Analysis from Ohio State's 38-6 win over Youngstown State Sept. 1.
In Columbus today, no news was good news.
Unlike their neighbors to the north, Ohio State took care of business against a Division 1-AA powerhouse, beating Youngstown State by a score of 38-6.
Offense
While that’s not a terribly large margin of victory considering the opponent, it’s worth bearing in mind that OSU substituted liberally throughout the game. After taking a 14-0 lead on the first play of the second quarter, backup quarterback Robbie Schoenhoft took all the snaps until late in the half, when Todd Boeckman and the starters put the Buckeyes up 21-3.
Still, it’s not as if OSU had their way with the Penguins.
The biggest concern for the Buckeyes was the offensive line. While the pass protection was good for most of the game, the unit struggled to open holes for running backs Chris Wells, Maurice Wells and Brandon Saine. Chris Wells struggled in particular, rushing for only 46 yards on 16 carries.
If the Buckeyes don’t do a better job opening up holes in the running game, there will be issues once the Big Ten schedule starts, maybe even sooner. A road trip to Seattle, Wash. to play the Huskies looms Sept. 15. Washington handled Syracuse on the road Friday, holding the Orange to just 207 yards and winning 42-12.
The good news for the scarlet and gray faithful is that Boeckman looked more than competent in his first start replacing last year’s Heisman Trophy winner, Troy Smith. Boeckman completed 17 of 23 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns.
Brian Robiske showed shades of Anthony Gonzalez, emerging as a consistent target for Boeckman. Total, Robiske caught nine passes for 153 yards without a touchdown. Freshman Dane Sanzenbacher and Senior Trevor Robinson both caught one-yard scores from Boeckman, and another freshman, Taurian Washington, caught a 37-yard touchdown from athletic third-string quarterback Antonio Henton.
In other words, the passing game is alive and well in Columbus.
Defense
OSU looked very good, especially against the pass. YSU quarterback Tom Zetts completed just over half of his passes for a measly 86 yards.
The only negative from that side of the ball was a lack of big plays. Buckeye defenders notched only one sack, and failed to force a turnover.
Also worrisome is the broken leg of starting defensive end Laurence Wilson. Fortunately for OSU, the Buckeyes tend to have a deep roster, and with Vernon Gholston on the other side, whoever replaces Wilson won’t get too much attention from opposing offensive lines.
Special Teams
Special Teams looked good but not great. The coverage units excelled, but the return game is still hurting from the losses of Ginn and Gonzalez. With plenty of speedy options in the return game, It’s not stupid to assume Tressel’s squad will figure it out. Afterall, it’s Tressel who praises the punt as the most important play in all of football.
Final Analysis
Boeckman showed he is the right guy at quarterback. He showed great touch and accuracy, especially on deep passes. But for the Buckeyes to win in the Big Ten, the running game has to improve. Beyond that, a second receiver needs to separate himself from the pack to keep opposing defenses from keying in on Robiske.
Overall, it was a good showing. OSU treated the game like an NFL preseason contest, subbing liberally throughout on both sides of the ball. Next week we’ll get a better feel for the team when they play Akron at Ohio Stadium.