Ohio State game plan for victory
The game plan to get back in the win column for this Buckeye team begins on the defensive side of the ball. We’ve been making excuses for Kerry Coombs since he was hired as the defensive coordinator in 2020.
The woes were evident last season, but it was a COVID-19 shortened season and a strange year all around. It looked like things were somewhat fixed with a thorough dismantling of Clemson in the Sugar Bowl, only to get embarrassed by Alabama in the national title game.
In Week 1 against Minnesota, we could excuse the play because the Buckeyes were in a hostile Big Ten environment, and Mohamed Ibrahim is one of the nation’s most talented backs running behind a huge and experienced offensive line.
No more excuses. And Coombs said as much after the debacle against Oregon on Saturday, taking full responsibility. Something has to change. There is way too much talent on that defense to constantly be out of position and giving up big plays.
The defensive line, which has long been seen as the strength of the Buckeye defense has to stop the run. If a team can run for six or seven yards a carry, as the Ducks did on Saturday, an offense can do anything it wants. No pressure in the backfield and the secondary is hung out to dry.
Offensively, C.J. Stroud has to settle. There have been too many overthrown passes and missed receivers. If Stroud wants to be the guy at OSU, he has to to play with a little more composure. One has to wonder as well, the way Stroud keeps rubbing his shoulder if he isn’t playing with some pain. Either way, despite the huge numbers, if he can’t get some things straightened out with the overthrows, the whispers are going to get louder for one of the next guys to get a look.