In October, Ohio State’s wide receivers playfully called themselves clowns, fools and divas who were willing to put aside personal ambitions for the greater good of the team. They were less upfront about confronting an annoying stigma of being perennial underachievers who had disappointed Urban Meyer for the better part of his tenure in Columbus.
And since the head coach cut his teeth as a wide receivers coach during his younger years, it's always given him a certain degree of ethos when blasting the group as part of a “clown show” excuse for an offense upon taking over the Buckeyes in early 2012. The unit seemed to especially pain him; it seemed to personally offend him.
“Name who we could throw the ball to,” Meyer said in November while reflecting on a long and sometimes irksome journey of improvement between then and now.
And to understand why Ohio State's wide receivers — which are undoubtedly having their best season in three seasons — might have another chance to remind onlookers of such a difference against a Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, you have understand then and you have to understand now.
For starters, then refers to a time where the team’s offensive game plan was best described as “Braxton Miller right, Braxton Miller left" in 2012. It also harkens back to last season, where the outfit was otherwise dominant thanks to a powerful run game.
Now, of course, refers to Ohio State’s current situation: One that offers it a productive and — perhaps more importantly — consistent unit that has delivered when called upon to do so.
"Now when I say who are you going to throw it to," Meyer said, "three or four names pop in my mind. Which is a good sign."
And there's statistical evidence to prove it.
In 2012 (you know, the year that Meyer seems like he's tried to repress from his memory), the team caught a combined 161 passes for 2,178 yards and 17 touchdowns. "We were borderline pathetic at passing the ball our first year," Meyer said.
The Buckeyes were decidedly better in 2013, when they caught 238 passes for 2,846 and 38 touchdowns. But those figures didn't do much to curb Meyer's disapproval — especially when seemingly everyone not named Philly Brown suddenly vanished during the team's postseason collapse against Michigan State and Clemson.
Meyer's brand of the spread offense, which is predicated upon speedsters on the outside and how those players in operate in open space, had yet to resemble such a promised on-field product.
Until now.
The group has caught 225 passes for 3209 yards and 39 touchdowns through 13 games. And unlike years past, Meyer can rely on a rotation of players instead of one or two to make plays on a semi-weekly basis.
"We have five guys I have no problem throwing the ball to,” Meyer said.
They include seniors Devin Smith and Evan Spencer, redshirt sophomore Michael Thomas and H-backs Jalin Marshall and Dontre Wilson (who's expected to return for the Sugar Bowl after breaking his foot against the Spartans). Each player brings a different skill set to the field; Smith's a home-run hitter, Spencer's a do-everything player, and Wilson and Marshall offer the Buckeyes production at an ever-interesting position that has yet to really live up to the hype in three seasons.
Also unlike years past, Ohio State's receivers have delivered when it matters most.
When it toppled Michigan State in November, the Buckeyes gashed the Spartans' vaunted "No Fly Zone" pass defense for 16 catches, 300 yards (19 yards a catch if you do the math) and three touchdowns. Six different players caught at least one pass.
"We obviously have a mission at my position to be the best receiving corps in the country," wide receivers coach Zach Smith said in November, "and we took a step towards that against Michigan State."
The Buckeyes took another step in a 59-0 rout of Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game two weekends ago, where the unit had 12 catches for 257 yards and three touchdowns. In particular, Smith, whom Meyer's called the "best deep-ball receiver" he's ever coached, simply eviscerated the Badgers for 137 yards and four catches for three scores.
And against No. 1 Alabama in a College Football Playoff semifinal bout Jan. 1, Ohio State's wide receivers will perhaps have another chance to deliver yet another big message on a big stage. For as good as the Crimson Tide are, they rank 60th in pass defense, surrendering 224 yards a game.
Whether the Buckeyes seize the opportunity remains to be seen, but it's a chance, nonetheless, to make a statement with the rest of the nation watching.
