Ohio State Buckeyes: Keys To The Season, Top Game, Top Transfer, Fun Stats
Ohio State Buckeyes: Key To The 2022 Offense
Don’t shy away from the running game.
To get very, very, very nitpicky with what should once again be the best offense in college football, don’t be afraid to power away on the ground a bit more.
CJ Stroud doesn’t run, and the defense dictated that the offense keep pushing, but the 32.5 carries a game were the fewest by a mile in decades. Even the 2018 attack with the late Dwayne Haskins throwing it all over the yard averaged 41 carries per game.
Granted, the big-time pass plays and the fear of the NFL receivers opens things up for the running backs to rip off yards in chunks, and it’s not a bad strategy to let Stroud throw and keep throwing. However, great things always seem to happen whenever 32 has the ball in his hands.
TreyVeon Henderson averaged close to seven yards per carry, Miyan Williams is too talented not to get more than a few carries per game, and …
It’s a nice problem to have when you have too many talented offensive stars. And on the flip side …
Ohio State Buckeyes: Key To The 2022 Defense
The run defense has to be better against the big guys.
It’s all relative when it comes to Ohio State.
The run D was 28th in the nation, stuffed Kenneth Walker and Michigan State cold, held Penn State to 33 yards, and allowed fewer than 100 rushing yards seven times and gave up just 3.7 yards per carry on the season.
Obviously it’s not about what the Ohio State defense does against Indiana and Akron. However, 14 of the 17 rushing touchdowns allowed came in four key games – and two other TDs came against Penn State.
Minnesota started the season hammering the Buckeyes for over 200 yards in a game that might have been far different if Mohamed Ibrahim not suffered a torn Achilles heel.
Oregon ran for 269 yards and averaged over seven yards per carry, Michigan ripped it up with close to 300 yards, and Utah’s great offensive front pounded away for 226 yards.
The last time the a Buckeyes D allowed over 200 rushing yards four times was the 6-7 2011 season.
Ohio State Buckeyes: Key Player To The 2022 Season
DE JT Tuimolau, Soph.
And/or Zach Harrison, and/or Jack Sawyer, and/or Javontae Jean-Baptiste. No matter who it is, the Buckeyes need a bigger push from the pass rush on the ends.
Tuimolau was a superstar of superstar defensive recruits for Ohio State last year, and he got his feet wet with 2.5 sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss, and 17 sacks.
No one’s expecting him to be Chase Young, but the 6-4, 272-pounder has way too much talent and upside to not eventually be a game-wrecking force.
Ohio State Buckeyes: Key Transfer
S Tanner McCalister, Sr.
Ohio State’s defense needed more playmakers and steadiness in the secondary, and in comes McCalister. He’s not all the flashy, but he knows what he’s doing after four years at Oklahoma State.
He made 123 tackles with and one interception with 12 broken up passes – 11 of them last year – and now he’ll be a statistical star in mostly a third safety job.
Ohio State Key Game To The 2022 Season
Notre Dame, Sept. 3
The Michigan game is at home – obviously that’s the one Ohio State fans want – and so are showdowns against Iowa and Wisconsin. There are dangerous battles on the road against Michigan State and Penn State, and watch out for that date at Maryland before Michigan.
But the entire season is about more than just one game.
Ohio State sputtered out of the gate last year at Minnesota, lost a week later against Oregon, and it took away the aura of invincibility about that great team.
Notre Dame will be great, but if this Ohio State team is ready to make a run to the national title, it needs to show it from the start with a muscle-flexing domination.
Ohio State Buckeyes: 2021 Fun Stats
– Sacks: Ohio State 37 for 247 yards – Opponents 17 for 133 yards
– Penalties: Ohio State 85 for 770 yards – Opponents 57 for 497 yards
– Points Per Game: Ohio State 45.7 – Opponents 22.8
Ohio State 2022 Preview
Offense, Defense Breakdown
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Ohio State Top 10 Players | Ohio State Schedule & Analysis