Snap Counts: Trey Sermon, Julian Fleming, Josh Proctor Play Expanded Roles As 54 Buckeyes See Action in Big Ten Championship Game

While most of the players who missed the Michigan State game were back for the conference title game – including offensive linemen Thayer Munford, Josh Myers and Nicholas Petit-Frere, linebacker Tuf Borland and safety Josh Proctor – the Buckeyes had two dozen unavailable players for their trip to Indianapolis including wide receiver Chris Olave, linebacker Baron Browning, punter Drue Chrisman, defensive ends Tyler Friday and Javontae Jean-Baptiste and safeties Marcus Hooker, Ronnie Hickman and Bryson Shaw.

That led to numerous other Buckeyes playing increased roles, including Julian Fleming and Kamryn Babb at wide receiver, Justin Hilliard at linebacker, Proctor and Lathan Ransom at safety and Zach Hoover at punter. Due to an in-game injury to running back Master Teague, Trey Sermon also played the biggest role of his Ohio State career to date – and set a new school record for single-game rushing yards in the process.

In a game where the Buckeyes trailed for most of the first three quarters and never led by more than the 12 points they ultimately won by, those players who were counted on to be starters or be part of the regular rotation were on the field for all four quarters, and as a result of both the competitiveness of the game and the semi-depleted roster, a season-low 54 Ohio State players saw the field in the 22-10 victory over the Wildcats.

Our full breakdown of how many snaps everyone played, as compiled by Eleven Warriors, follows below. As always, all snap counts should be considered unofficial, and include only the number of snaps played on offense or defense, though participants on special teams units are also listed.

Quarterbacks

Justin Fields: 74

Despite suffering a thumb injury in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game, Fields didn’t miss a snap. He had his worst game by far as a Buckeye, struggling to pass the ball even before the injury and completing just 12 of his 27 passing attempts for 114 yards with zero touchdowns and two interceptions. But he was on the field for every play, staying in the game even after telling Ryan Day that he “really couldn’t throw the ball” after his thumb stiffened up.

Day said Fields “will be fine” for next week’s College Football Playoff semifinal against Clemson.

Running Backs

Trey Sermon: 64
Master Teague: 8
Miyan Williams: 2
Marcus Crowley: Special teams only
Xavier Johnson: Special teams only

Teague started the game at running back as he has in all six of Ohio State’s games so far this season, but played only eight snaps in the first quarter before leaving the game. It was not clear what happened to Teague, and Day did not disclose any details after the game, but he did not play any snaps in the final three quarters.

As a result, Sermon played almost every snap for the rest of the game, only coming out for two plays – on which true freshman Miyan Williams checked in and ran the ball once for 10 yards – after a 33-yard run in the third quarter. Sermon carried the ball 29 times against Northwestern, the most of his entire collegiate career both at Ohio State and Oklahoma, and averaged more than 11 yards per carry to rush for 331 yards, breaking the previous school record of 314 rushing yards set by Eddie George against Illinois in 1995.

Crowley, who spent the offseason recovering from a torn ACL, saw his first playing time of the year on kickoff coverage. Steele Chambers, who had played in each of Ohio State’s first five games, was among the players who did not make the trip to Indianapolis.

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Wide Receivers

Garrett Wilson: 73
Julian Fleming: 52
Jameson Williams: 43
Kamryn Babb: 19
Demario McCall: Special teams only

Wilson was on the field for every offensive snap but one against Northwestern, setting a new career-high for snaps played. Fleming, who started in place of Olave, played nearly as many snaps as he did in his first five games combined (59) and caught more passes for more yards (four catches for 53 yards) than he did in the first five games (three catches for 21 yards).

Babb, who rotated with Fleming – they were only on the field together for two plays – played more offensive snaps than he had all season (12), and for that matter his entire Ohio State career, with both Olave and Jaxon Smith-Njigba unavailable for Saturday’s game.

Williams, who continued to play mostly in three-receiver sets – only five of his snaps came with only two receivers on the field – played his second-highest snap count of the season.

