With the hilarity of the Scandal Up North, this week's matchup crept on me and probably you too. And now, here we are, just one sunrise from No. 3 Ohio State putting its undefeated record on the line against a Wisconsin Badgers outfit led by former Buckeye player and coach, the esteemed Luke Fickell.
Will the Buckeyes achieve the fast start they've been missing at times this season? Will quarterback Kyle McCord take another step? Do you like movies about Gladiators?
For answers to most of these questions, I welcome 11W's own Andy Anders, Johnny Ginter and Kyle Jones to this week's roundtable.
Any concerns the Buckeyes come out sluggish on the road in Madison after last weekend’s emotional and physical win over then-No. 7 Penn State? We know Ohio State, or at least the offense, sleepwalked through the first half of the Maryland game after beating then-top-10 Notre Dame in the game prior. I guess you could argue the open week after the win over the Irish was more to blame in that one but either way, Ohio State has started slow in a few games already this season. How much would a slow start even matter against the Badgers?
Kyle: I can't be the only one thinking about the trip to Iowa City in 2017, right? Also coming a week after a huge win over Penn State on a national stage, the Buckeyes traveled to Kinnick Stadium and got the doors blown off by a Hawkeye team far more prepared than they were. The Wisconsin offense is still very much a work-in-progress in year one under Fickell, but the defense has quietly gotten better over the past few games. Add in the atmosphere of playing in Camp Randall...at night...on the weekend before Halloween...and the Buckeyes had better come out crisp offensively, otherwise it could be a long night.
Andy: Do I feel concerned the Buckeyes come out sluggish? Yes, mainly due to what will be a raucous atmosphere in Camp Randall Stadium. My concerns only extend to the offensive side, however.
I’ve yet to see a game this season where the defense comes out sluggish for Ohio State. Even after Notre Dame sustained a long drive on its first series, the Buckeyes firmed up and got a fourth-down stop. I don’t think Wisconsin will have sustained offensive success at any point on Saturday. Because of that, I don’t think a slow start offensively will matter much at all in terms of OSU getting a victory.
Johnny: I'm not worried about a slow start against Wisconsin but I do think it's pretty likely, because as much as I wish that TreVeyon Henderson's return will supercharge the running game, my guess is that it'll still be pretty anemic to start. I don't think that'll stop Ryan Day from giving running backs the rock, however, and while that'll eventually pay off, it might take until the 3rd quarter to see results.
Kyle McCord's performance against Penn State has been a hot topic even as he finished with a 63% completion rate, 286 passing yards and a touchdown. The chief critiques in that game and other points during the season have largely centered on a need for improved pocket presence / feeling pressure, locating the "most open" receiver, and better ball placement to reduce receivers needing to make tough catches that negatively impact yards after catch. How do you evaluate McCord's season-to-date and what do you think are the most important opportunities to address, if any? What kind of night do you envision for him against a Wisconsin pass defense ranked 29th in the country?
Johnny: McCord has a tendency to get impatient with his reads, and by that I mean it seems like he rushes his progression and skips to his check down guy if his first target isn't open. He also needs to get better at throwing guys open instead of trying to laser guide a pass to exactly where they are.
With that said, he's also done a generally great job at not making stupid decisions, even when under pressure, and that shows a level of maturity that can be built around. He'll get better.
Kyle: McCord's mechanics leave a lot to be desired early in games. Why that happens, I still don't know. His footwork is sloppy and the ball will drop below his waist during his wind-up to throw, both of which affect his timing with receivers. The good news is that he tends to clean it up as the game goes on. The mechanics he showed in the fourth quarters against Notre Dame and Penn State looked far different than they had in the first quarter of each game, so with the talent surrounding him in the passing game, there is no reason he can't put up big numbers. It's really just a question if he will.
Andy: I don’t think McCord’s pocket presence has been bad, to tell you the truth, but he’s held the ball too long at times and not taken that “most open” man. He’s been a good quarterback for Ohio State this season, I think the second-best quarterback in the Big Ten behind J.J. McCarthy. He’s a winner with a strong arm and he’s shown great accuracy in spots.
This is going to sound like coach speak, but for me it’s all about consistency with Kyle. For all those very accurate throws, he’s still missing too many. For every good climb or scramble he has in the pocket to extend and make a play, he has another where he sits too long or runs into pressure. Much of that consistency comes with experience – I’ll be interested to see what kind of strides he takes in the last month of the season. I predict he surpasses 300 yards in an improved performance against Wisconsin.
