A total of 66 Ohio State players – the same number of players that saw the field in the Buckeyes’ last road game at Rutgers – saw playing time in the Buckeyes’ 56-14 win at Nebraska on Saturday.
Ohio State didn’t turn to its bench as early as it could have in Saturday’s game, choosing to play its starters into the early fourth quarter despite holding a big lead, but still managed to give playing time to all but four Buckeyes who made the trip to Lincoln with the team.
While Ohio State’s regular starters took a majority of the snaps against the Cornhuskers, there were a few players who took on noticeably expanded roles alongside the starters.
The most notable increase in snaps played this week came from Demetrius Knox, who replaced Branden Bowen (out for the season with a leg injury) in the starting lineup at right guard and played every snap with the first-team offense – 76 in total – after playing just 53 snaps in the Buckeyes’ first six games.
Another player who saw increased playing time with the first-team offense as a result of injury was walk-on wide receiver C.J. Saunders, who was added to the Buckeyes’ six-man rotation at the position after starting slot receiver Parris Campbell left the game with an injury on the team’s first possession.
One other Buckeye who saw more regular playing time with the first-team offense, not because of any injury but simply because of his development, was tight end Rashod Berry, who played a season-high 33 snaps – all of which came alongside starting quarterback J.T. Barrett and the starting offensive line – on Saturday.
The only Buckeyes on the travel roster who did not see any playing time in Saturday’s game were quarterback Tate Martell, wide receiver Jaylen Harris and safety Brendon White – all true freshmen – and sophomore running back Demario McCall.
Our weekly report on every Buckeye who played on Saturday, how many snaps and where each of them played and how many snaps they have played this season is below.
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: 76 snaps
Dwayne Haskins: 8
Joe Burrow: 5
Barrett played each of Ohio State’s first eight offensive possessions in Saturday’s game and led the Buckeyes to touchdowns on every one of them. Haskins started the Buckeyes’ ninth and final possession, but was replaced after completing three passes and leading Ohio State to four first downs by Burrow, allowing all of Ohio State’s top three quarterbacks to see playing time for just the third time this season.
Running Backs
Mike Weber: 37
J.K. Dobbins: 36
Antonio Williams: 16
Ohio State continued rotating Weber and Dobbins in and out of the lineup about as evenly as possible on Saturday night, with Weber edging Dobbins out ever so slightly for total snaps played for a third consecutive game. Williams saw all of his playing time on the Buckeyes’ final two offensive possessions.
Fullbacks
Zach Turnure: 2
As the Buckeyes continued utilizing their tight ends as lead blockers out of the backfield (more to come on them) for a second consecutive game, Ohio State also gave a pair of fourth-quarter snaps to Turnure, who is listed on the Buckeyes’ roster as a linebacker and plays primarily on special teams but has now also seen playing time at fullback in back-to-back contests.
Wide Receivers
Terry McLaurin: 54
K.J. Hill: 50
Austin Mack: 48
Binjimen Victor: 41
Johnnie Dixon: 34
C.J. Saunders: 27
Parris Campbell: 6
Elijaah Goins: Special teams only
Campbell started Saturday’s game at slot receiver and played each of the Buckeyes’ first six snaps before a hard hit ended his day early, which led to more playing time for Hill but also opened the door to playing time with the starters for Saunders. Mack and McLaurin both started the game with the first-team offense and finished the game with the second-team offense, but Victor and Dixon also rotated in with them regularly at their respective positions.
Tight Ends
Marcus Baugh: 49
Rashod Berry: 33
Luke Farrell: 12
While Baugh played the lion’s share of tight end snaps with the first-team offense in Ohio State’s first six games, the Buckeyes moved closer to a true rotation at the position on Saturday, giving Berry regular opportunities to play alongside the starters. Ohio State also ran six plays in which Baugh and Berry were both on the field simultaneously. All of Farrell’s playing time came on the Buckeyes’ final offensive possession.
All three of Ohio State’s tight ends moved around to line up in a variety of formations, each lining up as in-line tight ends, as fullbacks in the backfield or flexed out as receivers at various points during their time in Saturday’s game.
