Back seven? Tire fire.
Running game? Non-existent.
Schematic issues? Check.
Penalties for days? Retweet.
I'll stop there because it was a long week. Ohio State went to Purdue expecting to once again mask a host of known issues and escape with another win but instead the dam burst as the Boilers burned the Buckeyes in Depressed Lafayette.
But what about the things going right? We know what those are too but maybe it's a good time to remind ourselves in a self-medicating move now that the open week has come and gone with Nebraska coming to town this weekend.
K.J. THRILL DOING WORK
Slot man K.J. Hill led the Buckeyes in receptions last year with 56 but was rarely able to do much after hauling it in resulting in a yards per catch of 9.8 which was by far the lowest within the wide receiver rotation.
This year, Hill is not only still a proven reception-machine, he's doing a lot more after the grab averaging 13.4 yards per catch. He's second among the receivers in missed tackles forced and, of course, it helps Dwayne Haskins is prone to perfectly leading his receivers but Hill has still shown more shake.
Through eight games, he already has 656 receiving yards which is 112 more yards than he put up in 14 games last season. He continues to have the best hands on the team and he's averaging a team-high 82 receiving yards per game, up from 39 a season ago.
Hill's consistency this season is also a strength has he's caught at least four balls in every game versus last season when he had two or less catches in six of 14 games. After a 12-catch outing against Penn State last year, Hill had only 16 catches during the following six games to round out the 2017 schedule.
He's also leading the team with just two drops on 62 targets. Season-to-date, you can't be anything but pleased with Hill's output.
C3PO CAN THROW
Everyone knew Dwayne Haskins could sling it but I don't think too many honest fans had him pegged to break nearly every Buckeye single-season passing record.
The dude has been phenomenal and currently ranks No. 2 nationally in passing yards per game, No. 4 in QB rating, No. 9 in yards per attempt, No. 5 in completion percentage and No. 1 in touchdown passes.
Haskins has already set or tied a host of single-game records. He broke Art Schlichter's records 49 completions with 470 passing yards against Purdue, he tied J.T. Barrett and Kenny Guiton with six touchdown passes against Indiana, and whatever else that I'm too lazy to look up or remember.
As for single-season marks, the following are on borrowed time:
- Passing Yards: Joe Germaine owns record with 3,330. Haskins has 2,801 through eight games.
- Completions: Barrett set the mark with 240 last year. Haskins has 224.
- Completion Percentage: Troy Smith's Heisman season saw him complete 65.3% of his passes. Haskins is sitting on 71.1% at the moment.
- Touchdown Passes: Again, it's Barrett with 35 last season. Haskins has 30 already.
- Passing Yards Per Game: Germaine went for 277.5 during that sick 1998 season. Haskins is averaging a ridiculous 350.1 so far.
- 300-Yard Passing Games: Joe had seven. Haskins has six (including three 400-yard outings)
- Pass Efficiency: Barrett again with a 169.8 mark. Haskins stands at 174.1.
It might not be pretty watching him run but watching his throw is a privilege.
MCLAURIN GETTING IT DOWN
If you ever hear wide receiver Terry McLaurin in any media setting, his leadership, maturity and selflessness jump out.
He's a prideful guy, one the best blocking wide receivers Urban Meyer's ever been around and has a knack for making some big catches as evidenced by the fact 38% of his grabs have resulted in touchdowns (8).
McLaurin also has just one drop in 27 targets and his 19.0 yards per catch lead the team.
Last season, he recorded 29 catches for 436 yards. This year, he's already as 21 receptions for 398 yards but again, it's probably his leadership that has factored in the most to the turnaround of Zone Six.
I've been unkind either in thought, if not in writing, in my assessment of McLaurin over the years but the veteran has really impressed this season in a variety of different ways and is the kind of glue guy you need in a position room.
CONVERSION KIT
The angst over the lack of a consistent running game, red zone issues and short yardage struggles are very real but you might be surprised to know that Ohio State ranks No. 9 nationally converting 49.2% of its third down tries.
That mark is on track to be the second-best of the Meyer era behind the 2014 Buckeye offense that converted an impressive 52.0% of its third down tries.
Conversely, the enigmatic 2015 team loaded with NFL talent converted just 40.7% of its third down tries.
With Ohio State's defense looking like a dumpster fire, finding a running game to complement Haskins and the passing game and extending drives via third down conversions could be increasingly important in an effort to not just score but chew up some clock while doing it.
THEY'RE NOT ALL BAD
Urban Meyer's fire and the value of some of his assistant coaches have been called into question a lot this season especially after last weekend's debacle but two guys who are doing the job include Larry Johnson and Brian Hartline.
Johnson's defensive line has definitely seen a drop off since Nick Bosa's injury plus dings to Dre'Mont Jones, Robert Landers and Johnathon Cooper but the group is the least worrisome among Ohio State's defensive troubles.
Jones is still showing his NFL value with 9.0 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks while Chase Young is right behind him with 8.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. If everyone can get healthy, this group can pick up back up a little and take some of the pressure off a pedestrian back seven.
On the other side of the ball, Hartline's receiving corps is flat out getting it done. We've already talked about Hill and McLaurin and obviously Parris Campbell leads the team in catches (52) and is just behind Hill in yards. With Austin Mack on the shelf, it'll be interesting to see if/how Hartline can help Ben Victor's continued growth as a complete receiver.
So there you go. Ohio State has much to lament and who knows if it can address enough of the issues to make a run at a playoff spot but amid those concerns there are some things going right.
