Inside Look At Ohio State: Offensive Standouts

Ohio State enters the matchup in opposition to Notre Dame with one of many extra extremely touted offenses in all of school soccer. With a number of proficient talent place gamers again, together with a Heisman trophy finalist in CJ Stroud below heart, expectations are at an all time excessive for the offense. The event of the offensive line shall be key below Justin Frye.

QB CJ STROUD

2021 Stats: 317-441, 71.9 completion proportion, 4,435 passing yards, 44 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 186.56 score / 32 carries, -20 dashing yards, 0 touchdowns

Stroud wasn’t a Heisman Trophy candidate final season for no purpose. He went into the 2021 season as a little bit of a query mark resulting from a scarcity of expertise and left as a bonafide famous person, with an argument as the highest sign caller in all of school soccer.

His confidence improved tremendously over the course of the season. Stroud’s arm energy and accuracy are each plus traits for him. As he turned extra comfy together with his processing and luxury within the system, Stroud flourished at a complete different stage. He has grow to be a cool buyer within the pocket for essentially the most half, exhibiting the expertise to control the pocket to purchase time.

He’s nonetheless a younger sign caller so confidence is every part. If Stroud is ready to get in rhythm early on, it may very well be an extended day for Notre Dame. If they’re able to rattle him, they might pressure some uncharacteristic errors. How he handles stress would be the key to the soccer recreation.

RB TREYVEON HENDERSON

2021 Stats: 183 carries, 1,248 dashing yards, 6.8 yards per carry, 15 touchdowns, 27 receptions, 312 receiving yards, 11.6 yards per catch, 4 touchdowns

After a dominant freshman marketing campaign, Henderson has the expertise to shortly ascend to the highest of the nation’s operating again record as a sophomore. He was a giant play ready to occur in 2021, and now appears to develop much more consistency in yr two.

Boasting a compact body, Henderson has a pleasant quantity of contact steadiness to work by way of contact. His calling card, nevertheless, is his capacity to create huge performs. Henderson is a house run ready to occur in each the run or cross recreation. Should you take a foul angle of pursuit, Henderson has the kind of velocity to persistently make you pay.

The Buckeye offense can go as Henderson goes. He appears to get stronger down the stretches of video games and is one false step away from a landing on each contact. Notre Dame should attempt to restrict his huge play capacity in any respect prices.

WR JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA

2021 Stats: 95 receptions, 1,606 receiving yards, 16.9 yards per reception, 9 touchdowns

Regardless of sharing targets with first spherical picks Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave final season, Jaxon Smith-Njigba was the Buckeyes main receiver. That dynamic sophomore marketing campaign was capped off with 347 receiving yards and three touchdowns of their Rose Bowl victory over Utah.

As a participant, “JSN” brings a profile that intently resembles present Los Angeles Charger standout Keenan Allen. He isn’t essentially the most dynamic athlete of all time however he’s an extremely superior route runner. Smith-Njigba has an uncanny really feel for area, sporting clear routes and skill to work zones like a veteran. He additionally has some underrated capacity to make performs after the catch.

If the Notre Dame defensive backs aren’t enjoying with good method, Smith-Njigba has the play fashion that might make them look foolish. He creates simple separation and can have to be accounted for always on the sphere.

WR MARVIN HARRISON JR.

2021 Stats: 11 receptions, 139 receiving yards, 12.6 yards per catch, 3 touchdowns

The son of the Colts legend, Marvin Harrison Jr. ended the 2021 marketing campaign with a bang within the Rose Bowl, hauling in six passes for 71 yards and three touchdowns. He is without doubt one of the many proficient huge receivers simply ready to breakout for the Buckeyes and appears poised to carry an attention-grabbing talent set to the boundary for the crew.

Lengthy and explosive, Harrison Jr. is a nightmare matchup one-on-one, presenting challenges to each sort of cornerback. He can simply elevate, making a ton of performs with the soccer within the air. Harrison Jr. additionally has a pleasant praise of velocity to take the highest off of a protection.

He’ll do most of his injury working vertically. The Notre Dame protection shall be pressured into some man protection at instances and Harrison has the expertise to take full benefit.

WR EMEKA EGBUKA

2021 Stats: 9 receptions, 191 receiving yards, 21.2 yards per catch, 0 touchdowns

Yet one more 5 star cross catcher ready for his alternative with this system, Egbuka brings a singular play fashion to the desk that’s principally absent on the roster. He’s the kind of huge receiver who can work all around the formation to create a flurry of mismatch alternatives.

A thick and compact cross catcher, Egbuka brings the very best stage of yards after catch alternatives to the desk for the Buckeyes. He’s a robust and explosive athlete who excels by way of contact and has a expertise for creating chunk performs. Egbuka has a straightforward capacity to interrupt tackles, creating an amazing problem within the open discipline.

If Notre Dame’s cross rush makes an impression early, the brief to intermediate passing assault must be a giant emphasis for Ohio State. Egbuka is the kind of huge receiver who can flip a brief completion into a giant play with the blink of an eye fixed.

