I feel pretty good about it on that said.

On defense, Ped does not have anything like Oregon's receiving corps. They have some decent running backs, Julian Fleming and their tight end, Tyler Warren, can be very effective in keeping their offense on schedule. If the front 4 can get consistent pressure on Allar, since it appears he's going to play, I think they can shut down this offense. if the other QB (Pribula) comes in, he's a far superior runner to Allar, and if the linebackers are not on their game, that could be a very difficult matchup. I guess we shall see....
Click to expand...
#44 is a one man wrecking crew. We better have a plan to limit him or it could be a long day. Glad that Ransom is good to go.
 
Upvote 0
www.elevenwarriors.com

Ryan Day Radio Show: Ryan Day is Confident Ohio State’s Offensive Line is Ready For The Challenge at Penn State

Ryan Day is confident Ohio State’s O-line is ready for this week’s challenge at Penn State, which Day said has “multiple NFL-caliber players” up front.
www.elevenwarriors.com www.elevenwarriors.com

Ryan Day Radio Show: Ryan Day is Confident Ohio State’s Offensive Line is Ready For The Challenge at Penn State​

In one of his final media appearances before Ohio State faces Penn State this weekend, Ryan Day expressed confidence in the Buckeyes' offensive line.

On The Ryan Day Radio Show, Day said the unit will be challenged against Penn State's front six and its "multiple NFL-caliber players." However,

Day said the Buckeyes' experience in the offensive line room, as well as its experience in hostile environments, will help them overcome that challenge.

"They'll be ready," Day said. "These guys have experience. That's good. But they're gonna be challenged in this environment. But they'll be ready.

They'll be ready."

The sixth-year head coach addressed several other topics on his weekly radio show, including Ohio State's defensive line, Will Howard, Jeremiah Smith and more.

On the offensive line entering the Penn State game​

  • "Yeah, depth is gonna get challenged this week, for sure."
  • Day said Ohio State's offensive line "has experience, which is good."
  • Day mentioned Donovan Jackson, Carson Hinzman, Seth McLaughlin, Tegra Tshabola, Josh Fryar and Austin Siereveld as players with notable experience on the offensive line. "They'll be ready."
  • "These guys have experience. That's good. But they're gonna be challenged in this environment. But they'll be ready. They'll be ready."

On Ohio State needing to convert more short-yardage situations​

  • "We got to get more knockback."
  • "Zen's first start. There were a couple of things in there that we could have done a little bit better."
  • "At the end of the day, we gotta get the push and we gotta get the first down."
  • "That's gonna be even more of a challenge this week. We gotta get that done."
  • "We didn't execute well enough."
 
Upvote 0
Captain Buckeye said:
Why does it have to be close?

Maybe just go blow their shower doors in and get this game over with by half time?
Click to expand...

"We are going to fuck Penn State so brutally and so hard in the first three quarters that the FCC is going to take away Fox's broadcasting license before the 4th even starts. Did you hear me, James? Get ready to bleed!" - Ryan Day
 
Upvote 0
Tress routinely talked about "the privilege" of playing fucking Bowling Green and Troy.

In all seriousness, it's just Day's version of coach speak. Yall are over analyzing this shit. He's the same dude that said he was gonna hang a goddamn hundy on TSUN. People acting like the dude that called the greatest on-side in history has baby nuts are silly as fuck.

He got shell shocked by the dastardly cheating of the northern cowards. Talked his shit and got smacked with a brick. He was shook. Maybe still is a little. Give him time. He's young, smart, and driven. I guess the only thing that really matters now is, does he got that dawg in him?

I think Ryan Day is 80% bearded pitt bully.

Fuck Penn State. Joe knew. I know Joe shat his Khakis on national TV. I won't let them gas light me. Fuck em.
 
Upvote 1
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top