NOTEBOOK: Ohio State Buckeyes Have Serious Offensive Issues to Address in Offseason
The No. 7 Ohio State Buckeyes were stunned by the No. 9 Missouri Tigers in the 2023 Goodyear Cotton Bowl on Friday, 14-3.
Nothing was working for the Buckeyes against the Tigers, whether they tried rushing or passing the football.
Ohio State will now begin preparations for next season with the poor taste of a loss still fresh in their mouths. Here are some of the biggest takeaways from the Buckeyes' second defeat of the season.
1. The Offensive Line Needs Some Major Work
One of the most glaring issues with Ohio State's performance in the Cotton Bowl was the offensive line. A plethora of Tigers defenders made sure neither of the Buckeyes quarterbacks felt comfortable behind center.
The offensive line allowed four sacks, eight quarterback hurries, and ten tackles for a loss over the course of the game. If the Buckeyes are to make a run for it all in 2024, improvements must be made upfront.
2. The Starting Quarterback Position is Very Much Open
Two Ohio State quarterbacks saw the field on Friday against the Tigers: sophomore Devin Brown and freshman Lincoln Kienholz. Unfortunately for the Buckeyes, neither signal-caller showed control enough to be considered a shoo-in for the job next year.
Adding incoming freshman Air Noland into the mix will only serve to make the race for the position more competitive between the three quarterbacks. There is sure to be plenty of evaluating in the future for Ohio State coaches Ryan Day and Corey Dennis over the offseason as they look for a new starter.
3. Making Excuses Will Not Help Anyone
Plenty went wrong for the Scarlet and Gray against the Tigers, but there were a few bad elements that Ohio State could not control. To name a couple, the Buckeyes were without Marvin Harrison Jr. (their Heisman-finalist receiver) and got called for a few questionable penalties (such as the "late hit out of bounds" levied against safety Josh Proctor).
However, Ohio State still did more to lose the game than any penalty or player holdout ever could. If the Buckeyes and their fans truly wish to turn things around after two straight losses to end the 2023 campaign, they will focus on addressing the issues they need in order to never lose again, rather than blame things they could not (entirely) control.
