Although Ohio State is truly in the midst of its offseason now – with most of the Buckeyes’ coaches and staff, including Urban Meyer, currently taking their annual vacations – it will only be a couple more weeks before the Buckeyes begin seriously preparing and game planning for their 2018 season.
While the focus of the spring was primarily on player development and fundamental work, and the subsequent weeks were spent focused on recruiting, the attention of Ohio State’s coaches will be placed upon getting ready for the games this fall as soon as they return to the office.
That means preparing to play Oregon State, who the Buckeyes open their season against on Sept. 1 at Ohio Stadium, but also beginning early preparations for the rest of the opponents on the schedule for the upcoming year.
It might be too early to begin constructing specific game plans for teams the Buckeyes won’t play until October or November; they’ll need to see their own team in game action, as well as the other teams in their games this season, to figure out how to best prepare themselves for those opponents. It’s never too early, however, to begin identifying which players could pose the biggest threats for each opponent.
As such, we’ve decided to take a look at one offensive player on each of Ohio State’s 12 regular-season opponents this upcoming season who could force the Buckeyes to do some extra preparation.
Note that the following list is not specifically intended to identify who the best offensive player on each of Ohio State’s regular-season opponents is, but rather to identify a player who could be a breakout star or perhaps pose an unexpected threat to the Buckeyes. With that in mind, players who are already established as household names – such as Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley – were not included below.
Oregon State: Noah Togiai, TE
Ohio State’s struggles to defend the tight end in the passing game were well-documented last season, and the Buckeyes are entering fall camp with uncertainty in regards to who will start at both linebacker and safety, so we might as well start there – considering that Oregon State’s tight end might be the Beavers’ top weapon in the passing game.
While Ohio State defensive tackle Tommy Togiai, the only true freshman to lose his black stripe this spring, could certainly be a player to watch for the Buckeyes this season, there will be another Togiai to keep an eye on in the season opener at the Shoe.
As a redshirt sophomore last season, Noah Togiai led Oregon State with 34 receptions for 461 yards and two touchdowns. A 6-foot-4, 242-pound tight end who also briefly played for the Oregon State basketball team, Togiai offers the combination of size and athleticism that can make him a matchup problem over the middle.
Togiai earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors from the Associated Press last season, and was recently ranked by the Rivals affiliate BeaversEdge.com as Oregon State’s second-best overall player.
Rutgers: Artur Sitkowski, QB
Rutgers hasn’t posed any offensive threat to Ohio State in each of its last two games against the Buckeyes – getting shut out in both contests – but Artur Sitkowski just might be talented enough to change that in 2018.
The top-rated recruit in Rutgers’ 2018 recruiting class, Sitkowski made the unusual decision to decommit from Miami to become a Scarlet Knight. Sitkowski – who was also offered by Ohio State among more than two dozen Power 5 schools – was a much more coveted recruit than the quarterbacks who the Scarlet Knights typically land, and as a result, he’s expected to start immediately as a true freshman.
Considering that Sitkowski will be making just his second career start and his first against a Power 5 opponent, all the while going against a defensive line that will likely put constant pressure on him, it’s easy to see Sept. 8 at Ohio Stadium being a "welcome to college football" moment for Sitkowski.
Nonetheless, Rutgers’ trip to Ohio State will be the first real stage for the 6-foot-5, 215-pound IMG Academy product to show what he’s capable of, and if the Scarlet Knights are able to keep the score any closer with the Buckeyes this year, it will likely be a result of Sitkowski’s play.
TCU: Jalen Reagor, WR
In a game that is expected to be Ohio State’s first real test of the 2018 season, Jalen Reagor could be the Horned Frogs’ biggest offensive threat.
As a true freshman last season, Reagor caught 33 passes for 576 yards and eight touchdowns – leading TCU in each of the latter two categories – and earned Big 12 Co-Offensive Freshman of the Year honors.
The 5-foot-11, 195-pound wide receiver demonstrated big-play ability for the Horned Frogs last season, and he was recently ranked by NFL.com’s Chase Goodbread as the ninth-fastest player in college football, setting up a speed-for-speed matchup with Ohio State cornerback Kendall Sheffield (h/t Iowabuckeyes).
In a game that is expected to be the Buckeyes’ first real test of the season on Sept. 15 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, limiting Reagor from making big plays will be a crucial task for Ohio State’s defense.
Tulane: Corey Dauphine, RB
A four-star recruit out of high school, Corey Dauphine began his college football career at Texas Tech in 2015 – and was also offered by the likes of Michigan, Florida and Tennessee among about a dozen Power 5 schools – before transferring to Tulane after the 2016 season.
Dauphine hasn’t yet played a game for the Green Wave, spending last season on the scout team while redshirting, but he offers the potential to provide a big spark for Tulane’s offense this season.
