Snap Counts: 59 Buckeyes See Playing Time in Ohio State's Season Opener at Indiana

It can be difficult to keep track of how many players see the field and how much each of them play during the flow of a football game.

That’s why we’ll be going back to the game film and keeping track of every snap each Ohio State player plays this year in a new weekly feature here at Eleven Warriors. We’ll do a weekly report on how many snaps each Buckeye plays and where they line up, while we’ll also keep track of the total snaps for each player over the full course of the 2017 season.

While Ohio State wasn’t able to clear its bench in Thursday’s season opener at Indiana, a more competitive than expected game in which the Buckeyes were trailing with less than 20 minutes to play, the Buckeyes were still able to get a total of 59 players into the action in their 49-21 win.

Among those 59 players, 46 of those players saw at least one snap on special teams, while 36 of those Buckeyes played at least 10 snaps on either offense or defense.

The 59 who played in Thursday’s game included 15 appearing in their first games as Buckeyes, including seven true freshmen.

We take a closer look below at which Buckeyes saw playing time and how much playing time they saw in the first game of the season.

Author’s note: All snap counts listed in this article should be considered unofficial, as Ohio State does not release its official snap counts. The players listed with each special teams unit are the players who were on the field with those units most frequently, but exact special teams snap counts are not included because it is not always possible to identify all 11 players on a special teams unit from TV camera angles.

QUARTERBACK

J.T. Barrett: 88 snaps

Barrett took every snap at quarterback for the Ohio State offense in the season opener. There was a hope that the Buckeyes would be able to get backup quarterback Dwayne Haskins his first playing time in Thursday’s game, but they ended up sticking with their starter for the entire contest.

RUNNING BACK

J.K. Dobbins: 76

Antonio Williams: 12

Demario McCall: Special teams only

With Mike Weber sidelined by a hamstring injury, Dobbins – a true freshman – took the lion’s share of the Buckeyes’ snaps at the running back. He was also split out as a wide receiver on two plays that the Buckeyes went with an empty backfield. Williams saw most of his playing time on the Buckeyes’ final possession, but was brought in to spell Dobbins on multiple occasions near the goal line, which enabled him to score the game’s first touchdown (he later scored a second touchdown on the Buckeyes’ final drive).

WIDE RECEIVERS

K.J. Hill: 58

Terry McLaurin: 49

Parris Campbell: 47

Binjimen Victor: 47

Austin Mack: 41

Johnnie Dixon: 39

C.J. Saunders: 7

Elijaah Goins: Special teams only

Ohio State wide receivers coach Zach Smith considers each of his top six receivers to be starters. That lack of delineation between the first- and second-team receivers on the depth chart held true on Thursday, as each of the Buckeyes’ top six receivers rotated in and out of the lineup and saw regular playing time.

Victor and Mack split snaps at X receiver, while McLaurin and Dixon split snaps at the Z position. Hill and Campbell split snaps in the slot but were also both on the field together in four-receiver sets. While Hill and Campbell are listed as H-backs on the Buckeyes’ depth chart, each of them only lined up in the backfield once. Saunders saw all of his snaps in the slot on the Buckeyes’ final possession.

TIGHT ENDS

Marcus Baugh: 49

Luke Farrell: 11

Rashod Berry: 4

Ohio State used a tight end on about 73 percent of its snaps Thursday, with Baugh taking most of the snaps in the first three quarters. Farrell and Berry played most of their snaps in the fourth quarter, though Farrell was brought in for a pair of snaps on two separate occasions earlier in the game. The three tight ends lined up at various spots in Ohio State’s offensive formations over the course of the game, sometimes on the line of scrimmage but sometimes in the backfield.

OFFENSIVE LINE

Branden Bowen: 88

Michael Jordan: 88

Isaiah Prince: 88

Billy Price: 83

Jamarco Jones: 82

Matthew Burrell: 6

Brady Taylor: 5

Demetrius Knox: Special teams only

Malcolm Pridgeon: Special teams only

Jordan played every snap of the game at left guard and Prince played every snap at right tackle. Bowen played every snap at right guard with the exception of one series (six snaps) on which he replaced Jones at left tackle and Burrell filled in for Bowen at right guard. Price played every snap at center until Ohio State's final five offensive plays, when he was replaced by Taylor. (Correction: This article previously stated that Price played every snap of the game at center, while Taylor played on only special teams. That was incorrect).

