A Magical Numerical Run – Part Three

Ohio State’s defensive is in the news right now and not for a reason you would like to see it with the departure of Jim Knowles to in-conference foe, Penn State.

There is plenty of time and other stories on this site to talk about that, we are still living in the past. That past goes all the way up to a week ago when the Buckeyes shut down the Fighting Irish enroute to their program’s ninth recognized national championship.

Ohio State’s defense would go on to finish the season No. 1 overall in total defense, No. 3 against the run and in passing yards allowed, No. 1 in scoring defense and No. 18 in pass efficiency defense.

Not a bad run.

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And while people will reflect on the 32 points given up to Oregon or have selective memory about how some of the postseason points were put on the board, make no mistake, the defense was the difference maker in 2024 that got the Buckeyes not only over the hump, but also flattening the hump.

Before we completely turn the page to 2025 and the quest to repeat, let’s look back at how several players upped their game from a 10 to an 11 in the playoffs and led the Buckeyes to that elusive national championship.

DEFENSE

Ohio State’s defense was already championship level prior to the playoff run, No. 1 in scoring defense at just 10.9 PPG allowed and, in the top-10 both against the run and the pass.

But the degree of difficulty goes up when you enter the playoffs, you trade away some of the lesser teams from your conference for teams that you hope have earned their way into the playoffs.

The eventual draw of Tennessee, Oregon, Texas and Notre Dame certainly presented plenty of challenges for the Buckeyes, especially a rematch against the only team that scored “a lot” of points against Ohio State in the first go around.

Mission accomplished as Ohio State held these four teams to just 18.8 points per game over the four-game run, off from their combined scoring average of 36.8 points per game through the regular season. All four opponents would rank in the top-21 nationally in scoring offense over the course of the regular season (including conference championship games).

Ohio State would also hold these teams to just 4.44 yards per play over the course of the run, holding two teams (Tennessee and Oregon) to less than 300 yards of total offense, and the other two (Texas and Notre Dame) to fewer than 350 yards of total offense.

That 4.44 YPP number is amazing however, because when you turn the tables, Ohio State was a full three yards better per play, coming in at 7.45 YPP.

Ohio State’s defensive line was getting home, which in turn made Ohio State’s secondary that much more dangerous. And of course, nobody cracked more helmets in the post season than Ohio State linebacker Cody Simon.

So, it is difficult to say that “this group” or “that group” was the key to anything. Because without Ohio State’s play in the back seven, does Jack Sawyer’s scoop-and-score happen?

Let’s look at how several Ohio State starters really came to play as we continue our numerical look.

Secondary

If this unit didn’t perform like BIA (Best in America) then I don’t know what sort of threshold you are holding up to this team. Not saying that anyone said it, but there are always a couple in the back of the room.

Numbers can be looked at several ways and we will all have our own agenda when laying out numbers that should just be agnostic, because they are in fact just numbers.

Ohio State did give up 235.3 yards per game passing over the course of the playoffs but that is also because teams had to throw it 54-percent of the time against the Buckeyes, largely because the first two opponents were in immediate holes and three of the four teams didn’t break the 60-yard mark running the ball.

Three of the four teams also threw for two touchdowns a game, only Tennessee being kept out of that party. So, 1.5 touchdowns allowed per game mark is good but is it elite? It is when everyone is playing at a high level.

The four opponents were held to a 6.58 YPA (yards per attempt) and a 10.69 YPC (yards per completion) mark in the games. This is all based on the number of 35.6 APG (attempts per game) by opposing teams.

And yes, Ohio State only had the one interception over the run, the Caleb Downs ‘sealer’ against Texas in the Cotton Bowl. Ohio State did come close to several other picks over the other three games, but sometimes you land them and other times you don’t.

Caleb Downs led the Buckeyes over the run with 20 tackles (15 UA, 5) while fellow safety Lathan Ransom had 19 of his own (14 UA, 5 A).

Something that gets lost in stat books and distant memories is about when plays actually happened and how difficult it can be at times to get something to check all the boxes to be a PBU (pass breakup) or PD (pass defended).

Corners Jordan Hancock and Davison Igbinosun both had double-digit tackles, and I am most surprised that Denzel Burke’s numbers were not a little higher. Granted, he didn’t record stats against a run-first, run-second Tennessee offense and his position in the defense doesn’t have him set up to be a top tackler.

Sure, the defense got a little sloppy down the stretch on back-to-back PI calls against Texas and there were a couple of breakdowns as Notre Dame attempted its comeback, but if we are being honest with ourselves, the secondary earned itself an offseason of Champion’s Meals.

Linebackers

If I told you that Ohio State held its four CFP opponents to 71 yards per game (sack adjusted) on the ground, would you be surprised? Would you believe me?

You shouldn’t, because the number is 60 yards per game.

Tennessee was the only team to run for more than 100 yards on the ground, getting to 152 yards, and 65 of those yards were in the 4^th quarter, long after the game had been decided.

But you can’t dismiss those numbers entirely, but you sure can frame them properly.

This means that the four teams ran for an average of 1.97 YPC (yards per carry) against the Ohio State run defense.

Teams scored on the ground at a clip of 1 TD per game. And go ask Texas what it is like to go against the Ohio State goal line defense.

There was so much made about Ohio State line and secondary going into and even throughout the playoff run. Is that because the linebackers were okay, or people had forgotten about them?

No reason to forget about this unit as Cody Simon led the Buckeyes with 38 tackles (20 UA, 18 A) and Sonny Styles was right there with 24 tackles (15 UA, 9 A) as the pair combined for four sacks and eight tackles for loss while Simon was out there cracking helmets, and Sonny was getting loose as an occasional blitzer. 28-percent of Simon’s sacks were in the postseason and 33-percent of Styles’ were as well.

It would have been easy for both to go out improvise and try and stat pad, but neither did. Plays came to them, tackles came to them, and it was critical that each stayed on mission during games against many of the top teams in college football.

It is a shame that people have such a small window in their minds for memories because where efforts by Jack Sawyer, Will Howard and Jeremiah Smith may gain the limited real estate, both of these linebackers made plays that could have been the difference between where we are at now and a place far away and unpleasant.

Defensive Line

Did I hold this for last to keep you reading? Maybe.

All three units exceeded expectations, at least the expectations of everyone outside of the WHAC.

These always were the expectations, and the Buckeyes were able to perform when it mattered the most.

The Buckeyes recorded 18 sacks as a team over the four games, and that is not just limited to the defensive line, that is just where this stat fits in doing a piece like this.

More than 1/3^rd of Ohio State’s sacks on the season took place in the final 1/4^th of the season. And this wasn’t the 1/4^th of the season that had Akron, Western Michigan, Marshall and Iowa as the opponents.

The Buckeyes were also credited with 35 tackles for loss, on a year where Ohio State would have 115 total, meaning 30.4-percent of all TFLs took place in the same game.

Everyone over the past several years wondered when the next Bosa or Young was walking through the door. No need, the first Sawyer and Tuimoloau walked through the door along with guys like Kenyatta Jackson and Caden Curry.

And at tackle, it was hard to get Tyleik Williams and Ty Hamilton off the field, guys like Eddrick Houston and Kayden McDonald stepped up.

And there are so many other names we can’t get to in this piece, but not by forgetful omission.

Tuimoloau will hold the honor of the most tackles and TFLs from the defensive linemen in this four-game journey, 6.5 sacks over four games, 10 tackles for loss. Sawyer’s one sack/TFL/FF/FR/TD will go into the permanent record of both Ohio State football but college football postseason performances against Texas.

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