Snap Counts: Michael Jordan, Damon Webb Lead Ohio State in 2017 Snaps After 58 Buckeyes Play in Season-Ending Cotton Bowl Against USC

By Dan Hope on January 3, 2018 at 9:55 am
Damon Webb
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There weren’t any big surprises in regards to which Ohio State players saw the field in the Cotton Bowl.

Outside of the cornerback position, where Denzel Ward’s decision to sit out opened the door for true freshman Jeffrey Okudah to see his most substantial playing time of the year, the Buckeyes largely stuck with their regular rotations in their final game of the season. A total of 58 players took snaps for Ohio State in Friday’s 24-7 win over USC, with 17 Buckeyes playing on offense, 22 Buckeyes playing on defense and another 19 playing on special teams only.

What we can do now, though, is look back on the cumulative snap counts for the 2017 season now that every one of Ohio State’s games for the year have been played.

A total of 86 Buckeyes saw the field for at least one snap in some capacity this season, including 22 players – 11 on each side of the ball – who played at least 500 snaps on offense or defense.

Left guard Michael Jordan led the entire team with 925 snaps played this season, though fellow offensive lineman Isaiah Prince finished just one snap behind him. Fellow offensive lineman Jamarco Jones also topped the 900-snap mark, while center Billy Price played exactly 900; quarterback J.T. Barrett finishes his final season at Ohio State with 878 snaps played, while safety Damon Webb led all Buckeyes on defense with 870 snaps played.

Following our look at how many snaps the Buckeyes played on offense and defense and who made up each special teams unit in their final game of the season against the Trojans, you can see how many snaps each Buckeye played in every game this season in our snap trackers at the bottom of the story.

Author’s note: All snap counts listed in this article were tracked by Eleven Warriors through film review and should be considered unofficial, as Ohio State does not release its official snap counts. The players listed with each special teams unit are the players who were on the field with those units most frequently, but exact special teams snap counts are not included because it is not always possible to identify all 11 players on a special teams unit from TV camera angles.

Quarterbacks

J.T. Barrett: 56 snaps

As expected, Barrett played every offensive snap in his final game as a Buckeye. For the season as a whole, Barrett took 81.9 percent of the Buckeyes’ total offensive snaps at quarterback, including every snap in games that remained competitive with the exception of the Michigan game, when he exited in the third quarter due to injury and Dwayne Haskins filled in.

Running Backs

J.K. Dobbins: 33

Mike Weber: 25

Antonio Williams: Special teams only

Dobbins started every game for Ohio State as a true freshman and finished the season with 576 snaps played, the most by far among Buckeyes true freshmen this year.

Weber’s snaps took a big hit this season as a result, as he finished the year with only 320 snaps played on offense. That said, his 25 snaps in the season finale tied his highest snap count for a game played in November or later this year, as the two running backs split snaps about evenly against the Trojans, though Dobbins did have 13 carries to Weber’s five.

Fullbacks

Zach Turnure: Special teams only

While Turnure played only 15 snaps in three games on offense this season after making the switch from linebacker to fullback, he was a regular for the Buckeyes on multiple special teams units, playing every game in his senior season in that capacity.

Wide Receivers

Terry McLaurin: 32

Austin Mack: 31

Parris Campbell: 29

Johnnie Dixon: 24

Binjimen Victor: 24

K.J. Hill: 23

C.J. Saunders: 2

Elijaah Goins: Special teams only

As was the case all season, each of Ohio State’s top six wide receivers rotated in and out of the lineup regularly against USC, though the receiver who played the most snaps for the season as a whole – Hill – actually played the least snaps among those six against the Trojans. That occurred in part because Hill suffered an injury on a muffed punt return in the second quarter, which led to Saunders playing a pair of snaps in the rotation late in the second quarter before Hill returned to the game for the second half.

Tight Ends

Marcus Baugh: 51

Rashod Berry: 6

While Berry was on the field for each of Ohio State’s final four offensive snaps, he had played just two snaps at tight end in Friday’s game before that – both on a first-quarter offensive series that went 12 plays – as the Buckeyes stuck with Baugh, their senior starter at the position, to play the lion’s share of the snaps in his final game.

Although Berry started to earn more regular playing time around the middle of the season of the Buckeyes, his opportunities waned down the stretch, as he played only five or six offensive snaps in each of Ohio State’s final three games.