DEFENSIVE ENDS

Nick Bosa: 62

Jalyn Holmes: 59

Sam Hubbard: 51

Tyquan Lewis: 48

Jonathon Cooper: 16

Chase Young: 13

It’s a bit notable that Bosa and Holmes saw the most playing time among Ohio State’s defensive ends, as Hubbard and Lewis started every game for the Buckeyes last year, but all four are listed as starters on the Buckeyes’ depth chart rotated in and out of the lineup regularly on Thursday. All four started Thursday’s game, as the Buckeyes opened the game with five defensive linemen on the field (Bosa, Holmes, Hubbard, Lewis and defensive tackle Dre’Mont Jones). The Buckeyes also put all four of their Rushmen on the field with their nickel defense in obvious passing situations.

Cooper and Young each saw occasional snaps with the first-team defense before playing the final six snaps of the game with the second-team defense.

DEFENSIVE TACKLES

Dre’Mont Jones: 54

Tracy Sprinkle: 34

Robert Landers: 25

Jashon Cornell: 14

Davon Hamilton: 6

Haskell Garrett: 6

As the only defensive tackle in the five-down package that Ohio State introduced at the start of Thursday’s game, Jones ended up being the only defensive tackle who played a majority of the Buckeyes’ snaps. While Jones and Sprinkle are listed as the Buckeyes’ starting defensive tackles, Landers and Cornell also rotated in with the first-team defense. Hamilton and Garrett lined up at defensive tackle for the final defensive series of the game.

LINEBACKERS

Jerome Baker: 89

Chris Worley: 87

Dante Booker: 48

Malik Harrison: 19

Keandre Jones: 6

Baron Browning: 6

Tuf Borland: Special teams only

Justin Hilliard: Special teams only

Zach Turnure: Special teams only

Baker was on the field for every defensive snap except for the final series of the game. Worley was on the field for every snap but two before the final defensive series. Booker was on the field for most of the Buckeyes’ snaps in their 4-3 base defense, though Harrison rotated in occasionally at the strongside linebacker spot. Jones replaced Baker at weakside linebacker and Browning replaced Worley at middle linebacker on the final defensive series of the game.

CORNERBACKS

Denzel Ward: 77

Damon Arnette: 63

Kendall Sheffield: 62

Jeffrey Okudah: 7

Amir Riep: Special teams only

Ward, Arnette and Sheffield rotated as expected as the Buckeyes’ outside cornerbacks, with Arnette moving inside to play as the slot cornerback in nickel packages. Okudah came into the game for one snap with the first-team defense when Ward left the game briefly with a hand injury, then returned to play opposite Sheffield on the final defensive series.

SAFETIES

Damon Webb: 89

Jordan Fuller: 54

Erick Smith: 42

Isaiah Pryor: 6

Jahsen Wint: Special teams only

Webb was on the field for every defensive snap before the final series of the game, while Fuller and Smith – listed as co-starters on the Buckeyes’ depth chart – split snaps with the first-team defense at the other safety spot. Pryor took Webb’s place in the lineup alongside Smith for the final defensive series.

FIELD GOALS/EXTRA POINTS

Sean Nuernberger (kicker)

Drue Chrisman (holder)

Liam McCullough (long snapper)

Rashod Berry (blocker)

Branden Bowen (blocker)

Matthew Burrell (blocker)

Jonathan Cooper (blocker)

Davon Hamilton (blocker)

Demetrius Knox (blocker)

Malcolm Pridgeon (blocker)

Brady Taylor (blocker)

Knox, Pridgeon and Taylor, all backup offensive linemen, each saw their only playing time in Thursday’s game as blockers on the field goal and extra point kicking units.

KICKOFFS

Blake Haubeil (kicker)

Elijaah Goins (gunner)

Malik Harrison (gunner)

Justin Hilliard (gunner)

Keandre Jones (gunner)

Austin Mack (gunner)

Isaiah Pryor (gunner)

Amir Riep (gunner)

Erick Smith (gunner)

Zach Turnure (gunner)

Jahsen Wint (gunner)

Hilliard, Riep and Turnure all recorded tackles despite playing only on special teams. Hilliard, Riep and Wint each saw their only playing time on the kickoff unit.

