Keys to Ohio State vs. Marshall include Quinshon Judkins, Donovan Jackson, and an emerging star defender

The Ohio State Buckeyes are expected to win by a huge margin again in Week 4. Although the Marshall Thundering Herd are 1-1, they want to give the Buckeyes their best shot. Each team is coming off a bye week. We have the keys to the game between Ohio State and Marshall. The box score […]

Ian Valentino — National College Football Writer
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The Ohio State Buckeyes are expected to win by a huge margin again in Week 4. Although the Marshall Thundering Herd are 1-1, they want to give the Buckeyes their best shot. Each team is coming off a bye week.

We have the keys to the game between Ohio State and Marshall. The box score will be in favor of the Buckeyes, of course, but there are specific contributors we're looking to see step up as the schedule gets tougher. From stars like Quinshon Judkins and Donovan Jackson all the way to a key defender, we're diving in.

Keys To Ohio State vs. Marshall in Week 4

Quinshon Judkins, RB

The Buckeyes offense is rolling, and it starts with the running game. Chip Kelly figured out how to best balance feeding his top playmakers in Week 2, so now it's time to build on it. The Buckeyes have two great backs, but Quinshon Judkins is particularly fun because he's the shiny new toy in the room.

Marshall allowed 120 rushing yards to Virginia Tech leading back Bhayshul Tuten but only 36 yards on 20 carries to quarterback Kyron Drones and rusher P.J. Prioleau. Ohio State should have two or more 100-yard backs if they go with a run-heavy approach, and Judkins might mirror his 100-plus total on fewer than a dozen carries performance against Western Michigan. 

Donovan Jackson, LG

Donovan Jackson is back for the Buckeyes, and both Judkins and quarterback Will Howard will benefit from the powerful left guard. In his place, Austin Siereveld has been fine but not good enough to feel confident when the competition ramps up. In fairness, the second-year freshman has been asked to play earlier than expected.

But Jackson is in a big season where he has to live up to his pedigree. An elite athlete who should be dominant in pass pro and run blocking, he had a mediocre 2023 campaign. We're hoping Jackson has a solid debut with a potential first-round bid on the line. 

Arvell Reese, LB

There's no question who the breakout star of the defense has been thus far for Ohio State. Arvell Reese has been so good that some fans have wanted to see him take on a bigger role. Of course, that's hard to do when Cody Simon is healthy, but Reese is clearly next up and earning his keep.

Ohio State doesn't specifically need Reese to dominate, but Marshall playmaker A.J. Turner is someone Reese can help with. The third-year back has a team-high 222 rushing yards on 14 carries, averaging an incredible 15.9 yards per carry. He needed only eight carries in Week 1 and six in Week 2 to break the 100-yard mark.

Reese's speed and athleticism are perfect to counter Turner. While Caleb Downs might get the assignment, Turner would challenge Reese in a way the coaching staff can use to learn more about the emerging star.

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