Ten Things Buckeye Fans Will Be Saying After The Northwestern Game

You know how when you were a kid and the ticking of the 60 Minutes clock was the worst part of your week because it meant the weekend was over and you had to go back to school tomorrow?

This game is kind of like that, but everybody is looking forward to what is next.

The Buckeyes’ weekend is about to be over and the work week is about to be unrelenting. This is the last game that will be “easy” for Ohio State. This will be the last game where the backups can expect to get some time. That doesn’t mean they will, but the possibilities are higher here than they’ll be the rest of the season.

After this game, things get a whole lot more serious. And this is a sampling of some of the things you’ll be saying following this game.

“I love the way we’re using the running backs.”

Whether it’s one at a time or on the field together, the usage and rotation of Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson has been handled superbly by running backs coach Carlos Locklyn and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. Locklyn is keeping them fresh with the rotation and Kelly is keeping them dangerous with the play calling. Now they’re even being used at the same time, which allows them to block for each other and build their bond even stronger.

“It’s about time Caleb Downs finally came away with an interception.”

Caleb Downs has played nine games as a Buckeye without coming down with an interception. That streak will finally end on Saturday in Wrigley Field and you will remark with exasperation that it took him long enough.

“The Will Howard Heisman talk isn’t crazy.”

You can look at Will Howard’s numbers and see that he is third in the nation in pass efficiency (182.48), second in the nation in completion percentage (74.0), third in the nation in yards per attempt (9.7), and sixth in the nation in touchdown passes (24), so why shouldn’t he have some Heisman talk? What he is missing, however, is a Heisman Moment®. That sort of thing doesn’t generally happen in games like this one, but he’s going to have more opportunities after this one to establish himself as a finalist, even though it will be Travis Hunter and Ashton Jeanty who ultimately battle it out.

“Donovan Jackson saved the season.”

After moving from left guard to left tackle, senior Donovan Jackson has had two very good games. That will continue again this week against a Northwestern defense that doesn’t make a ton of things happen. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day keeps saying that he thinks Jackson could play tackle in the NFL. He’s currently dropped a little bit of weight to make himself a bit quicker, but he’s still strong as heck. When initial starter Josh Simmons went down at Oregon, the pall from the fan base was tangible. Fast-forward to the present day, and that Oregon game seems like almost a lifetime ago.

“CJ Hicks has finally found a home.”

If the Jack is indeed back, CJ Hicks will have the opportunity that could be right up his alley. The key moving forward, however, is to make the plays that are available to be made. That was a 50/50 proposition last week in his limited snaps. The coaches know that he can create chaos, but he needs to have a bit more control while doing it. Northwestern quarterback Jack Lausch is a mobile guy who can make defenders miss. This will be a good test for Hicks’ ability to break down and take down.

“We’re seeing the JT Tuimoloau we were promised.”

Buckeye defensive end JT Tuimoloau has gotten to the quarterback for a sack in five of his last six games, and he is currently tied for fourth in the Big Ten with 10.0 tackles for loss. The Wildcats have allowed 11 sacks in six Big Ten games this year, if that sort of information interests you. Expect Tuimoloau to rotate quite a bit this weekend, but he should make the most of his time out there.

“We need to appreciate Cody Simon more.”

Cody Simon has 34 tackles over the Buckeyes last four games, which includes 4.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. He’s been very good in run support and has found some success as a blitzer. His tackles are up and so is his impact. He is making plays all over the field right now and it’s time to acknowledge him for it.

“This offensive line is underrated.”

The Ohio State offensive line has received its share of grief this year, but this week they were named semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award, which goes annually to the best offensive line in college football. With the running game picking up steam and Will Howard having time to throw, it’s time to start giving the credit to the offensive line.

“I thought the grass turf would be better.”

The sod on top of the infield at Wrigley Field has had its ups and downs over the last few years of hosting games. While slipping has been a topic of conversation among Ohio State fans all season long, the idea that the conversation about footing would go away this week was wishful thinking. If Will Howard slips again this week, he’s gonna need to get a new cleat guy.