My Thoughts.....TULANE

                                                MY THOUGHTS…..TULANE

                                The Ohio State Buckeyes finished the non-conference portion of the 2018 schedule with a tune-up game verses the Tulane Green Wave.  The Scarlet and Grey “wave” completely swamped the Green Wave, 49-6.  You know your side is off to a great start when the quarterback throws for over 300 yards and five touchdowns before halftime.  As in the previous three games, Dwayne Haskins dominated a defense and one of his receivers had a big day.  Haskins, showing once again, uncanny accuracy, was 21 for 24.  Parris Campbell was the receiver who came up big in this one as he finished with eight receptions for a career-high 147 yards and two touchdowns.  

 Elsewhere, K.J. Hill caught four passes for 57 yards, and Austin Mack, Terry McLaurin, and Binjimen Victor caught touchdown passes. For Victor, it was his first touchdown grab of the season.  While Campbell is usually the fastest player on the field, but at times, has been plagued with the drops.  But not in this game as his fingertip grab of an over-the –shoulder Haskins throw was as good a catch as anyone could make.  The big surprise was a lack of production in Ohio State’s ground game.  Of course it wasn’t needed, but Mike Weber had only 18 yards and six carries before leaving with an injury, while J.K. Dobbins had 55 yards on eleven carries and a touchdown.  Nevertheless, it was another great showing for Ohio State’s offense, which racked up 435 yards in the first half before the backups came in.

It was also a step in the right direction for the defense, which after giving up “chunk” plays against Oregon State and TCU, didn’t give up much against Tulane.  Notable, since the defensive line was missing Nick Bosa and Robert Landers, out with injuries, and they still recorded 14 tackles for loss and held Tulane to just 256 total yards and one score on their eleven possessions.  I thought Baron Browning, at linebacker, really stepped up his game.  With the aforementioned Bosa and Landers out, Browning seemed to take charge among the front seven, managing two tackles for loss and getting his first career sack.  Dante Booker, seeing extended playing time for the first time this year, played quite well, with three tackles for loss and a sack of his own.  With the exception of Jeffrey Okudah getting beat deep once on Tulane’s TD drive, which can happen, the secondary played solid all day and with that exception, there were no big gains against them through the air.  Jordan Fuller, matched up one-on-one for much of the game, was solid, with three solo tackles and a tackle for loss.

Now, the Buckeyes have their biggest test of the season, going to Happy Valley to take on Penn State in what will probably decide the B1G East’s representative in the B1G Championship Game.  There are a few questions that need answered and several things that need to be fixed.  Ohio State has committed way too many penalties in the first three games, committing a whopping 32 penalties (averaging eight per game) for 298 yards.  Eight penalties against Penn State, on the road, won’t cut it.  Ohio State’s front seven will have to play the best they have all year, without Bosa, and the offensive line will have to continue to improve to do well against a stout Penn State front seven.