Snap Counts: Season-High 77 Buckeyes Play Against Maryland in Ohio State’s Third Straight Blowout Win

The Buckeyes won in blowout fashion for the third week in a row, and as a result, a season-high 77 Ohio State players got on the field for at least one snap on offense, defense and/or special teams as the Buckeyes rolled to a 66-17 win over the Terrapins.

Ohio State used 29 different players on offense and 36 different players on defense while an additional 12 Buckeyes, including two kickers and two punters (even though Ohio State never actually punted against Maryland), played on special teams.

We break down all of their snaps below. All offensive and defensive snap counts are provided by Pro Football Focus’ premium statistics, while special teams snap counts were compiled by Eleven Warriors data analyst Matt Gutridge. 

Quarterbacks

C.J. Stroud: 56
Kyle McCord: 11
Jack Miller: 4

Stroud played every snap of Ohio State’s first nine possessions against Maryland and was spectacular, throwing for 406 yards to lead the Buckeyes on eight touchdown drives, five of which he completed with touchdown passes.

Three Ohio State quarterbacks saw playing time for the second game in a row. Both quarterbacks played one drive against Maryland; McCord was the second quarterback into the game and completed two of his three passing attempts for 26 yards, while both of Miller’s passing attempts fell incomplete.

Running Backs

TreVeyon Henderson: 43
Master Teague: 13
Marcus Crowley: 11
Evan Pryor: 4

After leaving the Rutgers game early for precautionary reasons, Henderson returned to his bellcow back role against Maryland. He played all but 13 snaps with the first-team offense and had another big game, gaining 169 yards from scrimmage (102 rushing, 67 receiving) and scoring three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) on 20 total touches.

With Miyan Williams sidelined for a second consecutive game, Teague was Ohio State’s No. 2 running back and played all of the snaps with the first-team offense that Henderson wasn’t in the game for. Crowley played one full series with the second-team offense alongside McCord, while Pryor checked in alongside Miller for the Buckeyes’ final possession.

Wide Receivers

Chris Olave: 47
Garrett Wilson: 46
Jaxon Smith-Njigba: 37
Emeka Egbuka: 24
Marvin Harrison Jr.: 21
Jayden Ballard: 14
Chris Booker: Special teams only
Xavier Johnson: Special teams only
Austin Kutscher: Special teams only
Sam Wiglusz: Special teams only

Olave, Wilson and Smith-Njigba played the majority of snaps with the first-team offense against Maryland and all of them had big games; they combined for 17 catches and 317 yards with Olave and Wilson each catching two touchdown passes.

With Julian Fleming sidelined by injury for a third straight game, the freshman trio of Egbuka, Harrison and Ballard played the rest of the snaps at wide receiver, with Egbuka playing his largest snap count of the season so far.

RELATED Three-Headed Ohio State Wide Receiver Attack Melts Maryland Secondary in Dominant Win

Tight Ends

Jeremy Ruckert: 47
Cade Stover: 25
Gee Scott Jr.: 12
Mitch Rossi: 8
Joe Royer: 3

As usual, Ruckert played the majority of snaps with the first-team offense as Ohio State’s starting tight end against Maryland, though Stover also saw plenty of playing time in multi-tight end sets to match his largest snap count of the season to date.

Fresh off of catching his first career touchdown against Rutgers, Rossi continued to mix in for occasional snaps – some in the backfield as a fullback, some at the line of scrimmage as a tight end. Scott played most of the snaps at tight end on Ohio State’s final two possessions for his third straight game with double-digit snaps, while Royer made his Ohio State debut on the Buckeyes’ final offensive series.

Offensive Linemen

Nicholas Petit-Frere: 56
Luke Wypler: 56
Dawand Jones: 56
Paris Johnson Jr.: 53
Thayer Munford: 38
Matt Jones: 21
Enokk Vimahi: 15
Harry Miller: 15
Toby Wilson: 15
Donovan Jackson: 15
Josh Fryar: 15
Trey Leroux: Special teams only

Three guards played with the first-team offense for the second game in a row. Matt Jones played 18 of his 21 snaps at left guard, initially entering the game when Munford was rolled up on and had to leave the game in the first quarter, but Jones also played one three-snap series in place of Johnson at right guard after Munford returned to the game in the second quarter.

Petit-Frere and Dawand Jones were the left and right tackles and Wypler was the center for all 56 snaps while Stroud was in the game. The Buckeyes’ offensive line for their final two offensive possessions consisted of Vimahi at left tackle, Miller at left guard, Wilson at center, Jackson at right guard and Fryar at right tackle.

Defensive Ends

Zach Harrison: 45
Javontae Jean-Baptiste: 44
J.T. Tuimoloau: 20
Jack Sawyer: 17
Jacolbe Cowan: 13
Cormontae Hamilton: 11
Aaron Cox: 4

Ohio State’s two most experienced available defensive ends played the majority of snaps at the position against Maryland. After playing just 14 snaps against Rutgers, Jean-Baptiste returned to the starting lineup opposite Harrison and played his second-highest snap count of the season. Tyreke Smith, who was listed as a game-time decision, did not play for the third week in a row though he was healthy enough to participate in warmups.

