From C.J. Stroud to struggles at linebacker: A season of highlights and lowlights
It is a testament to Ohio State’s status in college football that a 10-2 record could be considered a disappointment.
The Buckeyes had the best offense in the country by several measures — points per game, yards per game, yards per play. C.J. Stroud went from never having thrown a collegiate pass to Heisman Trophy candidate. The receiving trio of Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson and Jaxon Smith-Njigba rivals any in history.
Yet Ohio State lost to the two best opponents it played. Losing to Oregon with a young quarterback and green defense was a surprise, but not a shock. Losing to archrival Michigan for the first time since 2011 with a Big Ten title and College Football Playoff berth on the line was a bitter ending. Worse, both Oregon and Michigan manhandled the Buckeyes physically.
Reporters roundtable: What happens next after Ohio State football's loss to Michigan?
Now the Buckeyes await their bowl fate, though wherever they go will not be where they wanted or expected.
Here’s a look at the highs and lows of the 2021 season:
Best team performance
The Michigan State game. Ohio State scored touchdowns on its first seven possessions and the Buckeyes’ defense stifled the No. 7 Spartans. It was 49-0 lead at halftime and backups played most of the second half in the 56-7 victory. A near-flawless performance against the only team that had defeated Michigan had the Buckeyes confident entering the season finale.
Worst team performance
The Michigan game. How could a team that looked so dominant one week be overpowered the next? Ohio State’s passing game kept the Buckeyes in it until near the end, but the Wolverines controlled the game. The Buckeyes’ run game sputtered. OSU’s run defense surrendered almost 300 yards and allowed Hassan Haskins to run for five touchdowns. The performance falls in the same category for Buckeye fans as 1969, 1993, 1995 and 1996, though this team wasn’t as dominating as those.
Best individual performance
C.J. Stroud vs Michigan State. It’s tempting to pick TreVeyon Henderson’s 277-yard game against Tulsa in which he broke Archie Griffin’s OSU freshman rushing record. But that came against an inferior opponent that dared OSU to run. So we’ll go with Stroud’s Michigan State game, even though the Spartans’ pass defense is leaky. Stroud completed 32 of 35 passes for 432 yards and six touchdowns in little more than one half of action. The performance made him the Heisman front-runner entering the Michigan game. Honorable mention: Smith-Njigba’s 15-catch, 240-yard game against Nebraska.
Biggest pleasant surprise
The rapid emergence of true freshman cornerback Denzel Burke. The Buckeyes expected veterans Sevyn Banks and Cam Brown to be the starting cornerbacks, but they were hampered by injuries all year. That made Burke crucial. He played primarily wide receiver in high school, but Burke arrived on campus with rare self-assuredness for a freshman cornerback. He didn’t back down from the challenge of covering OSU’s elite receivers in practice, and that carried over to games. Honorable mention: Bullet Ronnie Hickman, who led the team with 97 tackles.
Best position switch
Steele Chambers. While Burke went from offense in high school to defense at Ohio State, Chambers made the switch from running back to linebacker this year, and it paid off. Chambers recognized he’d be, at best, fourth-string at running back, so it was a pragmatic move. Yet Chambers proved to be a natural. With a full offseason to learn the details of the position, Chambers should be a bona fide star next season.
Biggest disappointment
The rest of the linebacking corps. Cody Simon was solid and Tommy Eichenberg improved, but this unit was a weak link. The Buckeyes knew the linebackers would have growing pains after losing four mainstays. They expected seniors Teradja Mitchell, Dallas Gant and K’Vaughan Pope to help fill that void. But Gant decided to transfer, Pope had the infamous in-game meltdown against Akron, and Mitchell’s playing time gradually diminished. USC transfer Palaie Gaoteote showed only flashes of the ability that made him a five-star prospect. By the Michigan game, attrition got so bad that tight end Cade Stover had to be pressed into service.
Most impactful injury
Josh Proctor. The senior was expected to be the Buckeyes’ most dynamic player in the secondary. But he got hurt in the Oregon game, and his loss was felt the rest of the year. Bryson Shaw replaced him, but he’s not the athlete Proctor is.
Boldest move
Switching defensive play-callers. Ryan Day made secondary coach Matt Barnes the defensive play-caller instead of coordinator Kerry Coombs after the Oregon game. Barnes tweaked the defense to make it less predictable, and the defense did improve, at least until the Michigan game.
Best press conference
Coombs. On Oct. 12, Coombs spoke to reporters for the first time since his demotion. It was vintage Coombs. He acknowledged the pain of what happened but resolved to be a team player and took accountability for the defense’s struggles.
Biggest upcoming decision
What will Ryan Day do to fix the defense? Urban Meyer hired Chris Ash to do that after the 2013 season. Meyer also hired Day and Kevin Wilson to revitalize the offense after the 31-0 loss to Clemson in the 2016 CFP. Does Day make staff changes now? If so, does he promote from within as he has done so far, perhaps by elevating defensive analyst and former Iowa State head coach Paul Rhoads?
Bill Rabinowitz covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Contact him at brabinowitz@dispatch.com or on Twitter @brdispatch.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football season bests, worsts: Stroud, Burke, linebackers
