Ohio State football: 5 reasons the Buckeyes will crush Oregon State
By Alec Hartman
3. Buckeyes run too deep
Now for the part of this team that is the most underrated which is the receiving corps. This unit has gotten a lot of heat over the last few seasons as they’ve been the root of the blame for the team’s woes in the passing game.
The blame did not come unwarranted though as many times the receivers were inexperienced but the Buckeyes were also operating with a different offensive coordinator.
Parris Campbell, Austin Mack, Terry McLaurin, Johnnie Dixon, Binjimen Victor, and K.J. Hill make up the absolutely stacked receiving corps that the Buckeyes possess going into this season.
This may be one of the better receiving corps the Buckeyes have had in recent years, at the very least. It will be difficult to find a better receiving corps in the country.
This is great news considering the Buckeyes’ quarterback situation. Redshirt sophomore Dwayne Haskins will start the season at quarterback after the team has been led by J.T. Barrett for the last four years.
Haskins will be spoiled with a great supporting cast in his first full season as a starter. A great supporting cast, especially at the receiver position, has been a major issue for the offense in the past few seasons.
Senior H-back Parris Campbell will be one of the main contributors in the offense this season. Campbell is one of the fastest and most athletic players in the country. His speed on the field is unmatched by just about any player. Once he gets the ball in open space with a lane of daylight, he’s gone.
Campbell’s game-breaking abilities will be put on full display this season as he will take on a lead role in his final year. He led the Buckeyes in receiving yards and had the second most receptions in 2017.
Terry McLaurin and Austin Mack will be the two wide-outs. McLaurin led the receiving corps in yards last season. Look for Mack to take his game to the next level in a much more prominent role. After seeing his playing time leap from just three games in his freshman season to eleven last year, he’s now prepared to handle much more production.
The Buckeyes are still expected to rotate in the other receivers frequently as they have great depth. Binjimen Victor, Johnnie Dixon, and K.J. Hill will also be returning. Each of those receivers contributed plenty last season and will be ready to step in and carry out the game plan without a hitch.
Another big loss for the Buckeyes this season is at the tight end position with Marcus Baugh leaving. Replacing him shouldn’t be too much of an issue though considering their depth.
The sky is the limit for this offense with the considerable amount of talent available at every position. Now that the Buckeyes will have a truly balanced offensive attack, it will be much more difficult for even the top-tier teams to game plan against them. Expect the Buckeyes to give everyone a glimpse of their upper echelon lineup this Saturday as they pick apart the Beavers.