Ohio State Football: Debunking the Buckeyes’ biggest problem

A closer look at the Ohio State football team’s biggest problem that is being overshadowed by other apparent issues at key positions.

For the better part of the season, there has been talk regarding these “glaring issues” surrounding the Ohio State football team that even those ignorant to football could pinpoint. Talks of the lack of a running game, missed tackles, giving up big plays, stalling in the red zone, and poor coaching all come to mind when pondering the holes of the 2018 Buckeyes.

What if I told you the Buckeyes biggest issue was not one of the aforementioned areas of the game? Ohio State, as a whole, has been far too concerned with being “DBU”, sending players to the pros and being college football’s NFL Factory as of late. The coaching staff is also partially filled with former NFL guys too which not by any means is a bad thing.

This is still college though, where the student-athletes need to play to prove their worth and earn a selection in the NFL Draft. But it honestly appears as though some of the players are playing entitled.

These collegiate athletes are still young men, but their methodology of thinking seems as if they believe they are going to win because they are simply better than their opponents. After all, they are “The Ohio State Buckeyes”. They just have to prove themselves a handful of times before the NFL comes calling.

The Buckeyes’ biggest issue, simply put, is themselves. This is the most undisciplined and unmotivated Ohio State team in recent memory which lacks on the field leadership despite having named seven captains. Extra juice on the sidelines is also lacking.

JT Barrett and Billy Price are not here anymore and neither is their attention-getting-leadership to motivate, inspire, and fire up the troops having them ready to go run through a wall.

The competition Ohio State has to face on a weekly basis is sub par on average, aside from the heavyweights, which leaves room for zero excuses as to why this is happening. Until the Buckeyes fix themselves, personally and as a team, all of these position-specific problems cannot be rectified.

The Buckeyes, unequivocally, have one of the most talented rosters and overqualified coaching staffs in the country when looking from top to bottom.  However, despite the overall skill in Columbus, Ohio State has become a team of extremes this year whereas the things they do well they knock out of the park. As for the things not done at a high level, well, here we are ten weeks into the season with the same issues not all the way corrected.

On defense, the line play has been the consistent bright spot for the Buckeyes. But outside of Larry Johnson’s bunch, it seems as though no one else can tackle.

Linebacker Pete Werner is everywhere on the field and is constantly involved in plays but he has been unable to finish. The linebacker corps, all-inclusive, has been a weak link for Ohio State but this year it is at another level with missed tackles and giving up big plays.

The secondary has also allowed its share of big plays and has missed tackles as well. At least until Brendon White entered the game in relief of ejected Jordan Fuller Saturday and tallied thirteen tackles with two being for a loss.

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Expect the sophomore to see more playing time in the coming weeks as the Buckeyes could have stumbled upon a blessing in disguise. They may have found the spark the have been longing for with having to play White against the Cornhuskers.

Switching to the offensive side of the ball, the Buckeyes did find a way to run the ball efficiently as they rushed for over 250 yards and their first (three) touchdowns on the ground in nearly a month.

The offensive line, which has played shaky over the past couple of weeks, was much better in pass protection and run blocking. That allowed Mike Weber and JK Dobbins to have success running between the tackles and getting to the second level and beyond.

The good in all of this is Ohio State showed definitive signs of improvement against Nebraska, especially on offense. I believe the offense will put it all together and be a force down the stretch.

Nevertheless, the Buckeyes had a few promising series on the other side of the ball showing the potential, ability and capability is all there to be a stout defense. It is only a matter of how fast can the Silver Bullets put it all together? Time is running out, Ohio State.