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Ohio State’s missed tackle rate is nearly double what it was in 2017
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Ohio State was smooth sailing through the 2018 season.
That was until last weekend. The Buckeyes traveled to play Purdue and the Boilermakers took it to the road team, 49-20. Ohio State hadn’t been playing perfect football up until that point, but its record wouldn’t have shown otherwise.
Now that the team has lost, there has to be blame put somewhere. Something has to be wrong with Ohio State.
Maybe it’s Urban Meyer? Maybe it’s the lack of rushing production, despite having two talented backs in J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber? Maybe it’s a number of things.
But, facts are facts. And the fact is that the team’s missed tackle rate this season is nearly double what it was a year ago:
Yes, Ohio State's tackling effort has been every bit as bad as you thought. pic.twitter.com/eght6Xdwbk
— CFB Film Room (@CFBFilmRoom) October 25, 2018
In 2016, Ohio State had a missed tackle rate of 10.2 percent. That number shrunk in 2016 and got even smaller in 2017 to 8.7 percent. This season? It’s at 16.6 percent.
That’s quite a jump. Again, Ohio State hasn’t been phenomenal across the board this season up until Purdue. The missed tackles were always an issue.
And against the Boilermakers, it finally proved to be too much to overcome — especially considering the Buckeyes gave up 49 points in the rout.
Kevin covers Big Ten football for Saturday Tradition.