Clemson vs Ohio State: Early Look at Buckeyes Offense
For the second consecutive season, Clemson and Ohio State will face off in the semifinal round of the College Football Playoff.
The Tigers knocked off the Buckeyes 29-23 in last season's Fiesta Bowl, overcoming an early 16-0 deficit, in what was one of the most thrilling games of the season. The way the game played out, with what some considered some questionable calls by the officials, it's only fitting that these two teams are paired up once again with a spot in the national title game on the line.
Head Coach: After serving as Urban Meyer's co-offensive coordinator for two seasons, Ryan Day took over as head coach prior to the 2019 season. In that time the Buckeyes are 19-1, with their only loss coming to Clemson in last season's Fiesta Bowl. He also served as acting head coach for three games to start the 2018 season while Meyer was out on administrative leave, and went 3-0 in those games, making him 22-1 overall as a head coach.
Offensive Coordinator: Kevin Wilson is now in his second season as the team's lone offensive coordinator, after having served the previous two seasons as co-coordinator with Day. He also coaches the tight ends.
Offense National Rank:
- Total Offense: 6th
- Passing Offense: 42nd
- Rushing Offense: 5th
- Sacks Allowed: 104th
Quarterback: Justin Fields leads the way for the Buckeyes. In his second season as the starting quarterback, Fields has thrown for 1,521 yards, with 15 touchdowns, while completing 73% of his throws. Last season, Fields only threw 3 picks all season, with two of those coming in the final game of the season. In just six games this season, he has thrown five. Against the two best defenses he faced all season, Indiana and Northwestern, Fields did not play well. All five of his interceptions came in those two games. However, he still ranks fourth in the FBS in completion percentage and led the Big-10 in quarterback rating. He is also averaging 45.7 rushing yards per game.
Running Back: The Buckeyes come in with one of the best rushing attacks in the country, averaging 276 yards per game. Trey Sermon leads the team with 675 yards and averages 8.0 YPC. Master Teague III is second on the team with 469 yards and averages 5.0 YPC.
Receiver: Only two Buckeyes reached the double-digit mark in receptions this season. While Chris Olave gets most of the attention, it is actually Garrett Wilson that leads the team in receptions. Wilson has caught 38 passes for 621 yards and 5 touchdowns. Olave is right behind him though, with 36 catches for 528 yards and 5 touchdowns. However, Olave did miss the Big-10 Championship Game due to safety protocols.
Tight End: The Buckeyes frequently will be seen lining up in three and four-receiver sets with tight end Luke Farrell flexed out wide. However, he just isn't targeted much at all, as evidenced by him having just 3 catches in the Buckeyes six games. They will use him as a blocker in the running game though, a role he has proven to be quite effective in this season.
Offensive Line: The Buckeyes offensive line consists of five guys that all weigh over 310 pounds. While this group has excelled in run blocking this season, they have had issues protecting the quarterback. In six games the Buckeyes have given up 18 sacks and will be matched up against an aggressive Clemson defense that has the second-most sacks in the country (44).
