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As mentioned yesterday in the preview for the game, the Buckeyes were not only looking for revenge but looking for a big statement. They made that statement to the entire country – don’t underestimate Ohio State!
Ohio State needed to play a nearly perfect game and they did just that. They even did so without 16 players, including left guard Harry Miller, running back Master Teague and defensive end Zach Harrison.
Several things stood out last night and I will start with the offense…
Even without Harry Miller, the offensive line was dominant. Not only did Fields have time, Trey Sermon had lots of holes open up and gashed the Tigers defense. Every player on the line deserves credit but one person sticks out to me. Matthew Jones played well filling in at left guard but the standout was actually freshman tackle Paris Johnson Jr.
Johnson was the top tackle in the 2020 class coming out of high school. His high school tape will be remembered for not only dominating opposing defensive lineman but for celebrating after incredible blocks. The fire and passion never went unnoticed.
Johnson’s ability left him with an opportunity to start at right tackle this season, but to the credit of Nicholas Petit-Frere, Johnson was edged out for the job.
Matthew Jones went down and was out for a short while last night so Johnson filled in at left guard and was solid. Once Jones was back, Wyatt Davis went down which is a nightmare for any OSU fan. Johnson then played a large chunk of the latter part of the night at right guard and once again looked good. Having depth on the line and versatility like that is crucial.
Two players that usually don’t see as much recognition are tight ends Luke Farrell and Jeremy Ruckert. Both players have been utilized as blockers a bunch this season. Both players are still great pass catchers, especially Ruckert. It seemed like Clemson was so concerned early on about the star receivers that they forgot about both tight ends. Farrell and Ruckert combined for a big 3 TD receptions.
Last thing on offense is Sermon is a tough runner popping at the right time and Justin Fields is one tough dude. Sermon was not only finding holes but the yards after contact are what’s most impressive. He was delivering the hits to them and tossing Clemson defenders around. It’s great to have a running back with that ability to compliment a star QB.
Fields needed a bounce-back game and he was doing just that. On a third down in the second quarter while scrambling for the first, he took a shot to the right ribs from James Skalski. Skalski was ejected for targeting for using the crown of his helmet. Fields was clearly in pain the rest of the night but he toughed it out and looked great.
For the defense, the whole group deserves credit. They were flying to the person with the ball and especially in the second half controlled the line of scrimmage. As soon as the ball was in Trevor Lawrence’s hands, he had pressure in his face. The whole group did a great job forcing fumbles and even fighting for the ball in the air to come up with an interception on Lawrence’s last college throw.
