Fresh off a 67-point drubbing of Bowling Green to kick off the 2016 season, Urban Meyer's squad gets back at it tomorrow playing host to the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.
The Buckeyes are more than a four touchdown favorite after reaching the end zone 11 times while intercepting the Falcons three times, holding them to three points.
This week Ohio State is expected to face a stiffer test from a Tulsa offense deemed especially competent in the pass game.
So is another blowout on the horizon? What can we expect from a defensive line forced to replace Tracy Sprinkle? For answers to these questions and more, this week's 11W roundtable features Marion's favorite son, D.J. Byrnes and the man with the crystal balls, Andrew Ellis.
Enlighten us, fellas.
J.T. Barrett lit up the Falcons with 379 total yards and seven touchdowns. Just 30 of those yards and one of the touchdowns came via the ground as Barrett logged a modest six carries. My take is that low volume of carries is a great thing to see from both a Barrett-health and playcalling standpoint. What do you make of his lack of carries? Will Barrett see a lot more carries per game once the schedule heats up? Do you have a preference of how many carries Barrett logs per game?
Andrew: When the Bri’onte Dunn dismissal was announced, I figured that could mean a few more designed keeps for J.T Barrett. So yes, I was a bit surprised with his lack of carries against BG. However, the heavy dose of Curtis Samuel was definitely something I loved seeing. I’m really not reading too much into it at this point. When Ohio State faces off against a better defense, I expect more read option and I’m sure Barrett may end up keeping a few more of those when need be.
DJ: Barrett will definitely see more carries as the schedule heats up, and it’s no coincidence he had a light rush load against Bowling Green. It’s a smart play by Meyer, because he knows how much rides on Barrett’s ligaments. Meyer will always run his QB more than I’d prefer, but he’s the guy with three titles and I’m the one on the couch. So ultimately my preference is whatever he calls.
Barrett and Meyer both lamented the amount of missed assignments from the wide receivers and upon further review, the position group only accounted for nine of Ohio State’s 27 pass receptions versus Bowling Green. What did you see from the wide receivers that you liked? What big concerns are still lingering?
DJ: I liked that every player expected to make an impact, sans Corey Smith, made an impact. Noah Brown and K.J. Hill both showed why they could be weapons.
My only concern is lack of technique. As the schedule toughens, defenses are eventually going to sell out on the run and dare Barrett to beat them with his arm. He’s shown he has the accuracy to do it, it’s just a matter if his receivers can get separation. At that level, it’s more than just being a talented athlete.
Andrew: The stats for the wide receivers really don’t surprise me, nor am I overly concerned about them. The emergence of Curtis Samuel is a great thing for the offense and he hauled in nine passes on Saturday. While he may not be a true wideout like Noah Brown or K.J. Hill, I’m more than happy with the role he played in the season opener.
The biggest thing I liked was seeing Brown back on the field. I think everyone was pretty elated when he hauled in that touchdown pass and there will surely be many more to come. Hill was a player I really wanted coming out of high school, but after the redshirt season I wasn’t sure what to expect of him this year. His first career reception going for a long touchdown was definitely a nice start.
The biggest concern for me is Corey Smith. I think we have plenty of depth at wideout, but it’s never good to see a head coach say that a senior isn’t where he needs to be. Some of that may have been a motivational tactic on Meyer’s behalf, but his lack of involvement is a bit of a concern.
The Buckeye defense held Bowling Green to 244 total yards on 3.4 yards per play but left room for improvement. In particular, what did you see from the linebacking corps? How did Chris Worley perform from your vantage point?
Andrew: I didn’t notice any glaring issues with the linebacker play. I do recall McMillan missing a tackle on a run early on, but that’s going to happen from time to time. I admittedly was a little worried when Booker went out, but Joe Burger filled in admirably. As for Worley, he was the biggest question mark for me at the position. I waited all summer to hear that Jerome Baker had beaten him out, but that didn’t happen. He wasn’t a tackling machine or anything like that on Saturday and may have been out of position on a few plays, but I feel comfortable with him out there. We will obviously need to see how things play out against stiffer opponents, but I’m not too concerned about this unit moving forward.
DJ: Linebacker is fine. Chris Worley wasn’t perfect, but no linebacker is going to be perfect in his debut. My biggest concern is Dante Booker’s health. I love to know Joe Burger, but I have questions about his lateral quickness. Eventually, talented offenses will target him. My hope is Jerome Baker is matured enough by then to offer serviceable minutes as well because it will take a platoon to replace Booker.
Looking at the performances turned in last week by Mike Weber, Curtis Samuel and Malik Hooker, which surprised you the most and why? Which player will turn out to be the most valuable when we look back on the season come January?
DJ: Honestly, none of it surprised me. Anybody who has paid attention since January tabbed all three of them for big years. I knew Hooker would be great, but the potential he showed against Bowling Green was next level. That said, Curtis Samuel will be the MVP if he stays healthy.
