COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Urban Meyer prefers the thunder. But that just sets up the lightning. No. 4 Ohio State runs on 60 percent of its plays. Sending the tailbacks up the middle or Braxton Miller around end serve as body blows to soften a defense for what might just happen if they start to lean too heavily toward the line to stop the ground attack. Then the Buckeyes throw deep. ”We couldn’t do that last year. There were games I refused to call it because they were going to be covered and we couldn’t throw it,” Meyer said. ”This Saturday, we are going to try the same thing. That’s a big part of who we are. So we would have more explosive pass plays. I don’t know if I remember this many early in the season, ever.” No fewer than 15 times, the Buckeyes have completed a touchdown pass that has covered at least 20 yards. Some were short passes turned into a big gain, but most reflect the Buckeyes’ ability to throw deep passes more effectively this season. It’s an either/or proposition for opposing teams. No. 16 Northwestern is the next foe to face that challenge on Saturday. Ohio State (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten) has run for 14 touchdowns so far. It has recorded 19 touchdown passes. To put that into perspective, only nine times in the program’s previous 123 years have the Buckeyes thrown more scoring passes in an entire season. And the current squad still has seven regular-season games remaining. They are on pace to easily eclipse the school record for scoring passes in a season of 33, set by Bobby Hoying and Co. in 1995. Miller missed almost three entire games but came back to throw four scoring passes in Saturday’s 31-24 win over No. 23 Wisconsin – three of them covering 25, 26 and 40 yards. When Miller was out, Kenny Guiton filled in against mediocre teams and threw 13 scoring passes – including a school-record six in the first half over Florida A&M…
Continue Reading: Buckeyes like to run then throw over a defense