Julian Fleming started in place of Chris Olave and played the second-most snaps among Ohio State wide receivers in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Tight Ends

Luke Farrell: 55
Jeremy Ruckert: 51
Jake Hausmann: 3
Mitch Rossi: Special teams only
Cade Stover: Special teams only

Farrell and Ruckert played the overwhelming majority of tight end snaps against Northwestern, with Hausmann playing just three snaps in the first quarter in two-tight end sets with Ruckert. Just as they did in the Buckeyes’ previously most competitive game of the season against Indiana, Farrell and Ruckert both played over 50 snaps as they were on the field together for 32 of Ohio State’s 74 offensive plays.

Offensive Linemen

Thayer Munford: 74
Harry Miller: 74
Josh Myers: 74
Wyatt Davis: 74
Nicholas Petit-Frere: 74
Gavin Cupp: Special teams only
Paris Johnson: Special teams only
Dawand Jones: Special teams only
Matthew Jones: Special teams only
Max Wray: Special teams only

With Munford, Myers and Petit-Frere all back in action after missing the Michigan State game, Miller returned to his usual starting spot at left guard and all five of the Buckeyes’ regular starters on the offensive line played all 74 offensive snaps against Northwestern, leading the way as Ohio State rushed for 399 total yards. 

Defensive Ends

Jonathon Cooper: 57
Tyreke Smith: 50
Zach Harrison: 36
Noah Potter: 3
Cormontae Hamilton: 1

With Friday and Jean-Baptiste both sidelined, Ohio State’s primary defensive end rotation was shortened from five players to just three against Northwestern. Cooper and Smith started the game and both played a majority of snaps, but Harrison also played the highest career snap count while rotating in for snaps opposite both of them. They were also all on the field together for three third-down plays in nickel packages.

Potter and Hamilton both saw their only playing time of the game in the second quarter. Potter checked in for Ohio State’s first three defensive plays of the second quarter, while Hamilton came in for one third-down play, recording a tackle for loss on his only play in the game.

Defensive Tackles

Tommy Togiai: 51
Haskell Garrett: 49
Taron Vincent: 19
Antwuan Jackson: 17
Jerron Cage: 4

Togiai and Garrett both played their highest snap counts of their Ohio State careers to date as the two star defensive tackles were both on the field for more than two-thirds of the Buckeyes’ defensive plays against Northwestern. Togiai was also the only true defensive tackle on the field for four plays in third-down nickel packages.

Vincent rotated in behind Garrett at 3-technique while Jackson and Cage both saw snaps behind Togiai at nose tackle, though all of Cage’s snaps came on just one series in the third quarter.

Linebackers

Pete Werner: 72
Tuf Borland: 68
Justin Hilliard: 61
Dallas Gant: 5
Teradja Mitchell: 4
Ryan Batsch: Special teams only
K’Vaughan Pope: Special teams only
Cody Simon: Special teams only

Werner was on the field for all 72 of Ohio State’s defensive snaps against Northwestern. Borland was on the field for all but four plays in nickel packages on which he was replaced by Mitchell, though he did stay on the field in some nickel situations – which he typically doesn’t – with Browning unavailable.

Hilliard started in place of Browning at Sam linebacker and played every snap at that position – for a career-high 61 defensive plays – when the Buckeyes had three or more linebackers on the field. Gant joined Werner, Borland and Hilliard on the field for five plays in four-linebacker packages, with all of his snaps coming in the first half of the game.

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Cornerbacks

Shaun Wade: 72
Sevyn Banks: 71
Marcus Williamson: 67
Tyreke Johnson: 1
Ryan Watts: Special teams only

Wade played all 72 of Ohio State’s defensive snaps against Northwestern while Banks played all but one snap at the other outside cornerback spot – for a career-high 71 snaps – with Johnson taking his place for one play in the first quarter after Banks came off the field with the medical staff before returning to the game.

Williamson also played a career-high in snaps against Northwestern as he was on the field for 67 plays at slot cornerback, only coming out of the game for the five plays on which the Buckeyes had four linebackers and only two cornerbacks on the field.

Safeties

Josh Proctor: 72
Lathan Ransom: 12

With Hooker unavailable to play due to injury, Proctor took his place in the lineup at deep safety and played every defensive snap against Northwestern for a career-high 72 snaps. With Hickman also sidelined by injury and Shaw unavailable to make the trip to Indianapolis, Ransom also played his highest snap count of his young career to date as a second safety in nickel packages, recording two tackles and a pass breakup in the process.

Lathan Ransom moved up the depth chart to play as Ohio State's fifth defensive back in nickel packages against Northwestern.

