Scheme changes and injuries led to expanded roles for a number of Ohio State players in the Buckeyes’ 38-7 win on Saturday against Army.
The biggest change came on defense, where the Buckeyes lined up in a 4-2-5 formation with three safeties on the field for all but their final defensive series of Saturday’s game. The main beneficiary of snaps was Erick Smith, who played all 66 of Ohio State’s defensive snaps – and led the entire team in snaps played as a result – after being the third safety in the rotation in the Buckeyes’ first two games.
Redshirt freshman linebacker Tuf Borland unexpectedly ended up playing a big role after starting middle linebacker Chris Worley left the game in the second quarter with a sprained foot. Borland – who had never taken a defensive snap at Ohio State prior to Saturday – ended up playing every defensive snap the rest of the game after replacing Worley.
An undisclosed injury to wide receiver Johnnie Dixon changed Ohio State’s rotation at the Z receiver spot, with Terry McLaurin playing increased snaps as a result but true freshman receiver Trevon Grimes also entering the rotation for the first playing time of his Ohio State career.
Grimes was one of seven Ohio State players to see his first game action of his career on Saturday, along with redshirt freshman quarterback Dwayne Haskins, walk-on running back Jordan Leasure, redshirt freshman tight end Jake Hausmann, true freshman right tackle Thayer Munford, redshirt freshman defensive tackle Malik Barrow and walk-on kicker Bryan Kristan.
Redshirt sophomore left tackle Joshua Alabi and walk-on linebacker Jared Drake also saw their first game action of the season as a season-high total of 66 Buckeyes saw playing time on Saturday.
A full breakdown of how many snaps each Buckeye played on Saturday and has played over the course of the season follows in this week’s edition of Snap Counts.
Author’s note: All snap counts listed in this article were tracked by Eleven Warriors through film review and 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.
QUARTERBACKS
J.T. Barrett: 59 snaps
Dwayne Haskins: 10
Ohio State played a backup quarterback for the first time this season on its final offensive possession of Saturday’s game, when Haskins made his Buckeyes debut. Ohio State has yet to play a quarterback other than Barrett in any meaningful game situations this season, but Haskins (and potentially other quarterbacks) will likely get another opportunity to play in the latter stages of the game this Saturday, as the Buckeyes are 39-point favorites against UNLV.
RUNNING BACKS
J.K. Dobbins: 41
Mike Weber: 17
Antonio Williams: 10
Jordan Leasure: 1
Dobbins appears to be entrenched in the starting running back role after playing a majority of snaps for a third consecutive game to start his career. Weber played less snaps against Army than he did against Oklahoma despite being closer to fully recovered from his hamstring injury. Williams was on the field for every snap of the Buckeyes’ final offensive possession, while Leasure was also on the field for the first snap of his career as the Buckeyes kneeled down on their final play of the game.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Terry McLaurin: 52
Austin Mack: 41
Parris Campbell: 32
K.J. Hill: 32
Binjimen Victor: 29
Trevon Grimes: 14
C.J. Saunders: 9
Elijaah Goins: Special teams only
As aforementioned, McLaurin and Grimes split snaps at the Z receiver position – with most of the snaps going the way of the veteran – in the absence of Dixon, who saw regular playing time in the Buckeyes’ first two games.
Mack, Campbell, Hill and Victor continued to rotate in and out of the lineup regularly as they did in the first two games, though Mack’s role within the rotation increased as he tied his season-high in snaps played. Mack and Victor played primarily on the outside, with Campbell and Hill playing primarily from the slot, though Campbell also lined up as the Buckeyes’ primary running back for one play – a play that would have been a 59-yard touchdown run if not for a holding penalty by Mack.
All nine of Saunders’ snaps – and the first catch of his Ohio State career – came as a slot receiver on the final series of the game.
