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Ohio State has plenty to be excited about after Saturday.
The Buckeyes continued their impressive victory over Rutgers last week with an even more impressive 66-17 bombing from Maryland at home this weekend, racking up 598 total attacking yards and nine touchdowns in the process.
Maryland head coach Mike Locksley was so taken aback by the Buckeyes’ offensive success that he offered an abstract analogy to describe exactly what the Ohio State receiving corps did in high school on Saturday.
“We had guys that looked like they were falling from a plane, they were so wide open,” Locksley said after the game.
Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson and Jaxon Smith-Njigba combined 17 catches, 307 yards and four touchdowns, while CJ Stroud posted his second straight five touchdown performance for the Buckeyes. The rookie redshirt also played the second 400-yard game of his career.
Five different Buckeyes caught at least three assists against the Terps and seven had receptions overall. Stroud was happy to have spread the ball as much as he did, and said it makes the dressing room happier when several different players can contribute like they did on Saturday.
“It’s fun to give the ball to everyone. Everyone is happy, ”Stroud said. “No one is watching you trying to assault you. No one in our team does that, but it wouldn’t be a good feeling. I’m really happy and happy that all of my receivers ate today.
Buckeye’s pass offense seemed to be pulling all cylinders over the past few weeks, and while the running game failed at times against Maryland, TreVeyon Henderson still finished with a 100-yard rushing day. Olave believes the Buckeyes have the right balance offensively and thinks opposing teams will need to be careful if this continues for the rest of the season.
“I feel like we are still building with this attack. We’re just starting to create more chemistry, especially on match day, ”said Olave. “So I feel like this offense can be scary and unstoppable, we just have to keep building and keep improving.”
As for Stroud, Day is happy with what he’s seen over the past two weeks. Against Rutgers and Maryland, the California native has 736 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and no interceptions. Still, Day said Stroud can take it to another level.
“I think his preparation was excellent. I think he can see the terrain well. He has good players around him, but he also throws really good, ”said Day. “His timing was good, he sees the field, he makes good decisions, which allows us to lead the attack and to be very efficient. Is he still there? Absolutely not. He still has a long way to go, but I’m very encouraged by what I’ve seen over the past two weeks.
In defense, the Buckeyes kept their opponent under 20 for the third straight week, intercepted Taulia Tagovailoa twice and limited the Maryland game to an average of 1.6 yards per carry.
Kerry Coombs may no longer call the games for Ohio State, but Day said the Buckeyes’ defensive coordinator received the ball after the win.
“I see confidence, I see defensive staff working together. Kerry Coombs got the ball of the game today, ”said Day. “It’s because of everything he’s been through the last couple of weeks, and he’s just kept showing up everyday, and he’s a huge part of the defense. But at the same time, we put together a few things and we have a little bit of rhythm. I think he does a great job seeing it from the box, I think Matt does a great job calling him, I think Larry does a great job with his guys up front, Al Washington is starting to build a certain stability in the linebacker. These guys are all working together, they’re starting to see it through one lens, and you can see it there. ”
Steele Chambers, who tied for the team lead in total tackles with seven against the linebacker on Saturday, said the whole team was happy to see Coombs rewarded after the game.
“Everyone’s been bloated,” Chambers said. “I mean, I don’t know what else you might really be feeling.” He’s been through a lot and nothing has changed for him. He’s a great guy and just a great guy to learn with. ”
One Buckeye defender who was particularly excited before and during Saturday’s game was Marcus Williamson, who received his first start since last season. Asked about the energy he showed before kick-off, the Westerville, Ohio native spoke about how important the opportunity to play for the Buckeyes was to him.
“I was born and raised in Ohio. This football thing means a lot to my family, it means a lot to me,” said Williamson. “Just to be able to show that passion on the pitch, to show that energy, that means the world to me.”
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