Ohio State’s quick-strike offense is elite, however Buckeyes have loads of room to develop

For head coaches like Ryan Day, who oversee applications with such sky-high expectations that perfection is commonly seen as the one acceptable consequence, non-conference video games that observe a script much like the one which unfolded at Ohio Stadium between No. 3 Ohio State and Marshall usually resemble the perfect of each worlds for a crew with nationwide championship aspirations.

The broad strokes have been pretty simple: a 49-14 win in opposition to an overmatched opponent that afforded Day and his assistants the possibility to rotate personnel, relaxation just a few starters within the second half and keep away from the scrutiny of high-profile upsets which have rocked applications like Notre Dame and Mississippi State in latest weeks. Tailbacks Quinshon Judkins (14 carries, 173 yards, two scores) and TreVeyon Henderson (six carries, 76 yards, two scores) bolstered an offense that ripped off one chunk play after one other with unbelievable effectivity. There’s little doubt the Buckeyes are among the many most gifted offenses in faculty soccer this season with Kansas State switch Will Howard (16-of-20 for 275 yards, two TDs, one INT) working the present at quarterback.

However regardless of the lopsided scoring margin, the lopsided yardage whole and the lopsided time of possession that mirrored simply how deadly Ohio State’s offense may be, there have been loads of miscues and errors for Day to deal with within the coming days and weeks: overthrows and underthrows by Howard, certainly one of which resulted in an interception; a number of kickoffs out of bounds for penalties; clock administration points that prompted Day be flagged for arguing with the officers; a sporadic and inefficient cross rush.

In different phrases, even when the Buckeyes are pounding groups by 4 touchdowns or extra, simply as they did on Saturday, there may be loads of room for Ohio State to develop. And that is a scary thought as this system chases its first Massive Ten Championship since 2020 and its first nationwide championship since 2014.  

Listed here are some fast takeaways from the sport:

Early distinction

An expectant Ohio Stadium crowd fell silent after Marshall, which entered the sport as a 40-point underdog based on some oddsmakers, methodically and mechanically marched down the sphere with a 13-play, 75-yard landing drive on its opening possession to construct an early lead. The Thundering Herd tore by defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ unit with well timed third down conversions by quarterback Stone Earle, who discovered methods to maneuver the chains along with his arm and his legs alike.

As surprising as Marshall’s 7-0 benefit might need been, the explosiveness of Ohio State’s offense ensured the scoreboard was corrected far before later. Wideout Emeka Egbuka reworked a easy display screen cross right into a 68-yard landing through which he ran away from the Thundering Herd’s secondary. And two possessions later, after Howard underthrew a deep ball that was finally intercepted, the Buckeyes traversed 45 yards in six performs so as to add one other landing that gave Ohio State an inevitable lead. Judkins and Henderson helped push Howard into the top zone for a 1-yard rating paying homage to the “Tush Push” popularized by the Philadelphia Eagles.

However what lastly tilted momentum towards the house crew was a possible game-changing particular groups play for Marshall that was wiped away by an unlawful process penalty. The Thundering Herd pounced on a muffed punt by Buckeye returner Brandon Inniss deep in Ohio State territory. Had the play stood, Marshall would have been afforded an opportunity to tie the sport at 14-14 and increase the ever-mounting strain on the Buckeyes to tug away from an overmatched opponent. As a substitute, the play was known as again as a result of the Thundering Herd did not have sufficient gamers on the road of scrimmage when the ball was snapped.

Two performs later, Judkins tore by Marshall’s protection for an 86-yard landing that prolonged Ohio State’s result in 21-7 and restored the stability of energy.

Play of the sport

Almost three full quarters had elapsed earlier than Marshall lastly misplaced comprise in opposition to star broad receiver Jeremiah Smith, a five-star freshman and the previous No. 1 total participant within the nation. Smith managed solely two catches for 17 yards by the majority of Saturday’s recreation because the Buckeyes’ speeding assault, spearheaded by Judkins and Henderson, was chargeable for powering the Ohio State offense. And within the moments when Howard did toss the ball downfield, as a rule he focused Egbuka, who completed with 5 catches for 117 yards and a rating.

