First Posted: 8/27/2014
QUARTERBACKS
Redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett thought he was going to spend every game day this fall signaling in plays from the sidelines to Braxton Miller. His assignment changed radically when a torn labrum ended Miller’s season.
Navy’s Keenan Reynolds rushed for 1,346 yards last season, second among NCAA Division I quarterbacks, and passed for 1,057 yards and 8 touchdowns. He scored 31 rushing TDs. He was intercepted only twice, but averaged just under10 pass attempts per game.
Advantage: Navy
RUNNING BACKS
Probably no running back is going to dominate the ground game the way Carlos Hyde did last season when he ran for 1,521 yards. Sophomore Ezekiel Elliott appears to be the leading candidate to replace Hyde as the No. 1 back.
Navy spreads the wealth around in its triple option offense. Fullbacks Chris Swaim (420 yards) and Noah Copeland (339 yards), slot backs Geoffrey Whiteside (363 yards) and Brandon DeSanders (340 yards) all took their turns carrying the football last season.
Advantage: Ohio State
RECEIVERS
OSU is still looking for a consistent, go-to receiver. Devin Smith (44 catches, 8 TDs) is a big play guy but he caught only six passes in the last five games last season. Dontre Wilson is expected to be more explosive in the hybrid role and Jeff Heuerman (26 catches) might be the best tight end in the Big Ten.
Navy’s starting wide receivers are both first-year starters. But in an offense where the leading receiver had 13 catches last season, that is not a huge concern.
Advantage: Ohio State
OFFENSIVE LINE
Left tackle Taylor Decker will be surrounded by four first-year starters. Finding replacements at those positions probably was Ohio State’s biggest concern before Miller’s injury.
The Midshipmen have four returning starters on the line. Left tackle Bradyn Heap and right guard Jake Zuzek, who has started 26 straight games, are the leaders of this group.
Advantage: Ohio State
DEFENSIVE LINE
Joey Bosa, Noah Spence, Michael Bennett and Adolphus Washington might be as good as any defensive line in college football. Spence will miss this game and next week’s game because of testing positive for a banned supplement.
Navy nose guard Bernard Sera checks in at 303 pounds, but the Midshipmen’s two defensive ends in their 3-4 defense, Paul Quessenberry and Will Anthony, weigh 251 pounds and 246 pounds. Only defensive starters weigh more than 231 pounds.
Advantage: Ohio State
LINEBACKERS
Curtis Grant and Joshua Perry are returning starters for OSU. Five-star freshman Raekwon McMillan could challenge for playing time.
Replacing two starting inside linebackers is one of the big questions for Navy. Outside linebacker Chris Johnson (84 tackles) and Jordan Drake, who has moved from outside linebacker to the inside, are returning starters.
Advantage: Ohio State
DEFENSIVE BACKS
With new starters at three positions, OSU promises it will improve on last year’s disastrous pass defense. Cornerback Doran Grant is the only returning starter.
Free safety Parrish Gaines and cornerback Brendon Clements each had three interceptions last season for Navy.
Advantage: Ohio State
SPECIAL TEAMS
It has been a long time since Ohio State went with a kicker as inexperienced as freshman Sean Nuernberger or Kyle Clinton. Punter Cameron Johnston averaged 44.1 yards last season.
The Midshipmen’s kicker Nick Sloan was 11 of 14 on field goals last season but only one was longer than 39 yards. Punter Pablo Beltran averaged 41.4 yards.
Advantage: Navy
