Ohio State: Buckeyes need to return to the ground game

A key aspect of Ohio State’s offense needs fixed to achieve success going forward.

So much focus during the offseason was on how Kevin Wilson would impact the passing game for Ohio State. There is plenty of criticism out there for J.T. Barrett’s arm and the Buckeye receivers too.

Either way, the Ohio State Buckeyes’ offense has not been good. One thing is for sure and that is the Buckeyes need to return their focus back to the running game.

One key component of the run game that cannot be overlooked is Urban Meyer’s obsession with the quarterback run. A lot of what makes Barrett so special is his ability to make big plays with his legs.

More from Factory of Sadness

There’s no denying that without the plays that Barrett has made over his career, Ohio State is worse off. This issue right now though is the volume of carries devoted to the quarterback.

Take the Oklahoma game for example. Barrett had 18 carries on the night, compared to 13 for J.K. Dobbins and three for Mike Weber. Barrett averaged only 3.7 yards per carry, while Dobbins averaged 5.5 and Weber 9.7.

In the 2016 version of this game, Ohio State ran for 291 yards en route to a big win with Barrett only having 17 of the 48 total carries.

Last year’s Fiesta Bowl was a familiar issue. Barrett carried the ball 11 times for -2 yards. Curtis Samuel had 67 yards on only six carries and Mike Weber 24 yards on five carries.

Granted, the Clemson playoff loss was a total team failure like what we saw last Saturday against Oklahoma.

It still shows that in big games, Barrett has been relied on a little too heavily on the ground.

More from Ohio State Buckeyes

In 2016, Ohio State lost to Penn State. In that game, Barrett had 17 carries for only 26 yards while Curtis Samuel had only two and Mike Weber 21 (both of whom gained 71 rushing yards).

In 2015, Ohio State lost to Michigan State at home, with Barrett carrying the ball 15 times for 44 yards versus Ezekiel Elliott’s 12 carries.

It’s not as if the Buckeyes had the passing game going either, with Barrett only throwing for 46 yards on 16 attempts.

Ohio State doesn’t need to be Army, with their 10 total passing attempts all season long. What Ohio State does need to do however is rediscover their commitment to the ground game.

Think back to the 2015 and 2014 seasons. The Buckeye offense was at its best when Elliott was the focus of the ground game. I vividly remember the Indiana game in 2015 when Elliott’s legs bailed out a sputtering Ohio State offense against Indiana.

The 2017 Buckeyes have two lead backs that can handle the bulk of the load. Dobbins has already shown that he can be a big play running back. Weber’s track record, when healthy, is that of a number one back with a 1,000 yard season already under his belt.

The key to all of this is handing the reigns over fully to Wilson. Wilson’s Indiana teams ran the ball with running backs. With a good run blocking line and two stud backs, why not let Wilson call his offense and recommit the Buckeyes to the ground game?

Army isn’t going to be a huge test for Ohio State (hopefully). The Black Knights give the Buckeyes a chance to implement a new game plan that leans more towards the running backs and away from what has frustrated fans for the last few years.

Next: Lessons learned versus OU

Against a less than stellar opponent, let’s hope the Buckeyes seize the opportunity to get back on track.

Home/Ohio State Buckeyes