Ohio State remains on top

Buckeyes struggling to find answers

By Ryan Lewis

Akron Beacon Journal

COLUMBUS

Ohio State is ranked No. 1 in the country, but the Buckeyes haven’t figured things out yet.

The Buckeyes’ 2015 schedule has afforded them a cat-like nine lives before the gantlet portion of their season begins in Columbus in late November. That’s when a possible No. 1-vs.-No. 2 matchup against Michigan State at home is followed by “The Game” at Michigan, a team that looks like it’s figured things out under Jim Harbaugh after a season-opening loss at No. 5 Utah.

It’s a good thing, too. Six weeks in, the Buckeyes are still perfect (6-0, 2-0 Big Ten). But after each of those six wins, concerns have lingered.

On Saturday, the Buckeyes were tied with Maryland — a team that ranks outside the top 100 in the country in total offense and total defense — in the third quarter before pulling away for a 49-28 win.

It comes after a seven-point victory at Indiana that was in doubt until the final seconds and a seven-point win against Mid-American Conference foe Northern Illinois. The Buckeyes certainly haven’t looked like the No. 1 team in the country offensively or defensively.

In the midst of it all, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer brought a little Florida to Columbus on Saturday.

In the win over the Terrapins, Meyer unveiled what could be the Buckeyes’ solution to their quarterback situation, and it included a nod to 2006.

That year, Meyer, then the coach of Florida, at times substituted for starting quarterback Chris Leak in favor of some guy named Tim Tebow in the red zone because of Tebow’s ability to run and pass. All that happened that year was a national championship and a shellacking of Jim Tressel’s Ohio State team in the title game.

Well, it’s back. Perhaps Meyer can make history repeat itself, albeit in a roundabout way.

In Saturday’s win, Cardale Jones was the starting quarterback until the team reached the red zone, where J.T. Barrett — a better, more agile runner — was put in charge of the offense.

The thought is that with less space in which to operate, the added versatility helps. The stat sheet looks fine, but it likely left many Buckeye fans uneasy.

Jones threw for 291 yards and two touchdowns on 21-of-28 passing and no interceptions. Barrett, meanwhile, ran for three touchdowns in the red zone. The team also went 6-for-6 converting touchdowns in the red zone, which had been a problem (6-for-16) before Saturday.

But it was against Maryland, a team that ranks at or near the bottom in nearly every offensive and defensive category in the Big Ten and the country. And yet, there was Maryland, still trading punches with the top-ranked Buckeyes in the third quarter.

Two-quarterback systems are often tough situations to balance. Rhythm and timing are lost and found. Changing quarterbacks mid-drive, and actually because the starter played well enough to put together a quality drive no less, is even more rare.

If there’s one coach in the country with the pedigree to pull off a bullpen-like quarterback system with Barrett as the closer, it’s Meyer. But it does show the team is still searching for its answer, and OSU is running out of time to sort things out.