PLAYERS TO WATCH
–QB Dwayne Haskins faced his first big challenge as a starting quarterback against TCU and handled it without any problems. The sophomore completed 24-of-38 passes for 344 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He also scored on a 5-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to give Ohio State some breathing room. Haskins leads the Big Ten in passing yards, passing TDs and completion percentage after three games. “This was a test to see where he was at,” Ohio State acting coach Ryan Day said. “I thought he passed. There were a couple times he scrambled, took a shot. He scored on the pulldown in the red zone, took a couple hits on a couple sacks early in the game, hung in there, made some big throws, and, again, worked through some adversity along the way.”
–WR K.J. Hill was one of five Ohio State wide receivers who caught two or more passes against TCU. Hill led the Buckeyes with six receptions for 95 yards. One of those catches was a 24-yard touchdown with 2:57 left in the third quarter that extended the Buckeyes’ lead to 12 points. Hill leads the team after three games in catches with 17 for 202 yards. “Reliability,” acting head coach Ryan Day said when asked to describe Hill’s contribution. “A guy who is going to be where you expect him to be. He catches the ball. Runs really good routes. You know, he’s a clutch player, too. When you need him, he’s there. Hard worker and very talented.”
–RB J.K Dobbins returned to his home state of Texas and led Ohio State in rushing against TCU with 121 yards on 18 carries, a 6.7-yard average. Dobbins and RB Mike Weber had the same number of carries against the Horned Frogs, and the Buckeyes finished with 182 yards on the ground. Dobbins added one reception in the game. He and Weber complement each other in the backfield, with Dobbins being more elusive and Weber more powerful. Ohio State’s offensive coaches no doubt like the balance between the two runners and it helps to keep their legs fresh, particularly at the end of games.
–DT Dre’Mont Jones stepped up his game and made big plays for Ohio State in the win over TCU. Jones gave the Buckeyes the lead for good in the third quarter with a 20-yard interception return on a shovel pass for a touchdown. “We get defensive scores like that, it’s huge,” acting head coach Ryan Day said after the 40-28 victory over TCU. He added six tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and a pass breakup. His play was especially important after standout DE Nick Bosa left the game in the first half with an injury. On Monday, Jones was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week.
SERIES HISTORY: First meeting between Ohio State and Tulane.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “It’s tough to take. I’ve spent 30-plus years in coaching. Never been perfect. Tried extremely hard.” — Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said of the potential damage the scandal has done to his credibility
