Football
By the Numbers - Non-Conference Recap
By Jeff Amey
Just when you start to get used to the football season starting, you look up and see that a quarter of it is already over. That means it's time for the first installment of the cumulative totals for the Ohio State offense so far this season.
RUN/PASS BREAKDOWN
210 Total Plays--1,019 yards--4.9 ypp70.0 plays for 339.7 yards per game
91 pass (43%)--59/91 for 564 yards 3 TD 2 INT
30.3 passes for 188.0 yards per game
119 runs (57%) for 455 yards 4 TD--3.8 ypc
39.7 runs for 151.7 yards per game
37 Total Drives--12.3 per game
ave. of 5.7 plays--27.5 yards
ave. start--OSU 40
1st Down--92 (44%) plays for 387 yards30.7 plays for 129 yards per game
30 pass (33%)--21/30 for 194 yards 1 TD 1 INT
10 passes for 64.7 yards per game
62 runs (67%) for 193 yards 2 TD--3.1 ypc
20.7 runs for 64.3 yards per game
ave. gain of 4.2 yards
2nd Down--73 (35%) plays for 404 yards24.3 plays for 134.7 yards per game
32 pass (44%)--19/32 for 211 yards 1 TD 1 INT
10.7 passes for 70.3 yards per game
41 runs (56%) for 193 yards 1 TD--4.7 ypc
13.7 runs for 64.3 yards per game
ave. of 7.6 yards to go
ave. gain of 5.5 yards
3rd Down--44 (21%) plays for 222 yards14.7 plays for 74.0 yards per game
28 pass (64%)--18/28 for 153 yards 1 TD
9.3 passes for 51.0 yards per game
16 runs (36%) for 69 yards 1 TD--4.3 ypc
ave. of 6.5 yards to go
ave. gain of 5.1 yards
conversions--20/44 (45%)
4th Down--1 (0.4%) play for 6 yards1 pass (100%)--1/1 for 6 yards
ave. of 1.0 yards to go
ave. gain of 6.0 yards
conversions--1/1 (100%)
Playaction Passing4/10 for 78 yards 1 TD 1 INT
First Downs--55--18.3 per game28 by pass
24 by run
3 by penalty
FORMATION BREAKDOWN
2 back formations--23 plays (11%)--7.7 per game
4 pass (17%)--1/4 for 42 yards 1 TD
1.3 passes for 14.0 yards per game
19 runs (83%) for 14 yards 3 TD--0.7 ypc
6.3 runs for 4.7 yards per game
Shotgun formations--150 plays (71%)--50.0 per game82 pass (55%)--54/82 for 461 yards 2 TD 2 INT
27.3 passes for 153.7 yards per game
68 runs (45%) for 317 yards 1 TD--4.7 ypc
22.7 runs for 105.7 yards per game
1 back/empty formations--37 plays (18%)--12.3 per game5 pass (14%)--4/5 for 61 yards
1.7 passes for 20.3 yards per game
32 runs (86%) for 124 yards--3.9 ypc
10.7 runs for 41.3 yards per game
RUN TYPE BREAKDOWN--119 attempts
counter/trap--11 (9%) for 63 yards--5.7 ypc
draw--25 (21%) for 112 yards--4.5 ypc
sweep--1 (1%) for 1 yard--1.0 ypc
base/iso--21 (18%) for 71 yards 2 TD--3.4 ypc
end around--5 (4%) for 2 yards--0.4 ypc
power--1 (1%) for 0 yards--0.0 ypc
QB run/scramble--26 (22%) for 75 yards 1 TD--2.9 ypc
option--16 (13%) for 99 yards 1 TD--6.2 ypc
stretch--11 (9%) for 26 yards--2.4 ypc
pass lateral--1 (1%) for 7 yards--7.0 ypc
BONUS--QB Offensive Breakdown
Zwick--93 plays (44%) for 452 yards48 pass (52%)--35/48 for 270 yards 1 TD 1 INT
45 runs (48%) for 182 yards 1 TD--4.1 ypc
ave. gain of 4.9 yards per play
Smith--103 plays (49%) for 457 yards36 pass (35%)--19/36 for 192 yards 1 TD 1 INT
67 runs (65%) for 265 yards 3 TD--4.0 ypc
ave. gain of 4.4 yards per play
Boeckman--14 plays (7%) for 73 yards7 pass (50%)--5/7 for 67 yards 1 TD
7 runs for 6 yards--0.9 ypc
ave. gain of 5.2 yards per play
Other Stats of Note*6 offensive penalties
* 11 of 14 in Red Zone scoring (79%)--5 TD 6 FG
*5 sacks and 4 turnovers (2 INT, 2 Fumble)
*64 of 210 plays went for no gain or loss (30%)
*126 of 210 plays were on opponent's side of the 50 (60%)
*162 of 210 plays had 3 or more WR's lined up (77%)
*43 of those 162 plays ended with ball in WR's hands (27%)
*28 of those 43 came with Justin Zwick in the game (66%)
*11 of those 43 came with Troy Smith in the game (26%)
*3 of those 43 came with Todd Boeckman in the game (7%)
So what can be gleaned from all of this? Not a whole lot that we don't already know.
The offense can be described so far this season as adaquate at best. It hasn't been completely stagnant, but it hasn't been overly effective either. It should be pointed out that the offense is averaging nearly 340 yards of offense per game, which is about 40 yards per game more than they finished last season with.
A statistic we found interesting, but a little disturbing as well was the fact that the Buckeyes average starting position is their own 40 yard line for the season, and they average moving the ball nearly 28 yards on every possession. Doing the math, it means that the Buckeyes average moving the ball to the opponent's 32 yard line every time they touch the ball on offense. With that kind of field position and ball movement, it's hard to grasp how the Buckeyes have only managed to put 83 points on the board so far in 3 games.
Clearly there are some things that could use some improvement. Improving efficiency in the red zone immediately comes to mind. 5 touchdowns in 14 trips to the opponent's red zone will not get the job done over an entire season. It also seems like the Buckeyes really need to work on getting the ball to the wide receivers, especially with Troy Smith in the game. For whatever reason, be it playcalling or missing receivers, the balls just aren't getting to the wide receivers enough in these 3 and 4 receiver sets the Buckeyes are using.
We also found it a little disturbing that quarterback runs (that stat includes draws, sacks, scrambles, and sneaks) were the most abundant of the 119 carries for the Buckeyes this season. Add the option runs into that, and the quarterback position accounts for nearly one third of the carries this season. It's hard to imagine an offense staying consistantly successful with the quarterback taking on that much of the rushing load.
There were some statistics to look at up there to feel good about. The Buckeyes are averaging just over 18 first downs per game so far this season, which is about 5 per game better than last season. They are rushing for about 25 yards per game better than last season, and they are gaining more yards per play than last season as well.
The Buckeye quarterbacks are completing passes at a 65% completion rate and have taken pretty good care of the ball overall (despite what was possibly the worst-timed turnover in recent memory) with only 4 turnovers in 3 games. The defense and special teams have given the offense many opportunities and 60% of all snaps for the Buckeye offense have taken place on the opponent's side of the 50 yard line this season.
For all of the doom and gloom surrounding the Ohio State offense this past week, there is still reason to be cautiously optimistic about this offense. A little improvement in several different areas could help this group out immensely. Ohio State is ranked in the lower half of offensive statistics for the entire country, but it must be remembered that while most of the rest of the country was beating up on patsies the first 3 weeks of the season, the Buckeyes were taking on a very tough Texas defense. Another three weeks and we should have a good idea which direction this offense is going to go.
