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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State football team has improved to 2-1 after beating Tulsa 41-20.
That’s one of the few bright spots to take away from Saturday’s home game, where many of the same issues that plagued the Buckeyes continued to linger. Things got so bad at times that the local crowd – which numbered just 76,540 – yelled at several times.
The defense managed to keep a team under 30 points, but once again the offense failed to find a rhythm and finish the practices with points. A unit that should probably be able to get 35 points in their sleep has spent the past two weeks struggling to get 30.
The lonely silver lining was the game of some of the freshmen. Playing in non-Power Five schools is a chance for young players to shine. But it usually takes on a different meaning as they usually play in situations of no consequence at the end of a game that has already been decided.
That didn’t happen against Tulsa, as those freshmen became the main reason the Buckeyes won.
Losing to Oregon presented questions for the State of Ohio to answer. But it has always been understood that no matter what happened against the Golden Hurricane, these questions could not be fully answered. The problem is, the victory may have created even more questions.
• Ohio State vs. Tulsa: playing time decisions
Did the defense provide a reason for optimism?
Here’s a list of good things about the Ohio State defense on Saturday:
• Denzel burke is going to be a star at the cornerback. He finished with five tackles, two breakouts and nearly his first interception, but the appeal was reversed;
• Cameron Martinez had some great plays in the cover. He finished with two tackles and three pass breakages, one of which led to an interception by Ronnie Hickman. Then he got his own for a sixth pick in the fourth quarter, sealing a victory.
That’s it. This is where the list ends.
The Head Coach Ryan day pointed out that the change was coming on the defense, and he was right in that statement. Defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs moved from the field to the press box, and the Buckeyes launched new covers that weren’t just high security. But they still went deep into the rotation and often looked lost, allowing Tulsa to move the ball with ease. It started with a 16-play, 81-yard drive that lasted 6.30am.
The Golden Hurricane finished the game with 501 total yards, including 428 in the air.
Tulsa doesn’t have the same level of talent as Ohio State. But that didn’t stop them from hanging out and making a game closer than it should have been. Once again, the defensive staff was demarcated by an opponent’s offensive staff, who took advantage of every mistake and turned it into points.
Did the State of Ohio Establish the Racing Game?
Ohio State’s first two games featured a heavy dose of passing as a way to put his new quarterback into a rhythm. The Buckeyes took a different approach against Tulsa, running his first three games and getting TreVeyon Henderson involved on the top five.
Henderson was good in those litters, but having a consistent role kept him up to speed. As a result, he started the second half with a 48-yard run that showed exactly why he was the No. 1 running back in the 2021 recruiting class. All it took was a solid perimeter block of Garrett wilson, and the former five-star did the rest, giving OSU a 20-6 lead.
This modest first half set up a record-breaking second half that heralded the real arrival of a freshman capable of leading you through the college football qualifiers. He finished the game with 277 yards and three touchdowns in 24 carries, breaking Archie Griffin’s 1972 record against North Carolina with the most rushing yards by a freshman in a game. Griffin ran for 239 yards on 27 carries in this game.
It was still only a matter of time before the going on for Henderson. Since arriving in January, he has demonstrated his potential so much that the coaching staff couldn’t help but say good things about him. They facilitated him in a role, but from the moment he first touched the ball against Minnesota he was clearly special, and he only got the ball three times.
Playing Tulsa gave him a full 60 minutes to work out, and now he’s putting his name on the school’s record books.
What did CJ Stroud look like in week three?
Another week goes by, and another bad first half for CJ Stroud. He completed just 8 of 15 passes for 99 yards while continuing to struggle with his precision. He also threw the third interception of the season, but it was the first that was completely unacceptable. He threw an inaccurate pass into the blanket after watching Jeremy Ruckert the entire way.
This piece was followed by perhaps his best piece as Buckeye. He escaped the pressure and regained his balance before spotting an opening Chris Olave down. Too bad Olave let go of the pass by shooting the Buckeyes to settle for a field goal taking a 13-6 lead at halftime.
It was the worst game of Stroud’s young career. He completed 15 of 25 passes for 185 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
There were weak moments in every game, but this was the first time those moments weren’t at least made up for by the flashes of grandeur he was showing. There was no crazy statline to hang your hat on or toss that gave fans a glimpse of what his potential could be, although it could be a long road to it.
He didn’t necessarily regress against Tulsa, but he didn’t move forward in his development either. The only bright spot was that the Buckeyes didn’t need him. They put too much on his plate against Oregon, then took all that pressure off him the following week.
That pressure instead went to a freshman who quickly showed there was no accountability he couldn’t handle.
What did the young people look like?
The state of Ohio was not doing business the way it should today. Games against mid-size opponents are often a chance for the second and third strings to get extended time in the second half, but the Buckeyes led just 13-6 at the half and did not never had a sufficiently comfortable lead to withdraw their starters.
As a result, the only young people we talk about are the regular contributors. That means Burke on the cover, Henderson as a running back and a little dose of JT Tuimoloau with two tackles and a QB Hurry.
Jack sawyer and Tyleik williams also saw action on the defensive line. Williams took advantage of his first opportunity by teaming up with Jerron cage for a tackle for the loss. Then he came up with perhaps the biggest defensive play of the game in the fourth quarter with a sack to give the ball back to the Buckeyes with less than eight minutes to go. It was the third sack of the year for Ohio State, and the second by a defensive lineman.
Marvin harrison and Emeka Egbouka also got a streak on the wide receiver, but neither was targeted.
More Buckeyes Blanket
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Should Ohio State withdraw from playoff talks? The CFP lounge
What’s the depth picture against Tulsa?
OSU-Tulsa predictions: will the defense finally assert itself?
How does the Ohio State, Tulsa rank in recruiting talent?
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Why Sonny Styles’ Unlimited Potential Makes Him a Must-Have: Buckeyes Recruiting
Watch the trailer for Saturday’s Tulsa game
Vulnerabilities exposed, OSU players put into practice an unknown perspective
Day to change the approach to defensive coaching against Tulsa
Focus on racing leads to monster day against Tulsa: Outrageous Predictions
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