Ohio State football: Three players to watch vs. Notre Dame
By Ryan Stano
The Ohio State football team is ready to start its season. They do so on Saturday against Notre Dame. It’s quite possibly the biggest opening game they’ve had in program history considering both teams come into the game as preseason top-five teams.
It will be a tough game for both teams to win considering the circumstances. Ohio State is the more talented team on paper, but that doesn’t mean the Irish can’t win. They have some good players in their own right. It’s going to be a fight early in this contest.
There are three players that could make the difference in this game for Ohio State. I’ll be watching these players throughout the duration of the game. A good game for them probably means a win for the Buckeyes. A poor game gives Notre Dame a great chance to pull the upset.
The first player I’m watching resides on the offensive line for the Buckeyes.
Paris Johnson Jr. is key for the Ohio State football team
Paris Johnson Jr. is going to be starting his first game at left tackle on Saturday. Yes, you heard me. It’s not ideal to start your first game at left tackle against a top-five team in the country. He was really good as a guard last year, but left tackle is a whole different animal.
Johnson Jr. should be a really good left tackle. He has the size and the athleticism to be able to move to the outside to block defensive ends who come in wide. The reason I’m watching him though is that he’s going to be matched up against a really good player.
That player is Isaiah Foskey. Foskey had 11 sacks last year for the Irish a year ago, which led the team. He’s going to be a handful for Johnson Jr. to deal with right out of the gate. If he is able to keep Foskey at bay, the Irish are in big trouble because C.J. Stroud can sit in the pocket and pick them apart.
But if Foskey is able to cause some issues, the Buckeyes might have to change their scheme a bit to fix that issue. I’ll be watching Stroud’s blindside for that reason. The next player I’m watching is on the other side of the ball for the Buckeyes.