What I Know, What I Think, What I Wonder — Purdue Week Edition

I know that expecting players to stick around for five years — especially at skill positions — doesn’t seem like a winning bet. On one hand, if you have a running back who returns for a fifth season, that means you’ve got a guy that you’re counting on who isn’t good enough to leave for the NFL after four years. That’s not a situation a place like Ohio State wants to — or should — be in.

I think there’s a way to view this like Major League Baseball. Dallan Hayden could be like a September call-up, but in November. It seems like they’re trying to have their Dallan and eat it too.

I wonder if the NCAA is going to continue last year’s one-time waiver saying that bowl games would not count against the four-game limit to maintain a redshirt. They didn’t hand that ruling down last year until mid-December, so we may have to wait to hear if they’re continuing it (unless they already have and I just can’t find any mention of it). If it does get re-upped, that would conceivably give the Buckeyes six games down the stretch where Hayden could play and maintain his redshirt year.

I know that Justin Frye seems to think the run blocking is fixable, which I guess is better than the alternative of just saying, “This is as good as we can do. What do you want from me?”

I think Purdue is mistake prone on offense and defense. Quarterback Hudson Card has plenty of ability, but he will throw some bad balls. Offensively and defensively, they will swing blindly. They are a button-mashing team. Sometimes, however, those buttons can connect.

I wonder where this defense would be without Josh Proctor.

To read the rest of this extended edition of What I Know, What I Think, What I Wonder, you can click here, but you must be a premium subscriber. Additional topics include Julian Fleming, Josh Proctor’s impact, Tyleik Williams’ playing time, the running game, the Michigan game, Caden Curry, Carnell Tate, recruiting flips, the transfer portal, and much more.

Go to discussion...