TIGHT ENDS
Marcus Baugh: 41
Rashod Berry: 15
Luke Farrell: 9
Jake Hausmann: 2
After playing only four offensive snaps in the Buckeyes’ first two games, Berry saw an increased role on Saturday, rotating in for two plays on Ohio State’s opening possession and continuing to spell Baugh over the course of the game. Farrell also saw occasional playing time over the course of the game, while Hausmann made his Buckeye debut on the final two plays of the game.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Branden Bowen: 59
Jamarco Jones: 59
Michael Jordan: 59
Billy Price: 59
Isaiah Prince: 59
Joshua Alabi: 10
Demetrius Knox: 10
Thayer Munford: 10
Malcolm Pridgeon: 10
Brady Taylor: 10
Kevin Woidke: Special teams only
The line of Jones, Jordan, Price, Bowen and Prince played every snap until the Buckeyes’ final offensive possession, when Alabi replaced Jones at left tackle, Knox replaced Jordan at left guard, Taylor replaced Price at center, Pridgeon replaced Bowen at right guard and Munford replaced Prince at right tackle. Matthew Burrell, who played six snaps at right guard in the Buckeyes’ season opener at Indiana, was in a walking boot and did not suit up for Saturday’s game.
DEFENSIVE ENDS
Sam Hubbard: 30
Tyquan Lewis: 29
Jalyn Holmes: 28
Nick Bosa: 25
Jonathon Cooper: 11
Chase Young: 9
Hubbard, Lewis, Holmes and Bosa continued to rotate with one another and play nearly equivalent snaps, as the Buckeyes’ top four defensive ends have all season. Cooper and Young each saw occasional snaps in the rotation, mostly late in the game. All six defensive ends played only on the edge on Saturday, as the Buckeyes did not use their Rushmen package against Army’s run-heavy triple option offense.
DEFENSIVE TACKLES
Dre’Mont Jones: 42
Robert Landers: 28
Tracy Sprinkle: 28
Davon Hamilton: 12
Jashon Cornell: 9
Malik Barrow: 9
Haskell Garrett: 4
The absence of the Rushmen package on Saturday meant more snaps to go around for Ohio State’s defensive tackles. Jones continued to play the most among the Buckeyes’ defensive tackles, but Sprinkle was in the starting lineup for the first time all season (Ohio State started the game with four defensive ends and Jones on the field in its first two games) while Landers rotated in for a season-high snap count.
While Cornell has seen snaps within the regular defensive tackle rotation all season, Hamilton and Barrow were also added to the rotation with the first-team defense on Saturday. Garrett played alongside Barrow on Ohio State’s final defensive series of the game.
LINEBACKERS
Jerome Baker: 60
Tuf Borland: 41
Chris Worley: 25
Dante Booker: 6
Malik Harrison: 4
Jared Drake: Special teams only
Justin Hilliard: Special teams only
Keandre Jones: Special teams only
Zach Turnure: Special teams only
Baker was on the field for each of Ohio State’s first 60 plays of the game before being replaced by Booker with the outcome of the game in hand. Worley played each of the Buckeyes’ first 25 snaps before suffering his injury, at which point he was replaced by Borland for the rest of the game. Booker, who played regularly in Ohio State’s first two games, lost his place in the lineup against Army because of the 4-2-5 defensive scheme. The Buckeyes shifted to their regular 4-3 scheme for the final series of the game, which is when Harrison saw his only defensive playing time of the game alongside Booker and Borland.
CORNERBACKS
Damon Arnette: 54
Denzel Ward: 44
Kendall Sheffield: 30
Jeffrey Okudah: 4
Amir Riep: Special teams only
Ohio State continued to rotate Arnette, Ward and Sheffield at cornerback, with Arnette leading the Buckeyes in snaps at the position for the second week in a row. Okudah lined up opposite Sheffield on the Buckeyes’ final defensive series. With three safeties on the field for the Buckeyes instead of their traditional nickel defense, Ohio State had exactly two cornerbacks on the field for every play of Saturday’s game.
SAFETIES
Erick Smith: 66
Damon Webb: 62
Jordan Fuller: 62
Isaiah Pryor: 4
Jahsen Wint: Special teams only
While Fuller and Smith rotated alongside Webb in Ohio State’s first two games, all three safeties were on the field for all of the Buckeyes’ first 62 plays in Saturday’s game. Smith remained in the game for Ohio State’s final defensive series – as a result, he was the only Buckeye to play every snap on either side of the ball – alongside Pryor.
