Ohio State Buckeyes nickel Lorenzo Styles Jr. made himself a focus of opposing game plans during the College Football Playoff following a shaky showing in OSU's 13-10 Big Ten Championship Game loss to the Indiana Hoosiers. Charlie Becker and Elijah Sarratt burned him in coverage, while Styles also got called for a pass interference call on a deep ball.
Cleveland.com's Stefan Krajisnik believes the Miami Hurricanes and TAMU Aggies will focus their attack on Styles in the Cotton Bowl Classic, depending on who wins this weekend when the teams clash in College Station.
Miami WR Malachi Toney and TAMU WRs Mario Craver and KC Concepcion, the latter of whom is a big wideout who can do damage in the slot and even poses a threat in special teams as a returner, represent Krajisnik's potential bringers of big-play punishment for Styles from the slot.
"Ohio State’s defense has been stout on all three levels, but among the starters in the secondary, nickel Lorenzo Styles has shown some struggles. Indiana targeted him four times, leading to two completions for 61 yards and a pass interference penalty," Krajisnik prefaced before saying, "Miami and Texas A&M will likely attack him, too."
"Malachi Toney has been among the nation’s best freshmen this year, collecting 84 receptions for 970 yards and seven touchdowns. Of his 714 snaps, 522 have come in the slot."
"The Aggies are also strong in the slot, with multiple threats. Mario Craver has played 333 of his 421 snaps in the slot. The former Mississippi State transfer has caught 52 passes for 825 yards and four touchdowns."
"Texas A&M’s best receiver, KC Concepcion, can also beat teams from the slot. He’s recorded 57 catches for 886 yards and nine scores while playing 200 of his 661 snaps in the slot."
Brian Hartline must engineer one more game plan like the Texas win
The Hurricanes and Aggies are two of the most explosive offenses the Buckeyes could face in the playoff field. To stop them, offensive coordinator (for now) Brian Hartline must cook up a similar game plan to the perfectly executed slog of a 14-7 win over the Texas Longhorns in Week 1.
Before Hartline joins the USF Bulls as their new head coach, he needs to focus in on slowing down Miami or TAMU's high-powered offenses, then getting past a stout Georgia Bulldogs defense that just gave up seven points to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship Game, before either getting revenge on Indiana or taking on the Texas Tech Red Raiders, Oregon Ducks, Oklahoma Sooners, or the Tide for all the marbles. Or the James Madison Dukes, I suppose.
It's not an easy job, but it's one he committed to doing even though he took a promotion across the country. If Hartline doesn't come up with sound offensive strategies, it'll be on Ryan Day for not making the personnel changes to accommodate Hartline's pre-B1G title game announcement.