Entering the Big Ten Championship Game, the Ohio State football team had been the most dominant team in the country. Ohio State's defense had been excellent all year long. The defense was pretty solid against Indiana, only allowing 13 points. The problem was the offense.
Offensively, the Ohio State Buckeyes couldn't score touchdowns in the red zone. They had four possessions in the red zone and scored one touchdown. Jayden Fielding missed another clutch field goal for the second straight year. He missed two field goals against Michigan, as well.
After it was all said and done, the Buckeyes scored just 10 points. Brian Hartline has done a good job calling plays for the most part this season, but he is now the head coach at USF. If this is how he prepares for games with Ohio State now, Ryan Day needs to dismiss him immediately.
It's time the Ohio State football team parts ways with Brian Hartline
The red zone offense for Ohio State was perhaps the worst it's been all year long. Hartline's play-calling was horrendous, and it cost the Buckeyes a lot of points. The Buckeyes had two possessions inside Indiana's 10-yard line that resulted in zero points.
Quite frankly, that's inexcusable. If Hartline is going to mail in the play-calling while he's looking at putting together a staff at USF, there is no reason he should still be with the Buckeyes. Day should let him head to Tampa and start calling plays himself if this is going to be the end result.
Ohio State will lick its wounds and figure out how to execute better when the field shrinks. Julian Sayin likely lost the Heisman, but the Buckeyes will still have a bye week. Day should use that bye week to send Hartline on his way and fully take over play-calling duties.
Day should have ideas of who should take over the offensive coordinator position at the end of the year.