Snap Counts: Carson Hinzman, Bennett Christian Take On Expanded Roles As They Help Ohio State Run to Win over Penn State

After losing the first of those games at Oregon, the Buckeyes came out on top for the second week in a row in State College, earning their first marquee win of the 2024 season with a 20-13 win over the then-third-ranked Nittany Lions.

Four Ohio State offensive players who played key roles in the Buckeyes’ rushing attack played their highest snap counts of the season. Quinshon Judkins played a season-high 36 snaps as he made his first start as a Buckeye, Carson Hinzman played a season-high 64 snaps as he made his first start of the season at left guard, Tegra Tshabola played a career-high 64 snaps as he was on the field for every play at right guard and Bennett Christian played a career-high 25 snaps as he saw extensive playing time as Ohio State’s No. 2 tight end against Penn State.

Ohio State’s defense wasn’t on the field for as many plays against Penn State as it was against Oregon and Nebraska as the Buckeyes limited the Nittany Lions to 55 total offensive snaps, but all of Ohio State’s top 11 defenders were on the field for at least 38 of those plays.

In total, 53 of the 74 players who made the trip to Penn State saw action against the Nittany Lions, one fewer than the total of Buckeyes who played against Oregon and Nebraska. Seventeen Buckeyes played on offense, 21 Buckeyes played on defense and another 15 Ohio State players saw action on special teams only.

Our full report on Ohio State’s offensive and defensive snap counts, using data from Pro Football Focus’ premium statistics, can be found below.

Quarterbacks

Will Howard: 64

Howard played every snap at quarterback for the third game in a row and either threw or ran the ball on more than half of those plays against Penn State. He completed 16 of his 24 passing attempts for 182 yards with two touchdowns and one interception while he had 27 rushing yards on nine attempts excluding sacks.

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Running Backs

Quinshon Judkins: 36
TreVeyon Henderson: 30

Judkins made his first start of the season against Penn State and played a season-high 36 snaps. He tied his season-high with 14 carries, gaining 95 yards on those runs, and added two catches for five yards on four targets.

Henderson rotated in with Judkins throughout the game, often substituting into the lineup in third-down situations, and ran for 54 yards on 10 carries while adding a 20-yard catch.

Wide Receivers

Emeka Egbuka: 56
Carnell Tate: 54
Jeremiah Smith: 53
Brandon Inniss: 3
Jayden Ballard: 2
Bryson Rodgers: 2
David Adolph: Special teams only

Even though Ohio State’s starting trio of wide receivers played the vast majority of snaps against Penn State, Inniss finished the game as the Buckeyes’ second-leading receiver. He capped off a two-play sequence on which all of Ballard, Inniss and Rodgers were in the game with a 22-yard catch-and-run touchdown. His only other snap came when he replaced Smith for one play after Smith failed to haul in a deep ball from Howard; Inniss had a 12-yard catch-and-run on that play.

BUCKEYES STRIKE AGAIN @OhioStateFB takes the lead in the Happy Valley pic.twitter.com/g9Cuj5bQCX

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 2, 2024

Smith still led the Buckeyes with four catches for 55 yards against Penn State. Egbuka had three catches for 31 yards, highlighted by a 25-yard touchdown; Tate had only two catches for 15 yards, though he could have added a 47-yard touchdown if not for an inaccurate deep throw by Howard.

Tight Ends

Gee Scott Jr.: 54
Bennett Christian: 25
Jelani Thurman: 5
Patrick Gurd: Special teams only

Despite leaving the game briefly when he was shaken up on a tackle after a 4-yard catch in the third quarter, Scott was on the field for all but 10 of Ohio State’s offensive plays as the Buckeyes’ No. 1 tight end. With Will Kacmarek still sidelined by injury, Christian played a career-high 25 snaps as OSU’s No. 2 tight end as the Buckeyes frequently utilize multi-tight end formations against Penn State, particularly on their final drive where they ran the ball on 10 straight plays to run out the clock.

Thurman’s five snaps included a 4th-and-1 play on which he hauled in a pass for a 19-yard gain – securing the reception in traffic after multiple bobbles – on just his second catch of the year.

