One of these days, Ohio State will play a game that doesn't end with its backups getting extensive playing time because it holds such a hefty lead on its opponent.
But that game won't come in the first month of the season.
The Buckeyes completed their fourth blowout victory in a row by defeating Miami (Ohio), 76-5, at home on Saturday. Three quarterbacks threw touchdown passes, five receivers caught touchdowns and three players rushed for touchdowns. Twenty-seven different Ohio State players recorded at least one tackle in the victory.
Let's dive into this week's stock report.
Stock Up
Garrett Wilson
Wilson only has seven catches through four games, but he has a flair for the dramatic.
He caught his second career touchdown on Saturday, reeling in a 38-yard pass that Chris Chugunov underthrew by leaping over the cornerback and snagging it with both hands after it bobbled around when he hit the ground. Those top-shelf ball skill we heard about all offseason? They showed up on Saturday.
Garrett Wilson is a bad man. pic.twitter.com/CsJYnYO3sf
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) September 21, 2019
It didn't end there.
On his first punt return of the season, Wilson nearly ran it all the way back, picking up 52 yards. He might have earned himself a few more opportunities in the return game with that play.
Jameson Williams
There's speed, and then there's Jameson Williams speed.
Williams isn't even on Ohio State's depth chart, stuck behind a bunch of veterans as a freshman. However, he showed on Saturday that if Brian Hartline needs him, he's capable of playing a role in the offense this year.
In the victory, Williams had two receptions for 74 yards, scoring his first career touchdown on a 61-yard catch and run. The pass, Gunnar Hoak's first touchdown, only went for about 10 yards, and Williams did the rest.
Ted Ginn Jr., Jr? pic.twitter.com/zvR7s5JMeY
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) September 21, 2019
Chase Young
Somehow, Young's stock still rises. It doesn't even make sense, considering he was already regarded as the best defensive player in the country, but it keeps happening.
Young continued his reign of terror with a pair of strip sacks, both coming in the first half and from opposite sides of the line.
Chase Young is the most disruptive player in America. pic.twitter.com/79gHVtWnbW
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) September 21, 2019
With seven sacks, he's a game or two away from becoming the second Ohio State player to ever have multiple seasons with double-digit sacks. Right now, he's already halfway to Vernon Gholston's program record of 14 sacks. Who's not picking him to reach 15?
The second quarter
Ohio State should consider petitioning the NCAA to rid college football of the first quarter so it can head straight to the second quarter.
In the past three games, the Buckeyes have ended the first quarter leading by scores of 7-0, 7-3 and 7-5. In those same three games, they have entered halftime leading by scores of 28-0, 30-10 and 49-5. In each of those games, Ohio State's highest-scoring quarter has been the second.
On Saturday, the 42 points in the second quarter were the most ever in a quarter in program history.
Haskell Garrett
With three fifth-year seniors, Tommy Togiai, Taron Vincent and Antwuan Jackson also at defensive tackle, Garrett sometimes gets overlooked.
After his Player of the Game performance against the RedHawks, though, that could be changing. Garrett, in what was the most productive game of his career, had three solo tackles, an assisted tackle and a pair of tackles for loss.
Ohio State still doesn't have a sure-fire stud at defensive tackle in the realm of Dre'Mont Jones, who recorded 8.5 sacks last year. Collectively, though, the interior linemen have lived up to the hype as arguably the team's deepest position group. Garrett, showing improvement, only adds to that.
The Quarterback Sneak
Folks, it's back.
After a hiatus, the quarterback sneak has returned. And it showed up in all of its glory with Fields picking up four yards to convert on a 4th-and-2 situation.
As center Josh Myers said after the game, the Buckeyes went to the play call because their coaches had seen something in Miami (Ohio)'s defense that made them think they could pick up the necessary yards with that play. With how easy Ohio State made the sneak look, though, it's hard to imagine the coaching staff won't turn to that later this season in a similar situation.
Unprompted, Josh Myers admits to being a big quarterback sneak guy. pic.twitter.com/NMMPwj7wcO
— Colin Hass-Hill (@chasshill) September 22, 2019
Stock Down
A J.K. Dobbins-Master Teague carry split
Leading up to Saturday's game, Day seemed more interested than ever before at the possibility of Teague earning first-half carries.
However, the head coach remained married to the idea of Dobbins as the workhorse running back, and Teague did nothing to change that in the Miami (Ohio) victory. Though Dobbins didn't play much, carrying the ball eight times for 52 yards and a touchdown, Teague finished fourth on the team in rushing. The redshirt freshman had 11 carries for 34 yards, a career-low average of 3.1 yards per rush, and he also fumbled.
With Dobbins running well, it would behoove Ohio State to feed him against better competition, and it appears that will happen. Teague has a role, but unless he forces the issue, the ceiling on his touches could have a natural cap.
Jonah Jackson Holding Penalties
With so much going right for Ohio State thus far, we have to nitpick to find any negatives, and that takes us to Jackson, the starting left guard.
By racking up nine knockdown blocks in the first week of the season, Jackson showed off his punishing blocking ability. However, that could come as a cost. He picked up a holding penalty on Saturday, which has turned into a once-a-week occurrence.
Provided he remains a consistent blocker with a lust for pancake blocks, Jackson's penalties won't be a major issue for the Buckeyes. But the penalties are worth noting since they've become a bit of a trend.
Miami (Ohio) At Recess
Day before Saturday's game, RedHawks head coach Chuck Martin quipped that if Ohio State and Miami (Ohio) players were getting picked for teams at recess, all 85 of the Buckeyes' players would go off the board first.
For the first few possessions, it appeared he had put on some sort of masterful reverse jinx. By halftime, it was clear Martin was in fact correct. A game at recess between these two teams would likely play out the same way it went on Saturday.
