How Ohio State can fix the problems exposed in loss to Texas

Ohio State blew a 23-3 lead in the fourth quarter and lost 24-23 to Texas on Saturday night. The collapse points to very specific problems that are fixable rather than one bad night. Here's what went wrong and what it would take for the Buckeyes to correct course before Big Ten play.

A second receiver has to step up alongside Jeremiah Smith

Jeremiah Smith caught eight passes for 164 yards and a touchdown against Texas, but no other receiver had more than one catch. The pride of Ohio State the past couple of years was that they didn't have to rely on one receiver; they had enough talent all around. For a room that head coach Ryan Day said was one of the deepest since he's been there, no other receiver found their groove. Devin McCuin, the expected second or third option for the Buckeyes, finished with one catch for five yards, leaving Bo Jackson as the closest thing to a second option with four catches for 37 yards.

The fix is less about scheme and more about usage. Offensive coordinator Authur Smith has the personnel to diversify the target share, and expanding tight end and slot receiver involvement would take pressure off Smith and make the offense harder to defend late in games.

Settle the kicking situation

Kicker Connor Hawkins, who transferred from Baylor, made a 48-yard field goal but missed a 45-yarder in the fourth quarter that likely would have sealed the game for good for the Buckeyes. Ohio State has cycled through shaky kicking performances in big moments under Ryan Day before, and this shows that it may still be a problem.

The answer for four years of poor kicking is only coaching. There needs to be a focus on heavier competition reps simulating late-game pressure, and a quicker hook if Hawkins struggles again because for the schedule they have, there's no margin for missed field goals.

Rebuild interior defensive line depth

Ohio State's defensive line looked gassed by the fourth quarter, recording two sacks but no consistent pressure on Arch Manning once Texas began its comeback. Part of that traces to the players they had to replace from last season. 

A good practical solution is rotational depth: have more bodies cycling through the interior earlier in games so the front four is fresher at the end of the game.

Manage the clock and the fatigue it causes

Ohio State's offense produced just three points in the final 30 minutes, managing just 19 first downs, a majority of them coming in the first half. That kept the defense on the field far longer than planned. Day acknowledged the issue directly.

"I think we were on the field too much in the second half, and certainly in the fourth quarter," Day said.

The fix starts with the offense sustaining drives in the second half rather than just the first, which would keep Ohio State's defense off the field and reduce the fatigue that showed up. 

None of these problems require an overhaul. Ohio State plays Kent State at home next week before its Big Ten schedule starts to pick up, giving the coaching staff a low-stakes chance to work through each issue before a loss costs the Buckeyes their season.