When Urban Meyer says Ohio State is "an offensive line driven program," he's not just talking about the guys up front.
The mentality of the self-proclaimed "slobs" is contagious. When running back Ezekiel Elliott plows downhill, wide receivers are also heavily involved in creating running lanes.
"They've gotten a lot better at blocking down field, just like the o-line's gotten a lot better this season," Elliott said, Tuesday. "That's big, for the long runs especially."
On Elliott's longest run of the year, receiver Evan Spencer's crackback block sprung the Buckeye running back 85 yards for a touchdown. Considering the situation – a one-score game, with under four minutes left in the final quarter of the Sugar Bowl – it will go down as one of the most memorable runs in recent Buckeye history.
Spencer turned himself into a missile, heading straight at Alabama linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton. The explosive block also took out linebacker Trey Depriest (via @cjason112):
As our Kyle Jones wrote, this play was a seldom-used – for the Buckeyes, at least – outside zone-read concept. It's just another example of Ohio State expanding the playbook this season.
The receiving corps' run-blocking abilities make them even more dangerous on the ground, according to center Jacoby Boren.
"If any of those runs on the perimeter get out, it's almost all because of those wide receivers. They've done a great job all year," Boren said. "It's not something you see every day in a wide receiver, but all those guys out there are selfless. They'll throw their bodies into you. Even [Elliott], too. He throws a lot of great blocks when he's not running the ball."
Team speed on the edge is more noticeable since redshirt freshman Jalin Marshall's addition to the rotation. He's been more effective than Dontre Wilson in the H-Back role, particularly after Wilson broke his foot. Wilson is "probable" for the National Championship Game, according to Urban Meyer. Ohio State also called a sweep for freshman Noah Brown in the Sugar Bowl, meaning Tom Herman has an endless array of weapons at his disposal for Monday's game.
So, while complaints may pour in when he – or Urban Meyer – calls anything but a run up the middle, the Buckeyes' diverse calls in the run game open up those Elliott runs.
"It helps out a lot that defenses can't really plan for one thing that we do," Boren said. "We run outside, run inside, run outside or inside with reads, depending on what the quarterback wants to do. That's something that is pretty big for our offense, keeps defenses on edge and definitely gives us an advantage."
Even without asking quarterback Cardale Jones to use his arm, OSU has the opposing defense on its heels. If he didn't have consistently strong blocking on the edge in the run game, Jones would face intense pressure to open things up for the offense.
Spencer's willingness to take on multiple defenders is part of the reason why Meyer is effusive in his praise for the senior wideout.
"He's the MVP of our team," Meyer said. "He's really what to me, football is all about. He's a reason, him and sitting in the special teams meetings, him and just throwing himself in people's way and blocking.
The play that sprung Elliott for an 85 yard touchdown, he took two guys out and that's there's not one person in this facility that's shocked that he did that."
