Urban Meyer knows what his biggest gun was on offense last season. It is hard to forget the Big Ten Silver Football winner and No. 4 overall pick in the NFL Draft Ezekiel Elliott.
Ohio State's head coach and his offensive staff knew Elliott needed to get his touches for the Buckeyes to win games. Now that Elliott is playing for the Dallas Cowboys, though, Meyer wants the equity of the playcalling to return to more of an equilibrium.
"50/50," Meyer said, referring to how many rushes and passes he wants to see called.
Ohio State ran the ball a significant amount more than it passed it last season, especially late in the season in victories against Michigan and Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. J.T. Barrett ran the ball 42 times in the course of those two games, while Elliott recorded 57 carries. To compare, Barrett threw it a grand total of 46 times against the Wolverines and Fighting Irish.
Personnel often dictates what teams do on offense and what plays they call — you must to get the ball into the hands of your best playmakers. Meyer wants to Ohio State's direction shifting to a more balanced attack, starting Saturday against Bowling Green.
"We'll know more obviously Saturday but we have depth at receiver. We have a returning quarterback that understands what we're trying to do," Meyer said. "And at the end of the day it's 250 (yards passing), 250 (rushing) is perfect."
The Buckeyes came close to those numbers a few times in 2015. Against Rutgers, Barrett threw for 247 yards and the team ran for 281. The Buckeyes ran for 285 yards against Notre Dame while Barrett tallied another 211 with his arm. But the well-oiled machine that was the Buckeyes offense when it ran its way to the national title in 2014 destroyed defenses in all areas, doing so with consistency.
Ohio State (obviously) hopes to return to that blueprint starting Saturday.
"We’re really striving to be balanced because we have a great group of receivers and skilled athletes, tight ends as well that we’d love to have some balance," offensive coordinator Ed Warinner said Monday. "I think that’s what we want our identity to be is to No. 1 play fast, be physical and be very balanced."
You got the sense Monday that trying the Falcons through and air and on the ground in a similar capacity is going to be Ohio State's plan. At least early in the game.
"We have the tools and the players to do that," Warinner said. "That’s going to really be our objective."
But if the Buckeyes decide to run Barrett, Mike Weber, Curtis Samuel and others more than throw it because it is the best way to put up points, that's what they will do. Meyer knows the most important thing is to win the game, which is why he handed it to Elliott — his best player — so much last year.
His intention is to get back to doing both this season.
"We've had some close to (250 rushing, 250 passing)," Meyer said. "but last year it was imbalanced and we have to be very balanced."
