Scarlet and Game
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The biggest area of concern for the Ohio State football team vs. Oregon

Why the Ohio State football team feels very confident as they head into their showdown with Oregon, this is an area of concern for them.

By Ryan Stano

Oct 5, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) drops to throw against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first quarter at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
Oct 5, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) drops to throw against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first quarter at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images / Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
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The Ohio State football team is one of the best teams in the country. Everything they've done so far this season shows that. Their offense and their defense have both been elite through the first five games of the season. The offense was tested against a good Iowa defense last week.

Defensively, the Buckeyes haven't played a really good offense yet. They haven't been tested yet, but everything they've done leads us to believe that they are anything but spectacular. Ohio State has done a great job of stopping the pass again and are stout against the run too.

Heading into this game against Oregon, there are a lot of reasons to be confident if you're an Ohio State football fan. There is one reason to be concerned for this game though, and it has nothing to do with the travel. It has to do with who the Buckeyes have at starting quarterback.

The biggest area of concern for the Ohio State football team is Will Howard's decision-making

Will Howard has been an upgrade over Kyle McCord. He's done a good job of getting the ball out of his hand quickly to the playmakers on the outside. He knows he doesn't have to be the hero of the team. But in each of the last two games, he's made some concerning decisions.

Howard has thrown three interceptions this season. Two of them came in the last two games. The decisions that came with those interceptions were inexplicably poor. He was throwing into double-coverage or to a guy who was completely draped in single-coverage.

Quite frankly, Howard should have thrown multiple interceptions against Michigan State. The Spartans dropped one right in the end zone that could have flipped the entire field. Howard can't make those same kind of decisions against the Ducks this weekend.

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Howard has done a lot of good things so far this year. I expect him to be used as a runner in this game more than he has at any point this season. But he has to stop himself from making those one or two boneheaded decisions a game. That could be the difference against such an evenly-matched opponent.

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