What concerns would I have after watching the Ohio State Buckeyes lose 14-3 to Missouri in one of the most inept offensive performances by a Buckeyes team in ages? Many. Here are five questions that need to be asked and answered moving forward.
1. Is this team physical enough?
Lou Holtz said Ohio State wasn’t physical enough and I thought the Buckeyes proved him wrong in a gritty, defensive win over Notre Dame. But once again Michigan pushed them around a bit, the offensive line let Kyle McCord down and the OL play in the game against Missouri was horrendous. This looks like a sleek, fast team that can’t handle getting punched in the mouth. This is a finesse football team it appears and that needs to change from the trenches out.
2. Does culture overcome player development?
It’s nice and all that many of the elite players decided to strap on the pads in the Cotton Bowl and Ryan Day did speak of the culture and brotherhood in the locker room. But is that enough? The young talent on the team that needed to step up with some key players out looked bad and QB development has regressed since CJ Stroud left. This is less about culture, despite the portal entries, and perhaps more about coaching kids up.
3. Does Ryan Day just beat up on weak programs?
Day is 56-7 overall as the Buckeyes coach, but 8-7 against top 10 teams now and 2-5 against top five teams. These kind of records have been used against Jim Harbaugh at Michigan and James Franklin at Penn State before but do we need to look at Day now? He is 17-8 against Top 25 teams so that’s good but Ohio State fans care about two things — beating Michigan and winning national titles. Urban Meyer did that and Day has not so the Top 25 record doesn’t matter. He needs to win the huge games.
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4. Is the program headed backward since Urban Meyer left?
Speaking of Meyer, he recruited top five classes and Day has done the same, but he was also developing elite talent and winning big games. Following a legend is never easy and many feel Day was born on third base and handed the keys to a Lamborghini. The only way to prove that wrong? Beat Michigan and win national titles, and he hasn’t. I’d say that recruiting is in the same shape as it was under Meyer but Day’s teams get pushed around more and player development has been iffy. A regression is evident.
5. What has to happen next?
Day, sadly, has to have an undefeated season next year with a win over Michigan and win the national title. At this stage, anything less won’t be acceptable. And that becomes even more of a must if Michigan wins it all which could very well happen. We’ve reached this point: Day has to be perfect now.