Andrew: Curtis Samuel's play surprised me the most, and it has nothing to do with his talent. I really was just surprised that they fed him the ball as much as they did. We have heard the term “Percy Harvin role” thrown around about a million times since late 2011, but that’s what I was reminded of on Saturday. Harvin averaged just shy of 10 touches per game during his final (junior) year at Florida and just about 13 as a sophomore. Samuel had 22 touches against Bowling Green. Is that pace going to continue? Probably not, but the volume did surprise me a bit. Samuel gets my vote for the MVP as well, even if he’s not always touching the ball 20+ times per game.
I thought Marcus Baugh looked like a big time weapon Warinner and Barrett could utilize more if Ohio State ever decided to truly involve the tight end in the passing game. After Baugh’s four catch, 30 yard day, plus one other catch by a Buckeye tight end on the day, will OSU use the tight end any differently this year? What kinds of season stats are reasonable for Baugh?
Andrew: I don’t foresee Ohio State using the tight end much differently this season. I think what we have seen over the past few years is about what one can expect. Perhaps there will be a random 2013 Jeff Heuerman vs. Purdue performance at some point (5 receptions for 100+ and a score), but I’m not getting my hopes up on that. Baugh looked good and I expect A.J. Alexander to continue to be involved, but I don’t anticipate any earth-shattering stats. Maybe 30ish catches for 400-500 yards and 5-6 touchdowns for Baugh.
DJ: I refuse to bet on the tight ends until proved wrong. Nick Vannett caught 19 passes for 162 yards in 13 games. Probably something like that for Baugh.
Tracy Sprinkle’s season-ending surgery leaves a decent sized hole at defensive tackle alongside Michael Hill. Larry Johnson said even before the injury he planned to use a sizeable rotation but who is the guy you see taking the biggest step forward and why?
DJ: DaVon Hamilton. Dude is a fridge and has unheralded athleticism. No disrespect to Dre’Mont Jones, however.
Andrew: I think Dre’Mont Jones is going to be that guy and the rotation is something I'm really excited about. Defensive tackle recruiting was a concern a few years back, but I always liked Robert Landers and DaVon Hamilton. They didn’t have the star power that some other kids had coming in, but I’m not really surprised that they’ve worked their way into the two deep. Still, I think Jones has the most potential. He played defensive end in high school but has obviously made a ton of progress on the interior part of the line. He’s up to 280 pounds and supposedly still has a ton of quickness. Will be fun to watch him moving forward.
After an opening weekend featuring a handful of ranked opponents across the college football landscape going toe to toe, which team impressed you the most and why? Give me your top five teams, in order, heading into Week 2.
Andrew: Hate to say it, but Alabama impressed me the most. I was expecting them to beat USC by a couple touchdowns, but I definitely wasn’t expecting the 52-6 massacre that took place on Saturday. That defense is frightening and it legitimately seems like they have multiple five-stars at every single position. Quarterback was one of the biggest question marks for Nick Saban entering the season, and the play of true freshman Jalen Hurts and redshirt freshman Blake Barnett was way better than I think most expected. Two young guys like that playing quarterback is going to be an issue for the SEC for years to come. Our old friend Damien Harris was impressive as well.
Top 5:
1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Florida State
4. Ohio State
5. Houston
DJ: Houston impressed me. I have no idea why people thought the Coogs were losing that game.
My Top 5:
1. Alabama: King until somebody beats them.
2. Clemson: Auburn is better than people think. Clemson will be in the playoffs.
3. Ohio State: Obvious.
4: Houston: I want Herman vs. Saban part II and I want it yesterday.
5: Florida State: Deondre Francois is a boss.
Name one player who didn’t grab much pub after last week’s game but impressed you enough to warrant a mention. Who is your guy? Why?
DJ: All my guys got praised. But shoutout to the offensive line. Replacing four starters and not surendering a TFL is impressive no matter how Meyer grades it.
Andrew: We tend to focus on the flashier positions at times, but I thought Jamarco Jones had a heck of a game. He provided a bit of a scare when he got banged up and was being looked at on the sideline, but fortunately he was able to make his way back to the field and continue paving the way for the offense. When I re-watch a game I try to pay a little more attention the offensive line, and I thought he had a nearly flawless performance.
Last week the Buckeyes won by 67 points which was more than enough to cover what was a 28-point spread. This weekend, the Buckeyes are favored by 28.5 over the Tulsa Golden Hurricane. Does Ohio State cover? Give us your score prediction and game MVP.
Andrew: I got the Buckeyes over Tulsa by a score of 57-20, so yes I do think they will cover again this weekend. I’ll go with Mike Weber for the MVP. He was close to breaking about four or five huge runs last week but got tripped up before finding the open field. I think he finds the endzone three times on Saturday.
DJ: Ohio State covers easily, though Tulsa will score more than BG. Something like 52-17. Offensive MVP: J.T. Barrett. Defensive MVP: Malik Hooker.
