With Ohio State's home opener set to start in a number of hours, there is no better time for a Last Call.
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YOUNGSTOWN STATE PENGUINS |
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1-0 ROSTER / SCHEDULE |
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NOON – SATURDAY, SEPT. 9 OHIO STADIUM COLUMBUS, OHIO |
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BIG TEN NETWORK FOX SPORTS APP |
In this article, the Eleven Warriors beat team of Dan Hope, Andy Anders, Garrick Hodge and Chase Brown identify their biggest questions entering Ohio State’s Week 2 matchup with Youngstown State and highlight a player each of them will be watching closely on Saturday.
The Penguins will serve as Ohio State's first Football Championship Subdivision opponent in 10 years. In its most recent matchup against an FCS school in 2013, Ohio State beat Florida A&M 76-0. The Buckeyes won also by a combined score of 81-6 in a pair of contests with Youngstown State in 2007 and 2008, Ohio State’s only other two games against an FCS opponent in the past 83 years.
This week’s battle between the Buckeyes and Penguins will likely result in a similar outcome, which could be what the doctor ordered for Ohio State in order to work past its offensive deficiencies after a 23-3 win over Indiana in the season opener.
Without further ado, here are our questions and players to watch for Ohio State vs. Youngstown State in Columbus. (Note: Since there are no prop bets available for this game, we’re skipping the Best Bets section this week in favor of more questions and more players to watch.)
Questions
Will Ohio State’s offense be efficient early and often?
Anyone who has looked at social media or read 11W in the last week knows that Ohio State’s offensive effort against Indiana left much to be desired. Fortunately, an FCS opponent in Youngstown State should provide chances for the Buckeyes' offense to restore their footing and return to their usual, dominant form. Scoring 45-plus on the Penguins may not be a fix-all to getting a new offensive line and quarterback on the same page, but it would do wonders to establish momentum for the future.
- Garrick Hodge
Can Ohio State’s defense pitch a shutout?
Denzel Burke, Steele Chambers and Josh Proctor have all said over the past week that this year’s defense is going into every game looking to shut out its opponent. Playing an FCS opponent this week will be their best opportunity of the season to back up that talk.
Shutting out any opponent is never easy, and Ohio State hasn’t done it to anyone since its 2017 game against Rutgers. But while no performance against Youngstown State is going to prove anything definitive about Ohio State’s 2023 defense, it would make another strong early-season statement if the Buckeyes can shut out a team that scored 52 points in its season opener.
– Dan Hope
Will a bellcow emerge in the running back room?
Throughout the preseason, Ryan Day was clear: TreVeyon Henderson will be Ohio State's RB1 in 2023. When Ohio State faced Indiana, Henderson received 12 carries (47 yards), Chip Trayanum received eight (57 yards) and Miyan Williams received seven (25 yards, two touchdowns). So, yes, Henderson was the Buckeyes' No. 1 running back – but barely.
On Saturday, will Day and Tony Alford offer Henderson the workload of a true RB1, or will the carries be divided amongst him, Trayanum, Williams and perhaps even Evan Pryor and Dallan Hayden? It's Youngstown State, so all will likely see the field, but how the carries are shared early could tell what kind of running back usage we will see in the 2023 season.
- Chase Brown
Will the Jack make an appearance?
Contests against FCS opponents seem like the right time for experimentation. Jim Knowles didn't make use of his signature hybrid defensive end/linebacker position against Indiana, though Jack Sawyer and Mitchell Melton did both work from two-point stances at various points in the game. If Melton or CJ Hicks don't make an appearance at the spot against the Penguins, it might be safe to assume it's been largely phased out of Ohio State's defensive strategy.
- Andy Anders
Players to Watch
Devin Brown
This could be a stretch of a selection, but Ryan Day emphasized this week that he wanted to play Brown more than the two series he played against the Hoosiers. If you’re judging based on playing time alone from Week 1, it looks like McCord has established himself as the starter going forward. Still, it will be fascinating to see when Brown will be inserted into the game against Youngstown State and if he can play "meaningful" snaps when the game is within reach.
- Garrick Hodge
Chip Trayanum
Last week, my player to watch was TreVeyon Henderson, and the Hopewell, Virginia, native had a decent performance. However, he was outshined by another Buckeye ball carrier: Chip Trayanum. The Ohio State senior carried the ball eight times for 57 yards – good for 7.1 yards a pop. He looked good. He looked confident. He looked explosive. It was an excellent performance from the man with distinguished athleticism and Popeye-sized arms.
With an expected blowout on the horizon, I expect Trayanum to receive a nice workload on Saturday. If he can produce at the same level as last week, he will most certainly be a player to watch against the Penguins.
- Chase Brown
Carnell Tate
No freshman generated more buzz this offseason than Tate, and this game should present a prime opportunity for the talented wide receiver to show us why. While he already mixed in with the first-team offense in Ohio State’s season opener against Indiana, he’ll likely have the opportunity to see more extended playing time against Youngstown State. If he can make a big play or two in his first home game as a Buckeye, the hype surrounding his potential to be Ohio State’s next great receiver will only continue to grow.
- Dan Hope
Kenyatta Jackson Jr.
Ohio State's second-year defensive end has been raved about by both Knowles and Larry Johnson since spring practice, but JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer received the majority of reps on the edge against Indiana. Jackson should be yet another player in line for plenty of playing time once the game is in hand against Youngstown State, and his speed off the edge is certainly something to keep an eye on.
- Andy Anders