A high school state champion in the 200-meter dash, Dauphine is a 6-foot, 200-pound running back who brings top-notch speed to the field and could quickly emerge as one of Tulane’s top offensive playmakers.
It will be hard for the Buckeyes to prepare much for Dauphine in the preseason – given that he only played in three games at Texas Tech – but he has the potential to emerge as a real threat for the Green Wave by the time they play at Ohio State on Sept. 22.
Penn State: Miles Sanders, RB
While Penn State is replacing several key players on both sides of the ball, no player carried a high profile than Saquon Barkley, who was the best running back – and arguably the best player at any position – in college football last season.
As such, the spotlight will shine brightly upon Miles Sanders – Barkley’s replacement as Penn State’s starting running back – as he attempts to fill his predecessor’s huge shoes, and how effectively he does so could determine whether Penn State continues to have one of the Big Ten’s top offenses this season.
With Barkley taking the lion’s share of the Lions’ carries over the past two seasons, Sanders is largely unproven, having only carried the ball 56 times in his career. He’s performed well in that limited action, though – averaging 6.7 yards per carry while running for three touchdowns – and he was ranked as the No. 1 running back in the entire 2016 recruiting class coming out of high school.
It would be unreasonable to expect Sanders – or anyone – to produce at the same level as Barkley, especially considering what Barkley contributed as a receiver and a returner in addition to as a runner. But Sanders nonetheless has the potential to also emerge as one of college football’s best running backs, which makes him a player the Buckeyes will need to seriously prepare for before their Sept. 29 trip to State College.
Indiana: Brandon Dawkins, QB
Ohio State’s defense had more trouble with Indiana’s offense than expected in last year’s season opener, as Richard Lagow and Simmie Cobbs took advantage of a shaky start for the Buckeyes’ secondary, but the Hoosiers offense could actually end up being more dangerous this season – and a graduate transfer at the quarterback position is a big reason why.
While Brandon Dawkins was ultimately surpassed on Arizona’s quarterback depth chart last season by Khalil Tate, who emerged as one of the top dual-threat playmakers in college football, Dawkins was the Wildcats’ starter for most of the 2016 season and has shown his own playmaking ability as both a passer and a runner, with 2,415 passing yards, 1,582 rushing yards and 35 combined touchdowns in 23 career games for Arizona.
That should add a new dimension to Indiana’s offense, as the 6-foot-3, 210-pound quarterback has both the speed to take off and take advantage of open space and the size to be tough to tackle.
Dawkins wasn’t a great passer at Arizona, completing just 56 percent of his passes, so his ability to improve his throwing accuracy and consistency could ultimately determine Indiana’s offensive success. His ability to make plays with his feet, though, will certainly be an additional challenge for the Buckeyes to prepare for in advance of their Oct. 6 against the Hoosiers.
Brandon Dawkins' ability as a runner could make him a dangerous addition to Indiana's offense. Casey Sapio – USA TODAY Sports
Minnesota: Rodney Smith, RB
Redshirt freshman Tanner Morgan is currently the only scholarship quarterback on Minnesota’s roster, which means the Golden Gophers will likely have to rely heavily on their running game. Fortunately for the Gophers, they have one of the Big Ten’s best and most experienced running backs in Rodney Smith.
Going into his senior season, Smith has been a key player for the Gophers’ offense since his freshman season, running for 2,805 yards over the past three years. He’s also been a weapon in the return game, returning kickoffs for touchdowns in each of the past two seasons, and caught 56 career passes for 419 yards.
Minnesota is going to need more offensive threats to step up around Smith to present a serious threat to opponents like Ohio State, but with only one wide receiver who caught more than 11 passes last season (Tyler Johnson) and no experience at quarterback, stopping Smith is likely to be the Buckeyes’ top priority when the Gophers come to Ohio Stadium on Oct. 13.
Purdue: Rondale Moore, WR
If you watched January’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl, you might recall seeing an unusual sight: A participant in the game having an Ohio State hat on the table for his televised commitment, and putting on a Purdue hat instead.
Naturally, that leads to questions about how seriously he was actually being recruited by Ohio State, but this much is true: Rondale Moore is the most talented player in Purdue’s 2018 recruiting class, and the tools that earned him an offer from the Buckeyes – among a long list of FBS programs that also included Alabama, Georgia, Penn State and Texas – could make him an immediate impact player for the Boilermakers.
Listed at only 5-foot-9 and 174 pounds coming out of high school, Moore is undersized for a Power 5 wide receiver but has elite speed – which is what drew in offers from some of college football’s most storied programs. That gives him the potential to help Purdue stretch the field right away and be a downfield passing weapon – regardless of whether Elijah Sindelar (who was recently recognized by Lindy’s as having the Big Ten’s strongest arm) or David Blough starts at quarterback.