Field Goals/Extra Points

Blake Haubeil (kicker)
Zach Hoover (holder)
Bradley Robinson (long snapper)
Jeremy Ruckert (wing)
Matthew Jones (rocker)
Paris Johnson Jr. (tackle)
Dawand Jones (guard)
Jerron Cage (guard)
Gavin Cupp (tackle)
Max Wray (rocker)
Luke Farrell (wing)

With Chrisman sidelined by a positive COVID-19 test, Hoover took his place not only as the punter but also the holder on field goals and extra points. With Johnson back in action after missing the Michigan State game, Ohio State rolled with the same lineup up front on the field goal team as it previously deployed against Indiana.

Kickoffs

Blake Haubeil (kicker)
Marcus Crowley (gunner)
K’Vaughan Pope (gunner)
Xavier Johnson (gunner)
Teradja Mitchell (gunner)
Cade Stover (gunner)
Jameson Williams or Demario McCall (gunner)
Kamryn Babb (gunner)
Ryan Watts or Marcus Williamson (gunner)
Dallas Gant (gunner)
Lathan Ransom (gunner)

After Dominic DiMaccio handled kickoffs for the last four games, Haubeil returned to kickoff duty against Northwestern for the first time since the season opener against Nebraska.

Crowley, Babb, McCall and Gant were all new additions to the kickoff coverage unit for the Big Ten Championship Game, while Hooker, Chris Booker, Tommy Eichenberg and Cade Kacherski were all unavailable this past weekend after playing on the kickoff coverage team against Michigan State.

Kickoff Returns

Demario McCall (blocker)
Trey Sermon (blocker)
Xavier Johnson (blocker)
Jake Hausmann (blocker)
Mitch Rossi (blocker)
Dallas Gant (blocker)
Cody Simon (blocker)
Ryan Watts (blocker)
Julian Fleming (blocker)
Lathan Ransom (blocker)
Kamryn Babb (blocker)

Johnson and Hausmann both returned to the kickoff return unit against Northwestern, replacing Chambers and Stover. Babb returned to the lineup after missing the Michigan State game while Fleming was also a new addition on the front line of the kickoff return unit, as they replaced Booker and Hickman. 

Punts

Zach Hoover (punter)
Bradley Robinson (long snapper)
Tuf Borland (upback)
Pete Werner (upback)
Dallas Gant (guard)
Cody Simon (guard)
Justin Hilliard (tackle)
Luke Farrell (tackle/wing)
Kamryn Babb (gunner/tackle)
Jameson Williams (gunner)
Julian Fleming (gunner)

Hoover punted for the first time in his Ohio State career against Northwestern and averaged 39.3 yards per punt on three punts, including two that were downed inside the 6-yard line. Borland returned to his usual place on the punting unit after missing the Michigan State game. Simon filled in for Browning up front, while Fleming and Williams served as the outside gunners and Babb also became a regular on the punting unit with Olave, typically the Buckeyes’ lead punt gunner, unavailable to play.

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Punt Blocks/Returns

Garrett Wilson (returner)
Miyan Williams (lineman)
Lathan Ransom (lineman)
Kamryn Babb (lineman)
Dallas Gant (lineman)
Cade Stover (lineman)
Jeremy Ruckert (lineman)
Xavier Johnson (lineman)
Cody Simon (lineman)
Shaun Wade or Sevyn Banks (cornerback)
Ryan Batsch (safety)

Williams, Ruckert and Batsch were all new additions to the punt block/return unit against Northwestern, replacing Chambers, Booker and Shaw. Babb and Gant also returned to this unit for the Big Ten Championship Game, while Sermon did not play on the punt return team after he did against Michigan State.

Field Goal/PAT Block

Shaun Wade (lineman)
Jonathon Cooper (lineman)
Haskell Garrett (lineman)
Tommy Togiai (lineman)
Pete Werner (lineman)
Teradja Mitchell (lineman)
Sevyn Banks (lineman)
Tuf Borland (lineman/linebacker)
Zach Harrison (lineman/linebacker)
Marcus Williamson (linebacker)
Josh Proctor (linebacker)

Borland, Harrison and Proctor all returned to the field goal block unit against Northwestern, replacing Gant, Smith and Shaw, who took their places against Michigan State.