How the tables have turned in the Ryan Day era.
With his background as an offensive and quarterback guru, it seemed like a guarantee Ohio State would always have an elite offense for Day’s first four years as head coach. It was the defense that primarily cost the Buckeyes in their biggest losses in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
In 2023, Ohio State was a team driven by its defense. The defense ranked No. 2 in scoring, No. 3 in yards per game, No. 1 in passing and No. 29 in rushing. The offense ranked No. 46, No. 48, No. 31 and No. 88 in the same categories.
The Buckeyes responded by stocking up on offensive talent in the transfer portal, getting Kansas State quarterback Will Howard, Alabama quarterback Julian Sayin and center Seth McLaughlin, Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins and Ohio tight end Will Kacmarek to either fill or support important positions on offense. Day is committed to surrendering play-calling duties for the first time in his career and brought on an established offensive mastermind and personal mentor of his in former UCLA head coach Chip Kelly to coordinate the attack.
Howard’s been named the team’s starting quarterback. His ceiling and the offensive line’s development will determine how much the Buckeyes can take advantage of the elite weapons they have at running back with Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson and at wide receiver with Emeka Egbuka, Carnell Tate, Brandon Inniss and Jeremiah Smith.
Let’s break it all down in our season preview of Ohio State’s 2024 offense.
The Stars
Emeka Egbuka
There will always be hype surrounding shiny new toys like Ohio State has at receiver in Inniss, Tate and Smith, but one of the nation’s best came back for his senior year in Egbuka and he will be a focal point of the offense. Injuries cut his production in half last season, but in 2022 he racked up 74 receptions for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns with two rushing scores.
TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins
The only question about the top of Ohio State’s running back rotation is how exactly the Buckeyes will split carries between their two superstars. Judkins has two 1,100-yard rushing seasons and two first-team All-SEC selections to his credit. Henderson posted three separate games with at least 160 combined rushing and receiving yards after returning from injury in 2023 and has stepped up as a leader this offseason, being named a captain.
“We’ve both been helping each other, sharpening each other,” Henderson said on Aug. 7. “The biggest thing is just, God has been helping me to love him. And however I can encourage him along the way, I'm willing to do so.”
Donovan Jackson
Ohio State needs Jackson to be a star in 2024 and establish a touch more consistency than he had in 2023. At his best, he can be among the nation’s premier offensive guards, but there are lapses to clean up from last season. The two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection will be the leader of an offensive line hoping to have a renaissance.
The X-Factors
Brandon Inniss
Any wide receiver not named Emeka Egbuka could fit here, but Inniss’ mixture of explosive athleticism, shiftiness and the ability to make an impact in the return game combined with an unclear exact role make him an ideal X-factor candidate.
“I'm definitely going to score a touchdown,” Inniss said on Aug. 9 when asked about returning punts. “I’m gonna get one this year.”
Josh Fryar
The Buckeyes’ right tackle graded out highest on the team in run blocking last year, per Pro Football Focus, with a grade of 76. Where he needed to take another step was in his pass blocking as he surrendered five sacks and struggled against some of the faster speed rushers he faced off the edge. His improvement is a key component to the offensive line’s overall growth.
Jelani Thurman
Ohio State’s talented second-year tight end could be behind Gee Scott Jr. and Will Kacamarek on the depth chart, but he might have the most playmaking upside of any of the three. Tight end is among the most developmental positions in football and Thurman will still have to prove himself as a blocker to see the field more consistently, but if he does, he could provide a great changeup for Howard to look to on passing downs.
The Questions
How well can Will Howard stretch defenses vertically?
Howard can run the ball; he’s been clocked at a sprint speed of 22 miles per hour. Howard has experience, playing 34 games at Kansas State, which should make for good decision-making. His scheme knowledge seems to have gotten to where it needs to be, but Ohio State’s offense can only reach its maximum potential if he is able to push the ball downfield to his elite wide receivers and stretch defenses vertically to open up other areas of the offense. Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles is among those who believes he will, but the downfield accuracy issues shown in the spring are still back of mind when discussing Howard.
“He’s making all the throws,” Knowles said. “He stands in the pocket, he’s got great vision, arm strength. We’ve got great receivers, he’s putting the ball in places where only the receiver can catch it. So to me, it’s not just the arm strength, but he’s making the pinpoint passes, too.”
How will Ohio State deploy its tight ends?
Scott, Kacmarek and Thurman all bring a different skill set to the table for Ohio State at the tight end position. Kacmarek has the best reputation as a blocker, Scott is the veteran of the room with a receiver background and Thurman’s strengths were discussed above. The Buckeyes have used plenty of 12 personnel in the past and Kelly has been known to deploy two or three tight ends with some frequency, but who plays the most and in what packages with the litany of receiver talent the Buckeyes have will be an interesting strategic trend to follow.
Offensive line, offensive line, offensive line
It’s been dissected and analyzed and asked about all offseason, now it’s time for Ohio State’s offensive line to prove it can actually grow from a year as the team’s Achilles heel in 2023. Jackson and Fryar will be important pieces of that, but so will McLaughlin, as will left tackle Josh Simmons after some standout performances in preseason camp. Perhaps most important will be whoever wins the right guard competition between Tegra Tshabola and Carson Hinzman.
“The O-line has been the area that we’ve been locked in on,” Day said at Big Ten Media Days. “Coming out of the summer, their bodies look different ... They look good. Mick (Marotti)’s done a great job with them. They’ve had a good summer, but we know how important that is. This team is gonna go as the offensive line goes. This team is gonna go as the defensive line goes. So we know how important the offensive line is gonna be.”
“This team is gonna go as the offensive line goes.”– Ryan Day
Freshman to watch
Jeremiah Smith
Here’s a rare first-year player who holds an argument to be in the “X-Factors” or even the “Stars” section of this preview. The No. 1 recruit, let alone receiver, in the recruiting class of 2024, Smith is certainly the top freshman to watch for the Buckeyes this year and could put up numbers the likes of which are seldom seen from a freshman. He’s already set a record for earliest black stripe removal and was the first freshman ever named an “Iron Buckeye” by the team’s strength and conditioning staff.
Overall Outlook
Day said it this summer: This offense will go as the offensive line does. They have, at the very least, a steady hand with good rushing ability at quarterback to conduct an orchestra of weapons at running back and wide receiver. Kelly is known for getting the most out of a running game regardless of what’s up front, and Henderson and Judkins are as good of a tandem as it gets in the backfield. Blocking at the tight end position will also be helpful to develop, but Kacmarek should provide some solutions after transferring in.
If Ohio State’s offensive line can get the job done up front, the Buckeyes’ offense should re-emerge as one of the best in college football in 2024.