Jackson Anthrop, who led Purdue with 47 receptions as a redshirt freshman last season, will likely be the Boilermakers’ go-to pass-catcher once again. The Boilermakers’ two other receivers who had 40-plus receptions last season, however, have both completed their collegiate careers; and Moore already offers the most big-play potential of any player on Purdue’s roster.
Nebraska: Adrian Martinez, QB
As Scott Frost fever runs rampant through Lincoln as the former UCF coach prepares for his first season guiding the Cornhuskers, whether Nebraska can actually pose a serious threat to the Big Ten’s top teams this season is very much dependent on the caliber of play it gets from the quarterback position.
Without a single quarterback eligible to play this season who has thrown a pass in a collegiate game, the frontrunner to start for the Cornhuskers this year is true freshman Adrian Martinez – and despite his experience, he appears to have the potential to be a difference-maker for Nebraska’s offense in 2018.
Coming off a stellar performance in Nebraska’s spring game, Martinez – who was also recruited by Ohio State, before the Buckeyes eventually lasered in on Matthew Baldwin, as a potential Emory Jones replacement for the 2018 recruiting class – has demonstrated high upside as both a passer and a runner, showing deep passing ability and athleticism.
Assuming Martinez wins the job, there will surely be growing pains for him in his freshman year, but by the time the Cornhuskers make their trip to Ohio Stadium on Nov. 3, he could be a quarterback who forces the Buckeyes defense to be at their best.
Michigan State: Felton Davis III, WR
Michigan State is loaded with experience, as the Spartans are projected to have only one new starter on the offensive side of the ball, so there shouldn’t be many big surprises with their offense this year.
LJ Scott has been Michigan State’s leading rusher for the past three seasons, so he’s certainly expected to play a key role leading the Spartans’ running game once again. Brian Lewerke is projected to be among the Big Ten’s top quarterbacks, and his continued development as a passer could make the difference in whether the Spartans are a serious challenger for the Big Ten East crown.
The experienced playmaker on Michigan State’s offense who might be most overlooked, though, is Felton Davis, who led the Spartans with 55 catches for 776 yards and nine touchdowns last season. At 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds, Davis can create matchup problems with his size while also having the speed to break free for big plays.
Davis was held without a catch in the Spartans’ 48-3 loss at Ohio State last season, but the Buckeyes don’t have Denzel Ward anymore. Even with his quiet performance in the Shoe last year, he’s certainly a player who should be on Ohio State’s radar going into this year.
Felton Davis is one of many returning starters who bear watching for Michigan State this season. Orlando Ramirez – USA TODAY Sports
Maryland: Ty Johnson, RB
Like Minnesota, uncertainty at quarterback and wide receiver could force Maryland to rely heavily on its running game, which makes senior tailback Ty Johnson the focal player to watch for the Terrapins heading into the 2018 season.
Johnson has been the Terrapins’ leading rusher for each of the past two seasons, and has rushed for 2,129 yards and 14 touchdowns over the course of his first three years at Maryland. He has also shown playmaking in the return game – taking a kickoff to the end zone for a touchdown against Ohio State last year – and has 23 career catches out of the backfield.
For Maryland’s offense to take a significant step forward, the Terrapins need improved quarterback play, but their top two candidates to provide that – Kasim Hill and Tyrrell Pigrome – missed spring practice while recovering from the injuries that shortened their season last year. Following the departure of first-round NFL draft pick D.J. Moore at wide receiver, the Terrapins are also unproven at wide receiver, with only one returning pass-catcher (Taivon Jacobs) who caught more than 13 passes in 2017.
Johnson, though, has proven himself to be a reliable player for the Terrapins, so stopping him should be an emphasis for every defense Maryland plays this year.
Michigan: Donovan Peoples-Jones, WR
Most of the preseason attention surrounding Michigan’s offense has been on Ole Miss transfer quarterback Shea Patterson, and rightfully so. The Wolverines’ quarterback play was a huge liability last season, and Patterson projects to immediately be the best signal-caller that Jim Harbaugh has had in Ann Arbor.
Another player on Michigan’s offense with star potential, though, is Donovan Peoples-Jones – and with a better quarterback throwing him the ball this year, he could end up emerging as one of the Big Ten’s best wide receiver.
A five-star recruit who was also heavily pursued by Ohio State out of Detroit’s Cass Technical High School, Peoples-Jones is a 6-foot-2, 199-pound wideout with both the speed to beat defenders deep and the agility to elude tackles in space. While he got off to a slow start as a true freshman, his potential to make plays as both a receiver and punt returner began to shine through by the end of last year.
If Peoples-Jones can build upon the flashes he showed in 2017 as a more polished, consistent wide receiver in 2018, he’s going to be a game-changer that every defense – including Ohio State in this year’s edition of The Game on Nov. 24 – is going to have to be prepared for.
