Care: A true quality win
Penn State is a very good football team. They may not be elite, but going into their place and winning a game by double digits, including a come from behind 4th quarter where our team showed their mettle is a big deal. While our rushing game is still a concern to some degree, the toughness of our team and their ability to finish games strong has been displayed so far this year and should continue carrying us forward.
Less will be made about this game than it deserves because there are other teams with media attention now, but this was a very good win.
Don't Care: Tuesday's CFP rankings.
We're going to be in the Top 2. While some may think it will be UGA/Tenn in the Top 2, we will be there. We have been the only team in football to win every game, and win every game by double digits. By the end of this season if we can win out we'll have ranked wins over Penn State and Michigan, and hopefully a ranked Illinois from the Big Ten West, and I believe Notre Dame will end up ranked as well.
Win and you're in, that's all that matters right now.
Care: Running back depth
We tend to say that teams like the Buckeyes reload instead of replace. And so far it's held true. I wasn't worried about depth to begin the season, even after Pryor's injury, because we had 4 talented RBs on the roster. Yet somehow every single one of them has had a significant-enough injury to miss at least one game except Hayden. What the hell.
The limited action of Dallan Hayden has shown a ton of promise. But the injury bug has been absolutely brutal this year. It's not a safe bet to say Trey will stay healthy for every game through the rest of the season, and he's not 100% as it is.
I expect Williams to rest up and be fine for the Michigan game but I don't really want to see him until then. Let Hayden get some meaningful carries, and try out Chip if we have to. But not having Miyan for the Michigan game/post season is a huge problem if it comes to fruition.
Don't Care: Offensive Playcalling "Issues"
Let me be clear, there are some issues. But I don't think they are as big of a deal as they seem to be. We haven't gotten a lot of push on running plays in recent weeks. Totally seen it and realize that's not great.
However, Ryan Day has shown an ability to adjust his philosophies as a head coach, make necessary changes, and do what needs to be done. And he's also proven himself to be an exceptional offensive mind. Every single play we run in a game has a purpose beyond just getting the yards and executing the play. The chess match means each play is setting up something else in the future. Even those horrendous-looking bubble screens.
Day knows what he is doing and the second half performances we've seen this year have shown our ability to figure out a defense, adjust, and execute well. Day could be more aggressive in the beginning of games and take some chances attacking a defense he hasn't "figured out" yet, but he just hasn't had to yet. And it's worked. IMO, I'm happy to let him do his thing as he's comfortable, because it's paid off.
Care: Jim Knowles' career at Ohio State
I'm not sure what we need to do to lock him up for a long time, but we need to do it. The transformation of the defense this years has been astonishing. We may have shown some weaknesses but the improvement across the board at every level (save for some hiccups here and there) is nothing short of miraculous.
His ability to inspire confidence in our players and let them play their game to the best of their abilities has the defense in a position that I would consider the defense the stronger side of the ball right now. There, I said it. I have a level of comfort when we're on defense that is higher than when we are on offense right now.
Jim Knowles is more valuable to this team right now than Hartline...and I do not say that easily.
Don't Care: JSN's return
To be very clear: I want to see him get healthy and get back on the field for us. But the way our offense is working right now, I'm not sure how much value his return would have. That is less because of what he can contribute, but more on the additional value he would provide to an offense that is already one of the best in the country.
We just played a team with a secondary that has probably 4 NFL guys on the field at once and while our passing game was "bottled up" for a lot of the game we finished with 354 passing yards. That's our floor against an exceptional secondary. Think about that.
If JSN returns, who does he replace? Odds are, right now, it's Egbuka but should that really happen? Egbuka has been fantastic all year. Penn State was a "down" game for him and he still had decent production.
We have a plethora of receivers already performing at the highest level in the country. All I'm saying is I don't care about JSN's return as much as I used to because I see what our offense is without him.
