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Lack of offensive balance a problem for Ohio State, Kirk Herbstreit says
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College football analyst Kirk Herbstreit think he’s identified a major problem with Ohio State.
Herbstreit thinks the Buckeyes are missing the running game they had last season, specifically with J.K. Dobbins who is now in the NFL.
“I don’t know if you watched the Ravens-Titans game, but it was another reminder of what J.K. Dobbins is and what he was to the Ohio State offense,” Herbstreit said on this week on the CFB Podcast with Herbie, Pollack & Negandhi. “I mean, you put a guy in the backfield that, every time his hands touched the ball, it’s, ‘Hold your breath. Hold your breath.’ because he’s going to go 20. If you’re lucky, he’s only going to go 20. And if you’re not lucky, he’s going to go 50 or 80.'”
Dobbins was impressive on Sunday, rushing for 70 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.
Ohio State has had success on the ground this season with Master Teague and Oklahoma grad transfer Trey Sermon. But Herbstreit thinks those players bring a different style, calling Teague a “thumper.”
“It’s a different kind of offense,” Herbstreit said. “He’s going to wear on you, at least that’s the goal for Ohio State. It’s more like a body blow instead of a Mike Tyson uppercut. That’s what Ohio State now has with Teague and, to a certain extent, Sermon.”
Despite the stylistic differences, Ohio State is No. 1 in the Big Ten in rushing yards per game this season at 233.25 per game.
The Buckeyes are on the road at Illinois this week.
Spenser is the news manager at Saturday Road and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.