Tuimoloau, who had started the last two games opposite Harrison, played his fewest snaps since the Oregon game but was credited with his first sack when he chased down Taulia Tagovailoa on a fourth-down play in the red zone. Sawyer also recorded his second sack and first forced fumble as a Buckeye and had the highest PFF grade of any Ohio State defender against Maryland despite playing his lowest snap count since the Tulsa game.

Cowan, who was left off the travel roster for the Rutgers game, returned to the defensive end rotation against Maryland. Most of his snaps came in the fourth quarter along with Hamilton, who’s now seen playing time in four straight games and made his first sack of the season against the Terrapins, and Cox, a fifth-year senior walk-on who made his second game appearance of the season.

RELATED Freshman Tracker: Emeka Egbuka Shines, TreVeyon Henderson Does It All, Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau Get Sacks

Defensive Tackles

Antwuan Jackson: 31
Haskell Garrett: 29
Taron Vincent: 22
Ty Hamilton: 20
Tyleik Williams: 19
Jerron Cage: 16
Mike Hall: 7
Jaden McKenzie: 5
Bryce Prater: 2

Six defensive tackles saw regular playing time against Maryland as Garrett, Vincent and Williams rotated at 3-technique while Jackson, Hamilton and Cage rotated at nose tackle, with Jackson starting alongside Garrett for the third game in a row.

Hall, McKenzie and Prater all played late-game snaps with Hall and Prater, both true freshmen, making their second game appearances of the season.

Linebackers

Steele Chambers: 39
Tommy Eichenberg: 34
Cody Simon: 30
Teradja Mitchell: 28
Ryan Batsch: 10
Cade Kacherski: 10
Reid Carrico: Special teams only

Mitchell and Simon started the game, but Chambers and Eichenberg were the linebackers who played the most snaps against Maryland as the Buckeyes continued to utilize a four-man rotation at the two inside linebacker spots, with Mitchell and Chambers rotating at Will linebacker and Simon and Eichenberg rotating at Mike.

Batsch and Kacherski, both walk-ons, checked in at inside linebacker for Ohio State’s final two defensive series. Palaie Gaoteote, who missed the Rutgers game with an injury, did not play for the second week in a row even though he was available to play against Maryland.

Cornerbacks

Denzel Burke: 50
Sevyn Banks: 49
Lejond Cavazos: 18
Ryan Watts: 16
Cameron Brown: 12
Jordan Hancock: 10

Banks, who told reporters last week he’s still working his way back to being fully healthy, started his third consecutive game at cornerback opposite Burke, who played the most snaps of any Ohio State cornerback for a sixth consecutive game to start the season. Brown mixed in for 12 snaps with the first-team defense but did not return to the game after taking a knee to the head while making a tackle in the second quarter.

Cavazos, Watts and Hancock played all of their snaps on the Buckeyes’ final four defensive series after Ohio State took most of its starters out of the game. Demario McCall, who played backup cornerback snaps in three of the Buckeyes’ first five games, did not play against Maryland after being listed as a game-time decision.

Safeties

Ronnie Hickman: 55
Marcus Williamson: 49
Bryson Shaw: 36
Lathan Ransom: 34
Kourt Williams: 22
Cameron Martinez: 17
Craig Young: 13
Andre Turrentine: 10
Marcus Hooker: Special teams only

Hickman played the most snaps of any Ohio State defender for the second week in a row as he was on the field for all of the Buckeyes’ first 55 defensive plays before they began to take their starters out of the game. Williams replaced Hickman for Ohio State’s final four defensive series at bullet – where both Hickman and Williams lined up deep for about half of their snaps as Ohio State continued to use more two-deep defensive looks.

Williamson made his first start of the season at cover safety – becoming the third player to start a game at that position this year, following Ransom and Martinez – and played more than twice as many snaps as he played in any of Ohio State’s first five games. Shaw made his fifth consecutive start at free safety, though he and Ransom played nearly an equal number of snaps.

Ransom, Martinez and Young all substituted into the game together on several occasions against Maryland as the Buckeyes used them in a dime package – with Ransom and Martinez lining up as slot cornerbacks and Young in the box as a linebacker – on 3rd-and-long situations for the Terrapins. Young also played snaps at cover safety later in the game and took advantage, intercepting a pass and returning it 70 yards for Ohio State’s fourth pick-six in as many weeks.

Turrentine got into the game as a deep safety for Maryland’s final two possessions for his first defensive snaps as a Buckeye.

Field Goals/Extra Points

Bradley Robinson (long snapper): 10
Matt Jones (end): 10
Josh Fryar (tackle): 10
Dawand Jones (guard): 10
Donovan Jackson (guard): 10
Enokk Vimahi (end): 10
Noah Ruggles (kicker): 9
Jesse Mirco (holder): 9
Paris Johnson Jr. (tackle): 8
Mitch Rossi (wing): 8
Cade Stover (wing): 8
Cormontae Hamilton (wing): 4
Trey Leroux (tackle): 2
Dominic DiMaccio (kicker): 1
Michael O'Shaughnessy (holder): 1

Ohio State made no changes to its starting place-kicking unit against Maryland but did give some additional players experience on the unit after the outcome of the game was in hand.

