Ohio State is coming off an impressive 14-7 win against Texas in week one. The offense struggled in the win as they were held to 203 yards of total offense. That was not unexpected, as Texas is one of the best defenses in College Football. Now, Ohio State has two weeks to play against Grambling State and Ohio, two teams it should dominate. These two weeks are valuable for Ohio State to improve as a team before they travel to Washington for an important away game. Below are 4 items they need to improve in the next two weeks.
Improve the run game
Ohio State only ran for 77 yards against Texas. Running back James Peoples struggled running the ball. He had 10 carries for 20 yards. CJ Donaldson rushed for 67 yards on 19 carries, which was an improvement over Peoples, but he still needs to get better. Both running backs lacked explosion. Neither had a rush for longer than 8 yards. Now, Texas’s front is impressive, but neither running back could get going against Texas.
It wasn’t just the running backs; the new offensive line struggled at times. It was the 1st time the offensive line had played together as a new unit. Returning starters Luke Montgomery (left guard), Carson Hinzman (center), Tegra Tshabola (right guard) all showed promise, but struggled with consistency as well. Austin Siereveld moved to left tackle this year, and he played well overall against Texas. The new transfer portal edition Phillip Daniels started at right tackle, struggled at times, but he has promise. Plus, Ethan Onianwa, another transfer, rotated at right tackle and right guard, and he struggled as well. These two weeks are a good opportunity for both running backs and the offensive line to jell together.
Timing in the passing game
Ohio State has the best wide receivers in College Football, but against a good Texas defense, they struggled with consistency. Star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith had two drops, and Julian Sayin missed him when he was wide open in the 1st half on a go ball. New tight end Max Klare also had a big drop on a 4th down. New starting wide receiver Brandon Innis also had a big drop on a beautiful throw by Sayin on a go ball. The next two weeks will be a good time for the new starting quarterback, Sayin, and his wide receivers to develop some chemistry.
Rushing the passer
Overall, Ohio State’s defense was excellent, but starting edge defender Kenyatta Jackson left the game early due to an injury, and it is unclear when he will return. The next two weeks should allow Ohio State to work at its depth at the edge. North Carolina transfer Beau Atkinson, new starting edge defender Caden Curry, and edge defender JJ Hicks should all get plenty of playing time to play at a high level.
Get Lincoln Kienholz some playing time
You never know when you might need to play your backup quarterback, so the next two weeks would be a great time to play backup quarterback Lincoln Kienholz in a game. Getting him some live reps would be invaluable in case Julian Sayin ever goes down with an injury. It would be great for him to throw the ball and get adjusted to playing in a game. Also, 3rd string quarterback Tavien St. Clair can play up to four games without burning his redshirt, so it would be a good time for him to get some playing time as well.
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