Three games into Arthur Smith’s run as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator, the numbers look strong enough on the surface. The Buckeyes have piled up 139 points and allowed only 29 through Week 3. But one ugly stretch against Texas still hangs over everything, and the biggest issue from that loss keeps showing up: Ohio State still can’t run the ball the way it needs to.
The Texas game is the obvious scar. Ohio State blew a 20-point fourth-quarter lead, and the rushing production was nowhere near good enough in a game that turned into a collapse the program won’t forget anytime soon. Since then, the offense has been productive, but the ground game has not looked fixed.
As Bucknuts' Patrick Murphy put it, the problem is coming from both sides of the operation.
"Ohio State's running backs can help by hitting holes more quickly, making defenders miss and breaking tackles, an issue that goes back to last season. However, they need better blocking up front," Murphy wrote.
"The Scarlet and Gray need to run the football better. Period. While Saturday's win may have lifted spirits among players, coaches, and fans after last week's disappointment, the run game still has to improve as Ohio State begins Big Ten play next week."
That’s the uncomfortable part for Ohio State: Kent State and Ball State were supposed to be the games where the Buckeyes could settle the issue, build confidence, and show that the run game was moving in the right direction. Instead, the results have been uneven.
Bo Jackson has played well, but the breakout, headline-making performance still hasn’t arrived. Ja'Kobi Jackson has looked strong against MAC opponents, yet he disappeared some in Austin.
Isaiah West, who entered fall camp with some buzz, has settled more into a depth role and was highly ineffective in Week 3 after getting just two carries in Week 2. Legend Bey has also yet to deliver much in live action, and he left the Week 3 game against the Golden Flashes with an ankle injury.
His next steps remain unclear.
Smith has leaned heavily into getting Jeremiah Smith the ball downfield in the passing game, and that approach has worked well enough. Even so, there comes a point when Ohio State has to show it can line up and move people on the ground.
That’s where the offensive line enters the picture, and it hasn’t settled in yet either. With Phillip Daniels out at right tackle, Ohio State did not have its starting five in Week 3. Gabe VanSickle handled right guard, while Austin Siereveld moved over to tackle.
The result has been a group that still doesn’t generate enough push, especially in short-yardage situations. There have also been missed assignments, which is not what you want from a veteran offensive line, even in a new system.
The feeling around Smith’s arrival had been that the transition might be smooth. That changed in Austin, where the fourth quarter of the Texas game put a cloud over the program until Big Ten play arrives and Ohio State can start stacking meaningful wins again.
For now, the Buckeyes are still searching for a run game that matches the rest of the offense. The next stretch will show whether Smith can get it there.
In Other News...
Ohio States Easy Win Couldnt Quiet One Big Concern
Ohio State handled Kent State 59-3 and put the game away early, taking a 35-0 lead into halftime and never letting the outcome feel in doubt. The Buckeyes still found enough balance to lean on the run, finishing with 145 rushing yards on 38 attempts, with Bo Jackson leading the way with 73 yards and a touchdown.
Even in a blowout, though, the ground game remains a point worth watching. Ohio States rushing offense is still inconsistent overall, sitting 79th nationally at just under 159 yards per game, and that leaves a gap between what this roster can be and what it has shown so far. The schedule will get less forgiving from here, and the Buckeyes will need more than a comfortable win to answer that concern. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Just Got A Clear Warning About Illinois Saturday
Illinois followed its loss to Duke with a much cleaner performance against Southern Illinois, and the part that should have Ohio State paying attention is how much more settled the Illini looked at the line of scrimmage. The offensive line showed progress, the run defense was sturdier, and the overall operation came across as a team that had already made some useful corrections before the matchup in Columbus.
Katin Houser also gave Illinois a steadier passing game by spreading the ball around, which matters because it hints at a more functional offense than the one that stumbled a week earlier. The defense, meanwhile, flashed enough improvement against the run to suggest this is not a team the Buckeyes can afford to overlook, even if the bigger question still hangs over whether those adjustments travel against a much faster and more talented opponent. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Fans Got A Big Noon Reminder Nobody Wanted
A rout should have sounded like a showcase, but Ohio States 59-3 win over Kent State came with a broadcast that drew as much attention as the score. FOX Sports announcer Gus Johnson delivered the game in a flat, muted tone, and he also made a factual mistake while discussing a players touchdown history, a rough combination in a matchup that was already struggling to hold viewers attention.
The bigger issue is one college football keeps circling back to every fall: games like this are increasingly hard to sell, even for a blueblood with a massive fan base. Ohio State can only do so much when the opponent is overmatched, and the broadcast only amplified the sense that fans, and maybe networks, would rather see a more competitive nonconference slate than another predictable Saturday afternoon tune-up. [Read more 🡒]