Ohio State kicked off the 2024 season in style with a 52-6 pasting of Akron yesterday in The Shoe behind a disruptive day from the defense and a stellar introductory performance from true freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith.
Ryan Day had plenty to be grateful for as the defense logged a pair of touchdowns while holding the Zips to 177 total yards including 47 rushing yards on 1.3 per attempt.
On the other side of the ball, Day and Chip Kelly's offense had some fits and starts sprinkled in among electric plays due to self-inflicted wounds and a middling performance from the offensive line.
But hey, season openers are often ripe with mental errors and sloppy play and while it was expected to see Jim Knowles' defense have its way with the Zips, the offensive line simply didn't impose its will on the Akron front and had trouble communicating and executing assignments.
With Week One in the books, Day and company will celebrate the win, enjoy the many stellar individual performances and get back the drawing board to address the team's seven penalties, shore up the offensive line and more, ahead of next Saturday's prime time clash with Western Michigan in Ohio Stadium. Before we focus our attention on that contest however, here are Five Things from yesterday's pummeling of Akron.
JER-OH MY-UH SMITH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
So is it too early to consider Jeremiah Smith a lock to break every freshman receiving record at Ohio State? What about career receiving records? Yeah it was Akron but my goodness #4 looks like the real deal and then some.
The best receiver prospect in school history led the Buckeyes with six grabs for 92 yards and became the first Buckeye freshman since Michael Wiley in 1996 to record two touchdown grabs in a collegiate debut. His 9-yard and 16-yard touchdown catches in the first half weren't even his most impressive feats on the day as he introduced himself to America.
Things more impressive than those plays - which were no doubt elite - were plentiful. I appreciated how he responded to a tough start as he dropped a tunnel screen that appeared destined for a solid gain, was flagged for illegal formation after lining up incorrectly, and appeared late on a attempted block to spring Egbuka on a screen.
After each miscue he just kept swinging and the results were worth getting very, very excited about. He led the team with nine targets (Egbuka next with seven) and his one-handed grab of a 45-yard strike from Will Howard was an example of the talent he has that you just can't teach.
I know it's one game but it seems pretty obvious he and Howard have a legit rhythm. Considering Smith arrived at basically the same time as Howard, no other incumbent receivers had more time to develop chemistry with Ohio State's new signal caller and it shows. We'll see if Smith continues to lead the team in targets but I won't be surprised given what we saw yesterday.
And while I had Smith pegged for 800+ yards this season, I'm starting to think that's a lowball. This kid is must watch TV already.
HAVOC DELIVERED
In my bold predictions column as part of our season preview series and on The 11W Show on YouTube, I've joined the chorus of folks expecting the third year of the Jim Knowles Experience to see this defense to take that next step in elite status by way of turning up the havoc.
Last year's defense was great statistically in scoring and total defense, among other metrics, but the unit was near the bottom of the national rankings in interceptions and ranked No. 73 in tackles for loss per game (5.54).
The hope for this season is Knowles' group would be able to dictate more of the action with increased aggression but still manage to limit big plays. After game one, again with the "it was Akron" qualifier, you have to feel awesome about how the defense was orchestrated.
The Buckeyes compiled 10 tackles for loss, good for the most since a November 2022 matchup with Indiana. Safety Lathan Ransom led the way with a pair of TFLs while defensive linemen Tyleik Williams and JT Tuimoloau logged 1.5 each. Nine defenders contributed at least 0.5 TFL on the afternoon. Five of those TFLs were sacks, paced by Tuimoloau's 1.5.
The increased aggression fueled Akron playing off schedule and contributed to the Zips converting on just 4-of-16 third down conversion attempts.
It also played a part in the Buckeye defense recording two touchdowns by way of a 27-yard Ransom scoop and score off a Caden Curry forced fumble and a Gabe Powers 29-yard pick six to close out the day's scoring. And let's not forget the impressive interception from Denzel Burke as he plucked a ball right off the shoulder pads of an Akron receiver early in the contest.
