Sitting at a perfect 9-0 after a 35-16 win at Rutgers on Saturday, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day met with the assembled media to field questions about his squad.
Among the many hot topics, one continues to be the state of an offensive line with three first-year starters that's had no shortage of ups and downs in both run and pass blocking though the former has caught more heat.
That said, film junkies suggest the offensive line is finding a bit more rhythm as of late although other factors such as playcalling and the return of a healthy TreVeyon Henderson to the backfield can't be understated.
For his part, Day feels like his hogs up front are making progress.
"Yeah I think so ... but it makes a big difference when (TreVeyon Henderson) is back there. ... But the efficiency certainly starts with the offense line, and I think you certainly saw some steps forward."– Ryan Day
The Buckeyes averaged 4.8 yards per carry against a Scarlet Knights defense ranked 41st nationally giving up 3.7 yards per attempt. That delta of +1.1 yards per carry versus the opponent's year-to-date yards per carry allowed was Ohio State's second-best result of the season.
Also notable from the Rutgers contest, Ohio State struggled in the first half gaining an average of just 3.4 yards across 14 attempts but caught fire in the second half with 15 carries going for 6.1 yards a pop.
| OPPONENT | OHIO STATE YPC | OPP YPC ALLOWED YTD ( RANK) | DELTA PER CARRY | T. HENDERSON STATS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RUTGERS | 4.8 | 3.7 (41) | 1.1 | 22 ATT, 128 YDS, 5.8 YPC |
| WISCONSIN | 4.2 | 3.8 (50) | 0.4 | 24, ATT, 162 YDS, 6.2 YPC |
| PENN STATE | 1.9 | 2.0 (2) | (.10) | DNP |
| PURDUE | 4.2 | 4.0 (60) | 0.2 | DNP |
| MARYLAND | 1.9 | 3.3 (19) | (1.4) | DNP |
| NOTRE DAME | 4.7 | 3.6 (36) | 1.1 | 14 ATT, 104 YDS, 7.4 YPC |
| W. KENTUCKY | 6.2 | 4.9 (116) | 1.3 | 13 ATT, 88 YDS, 6.8 YPC |
| YOUNGSTOWN ST. | 4.6 | FCS | FCS | 5 ATT, 56 YDS, 11.2 YPC |
| INDIANA | 4.6 | 4.4 (87) | 0.2 | 12 ATT, 47 YDS, 3.9 YPC |
Last Saturday also marked just the third time this season Ohio State's run game averaged at least 1.0 more yards per carry than its opponent is averaging year-to-date. The other two instances came back in September when the Buckeyes averaged 4.7 yards per carry versus Notre Dame (currently allowing 3.6 yards per carry) and 6.2 yards per try against Western Kentucky (currently allowing 4.9 yards per carry).
What else do those three games have in common? TreVeyon Henderson.
You can decide if you're Team Chicken or Team Egg but in those three games in which Ohio State averaged at least 1.0 more yards per carry than its opponent is averaging year-to-date saw Henderson rack up 320 yards on 49 carries, or a healthy 6.5 per pop.
Again, the film gurus say Ohio State's offensive line is improving highlighted by the Rutgers game but it certainly doesn't hurt to have Henderson's burst, lateral movement and pass catching ability to keep defenses honest and mask shortcomings up front.
In the three games Henderson missed, Ohio State averaged a dismal 1.9 yards per carry in those of those albeit one coming against an elite Penn State defense allowing just 2.0 yards per carry so far this season. Against a very average Purdue run defense without Henderson, the Buckeyes cranked out 4.2 yards per carry against the Boilers' 4.0 yards per carry allowed mark year-to-date.
Bottom line, it takes all facets coming together to effectively run the ball against top-tier defenses and if the offensive line can continue to improve and Henderson can stay healthy, Ohio State might find its run game reaching its peak potential for a stretch run that will ultimately make or break the season.
