Ohio State Recap

Week One: Success, Sort Of...

By, Michael Matthews

First off, I feel like I should introduce myself. I am as die-hard an Ohio State fan as you will find. My family moved to Columbus when I was 4, and thus began this epic love affair. I went to my first Buckeye game when I was 5, watching OSU and Eddie George crush Purdue 28-0. I did not even have to look that score up. Speaking of scores, I could probably tell you the final score of every Ohio State-Michigan game of the past 25 years. As a child of the Cooper years, I know more emotional pain than any kid should ever feel.

I am not ashamed to admit that I have cried as a result of Ohio State losses. Thankfully I dropped that habit when I was about 10. I count the night Ohio State beat Miami to win the national title as one of the greatest moments of my life. 31-24, God bless that game. 

I figured I needed to showcase my credentials, much in the same way Bearcat homer Grift Krehnbrink did in his post. Anyway, on to recapping this past weekend's game.

Ohio State-Buffalo Recap

I think the collective response from most Buckeye fans after week one's 40-20 victory over Buffalo is a big old "mehhhhhh." There were some great moments (the entire first quarter), some bad moments (somebody block Khalil Mack), and some ugly moments (Braxton's pick 6...yikes). I'll focus on the good and the bad for all three units - offense, defense, and special teams.

Offense

First Quarter: Ceeeeeelllebrate good times...

The Good: I could watch the entire first quarter on repeat. The offense looked efficient and explosive. Braxton moved the squad efficiently down the field for three straight touchdowns, connecting on two 2-point conversions, rolling to a 23-0 lead. The offense racked up 208 yards in the quarter and it looked like they might hang 50 in the first half.

Before I move on, I must mention Jordan Hall, who turned in a career performance on Saturday. The 5th year senior rushed for a career-high 159 yards on 21 rushes, averaging 7.6 yards per carry. Many forget that Hall actually started over Carlos Hyde last year before going down with a season-ending injury. Carlos may face some stiff competition from Hall when he returns from suspension later this season.                                                                 

                                                                            

Jordan Hall...beast

Can somebody block this dude?

The Bad: After the aforementioned first quarter, the offense seemed to become complacent, with Buffalo actually outscoring the Buckeyes 20-17 the rest of the game. Khalil Mack, a linebacker for Buffalo and a projected NFL first round draft pick, dominated OSU's offensive line, especially sophomore Taylor Decker. 

Mack recorded 9 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and an interception, showcasing some elite speed by returning it for a touchdown. While Mack may very well be the best defensive player Ohio State faces all season, it was a bit disconcerting to witness one player completely dominate the way he did.

Defense

Curtis Grant doesn't need a helmet

The Good: The defense, dealing with suspensions (Roby) and injuries (Shazier, C.J. Barnett, Tommy Schutt), played a relatively good game. The unit allowed 258 yards to the Bulls and two touchdowns, which, considering they were missing their 3 best players for most of the game, can only be considered a positive outing. The best part of the day was the emergence of junior linebacker Curtis Grant. The highly sought-after recruit, rated a 5 star by rivals, has failed to live up to enormous expectations for much of his career. Grant turned in a very solid performance on Saturday, recording 7 tackles, including 4 solo. The defense will be greatly improved if Grant can continue his upward swing.

The Bad: While the defense did play well, there were times when they, like the offense, seemed complacent. The most concerning aspect of the game was the sub-par performance delivered by Armani Reeves. Reeves, the former 4-star recruit from Massachusetts who sported a rattail throughout training camp, started in place of the suspended Bradley Roby. Reeves was beat on several plays, and seemed to play tentatively throughout the game, often giving the receiver a 7-10 yard cushion at the line of scrimmage. While Reeves may have just been following the gameplan, Buffalo took advantage early, throwing several underneath routes that easily gained about 7-8 yards each time. Thankfully, the All-American Roby returns from suspension next week.

Shave the rattail, Armani

Special Teams

The Good: Dontre Wilson looked excellent, returning a kick for 51 yards. Also, the PAT unit looked great in converting two 2-point conversions in the first quarter. In the past few years, Oregon, under Chip Kelly, regularly went for the 2-point conversion early in the game. Urban, always looking for an edge, looks to have drawn some inspiration from Chip and the Ducks. Lastly, Drew Basil showed off his strong leg in converting a 39 yard field goal in the fourth quarter. Basil may turn out to be an important weapon later on this season.

The Bad: While he did not actually fumble at all, Philly Brown bobbled three punts in the first half, looking very shaky overall. Brown, an excellent return-man who returned two punts for touchdowns last year, needs to clean up his punt-fielding in order to avoid costly mistakes down the road.

Also, the punt block unit was assessed a 15-yard roughing the punter penalty in the first quarter. Again, OSU must avoid costly penalties like this in the future when the schedule toughens up.

Overall, a 20 point win in week one is a success. Next week, Roby and Rod Smith return from suspension, and C.J. Barnett potentially returns from a sprained ankle to take on San Diego State at 3:30 at Ohio Stadium.

Around the Nation

Clemson had the win of the weekend, defeating Georgia at home to throw themselves into the thick of the national title chase. Tajh Boyd, who completed 18 of 30 passes for 270 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions, established himself as a bona-fine Heisman contender. Despite losing, Georgia, due to the power of the SEC, is still in the thick of the national title hunt. The Bulldogs must regroup with Jadeveon Clowney and South Carolina on the horizon.

Alabama, despite winning 35-10 over Virginia Tech, looked less than impressive. The Crimson Tide managed only 206 yards of total offense, and their re-built offensive line looked over-matched at times against the Hokie defense. The Tide managed to score two touchdowns on special teams and one on defense to make the game seem much more lopsided than it actually was. 'Bama must shore up the offense if they expect to even win the SEC West this year, because LSU looked extremely impressive in beating a talented TCU team 37-27. The Tigers rolled up 448 yards of total offense compared to TCU's 259. LSU showcased a balanced attack, with quarterback Zach Mettenberger throwing for 251 yards, and Terence Magee and Alfred Blue combining for 197 yards on the ground.

Save this for Alabama

Lastly, I guess I should mention Johnny Football, as everything he does is analyzed and dissected to the nth degree. Manziel's antics were a bit over the top, and he should probably realize that many people around the country - including players and fans - do not like him very much. However, I do like the "me against the world" attitude he showcased, though maybe talking so much trash to Rice is not the best look.

     

                                                                   

With one week in the books, no team was completely knocked out of the national title chase. Next week, The U takes on Florida, South Carolina travels to Georgia, and Michigan hosts Notre Dame in three key matchups. See ya in a week...