Here are four things we learned from Ohio State’s 45-0 win over Purdue on Saturday:
Positive momentum continues
Ryan Day pointed to last week’s win at Penn State as a potential springboard for the Buckeyes.
The ascendance continued against the Boilermakers.
Even if the drop-off in competition was steep, going from facing a potential College Football Playoff team to the last-place team in the Big Ten, they took care of business in convincing fashion.
Shutting out a conference opponent for the first time in Day’s coaching tenure, the Buckeyes asserted themselves in all three phases.
They scored six touchdowns, forced two turnovers and blocked a punt that set up their first trip to the end zone.
It would not have been too surprising if the Buckeyes suffered an emotional letdown returning from their hard-fought battle in Happy Valley.
They were a bit flat in a win over Nebraska last month, a close call that followed another big game at Oregon.
But there was little clunky about their performance against Purdue and their upward trajectory continues.
The ‘Jack’ position returns
Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles introduced a hybrid defensive end and linebacker position known as the “Jack” with his arrival in 2022.
The Buckeyes have used it only sparingly in the succeeding years, leaning on a traditional front with four down linemen.
But they appeared to sprinkle it in a bit more against the Boilermakers, having Mitchell Melton or C.J. Hicks line up as a standup pass rusher along the edge of the line of scrimmage.
“It could be a weapon for us,” Day said. “It’s not easy to experiment in certain games, but we felt like it’s something that we have done previously.”
In the aftermath of their loss at Oregon, the Buckeyes reworked their defense to simplify the scheme, and it’s paid off. They have allowed only one offensive touchdown in a span of three games.
But going to the ‘Jack’ suggested they will still look to take advantage of opportunities to tinker and add packages to their defense during the second half of the season.
“There’s a lot more you can build on,” Day said.
Fourth-down aggressiveness starts with Will Howard
The Buckeyes continue to go for it on fourth down more often than in previous seasons under Day.
Through nine games, they have sought to pick up the first down 18 out of 52 times (35%).
That includes two successful attempts on three fourth-down tries against Purdue. Day has cited the influence of analytics and game situations in shaping their decisions. But Howard’s role should not be overlooked.
The Kansas State transfer quarterback is a willing runner in short yardage and able to use his 6-foot-4 frame to grind tough yards.
Howard’s keeper got the Buckeyes into the end zone in the first quarter when they faced a fourth-and-goal at Purdue’s 1-yard line.
A sneak in the second quarter on fourth-and-1 just past midfield allowed another touchdown drive to continue.
If not for Howard, the Buckeyes might be more hesitant in those situations. The aggressiveness sparked an early 14-0 lead.
Offensive line avoids another setback
Carson Hinzman was down at Purdue’s 25-yard line grabbing his left knee late in the second quarter.
It loomed as another potential setback for an offensive line beset by injuries in recent weeks.
But Hinzman was soon able to walk under his own power and returned to start at left guard for the second half, allowing the crowd that remained at Ohio Stadium to breathe a collective sigh of relief.
Hinzman helped the Buckeyes stabilize their line a week earlier at Penn State, sliding in at left guard to replace Donovan Jackson, who had moved over to left tackle following injuries to Zen Michalski and Josh Simmons.
It was not until Ohio State pulled the rest of its starters in the fourth quarter before Hinzman again exited.
The injury scare was a reminder of how fragile the Buckeyes remain on their line. They were fortunate to remain largely healthy up front.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @joeyrkaufman or email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com.
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