Welcome back to the Grumpy Old Buckeye, the column where no matter how good things are, I find some stuff to gripe about. Every week I point out the things from the game that make me want to walk out onto my lawn in my bathrobe and yell at people about it. This week we’re talking Ohio State vs. Minnesota and there was quite a bit to grumble about, but I’m keeping it to just the top of my list so that you’re not here all day.
Austin Mack: Ski Boat
Ohio State took the ball right down the field on its first possession before the drive bogged down. But maybe it wouldn’t have bogged down if rules had been applied properly. Minnesota defensive back Coney Durr committed an obvious hold in the end zone while defending Austin Mack, with the jersey fully stretched out between Mack’s back and Durr’s fist. It threw off the sure-handed Mack just enough to prevent a touchdown and the Buckeyes had to settle for a 21-yard field goal by Blake Haubeil. Good on Haubeil for making his field goal (actually a couple), but that should have been a first down on the doorstep of the goal line.
The Defense is Still Broken
It might not even be a fixable defense at this point and it seems to be a combination of execution and scheme. Minnesota got a first down on a run where Ohio State linebackers dropped into pass coverage at the snap. I’m not sure if that was a bad play call by Greg Schiano or a poor read, but it allowed an easy gain for the Gophers. Ohio State also gave up a 25-yard run in the first quarter on a run-of-the-mill running play. Minnesota doesn’t have a big-play offense but against Ohio State, it sure looked like it did.
Dropped Picks are Always Expensive
Isaiah Pryor dropped an interception right in his hands on the second Minnesota drive. Those plays always seem to come back to haunt a defense. Older Bengals fans will remember Lewis Billups dropping an interception on the San Francisco 49ers’ Super Bowl-winning drive (sorry if you’ve blocked that out of your memories but I’m making a point here). Don’t drop gifts. It always hurts and it did on Saturday as the Golden Gophers put their first points on the board with a first quarter touchdown.
Buckeyes Failed Manhood Challenge
Minnesota scored two touchdowns in the first half running right up the gut into the teeth of Ohio State’s defense and it worked. Teams that are good shouldn’t be able to do this so easily, let alone the Minnesotas of the world. I realize Dre’Mont Jones isn’t 100 percent, Nick Bosa is out and both Malik Harrison and Jonathan Cooper didn’t play, but that’s no excuse for a team that uses the “next man up” mentality — usually without a hitch. The Buckeyes simply got overpowered at the point of attack.
The same held true on a fourth-and-1 situation in the second quarter. Ohio State tried to go smashmouth football right up the gut and got owned at the line of scrimmage. If Minnesota can do that, what will Michigan State, Michigan, and anyone the Buckeyes might play in the postseason do? Low man wins, guys. Ohio State must be better at the point of attack on both sides of the football.
What is Inside Leverage?
If this was Twitter, this section might be a scheduled tweet. Ohio State’s defense continues to get gashed on run-pass options on slant patterns and it is mind boggling that the defensive backs are still allowing it. Zack Annexstad is a walk-on freshman quarterback and was simply pitching and catching with his receivers all day because the Buckeyes refused to keep inside leverage and force the Gophers to beat them with other routes. The degree of difficulty is so much tougher throwing outside the hash marks. The Buckeyes could run a zone blitz periodically to drop bodies into those passing lanes, or drop the linebackers and rush three on obvious passing downs. But the corners and safeties aren’t helping by allowing receivers free releases inside. It’s maddening.
Isaiah Prince Getting Owned
Ohio State started the second half with the ball and quickly moved to midfield. But the drive broke down when Prince got beaten badly on multiple consecutive plays, leading to a sack, a one-yard gain by Haskins out of a scramble and a third-and-long scramble that didn’t come close to picking up the first down. All three pressures came from Prince’s man. It was a bad series in a bad game for the offensive line, and Prince cannot get beaten that badly on the regular like that. Yet he gave up another sack after the exchange of punts, then another sack in the fourth quarter followed by a holding penalty, so I guess he can get beaten that badly on the regular. It was easily the worst performance out of Prince and that probably includes his first season in the lineup. Was he the only poor performer on the O-line? Not even close, but he stuck out among a group that underachieved.
That’s what got my dander up most in the Buckeyes’ 30-14 win over the Golden Gophers, although I could have gone on and on. Which of the above got your goat the most? What else did you see that bothered you?
Of course, there were lots of good things too, like another 400-yard performance by Dwayne Haskins, a huge day for K.J. Hill, some actual interceptions in the OSU secondary, and the emergence of a kicker who looks kind of reliable. But bring your salt to the comments section and we’ll do this again next week after the Purdue game.