\n\tPass protection imploded in the Big Ten Championship Game vs. Indiana <\/a>and the College Football Playoff quarterfinals vs. Miami. <\/a>Run game struggles re-emerged. Play-calling, not even something being evaluated in this story, was questionable.\n<\/p>\n \n\tAs a result, the grades on Ohio State\u2019s final offensive report card are a mixed bag. Receivers? Going to grade out well, obviously. Offensive line? Not so much. The Buckeyes return many of the same offensive pieces in 2026, so there are clear areas to address moving into next year. But also some positives to take away despite how the season ended \u2013 though those two games factored heaviest into the grading scale here. Let\u2019s dive in.\n<\/p>\n \tQuarterback<\/p>\n \tGrade: A-<\/p>\n \t \n\tI deliberated between B+ and A- as Ohio State\u2019s quarterback grade, which is really just a grade of Julian Sayin. The heavy weight of the Indiana and Miami games in these marks, arguably Sayin\u2019s two worst performances of the season (also against the two best defenses he faced), was almost enough to knock the Heisman Trophy finalist<\/a> down below the A-grade range. But he wasn\u2019t awful in those two games, and removing them, he\u2019d get an A+.\n<\/p>\n \n\tSayin came out as a redshirt freshman first-year starter and set the world on fire in the 2025 regular season. He posted the best regular-season completion percentage in NCAA history at 78.4%, finishing the year No. 1 in the country at 77%, just .4% away from the overall single-season record set by Oregon\u2019s Bo Nix (77.4%) in 2023. He led the nation in passer rating through the regular season at 182.1.\n<\/p>\n \n\tBut those matchups with the Hoosiers and Hurricanes exposed flaws in Sayin\u2019s game that he\u2019ll work to address this offseason. He threw first-half interceptions against Michigan, Indiana and Miami, the latter for a pick-six that put The U ahead 14-0 when Ohio State looked primed to tie the game at seven or at least make it 7-3. Perhaps related to his shorter stature, he didn\u2019t see potential open receivers over the middle or up the seams like slot receiver Brandon Inniss or tight end Max Klare in those contests. Like in this play, where Klare is standing in the end zone with no defenders in the same county:\n<\/p>\n \n\t\tpic.twitter.com\/pAjVPVvFYf<\/a>\n\t<\/p>\n \t\u2014 Random Ohio State Play Every Day (@OSUPlayEveryDay) January 1, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \n\tSayin took 10 sacks combined against Indiana and Miami, too, which goes on the performance of Ohio State\u2019s pass protection, mostly, but also falls somewhat on his shoulders. There were chances to get the ball out quicker. The elite pocket presence that he showed throughout the regular season vanished in those games. Per Pro Football Focus, when under pressure vs. the Hoosiers and Hurricanes, Sayin went an abysmal 8-of-19 (42.1%) for 93 yards (4.9 yards per attempt) with no touchdowns and an interception. When under pressure in the regular season, he finished 45-of-71 (63.4%) for 634 yards (8.9 yards per attempt) and seven touchdowns with just two interceptions. And he took just seven sacks in those 12 games.\n<\/p>\n \n\tBut on the whole, Sayin did still go 43-of-64 (67.2%) for 545 yards and two touchdowns \u2013 with three interceptions \u2013 against Indiana and Miami, and his season statline as a first-year starter was ridiculous. A 77% completion rate with 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns with just eight interceptions. He was a Heisman Trophy finalist and the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year. <\/a>It\u2019s enough to hold onto an A-, at least in the eyes of this grader.\n<\/p>\n \tRunning Back<\/p>\n \tGrade: B-<\/p>\n \t \n\tOhio State\u2019s run game struggled for much of the 2025 season, aside from its incredible performance in Ann Arbor. The Buckeyes\u2019 offensive line and perimeter blockers take blame for that, but so do their running backs \u2013 as exciting as the future of the room looks.\n<\/p>\n \n\tThe then-well-regarded tandem of CJ Donaldson and James Peoples came out as Ohio State\u2019s co-featured running backs in the season-opener vs. No. 1 Texas, <\/a>but neither shone in that game or in several of the ones that followed. The Buckeyes\u2019 defense and a big passing play or two carried them to a 14-7 win over the Longhorns. On the ground, they picked up just 77 yards in 34 carries, a meager average of 2.3 yards per carry.\n<\/p>\n \n\tThen Bo Jackson, a freshman, rattled off back-to-back 100-yard games against Grambling State and Ohio. The competition may have been weaker, but Jackson looked a step quicker and more elusive than Peoples or Donaldson. When Ohio State hit the road to Washington the following game, Jackson emerged as the team\u2019s No. 1 back, carrying the ball 17 times for 80 yards, eight more carries than any other back received. He stayed atop the rotation thereafter.\n<\/p>\n \n\tJackson finished the season with 179 carries for 1,090 yards and six touchdowns, adding 200 receiving yards and a receiving score. He had a legacy moment early in his career by becoming the latest Ohio State freshman to have a big game against Michigan, joining former stars like Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. Jackson racked up 117 rushing yards on 22 carries against the Wolverines and added another four receptions for 49 yards for 166 total yards from scrimmage. It\u2019s still a mystery how this turned into a 36-yard run.