Offensive Line
Michael Jordan: 76
Demetrius Knox: 76
Billy Price: 76
Isaiah Prince: 76
Jamarco Jones: 75
Joshua Alabi: 14
Malcolm Pridgeon: 13
Brady Taylor: 13
Matthew Burrell: 13
Thayer Munford: 13
Kevin Woidke: Special teams only
Alabi replaced Jones at left tackle for the final play of Ohio State’s eighth possession, a play that resulted in a touchdown, after Jones was knocked out of the game with a minor injury. The rest of the starters came out for the Buckeyes’ final possession, with Alabi staying in at left tackle, Pridgeon replacing Jordan at left guard, Taylor replacing Price at center, Burrell replacing Knox at right guard and Prince replacing Munford at right tackle.
Defensive Ends
Nick Bosa: 31
Jalyn Holmes: 29
Sam Hubbard: 29
Tyquan Lewis: 29
Chase Young: 26
Jonathon Cooper: 24
Bosa, Holmes, Hubbard and Lewis were all used in heavy rotation for the first three quarters of Saturday’s game, with Bosa and Holmes getting the starts at defensive end but each playing a nearly identical number of snaps, with only Bosa seeing a couple more snaps than his counterparts. The Buckeyes also used their nickel defense more frequently against Nebraska than they did in their first six games of the season, which resulted in more opportunities for all of the top four defensive ends to be on the field together in the Rushmen package.
Young rotated in for two snaps with the starters before playing the entirety of Ohio State’s two fourth-quarter defensive series – Nebraska’s two most sustained drives of the day – opposite Cooper.
Defensive Tackles
Robert Landers: 24
Dre’Mont Jones: 19
Jashon Cornell: 17
Davon Hamilton: 13
Tracy Sprinkle: 9
Haskell Garrett: 8
Michael Hill: 7
Jones returned to start alongside Sprinkle on Saturday after missing Ohio State’s last two games with a leg injury. Neither starting defensive tackle saw an abundance of playing time in Lincoln, however, in part because of the rotation and in part because of the increased use of the nickel defensive package. Jones was on the field in the middle of the Buckeyes’ top four defensive ends for three plays in which Ohio State used its five-man defensive front on Saturday.
Landers, Cornell and Hamilton each saw playing time rotating in with the first-team defense but also with the second-team defense in the fourth quarter. Hill made his return from a six-game suspension to make his season debut, but played only one snap with the starters – on a 4th-and-1 attempt by Nebraska in the second quarter – before seeing additional playing time alongside Garrett, a true freshman still working his way into the rotation, in the fourth quarter.
Linebackers
Dante Booker: 46
Jerome Baker: 42
Tuf Borland: 26
Chris Worley: 21
Malik Harrison: 13
Keandre Jones: 9
Baron Browning: 7
Justin Hilliard: Special teams only
Pete Werner: Special teams only
While Worley returned to action Saturday after missing Ohio State’s previous three games with a sprained foot, he did not return to his role as the starting middle linebacker in the Buckeyes’ base 4-3 defense. Borland continued to play that role, alongside Baker at weakside linebacker and Booker at strongside linebacker, with Worley subbing in to play alongside Baker in the nickel defense.
Baker was on the field for every one of Ohio State’s defensive snaps in the first three quarters of Saturday’s game, Booker ended up playing the most snaps by playing alongside Harrison on the Buckeyes’ second-team nickel defense in the fourth quarter. Browning saw playing time at middle linebacker in both the third and fourth quarters, while Jones checked in at weakside linebacker for the Buckeyes’ first defensive series of the fourth quarter.
Cornerbacks
Kendall Sheffield: 51
Denzel Ward: 42
Jeffrey Okudah: 17
Damon Arnette: 13
Marcus Williamson: 13
Amir Riep: 11
With Arnette suspended for the first half of Saturday’s game due to a targeting penalty from the second half of the Buckeyes’ previous game, Ohio State ditched its usual three-man cornerback rotation and played both Ward and Sheffield on all of its first-half defensive snaps. Arnette returned to see playing time in the third and fourth quarters of Saturday’s game, with Sheffield ultimately leading the cornerbacks in snaps played as he continued to play into the Buckeyes’ first defensive series of the fourth quarter, while Ward did not play after the third quarter.
Okudah, Williamson and Riep, all true freshmen, each saw all of their defensive playing time in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game. All three were on the field simultaneously when the Buckeyes used their nickel defense for nearly all of their final defensive series of the contest.
Kendall Sheffield made his first career start and led all Ohio State cornerbacks in snaps played on Saturday at Nebraska.
