Ohio State Cruises to Victory, But Special Teams Struggles Leave Ryan Day Seeking Perfection
Columbus, OH — The Ohio State Buckeyes secured another dominant victory with a 49-14 win over the Marshall Thundering Herd at Ohio Stadium on Saturday. However, beneath the scoreboard, head coach Ryan Day expressed concern over recurring issues, particularly with special teams and a defensive line that often found itself pushed around by Marshall’s offense.
While Ohio State’s rushing attack, led by Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson, sliced through the Marshall defense with ease, it was the Buckeyes’ special teams unit that left much to be desired.
Ohio State kicker Jayden Fielding endured a rough afternoon, as three of his kickoffs went awry, sailing out of bounds and allowing Marshall to start their drives at the 35-yard line instead of the 25. The miscues resulted in groans and boos from the Ohio Stadium crowd, prompting Day to bench Fielding at halftime and insert Austin Snyder for the remainder of the game.
The special teams struggles didn’t end with Fielding’s kicks. Wide receiver Brandon Inniss fumbled a punt, though the error was erased due to an illegal formation penalty on Marshall. Inniss also stumbled on a punt return that seemed poised for a big gain.
“We can’t afford to have breakdowns like that, especially in critical phases of the game,” Day commented post-game. “We’ll clean it up, but there’s definitely work to be done.”
The special teams issues come despite Day’s increased involvement following the departure of former special teams coordinator Parker Fleming last season. Now coached by committee, the unit had performed steadily until Saturday’s mishaps.
On the defensive side, Ohio State’s defensive line allowed Marshall to have more success than expected, raising questions about the unit’s ability to dominate consistently.
However, the Buckeyes’ offense looked sharp, particularly on the ground. Judkins and Henderson combined for over 250 yards rushing, cutting through the Marshall defense with relative ease. Quarterback Kyle McCord contributed with timely passing, keeping the Buckeyes’ offense balanced throughout the contest.
One more surprise came late in the game, as Day drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after calling a timeout to avoid a delay of game. The 15-yard penalty underscored the need for tighter discipline, even in comfortable wins.
Ohio State improves to 4-0 on the season, but Day’s pursuit of perfection will undoubtedly keep the coaching staff focused as the team heads into Big Ten play next week.
