Welcome to Femme Football, the Ohio State football coverage for Her Campus. Here, you’ll find an overview of this week’s game with in-depth explanation to build your understanding week by week, as well as position highlights that will teach the responsibilities of different players.
Ohio State defeated Army 38-7 on Saturday, beginning the road to recovery after the devastating loss to Oklahoma. While it’s clear that some offensive adjustments paid off, the Buckeyes showed some vulnerability in places they typically perform above average. Here’s the breakdown with a little help along the way.
Overall, Ohio State’s performance improved. With 30 first downs (1; see bottom) up from only 21 in the Oklahoma game, the offense started looking up. J.T Barrett, a quarterback known for his dynamic ability to run the ball, did just that. Last game, he spent too much time waiting for receivers to open up that never did. Barrett finished the night with 7 carries (2) and a touchdown.
The offense finally began utilizing their options (3) as well. J.K. Dobbins had 13 carries for 172 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Barrett began using his legs again. After waiting multiple games, the wide receivers saw some action too. K.J. Hill had 8 catches for 74 yards and Parris Campbell caught for 54 yards, while Terry McLaurin and Austin Mack both put touchdowns on the board. The Buckeyes posted 316 passing yards total, in comparison to 183 yards last weekend.
The defense, however, performed below average. While there was a noticeable increase in zone coverage (4) (as shown by Erick Smith’s pass break up), the defensive line was too soft. Army was allowed 16 first downs, and converted (5) 3 out of 4 fourth downs. Both sides of the team were called for multiple unnecessary penalties, like unsportsmanlike conduct and holding (jersey grabbing and yanking) following a major touchdown run.
Position highlights on running backs and wide receivers:
Running backs line up next to the quarterback before the snap, and their job is to receive a handoff from the quarterback. If the ball is not handed to them, they must defend the quarterback or fake it to trick the other team. Often, they try to break through the line. In the game against Army, J.K. Dobbins was handed the ball 13 times, which led to 2 touchdowns and 172 yards. Ezekiel Elliot, a former running back at Ohio State who now plays for the Dallas Cowboys, is one of the best examples of a running back.
Wide receivers are the players who run downfield and try to catch the ball. They are often the fastest players on the team in order to make themselves available for the quarterback, and in college, they are the players who return the kicks and punts because of their speed. K.J. Hill received 8 throws for 74 yards, while Parris Campbell had 6 for 54. Terry McLaurin and Austin Mack both caught touchdown passes.
1 First down: The team with the ball gets four tries to move the ball 10 yards. If the team does, this they are awarded with another four tries. This is a first down.
2 Carries: The player who is given a hand-off to run the ball is “carrying” the ball.
3 Options: The quarterback has different outlets to distribute the ball, including running backs, wide receivers, and running himself. These are his options.
4 Zone coverage: The wide receivers are covered by players known as corners and safeties. These players can either cover each receiver individually, or the area of the field. Zone coverage is covering the area of the field.
5 Converted: Making a second, third, or fourth down into a first down by moving the ball the appropriate amount of yards.