Offensive Linemen

Jamarco Jones: 56

Michael Jordan: 56

Demetrius Knox: 56

Billy Price: 56

Isaiah Prince: 56

Matthew Burrell: Special teams only

Thayer Munford: Special teams only

Malcolm Pridgeon: Special teams only

Brady Taylor: Special teams only

Kevin Woidke: Special teams only

Each of Ohio State’s regular starting five up front (not including Branden Bowen, who suffered a season-ending injury against Maryland) played every snap on the Buckeyes’ offensive line in their final game of the season; Jones took every snap at left tackle with Jordan at left guard, Price at center, Knox at right guard and Prince at right tackle.

Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan led all Ohio State players in total offensive or defensive snaps this season.
Defensive Ends

Sam Hubbard: 60

Tyquan Lewis: 60

Nick Bosa: 58

Jalyn Holmes: 56

Chase Young: 8

Jonathon Cooper: 2

For the first and only time during the 2017 season, all of Ohio State’s top four defensive ends played more than 50 snaps in Friday’s game, as the Buckeyes used nickel packages with four defensive ends on the field for nearly half (40 of 82) of their total defensive snaps in Friday’s game. That moved Hubbard, Lewis, Bosa and Holmes all over 520 snaps played for the season.

Young and Cooper – expected to be key players in Ohio State’s 2018 defensive end rotation with Hubbard, Lewis and Holmes on their way out – also saw occasional playing time in the Rushmen package on Friday, with each of Cooper’s snaps coming on the Buckeyes’ final defensive series.

Defensive Tackles

Jashon Cornell: 24

Tracy Sprinkle: 19

Robert Landers: 16

Dre’Mont Jones: 12

Michael Hill: 9

Davon Hamilton: 7

Jones, who played the most snaps among Ohio State’s defensive tackles this season, suffered an injury in the first half and did not play in the second half of Friday’s game. Cornell took most of the snaps in his place at 3-technique defensive tackle, though Hamilton also saw his share. With Sprinkle, Landers and Hill all rotating at the nose tackle position, Cornell led all Buckeyes defensive tackles in snaps played as a result.

Linebackers

Jerome Baker: 82

Tuf Borland: 42

Chris Worley: 42

Malik Harrison: 37

Baron Browning: Special teams only

Justin Hilliard: Special teams only

Keandre Jones: Special teams only

Pete Werner: Special teams only

A mainstay on Ohio State’s defense this season with the exception of the one game he missed due to injury, Baker played every one of the Buckeyes’ defensive snaps against USC. Borland and Worley played every snap in the Buckeyes’ base 4-3 defense, while Harrison played every snap in the nickel defense, with the exception of three plays where the Buckeyes used five defensive linemen and Baker was the only linebacker on the field.

Dante Booker, who began the season as the Buckeyes’ starting strongside linebacker, did not play a single snap for a fifth consecutive game to end the season.

Cornerbacks

Kendall Sheffield: 81

Jeffrey Okudah: 62

Damon Arnette: 59

Amir Riep: Special teams only

Marcus Williamson: Special teams only

With Ward’s decision to sit out the Cotton Bowl and preserve his stock for the 2018 NFL draft, Sheffield assumed the role of Ohio State’s No. 1 cornerback against USC, playing every one of the Buckeyes’ defensive snap except for their final defensive snap, when he left the game with a cramp.

Although Arnette started the game opposite Sheffield and played most of the Buckeyes’ snaps in the base defense in the first half, Okudah played ahead of Arnette for most of the second half. Both cornerbacks were on the field more often than not, though, because of the Buckeyes’ heavy usage of their nickel defense in Friday’s game.

Kendall Sheffield
In Denzel Ward's absence, Kendall Sheffield played a season-high 81 snaps in the Cotton Bowl. 
Safeties

Jordan Fuller: 82

Damon Webb: 82

Erick Smith: 2

Isaiah Pryor: Special teams only

Fuller and Webb each played every defensive snap of the Buckeyes’ season finale, as Webb finished the year as Ohio State’s leader in defensive snaps while Fuller played the third-most defensive snaps for the Buckeyes this year, behind Webb and Baker. Smith checked in one for one play at safety when Fuller replaced Arnette at slot cornerback, and Smith was also on the field in place of Sheffield for the Buckeyes’ final defensive snap of the game.

