COLUMBUS – The Buckeye offense was a little slow to start out of the gate against Tulsa in its second game of the season, not scoring a touchdown until the third quarter, but then running off 28 unanswered points.
Head coach Urban Meyer credits some halftime adjustments and improved play by the offensive line and quarterback J.T. Barrett with the turnaround. But the third-ranked Buckeyes (2-0) cannot afford to wait until the clubhouse turn to hit their stride against Oklahoma’s stouter defense.
“I’m glad it happened now, you know, because we were exposed a little bit,” Meyer said.
(3/4) Ohio State (2-0) at (14) Oklahoma (1-1, Sat. Sept. 17, Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET/FOX)
A wrinkle fans may have noticed in the first two games is H-backs Curtis Samuel and Dontre Wilson lining up in the wildcat formation, with or without Barrett, and taking direct snaps. Meyer promises they will see it again.
“There’s going to be something, because you have two really dynamic guys in Curtis and Dontre, so that’s something that’s — those are those checker pieces you enjoy moving around,” he said.
Samuel was the team’s leading returning receiver, with only 289 yards and two touchdowns in 2015, but has been a breakout player so far, with 401 total yards and three touchdowns
Wilson was fourth on the team in all-purpose yards his freshman season with 983 yards and was off to a good start his sophomore year until breaking his foot in the victory over Michigan State. He’s been held back by injury problems ever since but has gained 239 all-purpose yards and scored three touchdowns in 2016.
Fans expected to see the wildcat in 2015, when Braxton Miller was still a threat, but it didn’t pan out because Miller never regained his passing form after shoulder surgery.
Meyer tried it early in the year ”because there was still a threat of throw until we found out he couldn’t throw, and you can start loading the box up there pretty good” and stop the run.