Hamilton, a former tight end, replaced either Rossi or Stover for each of the Buckeyes’ final three extra points and Ruggles’ only field goal attempt of the day, which he converted from 32 yards out. Leroux played his first snaps ever as a Buckeye when he replaced Johnson for the fourth-quarter field goal and final extra point. O’Shaughnessy, the backup punter, also played his first snap as a Buckeye when he held for fellow walk-on DiMaccio on Ohio State’s final extra point.

Kickoffs

Chris Booker: 11
Noah Ruggles (kicker): 10
Xavier Johnson: 10
Kourt Williams: 10
Craig Young: 10
Marcus Hooker: 9
Cade Kacherski: 9
Cameron Martinez: 9
Cade Stover: 9
Ryan Watts: 8
Emeka Egbuka: 7
Teradja Mitchell: 3
Marcus Williamson: 3
Jayden Ballard: 2
Reid Carrico: 2
Jordan Hancock: 2
Andre Turrentine: 2
Dominic DiMaccio (kicker): 1
Ryan Batsch: 1
Ronnie Hickman: 1
Austin Kutscher: 1
Sam Wiglusz: 1

Booker, Johnson, Williams, Young, Hooker, Kacherski, Martinez, Stover, Egbuka and Watts were all on the field for the majority of Ruggles’ kickoffs against Maryland. Hickman, Mitchell and Williamson started the game on the kickoff coverage unit but were only on the unit in the first quarter, with Williams, Egbuka and Watts replacing them. True freshmen Ballard, Carrico, Hancock and Turrentine all played snaps on the kickoff coverage unit in the fourth quarter, as did walk-ons Batsch, Kutscher and Wiglusz, with Kutscher getting on the field for the first time all season. DiMaccio handled the final kickoff in addition to the final extra point.

Kickoff Returns

Emeka Egbuka (returner): 4
Chris Booker: 4
Steele Chambers: 4
Marvin Harrison Jr.: 4
Xavier Johnson: 4
Cade Kacherski: 4
Mitch Rossi: 4
Cade Stover: 4
Ryan Watts: 4
Marcus Williamson: 4
Craig Young: 4

Ohio State made no changes to its kickoff return unit against Maryland. There won’t be any reason to make any changes to the unit after Saturday’s game, in which Egbuka had 166 kickoff return yards – the second-most ever by an individual Ohio State player in a single game – on just four returns.

RELATED Maryland Notebook: Emeka Egbuka Has Huge Kickoff Return Game, Kerry Coombs Gets the Game Ball and Haskell Garrett Could Return After Bye Week

Punts

None

For the first time since its 56-14 win over Nebraska in 2017, Ohio State did not punt the ball once against Maryland. The Buckeyes scored on nine of their 11 possessions against the Terrapins, and the other two concluded with the end of the first half and a turnover on downs.

Punt Blocks/Returns

Chris Booker: 5
Denzel Burke: 5
Steele Chambers: 5
Emeka Egbuka: 5
Marvin Harrison Jr.: 5
Marcus Hooker: 5
Xavier Johnson: 5
Kourt Williams: 5
Craig Young: 5
Garrett Wilson (returner): 4
Jordan Hancock: 3
Cameron Brown: 2
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (returner): 1

Booker, Burke, Chambers, Harrison, Johnson and Williams all returned to the punt block unit from the Rutgers game, while Hooker and Young – who were previously on the unit before the Rutgers game – were also in the lineup against Maryland. Egbuka and Brown also joined them on the punt block unit, though Hancock replaced Brown after Brown was knocked out of the game.

Wilson continued to serve as Ohio State’s lead punt returner and gained 36 yards on three returns against Maryland, though Smith-Njigba took his place to field Maryland’s final punt in the third quarter.

Field Goal/Extra Point Block

J.T. Tuimoloau: 3
Sevyn Banks: 2
Denzel Burke: 2
Haskell Garrett: 2
Zach Harrison: 2
Ronnie Hickman: 2
Antwuan Jackson: 2
Teradja Mitchell: 2
Bryson Shaw: 2
Cody Simon: 2
Marcus Williamson: 2
Lejond Cavazos: 1
Steele Chambers: 1
Tommy Eichenberg: 1
Cormontae Hamilton: 1
Cameron Martinez: 1
Lathan Ransom: 1
Ryan Watts: 1
Kourt Williams: 1
Tyleik Williams: 1

For the second game in a row, Tuimoloau was the only Buckeye on the field for both of the opponent’s extra point attempts, and he was also on the field for Maryland’s lone field goal in the first quarter. 19 other Ohio State defenders were also on the field for at least one Maryland field goal or extra point.