Field Goals/Extra Points

Sean Nuernberger (kicker)

Drue Chrisman (punter)

Liam McCullough (long snapper)

Rashod Berry (blocker)

Matthew Burrell (blocker)

Jonathon Cooper (blocker)

Michael Hill (blocker)

Thayer Munford (blocker)

Malcolm Pridgeon (blocker)

Brady Taylor (blocker)

Kevin Woidke (blocker)

Ohio State made no changes to its place kicking unit for the final game of the year, using the same lineup on that unit in each of its final seven games of the season.

Kickoffs

Blake Haubeil (kicker)

Baron Browning (gunner)

Justin Hilliard (gunner)

Austin Mack (gunner)

Jeffrey Okudah or Elijaah Goins (gunner)

Isaiah Pryor (gunner)

Amir Riep (gunner)

Erick Smith (gunner)

Zach Turnure (gunner)

Pete Werner (gunner)

Marcus Williamson (gunner)

Ohio State made no changes to its kickoff unit for the final game of the season with the exception of its final kickoff in Friday’s game, when Goins replaced Okudah to play his only snap in his final game of his Buckeye career.

Kickoff Returns

Mike Weber (returner)

Antonio Williams (returner)

Jonathon Cooper (blocker)

Malik Harrison (blocker)

Justin Hilliard (blocker)

Keandre Jones (blocker)

Jeffrey Okudah (blocker)

Erick Smith (blocker)

Zach Turnure (blocker)

Pete Werner (blocker)

Marcus Williamson (blocker)

Ohio State made no changes to its kickoff return unit for its final game of the year, with Weber and Williams remaining in their roles as the return men though neither actually returned a kickoff in the final game of the year.

Punts

Drue Chrisman (punter)

Liam McCullough (long snapper)

Tuf Borland (upback)

Jonathon Cooper (upback/wing)

Sam Hubbard (upback/wing)

Malik Harrison (guard)

Zach Turnure (guard)

Erick Smith (wing/gunner) or Jerome Baker (wing)

Parris Campbell (gunner/wing)

Terry McLaurin (gunner/wing) or Johnnie Dixon (gunner)

Jeffrey Okudah or Kendall Sheffield or Marcus Williamson (gunner)

Smith was a new addition to the punting unit for the final game of the season, in which he took snaps as both a blocker and as a gunner. Outside of that, the Buckeyes used all players who have been on their punting unit in their previous game, with the exception of Williamson, who was on the field wearing Denzel Ward’s No. 12 jersey (to avoid wearing the same number as Campbell, since both typically wear No. 21) for Ohio State’s final two punts of the game.

Punt Blocks/Returns

K.J. Hill (returner)

Damon Arnette or Jeffrey Okudah (rusher/blocker)

Parris Campbell (rusher/blocker)

Jonathon Cooper (rusher/blocker)

Justin Hilliard (rusher/blocker)

Terry McLaurin (rusher/blocker)

Isaiah Pryor (rusher/blocker)

Kendall Sheffield (rusher/blocker)

Erick Smith (rusher/blocker)

Pete Werner (rusher/blocker)

Damon Webb (rusher/blocker)

