Ohio State will look towards their bye week to address injury concerns and other potential areas of concern as they push into the back half of their season. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor
The Buckeyes are on a bye week after earning six-straight wins to start the season, and head coach Ryan Day is already looking to maintain momentum once No. 2 Ohio State retakes the football field.
Day said Tuesday the Buckeyes practice three times this week, allowing them “to get a few guys healthy” before they “keep grinding” in the second half of the season.
“I think it does come out at a good time,” Day said. “There’s times where you start to get into a rhythm, and then you don’t want that bye week. I don’t know if that’s the case here.”
Day, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, defensive line coach Larry Johnson and offensive line coach Justin Frye reflected on the Buckeyes’ first-half start in which they claimed three Big Ten victories, the latest serving as their first road game and a 49-20 win at Michigan State Saturday.
Here are three takeaways from the coaching trio as Ohio State remains idle during Week 7.
Day hopes time off can ‘pay off’ for several injured Buckeyes
Ohio State began the season with four players on its pregame status report before defeating then-No. 5 Notre Dame 21-10 Sept. 3.
The Buckeyes’ status report reached double-figures in each of the five games since the season opener.
Notably, third-year wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba missed the previous three games due to a leg injury he suffered against the Fighting Irish. He caught two passes against Toledo Week 3 but has been held out of game action in recent weeks.
The running backs room is also seeing its share of injury woes, as third-year Miyan Williams missed Saturday’s game at Michigan State just one week after scoring a program record-tying five rushing touchdowns against Rutgers. Second-year ball-carrier TreVeyon Henderson returned after missing the game against the Scarlet Knights but saw limited action in the second half against the Spartans after his first carry in the third quarter.
Day said the Buckeyes have “had some stress” in a number of position groups, such as cornerback and running back, which forced them to turn to other contributors.
“I have been proud of the guys who have had to step up,” Day said. “Our depth has been challenged in different positions, and we’ve responded pretty well. Hopefully that can pay off here in these last six games of the regular season.”
Knowles, defense have schemes ‘not shown yet’
Through six games, Ohio State has met Day’s preseason expectations of being a top-10 defense, standing No. 7 in the NCAA for total defense behind an average of 253.5 yards allowed per game.
Knowles, on the other hand, still has a few tricks up his sleeve.
The Buckeyes are No. 4 in the Big Ten in total defense. Ahead of Ohio State includes Michigan, which will venture to Columbus for the first time since 2018 come Nov. 26.
Knowles said he prefers to “think weeks in advance” when installing new concepts defensively, opting for a progressive application of new ideas. His concept of four defensive linemen, two linebackers and five defensive backs has largely found success as well as the continued display of the “Jack” hybrid linebacker.
Knowles hinted at new defensive looks once Ohio State wraps up its bye week.
“There are things that we’ve installed that we have not shown yet,” Knowles said. “I don’t think it’s best if you install something that week and put it in the game. Sometimes you need to do that, but I’d much rather think ahead.”
Frye: ‘Situational awareness’ key to offensive line’s strong start
Ohio State ranks No. 2 in the Big Ten in rushing offense, averaging 228 yards per game on the ground.
On a similar note, the Buckeyes are fifth in the NCAA in sacks allowed with four, protecting third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud well enough for him to lead college football with a 207.57 passing efficiency.
Frye said “situational awareness” has been among the integral skills he’s helped the Buckeyes improve during his first season with the program. His success is translating since his arrival from UCLA, where he oversaw back-to-back rushing offenses finishing in the top 14 among college programs during the last two seasons.
Over the first half of the campaign, Frye said he’s helped Buckeye offensive linemen develop a sharper understanding of why they do what they do, saying they’re “growing every week.”
“The information of why we’re calling, what we’re calling, when we call it, what to look for. They’ve continued to grow in that area,” Frye said. “Whereas, it’s just not another play, whether it be an inside zone, an outside zone, a quick game of slide protection, but when we’re calling it, what area of the field, what the situation on the clock is. They’ve done a really good job of kind of registering that, which has helped.”