Through seven games, are there any guys you’d like to see get more snaps than they’re currently receiving? Cody Simon ate into Steele Chambers' snaps at Purdue but the distribution reverted back to 'normal' versus Penn State. Sonny Styles playing enough? What about the running back room? Carnell Tate has 224 fewer snaps than Julian Fleming but 12 more receiving yards. None of this is to say any of us are smarter than the coaches - just curious who you wish saw the field a bit more to this point.
Andy: Frankly, I thought the team’s defensive rotation against Penn State was almost perfect. I want to confront Ohio State fans with a truth about the should-be-a-freshman Sonny Styles: Jordan Hancock is a better nickel overall at this point in time. His coverage in the slot is truly a weapon and he continues to make plays against the run as well. Sonny is better in that area, close to the line of scrimmage, but that gap isn’t as large as the one between Styles and Hancock as cover men. Styles should still see the field against bigger packages, 12 personnel, but any time there’s at least three receivers on the field I think Hancock should be out there, as has been the case.
I also enjoyed seeing Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and Caden Curry getting some run in appropriate spots. The team is leaning heavier into Cody Simon at linebacker over Steele Chambers, which I think is the right call, but I’d like to see them deployed a bit more situationally, Chambers more on passing downs and Simon more on running downs.
Offensively, my main gripe is that Dallan Hayden isn’t seeing the field enough. Forget the redshirt, he’s too good to stay until a redshirt senior season anyway and the team needs to win now. My suspicion is that he’s the second-best runner on the team behind TreVeyon Henderson. That needs to be tested against a stronger defense like Wisconsin, but Hayden’s 11-carry, 76-yard outing against Purdue warrants another look. Especially as Chip Trayanum and Miyan Williams continue producing so little. A lot of that is because of the offensive line, but my point remains: Give Hayden a shot.
Johnny: I'm all in on Cody Simon at this point; nothing against Chambers, who isn't terrible or anything, but Simon is more versatile and meshes well with the rest of the defense. I also agree with Styles and Tate, especially given how much of an impact we saw some younger guys make against Penn State. Get those dudes on the field.
Kyle: The only guys I want to see get more snaps at this point in the season are Egbuka, Henderson, and Burke. Defenses will key even more on Marvin after last week, so having another threat in the passing game is an obvious need. The similarities between the run game this year and last are hard to ignore, though, with health at the running back spot undermining any efforts to improve up front. The offensive line did a decent job run-blocking last Saturday, but Trayanum and Williams kept looking to bounce instead of being patient enough to let holes develop. That timing only comes with practice, and it's clear that the guys taking reps during the week aren't the ones doing so on Saturday. Defensively, I'm thrilled to see Jermaine Matthews step up and provide depth at corner, but that unit is playing at such a high level right now that there is no reason to try something different. Just continue to develop chemistry and confidence, please.
Let’s try something new this week, kind of like a word association game. For the items listed below, give me the first thing that pops into your mind while limiting your response to three words or less.
Kyle: I'll go with..
- Marvin Harrison Jr.: Deserves the Heisman,
- TreVeyon Henderson: Please get/stay healthy.
- Ryan Day’s Biggest Concern: See above.
- Connor Stalions: A manifesto? Really??
Andy: Put me down for..
- Marvin Harrison Jr.: Best in America
- TreVeyon Henderson: Explosive, been missed
- Ryan Day’s Biggest Concern: Offensive line
- Connor Stalions: Cheater, pumpkin-eater
Johnny: I'll say..
- Marvin Harrison Jr.: Unstoppable
- TreVeyon Henderson: Injuries prevent greatness
- Ryan Day’s Biggest Concern: Michigan Michigan Michigan
- Connor Stalions: Electronic warfare mastermind
Ohio State heads to Madison as a 14.5 favorite over the Badgers. Do the Buckeyes cover? Give us your final score and MVP.
Johnny: I think they cover, 33-13, and Route Man Marv has another monster game.
Kyle: I don't think OSU covers as the atmosphere in Madison and a slight hangover from last week lead to another slow start offensively. The defense, however, continues to look dominant, and Josh Proctor makes at least one or two huge plays that cement a 21-10 victory for the visitors.
Andy: Ohio State covers. This Wisconsin team isn’t all that good to me. Luke Fickell was always going to need a year to implement a new system and transition talent. The Buckeyes start slow but get going quickly after a few strong defensive stops. I have 38-6 Ohio State. For the MVP, I have TreVeyon Henderson – who will be “full go” this week per Ryan Day – with a resurgent outing against the nation’s No. 64 rush defense.