After playing with defensive ends Nick Bosa and Sam Hubbard on the field as interior rushers on their punt block unit in previous games, the Buckeyes went with a slightly smaller lineup against USC, still playing one defensive end (Cooper) but playing two linebackers (Hilliard and Werner) instead of a second defensive end. Pryor was also added to the unit lineup in a spot that had previously been occupied by Denzel Ward and Antonio Williams in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Snap Tracker: Offense
POS PLAYER @ IU OU ARMY UNLV @ RU MD @ NEB PSU @ IOWA MSU ILL @ UM WISC USC TOTAL
QB J.T. BARRETT 88 71 59 33 53 70 76 85 68 61 50 38 70 56 878
QB DWAYNE HASKINS DNP DNP 10 50 14 22 8 DNP DNP 6 29 28 DNP DNP 167
QB JOE BURROW DNP DNP DNP 5 7 DNP 5 DNP DNP DNP 10 DNP DNP DNP 27
RB J.K. DOBBINS 76 44 41 38 23 35 36 39 43 44 32 40 52 33 576
RB MIKE WEBER DNP 27 17 DNP 28 38 37 48 22 17 18 25 18 25 320
RB ANTONIO WILLIAMS 12 DNP 10 38 DNP 8 16 ST 4 6 35 ST 2 ST 131
RB DEMARIO MCCALL ST DNP DNP 8 21 7 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 36
RB JARED DRAKE DNP DNP ST 4 1 3 DNP DNP DNP DNP 5 DNP DNP DNP 13
RB JORDAN LEASURE DNP DNP 1 10 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 11
FB ZACH TURNURE ST ST ST ST ST 8 2 ST ST ST 5 ST ST ST 15
WR K.J. HILL 58 55 32 36 25 45 50 66 61 33 33 26 32 23 575
WR TERRY MCLAURIN 49 41 52 25 41 54 54 51 29 35 30 27 31 32 551
WR BINJIMEN VICTOR 47 43 29 38 32 39 41 37 31 29 47 38 26 24 501
WR AUSTIN MACK 41 19 41 31 34 38 48 47 35 35 20 27 42 31 489
WR JOHNNIE DIXON 39 39 DNP 41 33 36 34 34 41 32 46 39 39 24 477
WR PARRIS CAMPBELL 47 38 32 11 28 30 6 3 DNP 24 9 41 36 29 334
WR C.J. SAUNDERS 7 DNP 9 31 23 18 27 8 6 10 41 DNP DNP 2 182
WR JAYLEN HARRIS DNP DNP DNP 19 7 17 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 43
WR TREVON GRIMES DNP DNP 14 18 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 32
WR BRENDON WHITE DNP DNP DNP ST 5 (S) ST DNP DNP DNP 3 14 DNP DNP DNP 22
WR ELIJAAH GOINS ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST 16 ST DNP ST 16
TE MARCUS BAUGH 49 49 41 25 43 53 49 74 56 47 41 62 66 51 706
TE RASHOD BERRY 4 ST 15 24 22 17 33 18 12 17 36 5 6 6 215
TE LUKE FARRELL 11 DNP 9 37 9 11 12 DNP DNP 3 15 DNP DNP DNP 107
TE JAKE HAUSMANN DNP DNP 2 4 DNP 3 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 9
TE DERRICK MALONE DNP DNP DNP ST DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP ST
OL MICHAEL JORDAN 88 71 59 41 60 74 76 85 68 61 50 66 70 56 925
OL ISAIAH PRINCE 88 71 59 41 60 74 76 85 68 61 50 65 70 56 924
OL JAMARCO JONES 82 71 59 41 60 74 75 85 64 60 50 65 70 56 912
OL BILLY PRICE 83 71 59 33 53 70 76 85 68 60 50 66 70 56 900
OL DEMETRIUS KNOX ST ST 10 30 13 ST 76 82 64 60 50 66 70 56 577
OL BRANDEN BOWEN 88 71 59 88 60 23 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 389
OL BRADY TAYLOR 5 DNP 10 55 21 22 13 ST ST 7 39 ST ST ST 172
OL MATTHEW BURRELL 6 ST DNP DNP 14 69 13 3 4 7 39 ST ST ST 155
OL JOSHUA ALABI DNP DNP 10 47 14 18 14 DNP 4 7 39 1 DNP DNP 154
OL THAYER MUNFORD DNP DNP 10 47 14 18 13 ST ST 6 39 1 ST ST 148
OL MALCOLM PRIDGEON ST ST 10 17 1 18 13 ST ST 6 39 ST ST ST 104
OL KEVIN WOIDKE DNP ST ST ST DNP ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST
K SEAN NUERNBERGER ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST
K BLAKE HAUBEIL ST ST ST ST ST ST ST DNP ST ST ST ST ST ST ST