FIELD GOALS/EXTRA POINTS
Sean Nuernberger (kicker)
Drue Chrisman (punter)
Liam McCullough (long snapper)
Rashod Berry (lineman)
Branden Bowen (lineman)
Jonathon Cooper (lineman)
Davon Hamilton (lineman)
Demetrius Knox (lineman)
Malcolm Pridgeon (lineman)
Brady Taylor (lineman)
Kevin Woidke (lineman)
The only change to the field goal unit from Week 2 to Week 3 was at the left tackle spot, where Taylor replaced the injured Matthew Burrell.
KICKOFFS
Blake Haubeil or Bryan Kristan (kicker)
Elijaah Goins (gunner)
Malik Harrison (gunner)
Justin Hilliard (gunner)
Keandre Jones (gunner)
Austin Mack or Jeffrey Okudah (gunner)
Isaiah Pryor (gunner)
Amir Riep or Jared Drake (gunner)
Erick Smith (gunner)
Zach Turnure (gunner)
Jahsen Wint (gunner)
Kristan replaced Haubeil on the opening kickoff of the second half – the first time anyone other than Haubeil has kicked off this year – but did not receive another opportunity after hitting his kickoff out of bounds. The Buckeyes used the same 10 gunners as they did for their first two games until their final kickoff, when Drake and Okudah were added to the lineup.
KICKOFF RETURNS
Parris Campbell (returner)
Tuf Borland (blocker)
Jordan Fuller (blocker)
Elijaah Goins (blocker)
Malik Harrison (blocker)
K.J. Hill (blocker)
Justin Hilliard (blocker)
Keandre Jones (blocker)
Jeffrey Okudah (blocker)
Isaiah Pryor (blocker)
Zach Turnure (blocker)
Okudah and Pryor were added to the kickoff return unit this week in place of Johnnie Dixon and Austin Mack. Hill continued to line up deep as a secondary kickoff returner but did not field any kicks.
PUNTS
Drue Chrisman (punter)
Liam McCullough (long snapper)
Tuf Borland (upback)
Sam Hubbard (upback)
Malik Harrison (guard)
Zach Turnure (guard)
Jerome Baker (wing)
Keandre Jones (wing)
Parris Campbell (wing)
Terry McLaurin (gunner)
Denzel Ward (gunner)
Jones replaced the injured Chris Worley on the punting unit, with the rest of the lineup remaining the same as the primary lineup from Week 2.
PUNT RETURNS
K.J. Hill (returner)
Damon Arnette (blocker)
Dante Booker (blocker)
Elijaah Goins (blocker)
Malik Harrison (blocker)
Justin Hilliard (blocker)
Keandre Jones (blocker)
Terry McLaurin (blocker)
Kendall Sheffield (blocker)
Denzel Ward (blocker)
Damon Webb (blocker)
As was the case in the season opener at Indiana, Ohio State used different lineups on its punt return unit depending on field position and situation, with the Buckeyes leaving their defensive lineup on the field on most opposing punts in order to rush the punter and be prepared for fakes. At least 23 players were on the field for at least one punt return, but the 11 players above are the players who were spotted on the field with that unit at least twice.
| POS | PLAYER | @ IU | OU | Army | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB | J.T. BARRETT | 88 | 71 | 59 | 218 |
| QB | DWAYNE HASKINS | DNP | DNP | 10 | 10 |
| RB | J.K. DOBBINS | 76 | 44 | 41 | 161 |
| RB | MIKE WEBER | DNP | 27 | 17 | 44 |
| RB | ANTONIO WILLIAMS | 12 | DNP | 10 | 22 |
| RB | JORDAN LEASURE | DNP | DNP | 1 | 1 |
| RB | DEMARIO MCCALL | ST | DNP | DNP | ST |
| WR | K.J. HILL | 58 | 55 | 32 | 145 |
| WR | TERRY MCLAURIN | 49 | 41 | 52 | 142 |
| WR | BINJIMEN VICTOR | 47 | 43 | 29 | 119 |
| WR | PARRIS CAMPBELL | 47 | 38 | 32 | 117 |
| WR | AUSTIN MACK | 41 | 19 | 41 | 101 |
| WR | JOHNNIE DIXON | 39 | 39 | DNP | 78 |
| WR | C.J. SAUNDERS | 7 | DNP | 9 | 16 |
| WR | TREVON GRIMES | DNP | DNP | 14 | 14 |
| WR | ELIJAAH GOINS | ST | ST | ST | ST |
| TE | MARCUS BAUGH | 49 | 49 | 41 | 139 |
| TE | LUKE FARRELL | 11 | DNP | 9 | 20 |
| TE | RASHOD BERRY | 4 | ST | 15 | 19 |
| TE | JAKE HAUSMANN | DNP | DNP | 2 | 2 |
| OL | BRANDEN BOWEN | 88 | 71 | 59 | 218 |
| OL | MICHAEL JORDAN | 88 | 71 | 59 | 218 |
| OL | ISAIAH PRINCE | 88 | 71 | 59 | 218 |
| OL | BILLY PRICE | 83 | 71 | 59 | 213 |
| OL | JAMARCO JONES | 82 | 71 | 59 | 212 |
| OL | BRADY TAYLOR | 5 | DNP | 10 | 15 |
| OL | DEMETRIUS KNOX | ST | ST | 10 | 10 |
| OL | MALCOLM PRIDGEON | ST | ST | 10 | 10 |
| OL | JOSHUA ALABI | DNP | DNP | 10 | 10 |
| OL | THAYER MUNFORD | DNP | DNP | 10 | 10 |
| OL | MATTHEW BURRELL | 6 | ST | DNP | 6 |
| OL | KEVIN WOIDKE | DNP | ST | ST | ST |
| K | SEAN NUERNBERGER | ST | ST | ST | ST |
| K | BLAKE HAUBEIL | ST | ST | ST | ST |
| K | BRYAN KRISTAN | DNP | DNP | ST | ST |
| POS | PLAYER | IU | OU | Army | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE | JALYN HOLMES | 59 | 48 | 28 | 135 |
| DE | NICK BOSA | 62 | 47 | 25 | 134 |
| DE | SAM HUBBARD | 51 | 43 | 30 | 124 |
| DE | TYQUAN LEWIS | 48 | 43 | 29 | 120 |
| DE | JONATHON COOPER | 16 | 1 | 11 | 28 |
| DE | CHASE YOUNG | 13 | DNP | 9 | 22 |
| DT | DRE'MONT JONES | 54 | 59 | 42 | 155 |
| DT | TRACY SPRINKLE | 34 | 34 | 28 | 96 |
| DT | ROBERT LANDERS | 25 | 27 | 28 | 80 |
| DT | JASHON CORNELL | 14 | 10 | 9 | 33 |
| DT | DAVON HAMILTON | 6 | ST | 12 | 18 |
| DT | HASKELL GARRETT | 6 | DNP | 4 | 10 |
| DT | MALIK BARROW | DNP | DNP | 9 | 9 |
| LB | JEROME BAKER | 89 | 77 | 60 | 226 |
| LB | CHRIS WORLEY | 87 | 77 | 25 | 189 |
| LB | DANTE BOOKER | 48 | 46 | 6 | 100 |
| LB | TUF BORLAND | ST | ST | 41 | 41 |
| LB | MALIK HARRISON | 19 | 17 | 4 | 40 |
| LB | KEANDRE JONES | 6 | ST | ST | 6 |
| LB | BARON BROWNING | 6 | ST | DNP | 6 |
| LB | JUSTIN HILLIARD | ST | ST | ST | ST |
| LB | ZACH TURNURE | ST | ST | ST | ST |
| LB | JARED DRAKE | DNP | DNP | ST | ST |
| CB | DAMON ARNETTE | 63 | 66 | 54 | 183 |
| CB | DENZEL WARD | 77 | 59 | 44 | 180 |
| CB | KENDALL SHEFFIELD | 62 | 39 | 30 | 131 |
| CB | JEFFREY OKUDAH | 7 | ST | 4 | 11 |
| CB | AMIR RIEP | ST | ST | ST | ST |
| S | DAMON WEBB | 89 | 77 | 62 | 228 |
| S | JORDAN FULLER | 54 | 51 | 62 | 167 |
| S | ERICK SMITH | 42 | 26 | 66 | 134 |
| S | ISAIAH PRYOR | 6 | ST | 4 | 10 |
| S | JAHSEN WINT | ST | ST | ST | ST |
| P | DRUE CHRISMAN | ST | ST | ST | ST |
| LS | LIAM MCCULLOUGH | ST | ST | ST | ST |