KICKOFF RETURNS

Parris Campbell (returner)

Rashod Berry (blocker)

Tuf Borland (blocker)

Jonathan Cooper (blocker)

Jordan Fuller (blocker)

Elijaah Goins (blocker)

Malik Harrison (blocker)

K.J. Hill (blocker)

Keandre Jones (blocker)

Austin Mack (blocker)

Jeffrey Okudah (blocker)

Hill lined up as the secondary kickoff returner alongside Campbell but did not return any kickoffs. Every player on kickoff return units also saw playing time on either offense, defense or at least one other special teams unit.

PUNTS

Drue Chrisman (punter)

Liam McCullough (long snapper)

Tuf Borland (upback)

Sam Hubbard (upback)

Chris Worley (upback)

Jerome Baker (gunner)

Johnnie Dixon (gunner)

Elijaah Goins (gunner)

Malik Harrison (gunner)

Terry McLaurin (gunner)

Zach Turnure (gunner)

While the 11 players above were those who most frequently lined up with the punting unit, Parris Campbell and Denzel Ward also each saw at least one snap as gunners with the punt team.

PUNT RETURNS

K.J. Hill (returner)

Damon Arnette (blocker)

Rashod Berry (blocker)

Dante Booker (blocker)

Johnnie Dixon (blocker)

Austin Mack (blocker)

Terry McLaurin (blocker)

Erick Smith (blocker)

Denzel Ward (blocker)

Damon Webb (blocker)

The Buckeyes used a wider variety of players on their punt return units than their other special teams units, keeping their regular defenders on the field in short-field situations where a fake punt would be more likely. Demario McCall was also on the field for three punt returns as a secondary punt returner, but did not field any punts.

SNAP TRACKER: Offense

POS	PLAYER	@ IU
QB	J.T. BARRETT	88
RB	J.K. DOBBINS	76
RB	ANTONIO WILLIAMS	12
RB	DEMARIO MCCALL	ST
WR	K.J. HILL	58
WR	TERRY MCLAURIN	49
WR	PARRIS CAMPBELL	47
WR	BINJIMEN VICTOR	47
WR	AUSTIN MACK	41
WR	JOHNNIE DIXON	39
WR	C.J. SAUNDERS	7
WR	ELIJAAH GOINS	ST
TE	MARCUS BAUGH	49
TE	LUKE FARRELL	11
TE	RASHOD BERRY	4
OL	BRANDEN BOWEN	88
OL	MICHAEL JORDAN	88
OL	ISAIAH PRINCE	88
OL	BILLY PRICE	83
OL	JAMARCO JONES	82
OL	MATTHEW BURRELL	6
OL	BRADY TAYLOR	5
OL	DEMETRIUS KNOX	ST
OL	MALCOLM PRIDGEON	ST
K	SEAN NUERNBERGER	ST
K	BLAKE HAUBEIL	ST

SNAP TRACKER: DEFENSE

POS	PLAYER	@ IU
DE	NICK BOSA	62
DE	JALYN HOLMES	59
DE	SAM HUBBARD	51
DE	TYQUAN LEWIS	48
DE	JONATHON COOPER	16
DE	CHASE YOUNG	13
DT	DRE'MONT JONES	54
DT	TRACY SPRINKLE	34
DT	ROBERT LANDERS	25
DT	JASHON CORNELL	14
DT	DAVON HAMILTON	6
DT	HASKELL GARRETT	6
LB	JEROME BAKER	89
LB	CHRIS WORLEY	87
LB	DANTE BOOKER	48
LB	MALIK HARRISON	19
LB	KEANDRE JONES	6
LB	BARON BROWNING	6
LB	TUF BORLAND	ST
LB	JUSTIN HILLIARD	ST
LB	ZACH TURNURE	ST
CB	DENZEL WARD	77
CB	DAMON ARNETTE	63
CB	KENDALL SHEFFIELD	62
CB	JEFFREY OKUDAH	7
CB	AMIR RIEP	ST
S	DAMON WEBB	89
S	JORDAN FULLER	54
S	ERICK SMITH	42
S	ISAIAH PRYOR	6
S	JAHSEN WINT	ST
P	DRUE CHRISMAN	ST
LS	LIAM MCCULLOUGH	ST