K BRYAN KRISTAN DNP DNP ST DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP ST
Snap Tracker: Defense
POS PLAYER @ IU OU ARMY UNLV @ RU MD @ NEB PSU @ IOWA MSU ILL @ UM WISC USC TOTAL
DE JALYN HOLMES 59 48 28 25 36 29 29 40 47 40 17 38 50 56 542
DE NICK BOSA 62 47 25 27 28 20 31 50 17 50 17 52 53 58 537
DE SAM HUBBARD 51 43 30 25 29 28 29 38 49 38 12 55 47 60 534
DE TYQUAN LEWIS 48 43 29 23 33 28 29 47 43 46 12 47 46 60 534
DE CHASE YOUNG 13 DNP 9 35 34 22 26 DNP 7 16 19 2 5 8 196
DE JONATHON COOPER 16 1 11 31 33 19 24 ST 6 12 17 ST ST 2 172
DE NICK SEME DNP DNP DNP ST DNP 9 DNP DNP DNP 1 2 DNP DNP DNP 12
DT DRE'MONT JONES 54 59 42 17 DNP DNP 19 46 62 19 14 44 53 12 441
DT TRACY SPRINKLE 34 34 28 17 19 12 9 30 34 18 14 22 30 19 320
DT ROBERT LANDERS 25 27 28 DNP 21 16 24 16 31 19 14 16 18 16 271
DT JASHON CORNELL 14 10 9 22 25 14 17 3 4 13 11 6 6 24 178
DT DAVON HAMILTON 6 ST 12 26 19 17 13 DNP DNP 12 9 1 3 7 125
DT HASKELL GARRETT 6 DNP 4 14 10 11 8 DNP DNP 5 3 DNP DNP DNP 61
DT MICHAEL HILL DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 7 5 6 4 10 13 7 9 61
DT MALIK BARROW DNP DNP 9 7 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 16
DT DYLAN THOMPSON DNP DNP DNP 11 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 1 DNP DNP DNP 12
DT NOAH DONALD DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 2 DNP DNP DNP 2
LB JEROME BAKER 89 77 60 42 42 35 42 69 74 DNP 15 71 76 82 774
LB CHRIS WORLEY 87 77 25 DNP DNP DNP 21 48 42 62 19 48 53 42 524
LB TUF BORLAND ST ST 41 22 26 17 26 7 26 40 26 48 53 42 374
LB DANTE BOOKER 48 46 6 35 37 25 46 44 54 DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 341
LB MALIK HARRISON 19 17 4 21 20 22 13 14 20 72 28 25 17 37 329
LB BARON BROWNING 6 ST DNP 30 23 23 7 ST ST ST 6 ST ST ST 95
LB KEANDRE JONES 6 ST ST 23 16 12 9 ST ST 5 19 ST ST ST 70
LB PETE WERNER DNP DNP DNP 12 14 9 ST ST ST ST 2 ST ST ST 37
LB JUSTIN HILLIARD ST ST ST 3 13 8 ST ST ST ST 1 ST ST ST 25
LB JACKSON HAYES DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 1 (WR) DNP DNP DNP 1
LB HAYDEN JESTER DNP DNP DNP ST DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP ST DNP DNP DNP DNP ST
CB DENZEL WARD 77 59 44 38 35 5 42 63 59 51 16 65 74 DNP 628
CB KENDALL SHEFFIELD 62 39 30 41 48 37 51 42 34 50 34 41 36 81 626
CB DAMON ARNETTE 63 66 54 30 34 35 13 59 55 36 5 47 57 59 611
CB JEFFREY OKUDAH 7 ST 4 28 23 27 17 ST ST 21 25 ST 4 62 218
CB MARCUS WILLIAMSON DNP DNP DNP 17 13 17 13 ST DNP 3 14 ST ST ST 77
CB AMIR RIEP ST ST ST ST 7 7 11 ST ST ST 3 ST ST ST 28
CB TREVON FORTE DNP DNP DNP ST DNP ST DNP DNP DNP DNP ST DNP DNP DNP ST
CB CIN'QUAN HANEY DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP ST DNP DNP DNP ST
S DAMON WEBB 89 77 62 42 42 39 53 69 73 67 30 71 74 82 870
S JORDAN FULLER 54 51 62 25 54 39 53 69 71 67 DNP 68 74 82 769
S ERICK SMITH 42 26 66 43 DNP DNP 29 ST ST 20 40 1 ST 2 269
S ISAIAH PRYOR 6 ST 4 27 29 17 13 DNP ST 5 13 ST ST ST 114
S JAHSEN WINT ST ST ST ST 2 17 ST ST DNP DNP 3 DNP DNP DNP 22
S WAYNE DAVIS DNP DNP DNP DNP 10 ST DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 10
S CLAY RATERMAN DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP 1 (WR) DNP DNP DNP 1
P DRUE CHRISMAN ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST
LS LIAM MCCULLOUGH ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST
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