Junior running back Chip Trayanum flexes to the crowd during No. 4 Ohio State’s 37-17 win over Maryland. Credit: Caleb Blake | Photo Editor
Ohio State’s kryptonite is its run game and young, inexperienced offensive line.
That rang true in No. 4 Ohio State’s 37-17 win over Maryland at Ohio Stadium Saturday.
Led by their starting center Carson Hinzman, it took five possessions for the Buckeyes to put a single point on the scoreboard. The offense only converted 25 percent of third downs, which begins up front with the line and running back room.
“I’ve gotta figure out what it is,” head coach Ryan Day said. “Is it the personnel, the scheme or the coaching? I felt like we had a pretty good plan going in.”
A plan that Day wanted to solve upfront.
Ohio State has been off to a slow start, rushing for only 596 total yards through its first four matchups. TreVeyon Henderson, the Buckeyes leading rusher who has 295 yards rushing on the season, sat out Saturday.
“It was one of those things where the question was, if he played in the game, could he have a setback?” Day said. “The answer was yes.”
Ohio State’s opening drive resulted in an unsuccessful rushing attempt by senior linebacker Cody Simon that wasn’t supposed to be a fake punt at all. It was a poorly snapped ball, fourth-and-2 situation that ended in a 3-yard loss and turnover on downs.
Less than two minutes later, fifth-year Terrapin quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa led his offense down the field for six.
The missed fourth-down conversion opportunity led to an even more challenging offensive first quarter for the Buckeyes. Junior quarterback Kyle McCord converted one of four third downs and had just two first downs in over six minutes of possession.
“Sometimes it’s what you need — slow-start type of games like this gets the tempo going,” McCord said.
Hand-in-hand with a struggling offensive line is an underperforming run game.
In the first quarter, they looked to Chip Trayanum.
Trayanum, who has been living lavishly after rushing in for a 1-yard score in the final seconds against Notre Dame, had 25 yards, averaging 5 per carry. He had 61 on the day.
Behind a faulty offensive line, McCord took his first sack of the afternoon by Terrapin linebacker Kellan Wyatt. With a loss of 3 on third-and-10, just over nine minutes remained in the first quarter.
On a third-and-long play, defensive lineman Donnell Brown had his chance with McCord, taking him down in the backfield for a loss of eight on the Buckeyes’ next possession.
Feeling the pressure, McCord said he was able to remain calm and in a collected head space, but not without help from his teammates.
“We just need to get the ball back and just take a deep breath,” McCord said. “When you have a good amount of guys all preaching that same message, I think it just calms everybody down and reminds me there’s a lot of football to be played.”
In the second quarter, graduate offensive lineman Matthew Jones headed the offensive line’s struggles with a false start, creating a second-and-14 situation and ultimately, a Jesse Mirco punt.
The combination of Trayanum and senior running back Miyan Williams rushed for just 14 yards.
In their first four games, the Buckeye offensive line has allowed only four sacks for 19 yards lost — fifth in the Big Ten. Against the Terrapins, McCord was sacked three times in only the first half for minus 21 yards.
With the score tied 10-10 at the half, McCord faced staggering pressure and his front five gave him minimal time. He put up a 53 completion percentage and the offense averaged 1.1 yards per rush attempt.
“I feel like we need to take initiative,” McCord said. “Regardless of what, they called me to work, and we didn’t quite do that in the first half.”
The third quarter saw slight improvement from the offensive line and run game.
Ohio State rushed for 16 yards — including a 4-yard touchdown run from Trayanum — and McCord endured no sacks. The Buckeyes came out of the third with their first lead, 20-17.
Through their first two possessions of the fourth, McCord and the line found their footing. He threw a perfect 7-for-7, including two touchdown passes. One went 44 yards to senior tight end Cade Stover, and the other was a 17-yard grab by Marvin Harrison Jr.
“That’s what our expectations are,” Day said. “I know he [McCord] wants to be great.”
Trayanum, Williams and McCord rushed for their most efficient quarter — 31 total yards on eight carries. Through the game’s entirety, the Buckeyes notched just 62 net-rush yards.
The offensive line, too, helped guide Ohio State to 15 first downs in the second half, compared to six in the first.
Day said they all have to improve, but it’s important to have won the game Saturday.