Overall, a great start for a defense capable of being the best in the country.
What's My Line?
The deep stable of skill players on offense is fun to talk about but we all know the vast majority of national championship-caliber teams sit on a foundation of elite or at least damn good offensive line play.
It was only game one and Ohio State was without it's starting left guard but "elite" or "damn good" are not phrases that come to mind to describe what we saw from the guys up front yesterday.
The good news is Ryan Day thinks Donovan Jackson could be back as early as next week although even he would admit he's looking to step his consistency up from last season. It's also very important to keep in mind Ohio State's offensive line room had some sickness floating around early in camp on top of needing to identify and break in a new starting center and right guard.
But wow it was wild to see the line, particularly the interior, fail to generate much push for large stretches of action. Day lamented some miscommunication along the interior as part of the problem but even still, I saw some basic one-on-one battles with Akron's defensive line not go Ohio State's way across the interior and along the right edge.
Having said all that, it should be noted the line game up zero sacks and zero tackles for loss. And while Akron is a team Ohio State should run all over, the Buckeyes did put up a somewhat modest 170 total rushing yards on 5.2 per carry. That 5.2 per try is a full yard better than last year's full season average and the Buckeyes only broke the 170 rushing yards barrier four times in 13 games a season ago.
The Buckeyes also ran it better in the second half, averaging 5.5 per try versus a 4.8 mark in the opening half.
I'm not freaked out here but there's no doubt Justin Frye's position group is the weakest link on the squad at this point. But of course we must remember it's only September 1 - there's still time to develop and gel.
HOWARD'S DEBUT
While I think it's fair to say heading into yesterday's game that most fans were most curious/concerned about how the offensive line would look, the second biggest question was how would quarterback Will Howard look in his Ohio State debut?
I don't know about you but I emerged from the game with way more confidence about Howard than the big boys up front.
Howard wasn't spectacular but he was so many things Kyle McCord wasn't while completing 17-of-28 throws for 228 and three touchdowns, with another 18 yards on the ground. The 61% completion rate on the day doesn't look great on paper, and I'm not trying to gas him up, but Howard connected on 11 of his final 12 throws, was hurt by a couple drops and had at least one smart throw away. (And one really not smart throw - backward while falling down - to TreVeyon Henderson). Most important of all, he did not turn the ball over.
I was encouraged by Howard's veteran pocket presence, mobility in the pocket to buy time to throw, mobility outside the pocket to buy time to throw or turn up field, and his overall decisiveness. He looked like a guy who's been in this offense for longer than eight months which is a credit to him and Chip Kelly.
Behind an offensive line that will surely improve over yesterday's performance but just might have a 2024 ceiling of slightly-to-solidly above average but not elite, Howard's overall pocket awareness and athletic ability are going to come in handy. Then through the air, it feels like his connections with Egbuka, Smith and Carnell Tate, among others, should only continue to improve.
SAFETY NET
With safety Caleb Downs transferring from Alabama to Ohio State last winter, incumbent safety Lathan Ransom was somewhat of a forgotten man within a secondary that has a chance to be, ahem, the Best In America for the first time in a while.
Yesterday, Ransom was all over the field with nine tackles, including two for negative yardage, while also scooping up the noted forced fumble by Caden Curry and sprinting 27 yards to the end zone giving Ohio State a 31-3 lead.
After missing the last five games of the 2023 season due to a Lisfranc injury in his left foot, it wasn't a given Ransom would bounce back and be the type of complement to Downs that can help make Ohio State great on the back end.
The "if he stays healthy" disclaimer applies to all players but given Ransom's injury history and Ohio State's lack of proven depth behind he and Downs, it's paramount Ransom stays healthy and productive for a full season.
As a great ambassador for the program and a guy grateful to have a fifth chance at chasing a title as a healthy key contributor, Ransom is super easy to root for. If he can turn in performances like yesterday against the better squads on the schedule, Ohio State's defense end will be in great shape.
