Ohio State football

Ten players that must step up for Ohio State to beat Oregon St.

Game day is finally here and Ohio State football is back!

That also means the return of a weekly game day feature, "Players That Must Step Up", in which Bucknuts picks players that must elevate their game in order for Ohio State to get a win over their opponent that week. In the past, this has included five players, but in 2018, we will include 10 players, as oftentimes it's difficult for just a handful of the Bucks to be accountable for what is the ultimate team game.

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This year's team motto is "Win The Moment", and while all of the nine units on the team, as well as the coaching staff, will have to work in unison to get a victory each and every week, the focus of those units "winning the moment" could depend on certain individuals who need to "bring it" in the upcoming match-up.

Today, Bucknuts takes a look at the 10 players that need to step up for Ohio State to move to 1-0 on the season and being their journey towards what they hope is a national title in the 2018 college football season.

QB DWAYNE HASKINS

Dwayne Haskins will be making his first start this afternoon, and while he doesn't need to be anywhere close to perfect for Ohio State to down the 38-point underdog Beavers, it would sure help him to start fast.

An opening drive ending with a score would do wonders to boost the team out the gate, as well as Haskins' individual confidence. Look for Ryan Day and Kevin Wilson to have him throwing the ball around a little too, to get the initial nerves off and get him in a rhythm.

Of course there are many other elements that go into the offense moving, but Haskins doing what he's capable of will go a long way in leading this team to a 1-0 start on the year.

LT THAYER MUNFORD/JOSHUA ALABI

 

It's a little unsettling for most fans that Ohio State doesn't have their left tackle position solidified for the season opener. Thayer Munford was the front-runner for the job, but has been a bit banged up in camp, and was listed as an "OR" on the depth chart, along with Joshua Alabi.

Even if Munford was healthy, he'd be a first year starter in one of the most important positions on the field as a true sophomore. Alabi is just in his second year on the o-line in college, after switching over from defensive tackle before the 2017 campaign.

Ohio State needs one of these two guys to step up in a big way, not only this week, but for the duration of the season, if they want to win a national title.

OC MICHAEL JORDAN

 

Ohio State is losing the Rimington Trophy winner for the second year in a row, as Billy Price went to the NFL. The Buckeyes have been trying to find his replacement all off-season, and finally settled on moving Michael Jordan over from guard to center.

It will be interesting to see how Jordan performs at center, as he hasn't been exclusively playing there. It's an extremely difficult position to play, and it will be key to OSU's success in week one, and the entire year, for that spot to be productive at the very least.

Big test for Jordan in week one to see how he performs manning the middle.

DE CHASE YOUNG/JONATHON COOPER

 

Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa is going to get a ton of attention and double teams all year long, and certainly starting with the Beavers this afternoon. That means a ton of opportunity for Chase Young and Jonathon Cooper to do damage opposite him.

With the Buckeyes starting three new linebackers and a new safety, they'll want to protect the back seven as much as possible, by getting to the quarterback. That's where Young and Cooper come in, and it's important that the duo gets the job done and establishes themselves as dominant pass rushers in week one against an inferior opponent.

DT ROBERT LANDERS

 

Controlling the line of scrimmage up front on both sides of the ball will be key in this game and in every game Ohio State plays this season. And like Cooper and Young with Bosa, Robert Landersshould see plenty of opportunity this afternoon (and all season) to step up and make some big plays against both the run and the pass, with Dre'Mont Jones likely to see double teams on the interior.

Landers will rotate with a number of players throughout the game, as OSU likes to do, but he is the starter and will be relied on to set the tone and shut down the Beavers' offensive attack early in the contest.

LB BARON BROWNING

 

Ohio State had poor linebacker play for much of the 2017 season, and that cannot be the case one again in 2018, if this team wants to repeat as Big Ten champions and potentially compete for a national title.

With Tuf Borland suffering an injury in the spring, Baron Browning was moved over to middle linebacker and will make his first start today. It's critical that Browning steps up, as he is the captain of the defense and will be called on to stuff the run behind the stout d-line, and also make plays in space against the pass.

LB PETE WERNER

 

Very similar to Browning's situation, Pete Werner will make his first college start today at outside linebacker for the Buckeyes.

If Oregon State's staff watched any film of last year's defense, they'll try and use fullbacks and/or tight ends to pick up big chunks of yards in the passing game. Werner is going to have to play better than his 2017 teammates did against that strategy, and will also be tasked with running sideline to sideline to shut down the rushing attack.

It will be interesting to see how Werner holds up in start one. He and Browning are key to the OSU defensive success in 2018.

CB JEFFREY OKUDAH

 

We could have easily put Damon Arnette and Kendall Sheffield on the list here, but Jeffrey Okudahis the corner to make the cut, due to having the least game experience among the big three that will rotate in at corner for the Buckeyes.

The key to opposing teams moving the chains on OSU could be by attacking a secondary that lost two starters to the NFL/graduation. The Beavers likely know they won't have much running the football, so look for them to attack the Buckeyes' secondary early and often to try and put points on the board today.

S ISAIAH PRYOR/JAHSEN WINT

 

If you think corner could get picked on, you can bank on safety getting their fair share of targets as well. With Damon Webb moving on, the safety spot opposite Jordan Fuller has been open and the competition is still ongoing.

Isaiah Pryor is listed as the starter, but Greg Schiano says Jahsen Wint will rotate in with him and that the two are still battling. Whoever plays and wins the job needs to be solid, as you better believe opposing QBs will be trying to attack a young and inexperienced player, possibly the weakest link on the OSU defense heading into the season.

K BLAKE HAUBEIL

 

While Sean Nuernberger will handle field goal duties this afternoon, and likely moving forward, Blake Haubeil remains the kick-off specialist.

Last year was a miserable season when it came to kick-offs for Ohio State, as they had their issues executing the corner kick that Urban Meyer likes to employ. This year, there is all that, and another element added in, as a new rule allows for a fair catch on kicks, even those that don't reach the end zone.

Successfully kicking the ball off sounds like an easy task, but the Buckeyes had trouble doing it last year. It will be key to not give Oregon State, or any future opponent, good starting field position, so Haubeil is very important in making sure the kicks are executed as intended.