Photo by Joe Lovell Ohio State recipient Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) makes a catch at the goal line for Cam Hart of Notre Dame (5).
COLUMBUS — It’s certainly hard to please everyone when you’re a coach or player at Ohio State University or, really, any sports team at any level.
For many, the Buckeyes opening the 2022 season with a hard-earned 21-10 victory over Notre Dame’s No. 5 on Saturday night at an Ohio electric stadium was a perfect start.
For many, the defense’s work was the most important measure and the response was impressive.
After most of the 2021 season was called soft and their ability to play at the highest level of college football came into question, the defense shutout in the second half, limiting the Fighting Irish to just 253 yards of total offense. .
Many, however, spent the wee hours of Sunday morning — and beyond — lamenting the Buckeyes’ attack, which failed to deliver the video game-esque numbers most were used to in 2021 and expected again this season.
“We just beat the nation’s No. 5 team by 11 points,” said OSU head coach Ryan Day. “That’s not easy to do. It is difficult. I couldn’t be more proud of our team and how our team played, especially in the fourth quarter.”
Precisely!
Getting the win was by far the most important thing and that should be enjoyed. After all, it came up against a real team that is full of future NFL players and dudes in multiple positions. The defense deserves credit for having earned it and the attack will come. The thing about college football—unlike high school or NFL—is that these teams don’t get scrimmages against anyone but themselves. There will be kinks.
What Day was most happy about, besides getting the win, was how they did it. Ohio State had to earn it. The Buckeyes played with toughness and determination for 60 minutes, but it was fully on display in the final 15 minutes.
When the Buckeyes needed to run the ball, they were able to do so with Miyan Williams and Treveyon Henderson doing Yeoman’s job behind an offensive line working under a new coach in Justin Frye.
“A lot of people questioned our off-season toughness,” Day said. “You can watch the movie and then decide whether or not that team was hard (Saturday).”
While not expected to be serious or take much action, the Buckeye played most of the game and the entire second half without striking wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He left in the first quarter with a leg injury.
“We missed a few things early (offensively) and got off schedule, but getting the run game going in that (fourth) quarter says a lot about our team,” Day said. “Opening games is often a bit awkward and losing Jaxon didn’t help. We had to respond.”
There was also a group of people who were concerned about the way CJ Stroud, sophomore quarterback in the red shirt, played. Unfortunately, it’s gotten to the point where Stroud has to throw five or six touchdowns or else he’s considered mediocre.
Admittedly, his ability has helped earn that for him and he holds himself at a distinctly high level, but against the Irish he was 24 of 34 for 223 yards and threw two touchdowns including a 31-yard game winner for Xavier Johnson.
“You can see who CJ wants to be,” Day said. “Going out and setting up all those yards and things like that aren’t important to him. What matters to him is winning. He’s a winner and to see him play like he did was special.”
Don’t take me out of context. There is room for improvement with the Buckeyes’ offense and something tells me things will look significantly different this week against Arkansas State, which will come to the Shoe with an underdog of over 45 points.
However, expecting this kind of video game-esque stats every week discredits the opposition and it’s just not fair or how sports work, especially when talent is equated or close.
“If you can win games in different ways, I think it says a lot about your team,” Day said. “This match (against Notre Dame) will pay off for us in the long run.”
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