Grading the Bucks: Week 2--Cincinnati

I always love grading a performance like this.  This will be a short writeup due to the dominance we saw on Sat.  I hope that Cincy is as good as I thought (top tier of Group of 5) because that would mean great things for this Buckeye team.  Please don't faceplant, Fick.

Offense: A
Co-MVPs: Justin Fields (QB), J.K. Dobbins (RB)
Fantastic play all day.  I was pleasantly surprised to see some life on the O-line.  They were pushing people around and creating holes all over the place.  Fields was very sharp and threw the ball away most of the time needed.  Dobbins neared 150 on the ground and was workmanlike.  On top of all this, I think receiving corps is sneakily one of the best in the country.  As Fields matures mentally, look out.  Here's hoping the O-line can keep this level of intensity.

Defense: A+
MVP: Chase Young (DE)
Shutting out a decent team like UC even with the 2 gifts in the redzone is a monster feat.  Keeping an opponent, any opponent, scoreless through 60 minutes is very difficult and this defense got it done.  Most of us already knew what to expect out of Chase Young and he continues to impress.  Malik Harrison has brought some nice linebacker play that we haven't seen in years.  The secondary still has some holes/room to improve, but the growth from last year's train wreck is amazing.

Special Teams: A
MVP: Chase Young (DE)
Oh so close to another A+ but another random kickoff out of bounds for no reason.  Chase Young with the monster block to preserve the shutout early and keep little brother in their place.  Other than the kick out of bounds, I can't remember anything else (which usually means a nice showing by special teams.

Coaching: B+
Ah...the lone blemish.  One would think that you can't possibly downgrade a staff whose squad thoroughly dominated a decent opponent, but I can't get over the 3rd/4th down playcall early in the game.  The decision to go on 4th was fine (wonderful even).  The decision to throw for the endzone on 3rd down was fine.  Not my choice, but I can respect it given that you are going for it on 4th.  Then, the sweep run out wide on 4th....yuck.  The O-line was controlling the point of attack early on in the game.  To get a foot, a sneak, QB power, RB dive, anything up the gut was a virtual guarantee (flashback to "give it to Hyde" in the 2013 B1G Championship...).  I don't like when the top dogs get cute.  Exert your will and dominate.

Overall: A
Nothing wrong with a huge shutout win over the in state...other team.  People outside of OSU won't care, but this was an incredibly positive sign for the Buckeyes moving forward.