Favorite Stat of the Game: 73 points and 705 yards of total offense. This is the second 70 plus score of the season for the Buckeyes. They played with an extra fire today. Even when the coaches tried to ease off of the gas in the second half the players just kept executing the plays and getting first downs and touchdowns. Another stat that I have to mention that demoralized Maryland is Ohio State being 9 of 14 on third down, including 8 for 8 in the 1st half.
The Brooklyn Dagger Award: Chris Olave’s touchdown catch after his spectacular onside kick recovery. While that would have been more than enough to win this game, the beating continued. Olave had five catches for 43 yards and a touchdown. He may be the best receiver in a stacked Zone 6. He just makes huge plays in every facet in which he is utilized.
Dwayne Haskins (Player of the Game) Award: Justin Fields. It seems to me that this young man has a lot of humility. When seeing him on QB1 on Netflix he seemed to be least of a high school goofball that all his peers (and most of us) were. I also loved hearing a story they told during today’s broadcast about how Fields felt really homesick when he left Georgia and came to Ohio and even was tempted to go back home but after talking with Coach Day, his family, and much introspection and prayer, he decided to stay. It was a good reminder that he’s a human young man, that faces the same problems we all do. And we need a reminder that he’s a human young man because he plays like a grown man/machine on the field. He was 16 of 25 for 200 yards and three touchdown passes today along with five carries for 28 yards and another score on the ground. I’m glad we get this kid thru the 2020 season, he’s fun to watch and easy to root for!
Defensive Player of the Game: Malik Harrison. The hometown hero had five tackles on the day with a sack, a tackle for a loss, and two pass breakups. Not bad for the senior from Walnut Ridge High School. Shout out to his teammate and possible successor in K’Vaughan Pope who came up with a big turnover in the 3rd quarter.
Ryan Shazier-Devin Smith Award: Dawand Jones. Even though he had a tackle for a loss (hold) that negated a big play, he made big holes in the running game and he’s shown why Ohio State recruited him, his upside is tremendous and he and his coaches are working hard to help him realize it. Marcus Crowley also had a magnificent day. If J.K. Dobbins goes pro, Crowley will be the number one reliever of Master Teague in 2020 and he’s showing that he’ll attempt to have as big of an impact as Teague. Crowley had eight carries for 82 yards and a touchdown.
Dane Sanzenbacher Award: K.J. Hill had four catches for 56 yards and a touchdown. Hill now has 178 catches and hopefully will break David Boston’s career record of 191. He’s passed his mentor Cris Carter’s 168 to take his place at second all time. Hill also has 2,056 career receiving yards. He’s a great weapon to have and just as good an example in the crowded unit of Zone 6.
Taylor Decker Award: The back seven on defense (The linebackers and the BIA). These guys were humiliated last year against the Terps. They held them to two garbage touchdowns today while getting seven sacks, 11 tackles for a loss, a forced turnover, and held them to 139 yards of offense. This defense has only allowed eight touchdowns all year. They have played and won more games than they have allowed touchdowns. Night and Day difference from 2018 to 2019, pun intended.
Fedora Award: Tyreke Smith. Smith had the biggest shoes to fill today, those of Chase Young. He had three tackles, two sacks, and two tackles for a loss. Looks like we know who a starting defensive end in will be 2020.
Sweater Vest Award: Chris Olave has been a special teams standout since his blocked punt in The Game last year. He blocked one against Indiana this year and today made his mark in recovering a beautiful onside kick from Blake Haubeil. When you have your arguably best wide receiver making huge plays on special teams it’s good for the mentality of your team. Another standout on special teams is Demario McCall. In the hey day of the transfer portal, McCall has stuck with the Buckeyes and been a contributor to this team in some very important ways that don’t always show up on the stat sheet. Today they showed up a little more with 152 total yards in rushing, receiving, and kick returning. Shout out to him for being such a team player. Oh, and Jim Tressel’s favorite Buckeyes Blake Haubeil and Drue Chrisman are still playing at elite levels.
Archie Award: The Brotherhood. I am floored by the unity this team is showing. How they rallied without Chase Young today. How they have rallied around their first-year head coach. How they have played well and maintained that in the face of everyone singing their praises. The most impressive part of The Brotherhood today though was with a Buckeye now Terrapin and how he interacted with his old teammates after the game. Keandre Jones was a special teams all-star at Ohio State, he helped beat Nebraska by blocking a punt for safety last year. Jones played well today for Maryland forcing a Chris Chugunov turnover. After the game he was surrounded by his Buckeye brothers and had some words for them; “Hey, one thing. I’m proud of you boys. Go win the natty!” He and his Buckeye brothers took a lot of pictures and exchanged a lot of hugs. That is all class. I love it. It’s what makes football the greatest sport ever. And if I had a voice, I’d vote that whatever this team wins, they find a way to include Keandre Jones a share of the accolades.
Horned Rimmed Glasses Award: The only lady 4-star general in the U.S. military was honored at Ohio State. General Maryanne Miller is former Ohio State softball player and native of Hilliard, Ohio and she was honored today along with all of our great veterans in recognition of her great achievements and of Monday being Veteran’s Day. Coach Hayes was a military man, and I like to believe he would have snapped to attention to salute Air Force General Miller today.
Urban Meyer Coaching Moments of the Game: It’s nitpick time. That is all any criticism in a 73-14 beat down can really be. The penalties were something that Ryan Day and the staff will be in the ears of the players about all week and the rest of the season. 13 penalties for 141 yards can’t happen again. I think the deep passing game will need to be a factor to beat PSU, that team up north, and whoever we face in the post season, so I’d always like to see more shots. I also don’t like taking a knee before halftime in any circumstances, though I can’t blame him. The negative out of the way, we’re saving the best for last. I already mentioned the total yards and score, but the play calling had Maryland chasing their tails. This offense has been humming to the tune of 459 points on the year which I believe is most in the nation. Even when the Maryland coaches had inclining of what was coming the Buckeye players were so sharp, they were unstoppable. Credit this juggernaut to not only the players but this great coaching staff.
Glass Half Empty: I disagree with the onside kick in this game because that one would have worked against PSU, TTUN, in the B1G title game, or even in the playoff. I get the idea of wanting to have it on film to make other teams have to prepare for it, but I’m more in favor of doing it as a surprise attack in a big game ala the 2009 New Orleans Saints, but that’s just me. The penalties were awful, and we still have a wounded Penn State, a desperate TUN, and either a severely underrated Minnesota or a revenge seeking Wisconsin to go and we can’t lose. Finally, the travesty against Chase Young. My main take away about Chase Young is first, that this isn’t fair to anyone involved. But most importantly the NCAA is a problem. It’s draconian and archaic rules to need some radical overhaul, or it needs to be abolished and go the way of the dinosaurs, because it is a dinosaur. It only cares about power and money, when once upon a time it also cared about sports and the athletes. It clearly does not anymore and I hope I live long enough to see that change.
Glass Half Full: Every goal of the Buckeyes is still under their control. They control their own destiny. Only LSU and Clemson are the only other teams that can honestly say that. Minnesota and Baylor kind of can, but they have three games left plus a conference title game against Ohio State or Penn State and Oklahoma. The only people who can stop the Buckeyes are the Buckeyes and that’s even with the frog fart loving NCAA showing why it needs severe overhaul or outright abolishment.
2014 Moment: This usually goes to a great offensive play but today we’re going to switch it up. The 2014 Moment of this game goes to the Ohio State defense particularly the Rushmen for how they executed the next man up mentality the Buckeyes had and needed in 2014. The best player in college football was unjustly out today. His teammates stepped up for him in a big way, totaling seven sacks and 11 tackles for a loss. Tyreke Smith and Davon Hamilton lead the way with two sacks each and Malik Harrison, Tuf Borland, and Zach Harrison had one each. Hats off to these young guys for knowing they had to make up for an amazing football player and doing just that.
2002 Moment: In keeping with the switch up we’re going to talk about the offense here, particularly how well this team ran the ball today, much like they did in the 2002 championship season. The Buckeye tailbacks had 361 yards rushing and five touchdowns today. Toss in Justin Fields rushing, and you have 389 yards rushing and six touchdowns. They are pounding the rock like Clarett, Ross, and Hall did in 2002. Ryan Day is having his offense start and get on track through the running game this season.
1968 Moment: This team played with a chip on their shoulder in this one. Maybe it was the NCAA getting itself twisted and an idiotic rule punishing the best player in college football, maybe it was remembering the close game last year in Maryland, maybe this team is turning it up to 11 for the championship and defining month of November, hopefully it’s all of the above, but this team was focused and tough today even in spite of the penalties. If there are very few places this team can improve but when you look week to week they are. They are the best team in college football and only they can stop themselves.
