Report Card: Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith shine against Ball State
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While some Big Ten teams struggled with the MAC school they played in Week 1, Ohio State did not.
The No. 1 Buckeyes opened the season on Saturday with a 56-3 win over the Ball State Cardinals.
Here is how they graded out…
A+: First game of the season
College Football is so back. That is all.
A+: 10 to 4
Is there something better than a deep ball from Julian Sayin to Jeremiah Smith? If there is, I would like to see it.
The connection between Sayin and Smith looks as good as ever after the first game, heading into the matchup in Austin. Sayin missed two throws on the first drive and was lights out from there, throwing for 320 yards and three touchdowns on 21-for-25 passing.
Smith recorded eight catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns — all in the first half.
Those two are special, and it is going to be a fun season for them.
A+: Jim Tressel’s Ring of Honor Induction
Jim Tressel is one of the most beloved figures in Ohio State Athletics history, and his induction into the Ring of Honor was incredible to see. Also, kudos to Ohio State for covering his plaque in the stadium with a sweater vest. Nice touch.
Tressel became only the third coach in Ohio State history to enter the Ring of Honor, joining Woody Hayes and Paul Brown. He is the first addition to the ring in over a decade.
Tressel finished 106-23 overall during his tenure and with a 9-1 record against Michigan. He won six Big Ten titles, the 2002 BCS National Championship, and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
A: Devin McCuin
One of the main things we kept hearing from camp was that Devin McCuin was a true WR2 and had all the signs of an elite playmaker. That was evident in game one, as he recorded six catches for 97 yards and a touchdown.
It was Ball State, of course, and next week is the big challenge, but all signs point to him being ready to be a huge part of this offense.
C: Offensive line
35 carries for 237 yards and three touchdowns is a final stat line that doesn’t tell the full story of the game. In the first half, the run game was bad, and the offense was pretty much the Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith show with Devin McCuin sprinkled in.
The line got better throughout the game, and next week is the game that matters, but they get a C until they play well next week. If they don’t, the Texas defensive line could have a field day.
C: Special teams
Ohio State hired Robby Discher from Illinois to take over the Special Teams Unit, and… the first game was not great.
Freshman Legend Bey took two balls out of the end zone he probably should not have (although he did make up for it later), the unit had two penalties, and they had three punts go an average of 40 yards.
“The goal is to always try to elevate any place you’re at, and that’s always a challenge,” Discher said to Eleven Warriors back in April. “And it’s a competitive business, and it’s a performance-based business. So, it’s like that with the players. It’s like that with the coaches. But, yeah, obviously, there’s a lot of things that Ohio State’s done extremely well, and no sense in changing some of the stuff. And some things you feel strongly about, maybe you can have your own fingerprint on.”
He is right, and the unit could get better throughout the season, but it was a problem all of last season.
We are monitoring this situation.
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