Week 1 has come and gone and Ohio State’s win over Indiana started the Kyle McCord era in Columbus. When the clock struck 0:00, the Buckeyes owned a 23-3 victory over their Big Ten foe and extended the now 29-game win streak over the Hoosiers.
Ohio State came into this game a nearly five-touchdown favorite so only winning by 20 has the famously chill and level-headed Buckeye Nation slightly anxious. The Buckeye offense looked lethargic. Ryan Day‘s offense (which he recently took back from offensive coordinator, Brian Hartline) struggled mightily on third down and in the Red Zone. Those elite weapons were almost a non-factor.
However, the game was not all cloudy days and lukewarm coffee. There were some positives to build upon. Ohio State’s win over Indiana locked down a crucial Big Ten win. Winning on the road in the Big Ten is rough, especially in Week 1. The defense came to play. The offensive line, once it got together, played well. Ohio State could run the ball with a decent amount of success. Regardless, this game had plenty of aspects worth worrying about and plenty worth being proud of.
Ohio State’s Win Over Indiana Yielded Mixed Results
The McCord Era Begins
It was not the dominant debut that many envisioned, but McCord started the game and was able to lead the offense to a win. Despite the fact that Day stated both quarterbacks would play meaningful snaps in this game, McCord played 64 of the offense’s 70 snaps.
He started off slow but put together an okay day, completing 20 of 33 passing for 239 yards. The interesting part was the fact he was held without scoring and even made a really poor decision that resulted in a touchdown.
In total, McCord took time to get accustomed to running the offense. His timing was off with his receivers when given the opportunity to throw. It was not a performance that the Buckeys are accustomed to from their quarterback. There were a few instances, like his final completion in the fourth quarter that was a perfectly-placed ball to Miyan Williams for a fourth-down conversion, where McCord showed he had what it took. He really only had six off-target or poorly-placed balls that resulted in incomplete passes. Most of those occurred in the second half when he was starting to actually push the ball downfield rather than take the short concepts.
The decision-making needs work, however. He can’t be faulted for taking check-downs constantly when Indiana’s defensive game plan was to not let anyone get past them. However, he can be faulted for his incredibly poor decision on third and goal in the third quarter. He had a designed run up the middle and all of the blocks were well set up. Instead of running off of his running back to an easy touchdown, he elected to go left and right into the waiting arms of the defender.
While his play was not detrimental to the team, he did not quite elevate his team as past Ohio State quarterbacks have. However, it was his first game of the year on the road against a Big Ten opponent. Patience.
Playcalling Woes Continue
When things go well, it’s business as usual. When things go poorly, it’s time to light the torches and sharpen the pitchforks. Against a seemingly lesser opponent, Day’s offense looked paltry. In Ohio State’s win over Indiana, more of last year’s concerns reared their ugly heads in a game where many thought Hartline would take over playcalling duties. Instead, Day called the shots and it was not great.
The areas where the Buckeyes have had success in the past — running off tackle or wide zone, for example — they struggled. Indiana’s defense was on top of all of the complicated run concepts and perfectly shot the gaps left by pulling guards left and right. Offenses have their bread-and-butter plays on which they base their offense. For the Buckeyes, it’s those outside runs that allow their dynamic backs to bounce out and create plays in space. When it’s not working, it looks like the coaches are beating a dead horse.
These issues continued as the offense stalled on drive after drive. Ohio State converted just 2/12 on third down. They had to settle for three field goals in and around the red zone instead of punching it in for touchdowns. Two of those field goals were from drives stalling at the Indiana four-yard line.
Overall, the Buckeyes’ 23 points and 380 yards were a far cry from an offense that has averaged nearly 45 points and 526 yards per game over the last two years.
Defensive Line Depth Stepped Up
If it wasn’t for the defense, the Buckeyes could be staring down an 0-1 start. Indiana came out with an option attack in the first half of the game and the Buckeyes responded. This was not the offensive attack many anticipated from the Hoosiers. When it was all said and done, the Buckeyes’ defense allowed just 153 yards, four three-and-outs, and a pair of turnovers on downs.
It all started with the defensive line. When presented with a challenging offense to defend, they stayed disciplined and let the game come to them. Indiana ran the ball 33 times. 15 of those were for one or fewer yards, 10 in the first half.
Overall, the defensive line looked solid in Ohio State’s win over Indiana. Of the starting four, J.T. Tuimoloau was the highest-graded with 72.2 via PFF in 40 snaps. He may have recorded just four tackles and half of a tackle for loss but his impact was felt. He drew a massive holding call and the offense often had to account for his presence.
As they rotated out, guys like Caden Curry and Kenyatta Jackson stepped up and showed that there is not as massive of a gap as one would think. Jackson only played 17 snaps in the second half but he showed his lethal first step and was able to quickly get pressure on the quarterback. He will have to continue to hone his craft as it looks like he doesn’t quite have a full arsenal of moves. However, that quick burst will be enough against most. Curry was right beside Jackson and overwhelmed the Indiana guards on a number of occasions.
While Tyleik Williams and Mike Hall got the start and played well, senior Jaden McKenzie showed up in a big way. In just 13 snaps, he graded out as the top defender and recorded a massive sack, aided by Curry. “It’s just Indiana” seems to be a common phrase when looking at this game but this Ohio State defensive line looked impressive.
Silver Bullets Reloaded
Finally, an area where the Buckeyes have taken a step back over the years has been in the secondary. In Ohio State’s win over Indiana, that same secondary stepped up.
The star of the defense was nickel safety and all-around freak, Sonny Styles. In his first start, Styles recorded 1.5 tackles for loss and was all over the field. He’s already showing serious range and vision for a guy who is just 18 years old. This is put on display in the fourth as Indiana was driving and they attempted a reverse. He was not fooled and came downhill from his opposite hash and held the Hoosiers to a one-yard gain.
Davison Igbinosun had a solid game despite a near-targeting and a pass interference. His physical, sticky style of play is going to help the Buckeyes down the road against some very good receivers. He was targeted five times on the day and allowed 30 yards off of three catches. However, he is a more than willing tackler and came down from his spot to stifle anything Indiana ran his way.
Questions Remain
Defensively, the Buckeyes seem set. They will be able to handle Youngstown State (FCS) next week before a decent test vs. Western Kentucky. Offensively, there are concerns.
Devin Brown did not get a fair shake in this game. He had a total of six plays and only three with the game still competitive. Those plays? Hand-off, hand-off, obvious quarterback run. Against the Penguins, Day should allow Brown to run the normal offense to see what’s there.
Who is RB1? TreVeyon Henderson, Deamonte “Chip” Trayanum, and Williams all looked good when they weren’t mobbed in the backfield.
Will Day open up the offense and let McCord cook? Cade Stover had an awesome day but the two first-round receivers managed just 34 yards off of five receptions. That’s not ideal.
The Buckeyes will be fine. Day is, unfortunately, notorious for slow starts to the year. Let’s hold off the overreactions and “Fire Ryan Day” posts until after Week 4.
Photo courtesy: Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
