SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Ohio State offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Ed Warinner sees the Buckeye offense peaking at the right time heading into its Fiesta Bowl matchup with Notre Dame.
"I think we are getting better and better. I still saw improvement throughout this bowl preparation," Warinner said Tuesday. "I saw us bounce back and play really well against our rival and we’ll try and keep that momentum going."
The unit got an added boost Tuesday, even though it had nothing to do with Ohio State's team.
Irish head coach Brian Kelly announced at practice a pair of starting defensive backs will miss the Fiesta Bowl, one of whom was already filling in for an injured KeiVarae Russell at cornerback.
Junior Devin Butler is out with a fractured bone in his foot and starting junior safety Max Redfield also won't play after violating a team rule. That's three starting-caliber secondary members out against Ohio State, which means the door for the Buckeye passing attack is open in earnest.
"They’ve had a couple injuries in their secondary, but they’ve always had a good recruiting class and their coaches are going to prepare them," Ohio State wide receiver Michael Thomas said Tuesday. "They’re going to give us their best shot and we’re going to give them our best shot."
Redfield and Russell are third and fourth on their team in tackles, respectively,with 64 and 60 in 2015. The two have three interceptions between them this season, so their absences will be noticeable.
Sophomore Nick Watkins will start at corner in place of Butler (who replaced Russell), but he only has five tackles this season. The needed youth movement against Ohio State New Year's Day is brought upon Kelly hardly by his own accord, but the Buckeyes could look to exploit it.
"They have a lot of good players all the way around," Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett said of Notre Dame's defense. "Normally, at a big time school you see players everywhere. Guys that are really good and that's what you're seeing in Notre Dame. Fast, they play hard, that's what comes off the film when you watch them."
We've seen an opportunity like this presented before this season to Ohio State, against Michigan State on Senior Day. The Spartan secondary had been riddled with injuries and inconsistencies all season, but Barrett barely challenged it down the field in a driving rain storm at Ohio Stadium Nov. 21. The Buckeyes lost, 17-14, to dash their chances at the Big Ten and national titles.
"We had a lot of new changes on offense this year," Thomas said. "We’re not going to make any excuses for it, just going to control what we can control and when the ball is in the air make a play. When it comes to you, make a play."
Thomas leads Ohio State's 103rd-ranked passing offense with 49 catches for 709 yards and eight touchdowns. The Buckeyes average a paltry 187 passing yards per game, instead electing to use the battery of Barrett and star running back Ezekiel Elliott to move the chains and win games.
Whether or not Ohio State looks to take shots down the field against a depleted Irish secondary remains to be seen. When Warinner moved into the press box and started calling plays at Michigan, Barrett still only tallied 113 yards through the air with one touchdown toss to Jalin Marshall.
Ohio State runs the ball to win. But can it — or will it — throw the ball to win if it needs to Friday?
"I feel like our coaches are going to put us in the best position to win this game, but they have great coaches too that are going to develop them and they’re getting ready for us just like we’re getting ready for them," Thomas said.
