Ohio State has one of the better offensive lines in college football, but the Buckeyes will need all-hands-on-deck against a strong and fast Clemson defensive line. The left defensive tackle, freshman, Bryan Bresee has been really good for Clemson this season with three sacks (one a safety) and a forced fumble. Standing at 6-foot, 5′-inches, and 300-pounds, Bresee is a tall rangy defensive tackle who can get upfield quickly.
For Ohio State, offensive lineman Wyatt Davis is considered one of the best guards in college football and has the technique and power to match up against Bresee pretty well. The first team All-American has a great first punch and quick feet to slide to pick up blocks along the front. He can shed blocks well to get into the second level in the run game.
If Davis can get his hands on Bresee, he should be able to divert a lot of what Bresee wants to do off the line and neutralize him more often than not. Where Bresee can cause problems is the way Clemson schemes its looks. The Tigers’ coaching staff likes to use stunts and twists to keep offensive linemen from landing the first punch quickly.
Luckily for Ohio State Harry Miller is the other guard. He and center Josh Myers are both good enough at their positions to pick up the twists and stunts quickly. However, should Myers and Justin Fields not adjust the blocking scheme properly, Clemson could cause some havoc on the line. The key will be Wyatt Davis getting into the chest of Bresee quickly on the snap to slow everything down.
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Davis’ ability will help the Buckeyes even more in the running game as he should be able to open lanes up on Bresee and get to the linebackers quickly. Should Clemson push the linebackers down, hot routes and slants over the middle will become available. It will all start with Myers and Fields adjusting the blocking scheme and Fields seeing the defense quickly.
Ohio State vs. Clemson College Football Playoff semifinal preview and prediction