Last night for much of the game, I don't think I was alone in feeling frustrated at the slow, tentative, and often discombobulated look of the offense, particularly CJ Stroud. This was probably Stroud's worst game since Oregon, but even saying that he ended up with a decent statline and--more importantly--no interceptions. 

Scoring 21 points is not where we want to be, even against one of the best defenses we'll face all season, but there are a few factors that I think help explain why this game isn't cause for concern on the offensive side of things. 

First, yes Stroud looked shaky, but he was without his best target for basically the entire game. Let's also credit Al Golden and Notre Dame for playing a mostly excellent game on defense that limited big play opportunities and made Ohio State's receivers uncomfortable. Stroud made some clutch plays that helped win the game, and some of them came off snaps that looked doomed to end in a sack. He's definitely improved his escapability. When JSN comes back, Stroud will likely look much better. 

Second, both Notre Dame and Ohio State adopted offensive strategies in the second half that shortened the game and reduced scoring opportunities. Notre Dame's plan from the beginning was to make the game as short as possible, while Day (correctly) opted for a slow and steady approach in the fourth quarter that resulted in the brilliant 95 yard drive. That 95 yard drive showed that Ohio State can win tough and ugly, something they never really showed last season against good teams, and something you absolutely need when you play teams like Michigan or Wisconsin, to say nothing of the Georgias and Bamas of the world. 

Third, while we have experience in the RB, OL, and QB departments, our receivers are very talented but for the most part inexperienced. Our two most experienced receivers were out for basically the entire game. This will be less of a factor as Egbuka, Harrison, et al gain experience and JSN and Fleming get healthy. 

In short, unless we look sluggish and confused repeatedly, I'm not worried about the offense. Go Buckeyes!