On 4th & 1 the Buckeyes pick up a WILD first down @ohiostatefb pic.twitter.com/kKeMojlvLt

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 2, 2024

Offensive Linemen

Donovan Jackson: 64
Carson Hinzman: 64
Seth McLaughlin: 64
Tegra Tshabola: 64
Josh Fryar: 64
Austin Siereveld: Special teams only
Luke Montgomery: Special teams only
George Fitzpatrick: Special teams only
Joshua Padilla: Special teams only

Jackson moved outside to left tackle for his first career start at a position other than left guard for the Buckeyes while Hinzman, a 12-game starter at center for Ohio State in 2023, made his first start of the season at left guard. Ohio State’s five starting offensive linemen each played all 64 snaps of the game and they combined for a statement-making performance, leading the way for the Buckeyes to run for 176 yards despite being viewed as the team’s glaring weakness entering the day.

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While Jackson’s move outside was prompted in part by Zen Michalski suffering an injury against Nebraska that kept him out for the Penn State game, the offensive line’s improved performance against the Nittany Lions will likely keep Jackson at left tackle and Hinzman at left guard in Ohio State’s starting lineup going forward.

Defensive Ends

Jack Sawyer: 44
JT Tuimoloau: 44
Kenyatta Jackson Jr.: 15
Caden Curry: 5
Mitchell Melton: 4

Sawyer and Tuimoloau each played exactly 80% of Ohio State’s defensive snaps against Penn State. Tuimoloau recorded six tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack while Sawyer recorded four tackles.

Jackson saw most of the action among backup defensive ends, recording two tackles with a half-sack in his 15 snaps. Curry and Melton each played their lowest snap counts of the season with Melton playing all of his four defensive snaps in the first half and Curry playing all five of his defensive snaps in the second half.

Defensive Tackles

Ty Hamilton: 49
Tyleik Williams: 42
Kayden McDonald: 10
Eddrick Houston: 6
Hero Kanu: 4

Hamilton was on the field for all but six of Ohio State’s defensive plays against Penn State, recording two tackles. Williams was on the field for all but eight plays until Penn State’s final five plays, when he had to leave the game due to an ankle injury; Ryan Day said after the game that Williams was “fine” even though he had to be helped off the field.

Hamilton, McDonald and Kanu were all on the field for Penn State’s final four offensive plays as the Buckeyes had five defensive linemen in the game for their game-winning goal-line stand. McDonald was the only backup to see action at nose tackle in the base defense. Houston, who played only at defensive tackle for a second straight game after starting his Ohio State career at defensive end, played six snaps as Williams’ backup at 3-technique.

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Linebackers

Cody Simon: 55
Sonny Styles: 55
Arvell Reese: 17
C.J. Hicks: 2
Gabe Powers: Special teams only
Joey Velazquez: Special teams only

Simon and Styles were both on the field for every defensive snap against Penn State and combined for 19 tackles; Simon recorded 10 tackles with a sack while Styles tallied nine tackles. Reese joined them in the starting lineup as a third linebacker and played 17 snaps in formations where the Buckeyes had three or more LBs on the field. Hicks was on the field as a fourth linebacker during Ohio State’s second- and third-down goal-line stops in the fourth quarter.

Cornerbacks

Davison Igbinosun: 46
Denzel Burke: 42
Jordan Hancock: 38
Jermaine Mathews Jr.: 15
Lorenzo Styles Jr.: 4
Calvin Simpson-Hunt: Special teams only

Unlike its first big game of the season against Oregon, Ohio State deployed some rotation at outside cornerback against Penn State, bringing Mathews on for 15 combined snaps in place of Burke or Igbinosun. Mathews replaced Burke after he gave up a 24-yard catch to Penn State receiver Harrison Wallace III in the third quarter and remained in the game for another series, but Burke returned to the field for the Nittany Lions‘ lone fourth-quarter drive.

RELATED Three Stars of the Game: The Offensive Line, Davison Igbinosun and Cody Simon Earn Top Honors For Their Performances Against Penn State

Hancock did not start the game but was on the field for every play on which the Buckeyes had at least five defensive backs on the field, including two plays where he moved back to safety while Styles took his place at nickel. Styles was also on the field for two additional plays as a sixth defensive back.

Safeties

Caleb Downs: 55
Lathan Ransom: 53
Jaylen McClain: Special teams only
Brenten "Inky" Jones: Special teams only
Keenan Nelson Jr.: Special teams only

Downs was on the field for every Ohio State defensive play for a third consecutive game. Ransom, who missed the Buckeyes’ prior game against Nebraska due to injury, played all but two snaps against the Nittany Lions, only leaving the field for the two aforementioned plays when he was replaced in the lineup by Lorenzo Styles Jr. with Hancock sliding back to play safety alongside Downs.