After a tough outing against Michigan, where the offense struggled to generate any momentum, the Ohio State Buckeyes have bounced back in spectacular fashion during the playoffs. They’ve exploded for 83 points and nearly 1,000 yards over two games, showcasing a dramatic turnaround. Here’s a closer look at two key adjustments made by head coach Ryan Day and his offensive staff that have played a major role in revitalizing the Ohio State offense.

Where’s Jeremiah?

When you have a talent like freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith, it’s crucial for defenses to always know where he is on the field. But toward the end of the regular season, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly made the mistake of often placing Smith at the X receiver position, a spot on the line of scrimmage that’s easy to spot for opposing defenses.

The problem was that Kelly didn’t vary Smith’s positioning or use pre-snap motion, making it simple for defenses to track him, whether he was on the left or right side. However, in the two playoff games, Smith has been lined up in multiple spots across the field, with frequent motions and shifts before the snap. This has created confusion for opposing defenses, as seen in the Rose Bowl against Oregon. On Smith’s first touchdown, when he went in motion across the formation, the Ducks’ defense appeared disoriented, waving their arms and trying to figure out how to adjust. This type of movement and lineup flexibility has made it much harder for defenses to predict and contain Smith, allowing Ohio State to get him the ball in more effective ways.

A Gap in the Offense

The Buckeyes have struggled at times with their running game this season, and their performance against Michigan was particularly lackluster. But in their playoff games, they’ve rushed for over 330 yards, and a significant factor behind this improvement has been the shift from zone blocking to a gap blocking scheme.

The gap scheme provides offensive linemen with better angles and clearer assignments. In a gap system, the offensive linemen on the play side block down on defenders to their left. This typically leaves one defender unblocked at the line of scrimmage. To counter this, backside linemen, such as guards or tackles, pull around to pick up the unblocked defender. The goal of the gap scheme is to create a numbers advantage on the play side, which is particularly effective when facing a defense that loads up the box. TreVeyon Henderson’s 66-yard touchdown run against Oregon is a perfect example of how this blocking scheme works in action.

For running backs, gap blocking can require more patience, but it simplifies the running back’s decisions compared to zone blocking. There are fewer reads to make, which helps create cleaner running lanes. The switch to the gap scheme appears to have given the Ohio State offensive line a much-needed boost, and the running game has looked significantly improved as a result.

These two adjustments—getting Jeremiah Smith involved in a variety of ways and switching to a gap-blocking scheme—have been key in transforming the Ohio State offense from a unit that struggled late in the season into one of the most explosive offenses in the country during the playoffs.