Ohio State redshirt senior quarterback J.T. Barrett (16) throws a pass under pressure in the second quarter against Rutgers on Sep. 30. Ohio State won 56-0. Credit: Jack Westerheide | Photo Editor
With a little more than four minutes to go in the second quarter of Ohio State’s 56-0 romping of Rutgers, quarterback J.T. Barrett dropped back and hit wideout Johnnie Dixon for 10 yards as he stood open in the middle of the field after crossing from the right slot. The receiver, with the help of a key block from tight end Marcus Baugh, did the rest of the work as he raced to the end zone for a 39-yard touchdown.
That play was just the latest in a series of crossing routes Ohio State has integrated to boost an offense, which struggled mightily late last season and for much of the team’s lone loss to Oklahoma in Week 2.
The speed of redshirt junior H-back Parris Campbell and Dixon fits the scheme well, but Ohio State believes easy wins against UNLV, Army and Rutgers don’t replicate a fix in the offense.
“The good thing about this team and coaching staff, you’re not walking around with blinders on,” head coach Urban Meyer said at a press conference Monday. “We’re optimistic and we’re pleased with the progress, but we’re also realistic.”
Co- offensive coordinator Ryan Day prior to the OSU- Oklahoma game on Sep. 9. Credit: Jack Westerheide | Photo Editor
The Buckeyes showed their first glimpse of the play design in the second half of the game against Indiana. Crossing routes sprang Dixon for a 39-yard score and Campbell snagged a pass and raced for a 74-yard touchdown.
“[Co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach] Ryan Day brought us that whole package to us. It’s been dynamic,” Meyer said. “The big hits we had against Indiana were the same package. So now about seven, eight different concepts off of that.”
The realistic approach with guarded optimism has allowed Ohio State to expand beyond simple, short crossing concepts as the Buckeyes have once again begun to focus on nailing deep balls, a part of the offense that has seemingly been absent since wide receiver Devin Smith left Ohio State for the NFL after the 2014 season.
Barrett found sophomore 6-foot-4, 195-pound wideout Binjimen Victor in the corner of the end zone for a 22-yard touchdown in the third quarter. He also connected with Dixon, who beat man-to-man coverage down the field for a long touchdown that was called back due to offensive pass interference.
But, what was important to Dixon is that he came down with the reception the reception, something Barrett and his receivers have failed to do often. After Saturday’s game, Meyer said he was disappointed in the lack of success hitting the deep ball early in the game. However, just connecting once, even though it was called back, might give Barrett the confidence in his wideouts to throw more deep balls he was missing.
In January, Kevin Wilson and Day were hired as co-offensive coordinator to replace Tim Beck and Ed Warinner to reinvigorate a once-dynamic, now-predictable and lethargic offense. The changes have been less radical and obvious than expected. Many people anticipated Wilson to enter Columbus and make radical changes to speed up the offense.
That has not happened.
In fact, given the concepts Day has brought to the offense, Wilson might not be the most impactful hire at offensive coordinator.
“A lot of times they get questioned about when you hire a coach, do you let them enhance your offense?” Meyer said. “Ryan Day enhanced our offense. It’s been very successful.”
