After exploding for at least 50 points and 500 yards in its last four games, Ohio State’s offense was curiously limited, timid and one-dimensional against Penn State Saturday night.
To be sure, the Buckeyes scored when it mattered most during a thrilling, double-overtime win against Nittany Lions Saturday night, but questions — things that seemed definitively answered and surely resolved since a loss to Virginia Tech earlier in the season — abounded over a unit that, at least statistically, had its worst outing of the season.
Against a gritty Penn State defense, Ohio State mustered a season-low output of 293 yards and averaged just 3.9 yards a play.
When in search of finding an explanation for why the Buckeyes and their rolling offense came to a screeching halt in State College, it starts with an inexperienced offensive line that's Meyer's new favorite punching bag (and deservedly so).
“Out-played us up front, I think; just a little upset with the way we played up front,” head coach Urban Meyer said.
“We’ve gotta get that fixed. It’s always been the strength of Ohio State football and it has been for quite a while.”
In the blowouts that have followed since that stunning loss to the Hokies, the offensive line bullied its defensive counterparts and kindled an offensive surge that helped vault the Buckeyes back into the national picture.
Ohio State's dominant run game was effective in the first half, but faded late during the Nittany Lions’ furious comeback.
The passing game — which has seemed almost unstoppable at times as redshirt freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett and a cast of talented skill players mature — was non-existent. Barrett, who put on a flawed, but gutsy show, threw for 74 yards and two interceptions on 12-of-19 passes despite a sprained knee.
Some of it was thanks to an admittedly conservative game plan considering the way Ohio State’s defense was cracking skulls on the other side of the ball. A lot of it was because of a lack of confidence in the line’s ability to effectively block for the hobbled Barrett.
“We felt like we were playing really good defense and we didn’t want to take a ton of chances in throw game because we knew it was kind of hit or miss if we could block them up front for as long as we needed to,” co-offensive coordinator Tom Herman said. “We took our shots, didn’t connect.”
The likes of Michael Thomas, Dontre Wilson, Devin Smith and Evan Spencer were non-factors, but it’s hard to say whether they had a bad game considering they weren’t give many chances to catch the ball in the first place. “It was a tough game to try and manufacture ways to get it to them,” Herman said.
Added Meyer: “We tried to manage the game and I didn’t like the way we we went about business in the second half and when you’re not moving people and then they start teeing off on you. That’s what I kind of felt like was happening.
“We have good skill, we just couldn’t get them the ball. We’ve gotta reevaluate a bunch of stuff we’re doing.”
It starts with molding an offensive line worthy of Meyer’s offensive philosophy; it’s been priority No. 1 since the beginning of the season.
It was in the season-opener against Navy. It was when the Buckeyes surrendered seven sacks to the Hokies a week later. It was as recently as 11 days ago when Meyer said he still wasn’t happy with the group — and its lack of depth — despite the team’s swelling offensive momentum.
Of course, after this weekend, the unit still remains his top concern — especially with a monster trip to fifth-ranked Michigan State looming in two weekends.
“We’ve got to evaluate that as we hit the stretch run here,” Meyer said.
Because as tough as the Nittany Lions were, the Spartans — you know, the team that used their vaunted “No Fly Zone” defense to snap Ohio State’s 24-game winning streak last season — are a different challenge.
Against an overmatched Penn State team, the Buckeyes survived.
“I just go back to that overtime,” Meyer said. “I stared at a young team out there on offense that was seven points down facing that student body and they found a way to put it in the end zone.”
Spartan Stadium — and, moreover, a much better Michigan State team — might not be so forgiving.
