SEATTLE — Ohio State football coach Ryan Day stopped near the southeast end zone of Husky Stadium for his halftime interview with CBS sideline reporter Jenny Dell.
Before heading into the locker room with a 7-3 lead against Washington, Day was asked if he wanted his offensive to be more aggressive.
He didn’t give a firm answer. Instead, he listed OSU’s shortcomings — a failed fourth-down play and a fumbled punt return — before saying he liked the scoring drive before half, wanted to win the middle eight minutes and Ohio State got the ball to start the third quarter.
His words weren’t definitive, but Ohio State’s play in the second half showed where he stood.
OSU’s offense was different when it returned from the locker room, and it led to a road victory.
The first drive lasted 14 plays and traveled 75 yards before ending in a touchdown. Offensive coordinator Brian Hartline called for nine passes and five runs on the drive.
Six of those passes went to receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate — the Buckeyes’ two best offensive weapons.
The ensuing drive went 59 yards on 11 plays and ended with a field goal to reestablish a two-possession lead. Six of the plays were passes from Julian Sayin.
The sophomore quarterback utilized other options on that drive, targeting Tate, receiver Brandon Inniss and tight end Max Klare.
On a day that started in an eerily similar fashion to last November’s loss against Michigan, Day responded. The run-heavy, conservative approach stayed in the first half, unlike the way it carried throughout The Game.
Day indirectly answered Dell’s question, and in doing so, he may have helped establish an offensive identity.
Ohio State’s play-caller is regarded by many as the best receivers coach in the country. He produced the likes of Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Emeka Egbuka and recruited elite playmakers such as Smith and Tate.
In the first half, Ohio State targeted Smith three times and didn’t throw Tate’s way. Those figures shouldn’t be surprising considering OSU only attempted 10 passes.
The second half was different, with Sayin attempting 21 passes. That figure shouldn’t be surprising considering it led to 17 points.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Source link