Safeties
Damon Webb: 53
Jordan Fuller: 53
Erick Smith: 29
Isaiah Pryor: 13
Jahsen Wint: Special teams only
Webb and Fuller were on the field for every one of Ohio State’s defensive snaps until its final defensive series of Saturday’s game. While Fuller played his regular role of safety in the Buckeyes’ base defense, he also filled in for Arnette at slot cornerback when the Buckeyes moved into their nickel defense in the first half. Smith, who returned Saturday after being suspended for the Buckeyes’ previous two games, took Fuller’s place at safety in Ohio State’s first-half nickel defense, then played alongside Pryor for the entirety of the Buckeyes’ final defensive series.
Extra Points
Sean Nuernberger (kicker)
Drue Chrisman (holder)
Liam McCullough (long snapper)
Joshua Alabi (blocker)
Rashod Berry (blocker)
Matthew Burrell (blocker)
Jonathon Cooper (blocker)
Malcolm Pridgeon (blocker)
Brady Taylor (blocker)
Kevin Woidke (blocker)
Chase Young (blocker)
Ohio State made a number of changes to its place kicking unit against Nebraska after having a field goal attempt blocked in its previous game against Maryland. Young and Alabi were added to the right side of the offensive line, replacing Thayer Munford – who was blamed for allowing the blocked field goal against Maryland – and Demetrius Knox. Woidke, who was not on the travel roster for the Buckeyes’ first two games, made the trip this time and replaced Davon Hamilton on the place kicking unit. Ohio State did not attempt any field goals against Nebraska but did convert eight extra points.
Kickoffs
Blake Haubeil (kicker)
Baron Browning (gunner)
Elijaah Goins (gunner)
Justin Hilliard (gunner)
Keandre Jones (gunner)
Jeffrey Okudah (gunner)
Amir Riep (gunner)
Erick Smith (gunner)
Zach Turnure (gunner)
Pete Werner (gunner)
Jahsen Wint (gunner)
After one week of being benched in favor of Sean Nuernberger, Haubeil resumed his role as Ohio State’s kickoff specialist at Nebraska. Smith, who was suspended by coach’s decision for Ohio State’s previous two games, and Wint, who was suspended for the first half of the Maryland game for a targeting penalty, were both added back to the kickoff return unit for Saturday’s game, replacing Isaiah Pryor and Marcus Williamson.
Kickoff Returns
K.J. Hill (returner)
Antonio Williams (blocker)
Tuf Borland (blocker)
Johnnie Dixon (blocker)
Jordan Fuller (blocker)
Malik Harrison (blocker)
Justin Hilliard (blocker)
Keandre Jones (blocker)
Austin Mack (blocker)
Jeffrey Okudah (blocker)
Zach Turnure (blocker)
With Parris Campbell sidelined due to injury, Hill took his place as Ohio State’s primary kickoff returner and gained 30 yards on his first kickoff return of the season. Williams took Hill’s usual place on the unit as a secondary returner and blocker. Mack returned to the kickoff return unit after one week off of it, replacing Elijaah Goins, with the rest of the blocking unit remaining intact.
Punts
None
Because Ohio State scored on its first eight offensive possessions of Saturday’s game and turned the ball over on downs on its final offensive possession of the game, the Buckeyes’ punting unit never saw the field at Nebraska.
Punt Returns
K.J. Hill (returner)
Rashod Berry (rusher/blocker)
Jonathon Cooper (rusher/blocker)
Johnnie Dixon (rusher/blocker)
Justin Hilliard (rusher/blocker)
Keandre Jones (rusher/blocker)
Jeffrey Okudah (rusher/blocker)
Kendall Sheffield (rusher/blocker)
Erick Smith (rusher/blocker)
Pete Werner (rusher/blocker)
Damon Webb (rusher/blocker)
Dixon and Smith were new additions to Ohio State’s primary punt return unit this week, replacing Terry McLaurin and Amir Riep from the Maryland game. Okudah, who had seen occasional snaps on punt returns in previous games, also became a regular on the unit on Saturday in place of Damon Arnette, as Nebraska punted on each of its first four possessions in Saturday’s game and did not punt again the rest of the night.