TE CADE STOVER

2021 Stats: 5 receptions, 76 receiving yards, 15.2 yards per reception, 0 touchdowns

After Jeremy Ruckert exhausted his eligibility following the 2021 season, Cade Stover moved into his place because the crew’s high choice at tight finish. Stover was a beneficial contributor final season and bought an early style of expertise after making the transition over from the defensive facet of the soccer.

Lengthy and bodily, Stover brings a throwback fashion to the desk. His defensive background is on full show, creating motion within the run recreation and thriving off of his physicality and energy. Stover can also be a reasonably easy athlete who created a few huge performs final season.

Together with his duties being principally within the run recreation, Stover is a participant who may very well be misplaced at instances as a cross receiver. That brings some alternatives in opposition to a protection who shall be preoccupied with a plethora of proficient cross catchers.

OT PARIS JOHNSON JR.

2021 Stats: Began all 13 video games at proper guard, second-team all-Massive Ten

Johnson Jr. got here to Ohio State with some huge expectations. After spending his first couple of years inside at guard, he takes over at left deal with for the departed Nicholas Petit-Frere.

From a expertise perspective, Johnson has every part that you simply search for in a blindside protector. He’s lengthy, athletic and in addition performs with some excessive dangerous intentions as a blocker. There have been moments of dominance in 2021 and he’s anticipated to take the following step as one of many premier lineman in all of school soccer.

When he’s at his finest, Johnson Jr. is asserting himself on opposing defenders with an absurd stage of pure energy and physicality. If he is capable of get in a groove early on, it might enable for the run recreation to get going shortly, and the offense total to be very tough to cease.

OG MATTHEW JONES

2021 Stats: Began two video games at left guard, honorable point out all-Massive Ten

Regardless of solely beginning two soccer video games in 2021, Jones was a really key contributor to an Ohio State offensive line that underwhelmed at instances. He shall be shifting over to the appropriate facet after enjoying principally left guard a season in the past.

Jones isn’t an extremely proficient offensive lineman, profitable extra off of premier effort and energy than foot quickness and finesse. He’s a rugged inside offensive lineman who is best shifting ahead than backward. Within the run recreation, Jones has his greatest impression with the flexibility to maneuver the road of scrimmage within the offense’s favor.

The senior is finest when he’s a sound member of a expertise unit. If he isn’t seen a lot, it’s a very good indicator for the standard of soccer that he’s enjoying.

OC LUKE WYPLER

2021 Stats: Began all 13 video games at heart, honorable point out all-Massive Ten

After not being anticipated to play a lot previous to the season, Wypler turned a gradual pressure within the center for an Ohio State offensive line that sorely wanted it. He shortly turned arguably essentially the most reliable member of the entrance and heads into 2022 with huge expectations.

There may be nothing that pops off the display screen from a bodily perspective. As a substitute, Wypler wins with a stable throughout recreation and strategy. He brings an ample stage of foot quickness and physicality to supply some scheme versatility. His hand place and angles are fairly constant throughout the board.

Wypler serves as a stabilizing pressure. His dependability and consistency cannot be understated.

OG DONOVAN JACKSON

2021 Stats: Performed in all 13 video games

Ohio State followers have been raving about Jackson all low season after seeing sporadic alternatives as a real freshman final season. There are some that consider that he could have the most important upside of anyone on the unit for the Buckeyes.

Jackson appears to have an throughout profile, together with a very good assortment of energy and foot quickness for the place. He stays a thriller at this level with not a lot to have a look at exterior of his recruiting profile.

You may argue that Jackson could carry the most important X-factor of any offensive lineman merely from the standpoint that you simply aren’t actually certain what to anticipate. The extent of variance for the sophomore shall be attention-grabbing to look at.

OT DAWAND JONES

2021 Stats: Began all 13 video games at proper deal with, third-team All-America (Professional Soccer Focus), second-team all-Massive Ten

In his first yr as a starter in 2021, Jones did his finest to dam every part in his path, together with the Solar behind his huge body. He is without doubt one of the greatest gamers in all of school soccer, and regardless of the recruiting rating, has some intriguing upside on the place.

Jones is the definition of a tone setter. At practically 6-9 and 360 kilos, he’s a large man with an absurd quantity of energy and size for the appropriate deal with place. He may be overwhelming on the level of assault, creating some simple motion within the run recreation. Jones can also be a really tough particular person to get round in cross safety resulting from his sheer dimension.

For as huge as Jones is, his foot quickness does depart rather a lot to be desired. The cross rushers for Notre Dame may have an enormous alternative to make the most of him within the passing recreation. If the crew will get off to a stable begin within the run recreation, Jones can shortly flip right into a dominating pressure.

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Irish Breakdown Content material

Notre Dame 2022 Roster
Notre Dame 2022 Schedule

Notre Dame 2023 Class Massive Board
Notre Dame 2023 Commits Board – Offense
Notre Dame 2023 Commits Board – Protection

Notre Dame 2023 Scholarship Provides
Notre Dame 2024 Scholarship Provides

Rating The 2022 Signees – Offense
Rating The 2022 Signees – Protection

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