Scarlet and Game
Fansided

Ohio State football: Confidence level against Wisconsin

By Eric Boggs

Sep 24, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Jack Sawyer (33) wraps up Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Graham Mertz (5) during first half action of the NCAA Division I football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Wisconsin Badgers at Ohio Stadium. Helping on the play is Ohio State Buckeyes defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. (51) and Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Steele Chambers (22). Mandatory Credit: Doral Chenoweth/The Columbus DispatchNcaa Football Wisconsin Badgers At Ohio State Buckeyes
Sep 24, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Jack Sawyer (33) wraps up Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Graham Mertz (5) during first half action of the NCAA Division I football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Wisconsin Badgers at Ohio Stadium. Helping on the play is Ohio State Buckeyes defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. (51) and Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Steele Chambers (22). Mandatory Credit: Doral Chenoweth/The Columbus DispatchNcaa Football Wisconsin Badgers At Ohio State Buckeyes /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 7
Next
Special teams were a concern for the Ohio State Football team against Penn State.
Special teams were a concern for the Ohio State Football team against Penn State. /

Special Teams Confidence Level – 7

Ohio State’s special teams play last week against Penn State wasn’t so special. On one hand, from the shadow of his own endzone, punter Jesse Mirco flipped the field with a 72-yard bomb, which was a big moment in the second half of the game. But then you had Jayden Fielding miss a 45-yard field goal attempt that would have officially put the game out of reach.

There was also the series that a lot of fans were talking about following the game when Day chose to go for it on fourth and goal from the two-yard line instead of kicking the field goal when Ohio State was only up four points. The failed play led to an eventual Penn State punt after the defense did its job, but then the Nittany Lions punt hit the leg of blocker Julian Fleming, giving Penn State the ball back at midfield.

These types of blunders on special teams are just not acceptable if you are going to play complimentary football led by the defense. Jim Tressel famously stated that the most important play in all of college football was the punt, and this is why he believed that.

The special teams’ blunders against Penn State didn’t affect the outcome of the game, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t later in the season if the Buckeyes find themselves in a close game. Missed field goals and special teams turnovers will kill momentum.

These moments are completely unacceptable when the Buckeyes have a full-time specials teams coordinator on staff in Parker Fleming. This week my confidence level in Ohio State’s special teams play is at a seven and I am leaning toward Day taking over special teams as the head coach much like Urban Meyer did, removing Fleming from his position, and giving that open full-time spot to James Laurinaitis as the linebackers coach.

Home/Ohio State Football