However late within the third quarter, with the end result of a mismatched non-conference recreation already determined, Smith reminded a nationwide tv viewers why he is quick turning into among the finest receiving prospects Ohio State has ever seen. Smith, who entered having caught 11 passes for 211 yards and three touchdowns within the Buckeyes’ first two video games, capitalized on the area vacated by a blitzing defensive again to snare a slant and scamper 53 yards for a rating. So fast was Smith’s acceleration that the satisfactory positioning of Marshall security J.J. Roberts hardly mattered. Smith rapidly reached prime pace whereas racing towards the objective line untouched, unencumbered and unperturbed.

He has now discovered the top zone in every of his first three collegiate video games. It is onerous to think about anybody stopping him now.

Key stat

A look by the statistics from Saturday’s recreation revealed an attention-grabbing discrepancy within the early phases of the third quarter, by which level the second landing run from Henderson gave the Buckeyes a runaway 35-14 lead. However at that second — the 11:48 mark of the third quarter — Ohio State was nonetheless practically doubled by Marshall in time of possession. The Thundering Herd had held the ball for greater than 21 minutes to that time, a lot to the delight of head coach Charles Huff, who would have been overjoyed with that quantity earlier than the sport, in comparison with solely 11 minutes and alter for the offense run by first-year coordinator Chip Kelly.

However what that disparity did not seize, and what the scoreboard most definitely did, was the quick-strike means of Ohio State’s offense, the ruthlessness with which Kelly and Co. can flip a recreation on its head. Discounting a kneel-down shortly earlier than the second quarter expired, the Buckeyes reached the top zone 5 occasions within the span of six possessions — they usually did so with out ever milking greater than 3:30 off the clock.

There was a 42-second drive that ended with a 68-yard landing reception by Egbuka. There was a drive that spanned 2:26 and culminated with a brief run from Howard. There was a 12-second drive through which Judkins scored on the very first play. There was a drive that spanned 3:30 and ended with a 14-yard landing run by Henderson. There was a drive that spanned 3:12 and reached the top zone when Henderson broke two tackles en path to a 40-yard rating.

And all of a sudden, as if straight away, the Buckeyes led by 21 factors earlier than the midway mark of the third quarter.  

What’s subsequent for Ohio State?

Not solely did the Buckeyes ease into their 2024 marketing campaign with a weak non-conference slate that included drubbings of Akron (52-6), Western Michigan (56-0) and Marshall (49-14) — the totality of which hardly troubled Day’s crew for greater than 1 / 4 or two — however the Massive Ten schedule makers additionally afforded Ohio State a manageable entry into convention play as nicely. The Buckeyes’ subsequent three video games embody a visit to Michigan State on Sept. 28, a house date in opposition to Iowa on Oct. 5 and a marquee convention realignment showdown with Oregon on Oct. 12 at Autzen Stadium within the Pacific Northwest. That Day’s first three Massive Ten opponents are neatly organized from what ought to be essentially the most simple consequence — in opposition to the Spartans — to the crew’s most hearty problem — in opposition to the Geese — solely extends what has felt like a prolonged ramping-up course of for Ohio State, a program whose followers expect to win the nationwide championship after an extremely productive and costly interval of roster meeting all through the winter and spring.

What’s subsequent for Marshall?

After bettering from seven wins throughout Huff’s first season to 9 wins in his second, the Thundering Herd slipped again beneath .500 in 2023 with an total file of 6-7 and a 3-5 mark within the Solar Belt, which was solely adequate for a fifth-place tie within the East Division, although Marshall did qualify for a bowl recreation. The expectations for Marshall coming into the 2024 marketing campaign have been related, with Huff’s crew picked fifth within the East behind Appalachian State, James Madison, Coastal Carolina and Georgia Southern. However primarily based on early outcomes, together with Appalachian State’s beautiful blowout loss to South Alabama earlier this week, it is definitely attainable for the Thundering Herd to be aiming increased. They return house for a ultimate non-conference recreation in opposition to Western Michigan subsequent Saturday earlier than welcoming Appalachian State to Joan C. Edwards Stadium for the convention opener on Oct. 12.

Michael Cohen covers faculty soccer and basketball for FOX Sports activities with an emphasis on the Massive Ten. Observe him at @Michael_Cohen13.

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