The 2024 Ohio State football season has kicked off and the Buckeyes will go into halftime with a somewhat comfortable 17-3 lead over the Akron Zips of the Mid-American Conference. OSU was expected to win the contest by more than seven touchdowns, so they it’s not exactly on pace, but getting the win is the most important task in Week 1 despite what anyone will tell you.
In the grand scheme of the season, the margin of victory doesn’t matter, but it is a bit telling on how underwhelming the Bucks have looked. in all honestly there is more good to take away at this point than bad, but let’s dive into five things that were observed in the first half.
Jeremiah Smith is the real deal
All we heard was hype about incoming freshman phenom, Jeremiah Smith, and today we finally caught a glimpse. Smith had a rough first drive with a drop and a penalty, but he got the jitters out and is performing like an All-American.
Through 20 minutes of collegiate experience, Jeremiah Smith has two catches for 44 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Announcing his presence in style.
— Stefan Krajisnik (@skrajisnik3) August 31, 2024
Denzel Burke is elite
We all know Denzel Burke is elite, but today has been another reminder of how good he is, as he works on bullying these Akron receivers. The Zips do not have the most exciting weapons at the receiver position, but Burke’s ability to dominate is still something to applaud.
The offense is still getting the kinks out
I’m not really understanding the play calling. It doesn’t really look like Ohio State is setting anything up and is just throwing plays at the wall, but I wouldn’t be alarmed just yet. There is a high likelihood that Chip Kelly is using this game to see what his offensive toys can do because is fully aware that a brilliant gameplan isn’t needed against the Zips.
Ohio State’s offense looks like complete garbage right now.
— Scott Reichel (@ReichelRadio) August 31, 2024
Offensive Line play has not been ideal
Jeremiah Smith is really the only shining star on this Ohio State offense so far, but the offensive line has stood out a bit more than the other offensive units for the wrong reasons. I understand Donovan Jackson is out and this Akron defensive line is underrated, but this is still not a great performance. The Buckeyes should be creating more space at the line of scrimmage and Will Howard should be seeing less pressure.
This is why you play games. This Ohio State team is not a finished product by any means. You feel good about things getting better but the O-line is not where it needs to be for the ground game to get going and that’s a problem. Still relatively early in this one. #GoBucks
— Buckeyes Wire (@BuckeyesWire) August 31, 2024
Will Howard has been hot and cold
Will Howard has had flashes of brilliance with some great mobility and elite accuracy, but he has also looked lost at times. Again, this is not something to panic about because it’s his first game starting for Ohio State and his first time playing in The Shoe, but it is something of note. You would expect a player with as much experience as Howard to light up a lowly MAC squad.
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Publish date : 2024-08-31 10:34:00
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