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\tNo way Michigan fans are talking badly about Bo Jackson https:\/\/t.co\/N3qsXF7cb1<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/iZk0LU80jj<\/a>\n\t<\/p>\n \t\u2014 THE Bunch of Nuts Podcast (@bunch_nuts) January 8, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \n\tBut Jackson didn\u2019t make as many men miss against Miami. He also got blown up in pass pro, resulting in a sack of Sayin in that game. Illinois and Wisconsin also largely hemmed him in. Per Pro Football Focus, he averaged 4.1 yards after contact, a great number that led Ohio State\u2019s backs in 2025. But he only averaged 2.5 yards after contact vs. the Hurricanes. Like Sayin, there\u2019s room for a leap next year, which should be an encouraging thought for Buckeye fans.\n<\/p>\n \n\tAfter transferring from West Virginia to spend his senior year at Ohio State, Donaldson finished as the Buckeyes\u2019 No. 2 back in terms of carries, with 96 for 361 yards and 10 touchdowns. That\u2019s only 3.8 yards per carry, but his primary use was as a short-yardage back. Then again, Ohio State had notable short-yardage struggles in 2025. He had a solid performance against Miami, especially in the second half, finishing with seven carries for 31 yards and five receptions for another 31 yards. He also proved dependable in pass pro.\n<\/p>\n \n\tFreshman Isaiah West had several games where he got the second-most carries for Ohio State after Jackson, but the Buckeyes turned back to Donaldson as back No. 2 against the Hurricanes. Still, West flashed, especially during his nine-carry, 55-yard day at Wisconsin and against the maligned run defenses of Purdue, UCLA and Rutgers. He finished the year with 59 carries for 310 yards (5.3 per carry) and two touchdowns.\n<\/p>\n \n\tLast\u00a0among the Buckeyes\u2019 four major backfield contributors was Peoples, who had 61 carries for 334 yards and three touchdowns. There were parts of the year he looked like a capable contributor, then others where he showed a lack of vision at the position. He\u2019ll play for Penn State <\/a>next year.\n<\/p>\n \tWide Receiver<\/p>\n \tGrade: A-<\/p>\n \t \n\tWide receiver, inarguably, was Ohio State\u2019s best offensive position group in 2025. Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, when healthy, were an A+. The only things that drag the group down are a lack of production at slot receiver and a lack of depth.\n<\/p>\n \n\tThe superstar Smith followed his breakout freshman campaign with a sophomore season featuring 87 receptions for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, given annually to the nation\u2019s best pass catcher, and a unanimous All-American. With one year remaining before he likely declares for the NFL draft, Smith is likely to set each of Ohio State\u2019s career school records in the big three receiving stats; he needs just 43 more receptions, 341 yards and nine touchdowns to set each career mark in Columbus.\n<\/p>\n \n\tTate took a step from a steady No. 3 wide receiver for Ohio State\u2019s 2024 national championship team to a no-doubt first-round NFL draft pick and second-team All-American as Smith\u2019s partner in crime in 2025. Playing just 11 games due to injury, he hauled in 51 receptions for 875 yards and nine touchdowns, making some of the most difficult catches possible look easy. Well, except for perhaps the best catch of the Buckeyes\u2019 season against Wisconsin.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\tThis is just a my guy is better than your two guys throw.<\/p>\n Carnell Tate, man. pic.twitter.com\/cZR6VCS4WS<\/a>\n\t<\/p>\n \t\u2014 Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) October 18, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n \n\tOh, and Tate is an All-American in the classroom, <\/a>too.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \n\tNow for the rest of the room. There were more opportunities to get Brandon Inniss the ball than his stat line showed, and he played a vital leadership role as a team captain, but the five-star prospect\u2019s junior season didn\u2019t live up to his expectations. He finished with just 36 receptions for 273 yards and three touchdowns. Advertised as a potential third explosive weapon, he averaged just 7.5 yards per reception, with Sayin\u2019s occasional blind spots noted.\n<\/p>\n \n\tAlso falling short of their advertised performance were the next wave of wideouts. Bryson Rodgers entered the season as a redshirt sophomore with a bit of experience. Mylan Graham, a five-star prospect, came into his second year off a massive spring game performance. Five-star freshman Quincy Porter drew attention.\n<\/p>\n \n\tNone of them emerged as a dependable fourth option, despite there being three games where Tate was out with injury. In one of those games, Ohio State\u2019s penultimate regular-season game against Rutgers, Tate and Smith were both out. The Buckeyes\u2019 top-producing wide receiver that day? Former walk-on David Adolph, who had two receptions for 23 yards. He played the second-most snaps after Inniss, too, at 48.\n<\/p>\n \n\tIt seems all the new responsibilities on Brian Hartline\u2019s plate as play caller might have affected the development of the receivers lower on the Buckeyes\u2019 depth chart. Each of Rodgers, Graham and Porter hit the transfer portal after the season. Of all the names mentioned in this section, only Smith,\u00a0Inniss and Adolph\u00a0return in 2026.