| POS | PLAYER | @ IU | OU | ARMY | UNLV | @ RU | MD | @ NEB | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB | J.T. BARRETT | 88 | 71 | 59 | 33 | 53 | 70 | 76 | 450 |
| QB | DWAYNE HASKINS | DNP | DNP | 10 | 50 | 14 | 22 | 8 | 104 |
| QB | JOE BURROW | DNP | DNP | DNP | 5 | 7 | DNP | 5 | 17 |
| RB | J.K. DOBBINS | 76 | 44 | 41 | 38 | 23 | 35 | 36 | 293 |
| RB | MIKE WEBER | DNP | 27 | 17 | DNP | 28 | 38 | 37 | 147 |
| RB | ANTONIO WILLIAMS | 12 | DNP | 10 | 38 | DNP | 8 | 16 | 84 |
| RB | DEMARIO MCCALL | ST | DNP | DNP | 8 | 21 | 7 | DNP | 36 |
| RB | JORDAN LEASURE | DNP | DNP | 1 | 10 | DNP | DNP | DNP | 11 |
| RB | JARED DRAKE | DNP | DNP | ST | 4 | 1 | 3 | DNP | 8 |
| FB | ZACH TURNURE | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | 8 | 2 | 10 |
| WR | TERRY MCLAURIN | 49 | 41 | 52 | 25 | 41 | 54 | 54 | 316 |
| WR | K.J. HILL | 58 | 55 | 32 | 36 | 25 | 45 | 50 | 301 |
| WR | BINJIMEN VICTOR | 47 | 43 | 29 | 38 | 32 | 39 | 41 | 269 |
| WR | AUSTIN MACK | 41 | 19 | 41 | 31 | 34 | 38 | 48 | 252 |
| WR | JOHNNIE DIXON | 39 | 39 | DNP | 41 | 33 | 36 | 34 | 222 |
| WR | PARRIS CAMPBELL | 47 | 38 | 32 | 11 | 28 | 30 | 6 | 192 |
| WR | C.J. SAUNDERS | 7 | DNP | 9 | 31 | 23 | 18 | 27 | 115 |
| WR | JAYLEN HARRIS | DNP | DNP | DNP | 19 | 7 | 17 | DNP | 43 |
| WR | TREVON GRIMES | DNP | DNP | 14 | 18 | DNP | DNP | DNP | 32 |
| WR | ELIJAAH GOINS | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST |
| TE | MARCUS BAUGH | 49 | 49 | 41 | 25 | 43 | 53 | 49 | 309 |
| TE | RASHOD BERRY | 4 | ST | 15 | 24 | 22 | 17 | 33 | 115 |
| TE | LUKE FARRELL | 11 | DNP | 9 | 37 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 89 |
| TE | JAKE HAUSMANN | DNP | DNP | 2 | 4 | DNP | 3 | DNP | 9 |
| TE | DERRICK MALONE | DNP | DNP | DNP | ST | DNP | DNP | DNP | ST |
| OL | MICHAEL JORDAN | 88 | 71 | 59 | 41 | 60 | 74 | 76 | 469 |
| OL | ISAIAH PRINCE | 88 | 71 | 59 | 41 | 60 | 74 | 76 | 469 |
| OL | JAMARCO JONES | 82 | 71 | 59 | 41 | 60 | 74 | 75 | 462 |
| OL | BILLY PRICE | 83 | 71 | 59 | 33 | 53 | 70 | 76 | 445 |
| OL | BRANDEN BOWEN | 88 | 71 | 59 | 88 | 60 | 23 | DNP | 389 |
| OL | DEMETRIUS KNOX | ST | ST | 10 | 30 | 13 | ST | 76 | 129 |
| OL | BRADY TAYLOR | 5 | DNP | 10 | 55 | 21 | 22 | 13 | 126 |
| OL | JOSHUA ALABI | DNP | DNP | 10 | 47 | 14 | 18 | 14 | 103 |
| OL | MATTHEW BURRELL | 6 | ST | DNP | DNP | 14 | 69 | 13 | 102 |
| OL | THAYER MUNFORD | DNP | DNP | 10 | 47 | 14 | 18 | 13 | 102 |
| OL | MALCOLM PRIDGEON | ST | ST | 10 | 17 | 1 | 18 | 13 | 59 |
| OL | KEVIN WOIDKE | DNP | ST | ST | ST | DNP | ST | ST | ST |
| K | SEAN NUERNBERGER | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST |
| K | BLAKE HAUBEIL | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST |
| K | BRYAN KRISTAN | DNP | DNP | ST | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | ST |
| POS | PLAYER | @ IU | OU | ARMY | UNLV | @ RU | MD | @ NEB | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE | JALYN HOLMES | 59 | 48 | 28 | 25 | 36 | 29 | 29 | 254 |
