Ohio State’s Red Zone Dilemma: Why the Buckeyes Must Lean on Their Best Weapons When It Matters Most
With a three-and-a-half week layoff between the Big Ten Championship and their College Football Playoff quarterfinal, Ohio State has time-time to reset, time to reflect, and most importantly, time to fine-tune the decisions that could make or break their national title hopes. And one of the biggest questions surrounding the Buckeyes as they prep for the postseason: Why are two of their most dangerous offensive weapons-Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate-spending key red zone snaps on the sideline?
It’s a fair question. When you’ve got two elite receivers-arguably among the best in the country-it’s hard to justify pulling them off the field, especially in high-leverage situations. Yet, that’s exactly what happened in the Big Ten title game against Indiana, a 13-10 loss that left fans scratching their heads and the coaching staff reevaluating its approach.
Let’s rewind for a moment. In the Buckeyes’ final home game of the season, they were without both Smith and Tate, and still managed to cruise past Rutgers 42-9.
Julian Sayin threw two touchdowns, tight end Max Klare stepped up with seven catches for 100 yards and a score, and running back Bo Jackson added 110 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. That game was a showcase of Ohio State’s depth-proof that even without their stars, they can dominate inferior opponents.
But depth alone doesn’t win championships. Talent has to be maximized, not just managed. And against Indiana, the Buckeyes didn’t do enough to put their best playmakers in position to make plays when it mattered most.
Smith played 53 of 57 offensive snaps and delivered a monster performance-eight catches for 144 yards. Tate was on the field for 41 snaps.
But the problem wasn’t how much they played overall-it was when they were on the field. Too often in the red zone, Ohio State opted for heavier personnel packages, subbing out Tate in favor of a third or even fourth tight end.
That included using freshman Nate Roberts at fullback and third-string tight end Bennett Christian in key moments.
The logic? Bigger bodies up front would create more push in the run game. Head coach Ryan Day explained it this way: “Certainly the game plan going in was that you saw us in some two- and three-tight end sets that we felt like we could get some movement down there and get the ball vertical into the end zone.”
It’s a strategy that had worked earlier in the season-against less talented defenses. But against Indiana, it backfired.
The Buckeyes ran six times in the red zone for just 20 yards and zero touchdowns. Sayin went 2-for-5 passing in the red zone for 16 yards and one touchdown-caught by Tate, on his only red zone target-while also taking two sacks.
That touchdown? It came when Tate was actually on the field.
Too often, he wasn’t. Instead, Roberts-graded as the 13th-best run blocker on the team by Pro Football Focus-was lining up in the backfield, or Christian was one of just two receiving options on a crucial third-and-one late in the game.
The result: stagnation, missed opportunities, and ultimately, a loss.
Day acknowledged the misfire: “A couple of things we rolled out, tried to get a couple of play actions. Those weren’t successful. So it was a combination of not getting enough movement in the run game and not executing and game planning well enough, I guess, and scheming it up well enough in the pass game.”
The frustrating part? Ohio State has already shown what their most effective personnel group looks like: Smith, Tate, Klare, and Will Kacmarek.
That quartet gives the Buckeyes balance-tight ends who can block and catch, plus receivers who force defenses to spread out and respect the pass. When Smith and Tate are both on the field, defenses can’t afford to stack the box or play one-on-one coverage without risking disaster.
That opens up the run game and creates mismatches across the board.
But against Indiana, Ohio State leaned too heavily into the "bigger is better" philosophy. It worked against Michigan’s less athletic front, but Indiana’s defense wasn’t fooled. The Hoosiers keyed in on the run and made life difficult for Sayin and the offense.
The takeaway? It’s not that Ohio State should abandon multi-tight end sets.
Klare and Kacmarek have earned their reps, and there’s a time and place for using Roberts or Christian in specialized roles. Even Jelani Thurman has flashed at times.
But the Buckeyes can’t afford to telegraph their intentions or sideline their best playmakers in the name of size.
Smith and Tate are game-changers. They tilt the field.
And when the Buckeyes face elite defenses in the College Football Playoff, they’ll need every inch of advantage they can get. That starts with keeping their most dynamic weapons on the field-not just between the 20s, but when it’s first-and-goal and the game is on the line.
The good news? There’s a sense inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center that adjustments are coming.
Expect to see more of Smith and Tate in the red zone when Ohio State takes the field on December 31. Because if the Buckeyes are going to make a serious run at the national title, they’ll need to ride with their stars-not rotate them out.