\n<\/p>\n \tOffensive Line<\/p>\n \tGrade: C-<\/p>\n \t \n\tCs might get degrees, but they\u2019re nowhere near the Ohio State standard. The Buckeyes\u2019 offensive line never gained consistent momentum in the ground game, and their season-long strength in pass blocking imploded in the final two games of the season.\n<\/p>\n \n\tLet\u2019s start with the good. Austin Siereveld exceeded all expectations in his move from right guard to left tackle. He was the only of Ohio State\u2019s five starting offensive linemen not to give up a sack in 2025, per Pro Football Focus. That\u2019s in 425 pass-block reps, and he may have been better in run-blocking. PFF gave him an overall grade of 83 for the year, almost 10 points higher than the Buckeyes\u2019 next-highest-graded offensive lineman, left guard Luke Montgomery (73.7).\n<\/p>\n \n\tIn terms of the unit, the highlight of the season far and away came in Ann Arbor on Nov. 29. They took the very soul of Michigan\u2019s program in the Big House, gouging its defensive front play after play to win the rushing battle and ice victory with an astounding 20-play, 12-minute second-half drive. And Sayin could have pitched a tent, built a fire and toasted a bag of marshmallows in the pocket.\n<\/p>\n \n\tRELATED The Day the Offensive Line Took Over<\/a>\n<\/p>\n \n\tUnfortunately, in the Big Ten title game and Cotton Bowl, the front allowed 10 combined sacks as Ohio State rushed for just 103 combined yards on 49 carries. That\u2019s 2.1 yards per attempt.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \n\tRight guard remained a problem position all season, with Tegra Tshabola marred by inconsistency as he rotated with a revolving door of backups. Phillip Daniels brought a mauler\u2019s mentality to right tackle, but that came alongside technical lapses. He allowed two sacks and 19 total pressures, per PFF, receiving an overall grade of just 65.9 from the service. Only Tshabola had a worse grade among the starting five (56.3).\n<\/p>\n \n\tLuke Montgomery earned second-team All-Big Ten honors at left guard, but that didn\u2019t save him from struggles against Indiana and Miami, where he allowed a combined three sacks \u2013 his only three sacks allowed on the season. It\u2019s a microcosm of the entire front five, which allowed a mere six sacks across its 12 regular-season games before the 10 it allowed in the postseason.\n<\/p>\n \n\tCenter Carson Hinzman rounded out the starting five, grading out at a 73.6 on the season, the same number as Montgomery. The Buckeyes\u2019 run game numbers on the season were not to the standard of the Scarlet and Gray;\u00a0they finished 51st nationally in yards per carry (4.55) and 72nd in rushing yards per game (154.36).\n<\/p>\n \n\tEach of Siereveld, Montgomery, Hinzman and Daniels returned to Ohio State for the 2026 season. Perhaps another year of experience will result in a higher-graded season that ends better for the Slobs.\n<\/p>\n \tTight End<\/p>\n \tGrade: B-<\/p>\n \t \n\tMany (including your dear writer of this story) claimed Ohio State entered 2025 with one of the best tight end rooms in the country. The output of the room did not match those expectations, but the Buckeyes\u2019 line bookenders had a decent season.\n<\/p>\n \n\tTight ends coach Keenan Bailey dubbed Will Kacmarek the \u201cbest blocking tight end in the country\u201d <\/a>before the campaign, and the former Ohio Bobcat often delivered in that area of his game. PFF gave him a grade of 71 as a run blocker, higher than both Daniels and Tshabola. Kacmarek allowed just two pressures and no sacks in 85 pass-blocking snaps. He added 15 receptions for 185 yards and two touchdowns in the receiving game.\n<\/p>\n \n\tSpeaking of the receiving game, Max Klare had a strong statistical output as Ohio State\u2019s top receiving option at the tight end position, albeit a step back from what he produced at Purdue in 2024. He collected 43 receptions for 448 yards and two touchdowns. But whether it was missed connections with Sayin or some other cause, he had zero catches against Miami and just two for 28 yards against Indiana. Texas also held him to one reception for 11 yards. He improved as a blocker as the year progressed, though.\n<\/p>\n \n\tThe depth of the room was lacking in production, though, despite high numbers of snaps. Bennett Christian played 255 snaps <\/a>as the No. 3 tight end on the depth chart, another blocking-first body. He didn\u2019t grade out like it on PFF, though, receiving a run-blocking grade of 47.1 and an overall grade of 44.9. Still, he saw frequent work in multi-tight end packages focused on the running game.\n<\/p>\n \n\tJelani Thurman was passed on the depth chart by freshman Nate Roberts before the year ended. Roberts flashed with four receptions for 40 yards.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Bo](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Bo.jpg\" "\\"Bo")
<\/p>\n![\"Carnell](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Carnell.jpg\" "\\"Carnell")
<\/p>\n![\"Austin](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Austin.jpg\" "\\"Austin")
<\/p>\n![\"Will](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Kacmarek.jpg\" "\\"Will")
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