Ohio State won in their week 1 opener on Saturday against the Akron Zips 52-6. It marked the first win as Ohio State’s starter for transfer quarterback Will Howard.
Ohio State struggled rather consistently throughout the first half. The team was missing two starters in left guard Donovan Jackson and linebacker Cody Simon. Austin Siereveld got the start in place of Jackson. Starting linebacker Sonny Styles slid over to Simon’s middle linebacker spot and also took over the helmet communication position that the NCAA has put in place this season. C.J. Hicks then slipped into Styles’ slot as the weak side backer. Hicks would impress early getting a sack and cleaning up some tackles. Sophomore Arvell Reese also saw significant time at linebacker early on and played well.
1st Half
Ohio State did start with the ball going three-and-out on their first drive. Jeremiah Smith had a drop on a screen that would have lead to a huge gain. He also was called for a penalty on the next play when he failed to get set in time before the snap. Joe McGuire came out to punt, surprising fans who had heard news of Australian-rules football player Nick McLarty being the starter last week.
Starting quarterback Ben Finley was injured on the first snap for the Akron offense. Buckeye cornerback Davison Igbinosun committed a late hit as Finley slid down, causing him to miss the rest of the drive. Backup Tahj Bullock did however come in and march them down the field prior to a bad snap stalling the drive. They then got back within range of their kicker and connected on a 48-yard field goal to take an early 3-0 lead.
Ohio State would have a successful possession finally later in the opening quarter. Will Howard completed a pass to Jeremiah Smith on a third-down conversion. The two then connected again for a 16-yard TD a few plays later, the first of Smith’s collegiate career. He would catch a second touchdown not long after on a crisp slant route in the end zone.
Defensively, the Bucks played well outside of the first drive. JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer got consistent pressure. Returning star cornerback Denzel Burke also jumped a route for an incredible interception in the second quarter. The Buckeye secondary did not give up anything deep in the first half and played disciplined overall as a unit.
The tight-end battle that lasted all of training camp continued into the game. Will Kacmarek, Jelani Thurman, and Gee Scott Jr. all saw major playing time. They all looked very solid throughout the half. Thurman’s snaps were surprising as the coaching staff had previously been adamant about his need to become and all-around player instead of just a receiving threat. He blocked very well on the various run plays he was in for.
Ohio State did lead 17-3 at halftime despite their early struggles. Head coach Ryan Day was asked about his team’s performance after the half and seemed to only be slightly concerned with his offense’s performance early on in the game. Day stated that “there’s a lack of execution right now, to me, on offense.”
2nd Half
Akron’s Ben Finley did come out to start the third quarter for the Zips. He did not finish the drive after taking a couple big shots, including a huge hit from Jack Sawyer. Bullock filled in as the Buckeyes forced the Zips to punt once again. New punt returner Brandon Inniss had a big return to go along with a couple other nice ones he had on the day. Ohio State has not returned a punt for a touchdown since 2014. Fans can look for Inniss to quite possibly change that this season.
New offensive coordinator Chip Kelly’s unit looked much cleaner in the second half. Will Howard completed a 45-yard pass down the field to Jeremiah Smith to the 2-yard line. Transfer Quinshon Judkins would score his first touchdown as a Buckeye on the very next play. Howard would throw another touchdown to receiver Carnell Tate later on before finally ending his day early. Howard finished with 228 yards and 3 touchdowns while going 17-28. Ohio State currently seems to have found the improved quarterback play they were hoping to get in 2024.
The defense would also add a couple scores in the second half. Caden Curry forced a fumble with a big hit, popping the ball into the air right to safety Lathan Ransom who returned it for the score. Linebacker Gabe Powers would later return an interception for a touchdown after the ball was deflected by freshman Eddrick Houston’s helmet.
The Buckeye running back tandem in Judkins and Henderson combined for 120 rushing yards and a touchdown. Freshman running back James Peoples also saw time and scored his first career touchdown. Jeremiah Smith finished with 92 yards and 2 touchdowns from his 6 receptions.
Ohio State came together and performed better early in the second half and carried the momentum through to the end. They will take on Western Michigan next week in Columbus at 7:30 p.m. EST on the Big Ten Network.
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