The Ohio State football team takes the field ahead of the Ohio State-Notre Dame game Saturday. Ohio State won 21-10. Credit: Katie Good | Asst. Photo Editor
Location: Columbus, Ohio
2021 record: 11-2
Head coach: Ryan Day
2022 record so far: 1-0
What’s happened so far in 2022?
Plenty of hype surrounded Ohio State entering the season after making sweeping changes to the Buckeye coaching staff.
Head coach Ryan Day brought in Jim Knowles from Oklahoma State as the Buckeyes’ new defensive coordinator. Ohio State also hired Perry Eliano from Cincinnati as its safeties coach and Tim Walton from the Jacksonville Jaguars as the cornerbacks and secondary coach.
During their first top-five season-opener in program history against then-No. 5 Notre Dame Saturday, the Buckeyes showed they could grind out four quarters against top-ranked opposition.
An unexpected injury to third-year wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and a 10-7 halftime deficit prompted Ohio State to adjust in the second half against the Fighting Irish. The Buckeye defense shut out Notre Dame, prompting a comeback.
Ohio State’s offensive and defensive depth, including graduate wideout Xavier Johnson, whose first-career reception scored the go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter, and second-year defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr., who recorded a fourth-quarter sack, banded together to score 14 unanswered points.
Second-year TreVeyon Henderson and third-year Miyan Williams split carries in the running backs room, earning 15 and 14 carries, respectively, to total 172 yards on the ground against Notre Dame.
Defensively, fourth-year linebacker Tommy Eichenberg brought down a game-high nine tackles and a pass-breakup to lead the Buckeyes under their new-look defense.
Key offensive player:
Third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud returns as Ohio State’s starter after competing for the Heisman Trophy a year ago. Stroud claimed several postseason awards after the 2021 season, including the Big Ten’s Brees-Griese Quarterback of the Year award and an All-American selection by the Associated Press. During the season-opener against Notre Dame, Stroud completed 71 percent of his passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns.
Key defensive player:
Fourth-year linebacker Tommy Eichenberg capped his 2021 season by earning Defensive Player of the Game honors after a Rose Bowl performance in which he recorded 17 tackles. Selected as a captain entering this season, Eichenberg will lead not only Buckeye linebackers, but their defense overall. He kept pressure on Notre Dame by bringing down three tackles for loss, including two sacks. Eichenberg adjusted to responsibilities as a starter in 2021, and his role became greater this season in a new-look Buckeye defense.
Weaknesses:
When Smith-Njigba exited in the first quarter and was held out of the second half, the Buckeye offense quickly reshuffled and adjusted to playing without their returning lead receiver. Second-year wideout Emeka Egbuka caught nine receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown, and seven Buckeyes caught a pass in their win over Notre Dame. Day said Ohio State will evaluate Smith-Njigba going forward, so the Buckeyes will be challenged to make up for the loss in production. Ohio State’s secondary served as a question mark entering the season as well, and the additions of Eliano and Walton were signs that Day and the Buckeyes expect improvements.
