It is officially halfway through the season for the Ohio State Buckeyes. They started out the season as the top-ranked team in the country. They do have a loss, but the team has mainly played well. It's time for us to give midseason grades for every position on the field.
Quarterbacks: A-
Julian Sayin has had a great start to the season. He was a Heisman Finalist last year, and he already has 17 touchdown passes. However, his second half against Texas was abhorrent and a big reason why the Buckeyes blew a 20-point fourth-quarter lead. That keeps him from getting a higher grade.
Behind him, Luke Fahey has had moments as the backup. Tavien St. Clair has been mostly disappointing, which is an issue for the team's future. Still, this unit has not been an issue this year.
Running Backs: C
I'm most disappointed in the running backs this year. It took the Buckeyes six weeks to get a 100+-yard rusher in a game. The backs just don't have any explosive runs and can't break tackles. Isaiah West tried to get Sayin killed last week against Maryland.
Until this unit can break off more explosive runs, this is going to be the lagging unit on the offense.
Tight Ends: B
I wasn't expecting much from this unit, but the Buckeyes have done a reasonably good job finding open tight ends. Nate Roberts looks like a legit pass-catching weapon. Mason Williams is fine. Bennett Christian isn't my cup of tea. This unit is about what I expected of it.
Offensive line: C+
After returning four starters from last year's unit, I had way higher hopes for this unit. Ian Moore has been an issue at left tackle and is good to allow at least two or three pressures a game. The right side has had injury issues, so it's hard to figure out what the best combination is there. They can't open up holes in the run game, which is the biggest concern.
Wide Receivers: A
Jeremiah Smith essentially gets an A+++ for his performance this season. He's the greatest receiver in program history, in my opinion. His fantastic play is propping up the rest of the unit. No one else has really stepped up in a meaningful way to this point in the season.
Defensive Line: B-
John Walker has been the most consistent player on the defensive line, and it is nice to see him in Columbus. Other than him, it has been a roller coaster for the rest of the guys. Only three linemen have recorded at least a full sack. The failure to get any pressure on the quarterback is distressing.
Qua Russaw has started to play better in recent games. Kenyatta Jackson got a sack-fumble against Iowa. There are signs of hope, but the consistency isn't there right now.
Linebackers: A
Riley Petijohn and TJ Alford have been excellent so far this season. Petijohn has a couple of sacks and an interception already. Payton Pierce has been polarizing, but he has played much better since his stinker in the Texas game. Cincere Johnson has been getting more snaps and looks ready to break out.
Defensive Backs: A
The secondary has largely played well. Ohio State is seventh-best in the country in terms of passing yards allowed per game, only allowing 150.7 yards in the air. Devin Sanchez has gotten handsy at times, but he defends the best receiver on the team every game.
Jay Timmons looks like a star at the nickel spot. Earl Little Jr. has covered well at the safety spot. Jaylen McClain has shown he's not afraid to be physical to separate balls from receivers, also. This has been the bright spot of the defense so far.
Special Teams: F
There's no way the special teams can play much worse. Connor Hawkins missed field goals in the two ranked matchups the Buckeyes have had. Joe McGuire had a 31-yard punt against the Hawkeyes. Legend Bey can't be trusted to return kicks. This unit has been a disaster all year long.
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