| DE | NICK BOSA | 62 | 47 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 20 | 31 | 240 |
| DE | SAM HUBBARD | 51 | 43 | 30 | 25 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 235 |
| DE | TYQUAN LEWIS | 48 | 43 | 29 | 23 | 33 | 28 | 29 | 233 |
| DE | CHASE YOUNG | 13 | DNP | 9 | 35 | 34 | 22 | 26 | 139 |
| DE | JONATHON COOPER | 16 | 1 | 11 | 31 | 33 | 19 | 24 | 135 |
| DE | NICK SEME | DNP | DNP | DNP | ST | DNP | 9 | DNP | 9 |
| DT | DRE'MONT JONES | 54 | 59 | 42 | 17 | DNP | DNP | 19 | 191 |
| DT | TRACY SPRINKLE | 34 | 34 | 28 | 17 | 19 | 12 | 9 | 153 |
| DT | ROBERT LANDERS | 25 | 27 | 28 | DNP | 21 | 16 | 24 | 141 |
| DT | JASHON CORNELL | 14 | 10 | 9 | 22 | 25 | 14 | 17 | 111 |
| DT | DAVON HAMILTON | 6 | ST | 12 | 26 | 19 | 17 | 13 | 93 |
| DT | HASKELL GARRETT | 6 | DNP | 4 | 14 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 53 |
| DT | MALIK BARROW | DNP | DNP | 9 | 7 | DNP | DNP | DNP | 16 |
| DT | DYLAN THOMPSON | DNP | DNP | DNP | 11 | DNP | DNP | DNP | 11 |
| DT | MICHAEL HILL | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | 7 | 7 |
| LB | JEROME BAKER | 89 | 77 | 60 | 42 | 42 | 35 | 42 | 387 |
| LB | DANTE BOOKER | 48 | 46 | 6 | 35 | 37 | 25 | 46 | 243 |
| LB | CHRIS WORLEY | 87 | 77 | 25 | DNP | DNP | DNP | 21 | 210 |
| LB | TUF BORLAND | ST | ST | 41 | 22 | 26 | 17 | 26 | 132 |
| LB | MALIK HARRISON | 19 | 17 | 4 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 13 | 116 |
| LB | BARON BROWNING | 6 | ST | DNP | 30 | 23 | 23 | 7 | 89 |
| LB | KEANDRE JONES | 6 | ST | ST | 23 | 16 | 12 | 9 | 66 |
| LB | PETE WERNER | DNP | DNP | DNP | 12 | 14 | 9 | ST | 35 |
| LB | JUSTIN HILLIARD | ST | ST | ST | 3 | 13 | 8 | ST | 24 |
| LB | HAYDEN JESTER | DNP | DNP | DNP | ST | DNP | DNP | DNP | ST |
| CB | KENDALL SHEFFIELD | 62 | 39 | 30 | 41 | 48 | 37 | 51 | 308 |
| CB | DENZEL WARD | 77 | 59 | 44 | 38 | 35 | 5 | 42 | 300 |
| CB | DAMON ARNETTE | 63 | 66 | 54 | 30 | 34 | 35 | 13 | 295 |
| CB | JEFFREY OKUDAH | 7 | ST | 4 | 28 | 23 | 27 | 17 | 106 |
| CB | MARCUS WILLIAMSON | DNP | DNP | DNP | 17 | 13 | 17 | 13 | 60 |
| CB | AMIR RIEP | ST | ST | ST | ST | 7 | 7 | 11 | 25 |
| CB | TREVON FORTE | DNP | DNP | DNP | ST | DNP | ST | DNP | ST |
| S | DAMON WEBB | 89 | 77 | 62 | 42 | 42 | 39 | 53 | 404 |
| S | JORDAN FULLER | 54 | 51 | 62 | 25 | 54 | 39 | 53 | 338 |
| S | ERICK SMITH | 42 | 26 | 66 | 43 | DNP | DNP | 29 | 206 |
| S | ISAIAH PRYOR | 6 | ST | 4 | 27 | 29 | 17 | 13 | 96 |
| S | JAHSEN WINT | ST | ST | ST | ST | 2 | 17 | ST | 19 |
| S | WAYNE DAVIS | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | 10 | ST | DNP | 10 |
| S | BRENDON WHITE | DNP | DNP | DNP | ST | 5 | ST | DNP | 5 |
| P | DRUE CHRISMAN | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST |
| LS | LIAM MCCULLOUGH | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST |
