Sunday, October 7, 2018

Buckeyes drop Indiana 49-26

It might not look like the score was all that close on the scoreboard, but the Indiana Hoosiers managed to hang around enough to keep the Ohio State Buckeyes first-stringers on the field throughout the game but lacked the type of juice to worry Buckeye fan seriously as Ohio State pulled away in the fourth quarter in a 49-26 win in Columbus.

Dwayne Haskins tossed six more touchdown passes and finished with 455 yards on the day, second in Ohio State history with Parris Campbell being the main target with nine catches for 142 yards and two of the Haskins touchdowns.

Ohio State moved to 6-0 (3-0 Big Ten) on the season and clinched bowl eligibility with the triumph.
The Buckeyes will host Minnesota next Saturday.

Olentangy Offerings

1) Dwayne Haskins played the entire game against a weaker opponent ( Indiana entered the game 4-1) and when things such as that happen, there is a chance at a record.
Haskins made a run at the all-time record for passing yards in a game for a Buckeye before settling for second by just three yards.
Most Buckeye fans root for Haskins (or any other Buckeye QB for that matter) to set a new record to erase the name Art "The Gambler" Schlichter from the Ohio State record book.
Schlichter's problems hit the public well after leaving Columbus, but he still carries a bit of a stain and it would be nice to have someone else atop the passing list.

2) Haskins was intercepted twice in the game, but both times the picks weren't bad decision making as Haskins was hit in the act of throwing on each of the two throws.
When you watch those types of plays with the quarterback being popped in the pocket, it almost always results in these floating soft pop flies that again almost always results in some linebacker or safety all alone on the field grabbing an easy interception.
Don't want to see those?
Protect your quarterback better.

3) The worries about the secondary (and the entire back seven for that matter)  continue as the Hoosiers threw for over 300 yards, three touchdown and three big-play passes of over thirty yards.
On paper, there are plenty of four and five-star prospects and they look the part, but the production doesn't arrive on the field.
Most of the back seven seem to lack either the speed or athleticism to make plays and I don't care about their speed numbers in shorts and cleats.
I care about their speed in pads and in gameplay and so far more often than not, it hasn't been there.

4) I was disappointed in the running game in which J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber combined for 152 yards, but did so averaging just over three yards a carry and Dobbins (I think) was stopped on fourth and short.
I expect more from these talented backs and from the offensive line in making holes for them against a weaker opponent with a smaller and depth-challenged defensive line.

5) It's been a long time since I've seen a Buckeye team that tackles this poorly and especially in space.
Way WAY too many broken tackles and guys missing tackles in space that look like guys trying to guard Pete Maravich in 1974!

I'm going to go ahead and stop here for now.
I may come back and add a few points, if I have the time to watch the game closer.
Back tonight with the Browns hosting Baltimore.

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