COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State football has two weeks to prepare for its next opponent, which could prove vital.
Washington is up next on OSU’s schedule after the Buckeyes get through their open date this week. The Huskies are led by an explosive offense attack, fueled by a talented quarterback: Demond Williams Jr.
First-year OSU defensive coordinator Matt Patricia is tasked with finding how to slow down the Huskies. A weapon at linebacker could be the answer.
With Ohio State off this week, Buckeye Talk Subtext subscribers submitted their most pressing questions about the team. Ohio State beat reporter Stefan Krajisnik provided answers.
Will Ohio State use Arvell Reese as spy vs. Washington?
The aforementioned weapon for Patricia is linebacker Arvell Reese. Oftentimes during last week’s game against Ohio, OSU used Reese as a spy on mobile quarterback Parker Navarro.
That’ll likely be the case again vs. Washington as Williams is effective when scrambling. Reese’s athleticism allows him to quickly react to a quarterback escaping the pocket.
That said, Ohio State needs to be selective with when it uses Reese as a spy. His ability to rush the passer is elite, meaning the Buckeyes also rely on him to get into the backfield.
As a result, linebacker Sonny Styles and safety Caleb Downs can also spy Williams.
What can we learn about Michigan this week?
Everything about Michigan revolves around the development of freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood. Saturday’s game at Nebraska will be an important next step.
The Wolverines were seemingly conservative in their usage of Underwood during a Week 2 loss at Oklahoma. He was often stationed in the pocket and registered only three carries. For a 228-pound quarterback with mobility, it was surprising.
Underwood ran for 114 yards against Central Michigan last week, suggesting the Wolverines are ready to let their freshman play freely. If they do and he looks good, it could be a scary sign for an Ohio State team looking to snap a four-game skid against Michigan.
What is your current CFP projection?
Here’s how I project the College Football Playoff field after three weeks.
- Ohio State (Big Ten champ)
- Miami (ACC champ)
- Georgia (SEC champ)
- LSU
- Oregon
- Texas A&M
- Penn State
- Tennessee
- Oklahoma
- Utah (Big 12 champ)
- Georgia Tech
- South Florida (Top-ranked G5 champion)
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