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Urban Meyer, Kevin Wilson talk Ohio State’s red zone woes
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Ohio State’s red zone struggles have been a point of emphasis for Urban Meyer and the coaching staff this week. After failing to cross the goal line with any consistency against Purdue last weekend, the Buckeyes need to figure out how to finish of drives.
In the loss to the Boilermakers, Ohio State’s offense made five trips inside the red zone, coming away with just two field goals. The 40 percent scoring percentage was the lowest conversion rate of the season and it’s the second straight week that the Buckeyes didn’t score a touchdown when inside the 20-yard line.
Meyer said it’s something his staff has worked on at length since Saturday.
“I can’t tell you the number of hours we’ve spent on that,” Meyer said during his weekly radio show. “When you get four red zone opportunities and get two field goals, that’s a whole different ball game if you get it in the end zone.”
The Buckeyes were averaging nearly 50 points per game heading into the matchup with Purdue. The 20 points was the lowest scoring total of the season for the team.
Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson said that most of Ohio State’s issues in the red zone come from the inability to run the football.
“You need to run the ball a little bit better,” Wilson said. “Running the ball is a mindset and an attitude.”
The Buckeyes rushed for just 76 yards on 25 carries against Purdue, their lowest total of the season. For the year, they’re averaging 171.8 yards per game on the ground, ranking eighth in the B1G.
Dwayne Haskins has been stellar under center for the Buckeyes this season but Meyer and Wilson have been too reliant on his arm to move the football. It was never more evident than Saturday night.
A bye week comes at a great time for Ohio State, providing it time to get healthy and correct some of the offensive issues.
The Buckeyes are back in action on Nov. 3 against Nebraska.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB