Ryan Day needs to bench a multi-year starter for the Ohio State Buckeyes heading into the College Football Playoff
Ohio State has a clear change they need to make in the College Football Playoff to its offense.
The Ohio State Buckeyes scored a season-low 10 points against the Indiana Hoosiers in the Big Ten Championship. Ohio State’s offensive deficiencies were the biggest reason it was dropped by Indiana, 13-10, and it’s an issue that can’t happen again — or its season will be over.
Ohio State failed to run the ball consistently against the Hoosiers, and its red-zone play-calling was questionable at best. The Buckeyes went on two 70-yard drives to end the game with a chance to take the lead, yet came away with zero points both times. A failed fourth-down conversion and a missed 27-yard field goal were costly miscues, and Julian Sayin faced as much pressure as he has all season. It’s clear the Buckeyes need to make a change along the offensive line.
Ryan Day needs to make the tough decision on RG Tegra Tshabola
Ohio State’s starting right guard has played in 29 games over the last two seasons and has 43 career appearances over four years. His experience is valuable, but it’s time for a change. Tshabola struggled in the first half against Indiana, allowing three pressures on 18 pass-blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus.
Tshabola played the first 28 offensive snaps before being benched in favor of Gabe VanSickle, who earned a 62.6 PFF grade compared to Tshabola’s 55.8. Tshabola has had costly reps in run blocking and pass protection throughout the season, and the Buckeyes can’t afford for that to continue into the College Football Playoff. He is Ohio State’s lowest-graded offensive lineman this year, and the coaching staff has rotated him multiple times as a result.
Benching a starter heading into the CFP is never an easy decision, but it’s one the Buckeyes must make. A rotation of VanSickle and Josh Padilla on the right side, alongside RT Phillip Daniels, may be the best path forward. At this point, there’s a season-long sample size showing that Tshabola can’t be the answer at right guard in the postseason. Ohio State simply can’t have drives derailed by interior pressure when the lights are the brightest.
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