COLUMBUS, Ohio — Will Howard came to Ohio Stadium ready to put on a show in Ohio State’s third top-five matchup of the year against Indiana. He just needs the rest of the offense to help him.
Howard has graduated from the quarterback who just needed to do the simple things and to be Superman, to one capable of being just that if the Buckeyes need him to. That was on display thanks to the offense being caught in a third-and-35 situation thanks to a block in the back penalty by Carson Hiznman then Howard getting an unnecessary intentional grounding.
Then Howard connected with Carnell Tate on throws of 25 and 24 yards to get them back on track and ready to tie the game. But then they couldn’t convert a fourth-and-one attempt killing all that momentum. It was the first time Seth McLaughlin’s absence was truly noticeable. In other situations, they would’ve run a QB sneak, but without the veteran center, they had to go with a different option running Quinshon Judkins up the middle for nothing.
The good thing is Cody Simon is having the game of his life defensively so OSU would get more chances.
Simon got a strip sack later in the half giving the offense prime field position. That should’ve made it a 14-7 game. But the offensive line didn’t execute in the run game leading to a third-and-long. Then Jelani Thurman’s already questionable hands proved once again to be unreliable. The ball bounced off his hands and resulted in Howard’s sixth interception and first since a 20-13 win over Penn State.
Once again Ohio State asked Simon and the defense to give it one more chance in the first half and once again that unit responded. Simon ended the first half with 2.5 sacks and OSU took advantage of the Hoosiers’ first blunder with a botched snap on a punt.
This time the Buckeyes took advantage using Howard’s leg and arm to take that 14-7 lead.
OSU played far from a perfect first half. The defense let Indiana march 70 yards down the field on its first drive and score before making adjustments. The drives that followed went for eight, -7, and -4 yards.
The offense was ugly and at times failed to execute. But Howard was exactly what the Buckeyes needed him to be. Now it’s time this team makes sure everybody sees the conversation he belongs in.