After the first two weeks of the season, one of the biggest stories is how efficient the Ohio State Buckeyes offense has been. The Buckeyes currently are 5th in the country with 596.5 yards per game. Junior Curtis Samuel has helped lead the Buckeyes with 401 yards on only 35 receptions. He is tied for 12th among all FBS players for receiving yards with 239. His rushing totals are not as impressive, ranking him 67th in the country with 139, but he is backing up freshman Mike Weber. So how exactly is Samuel finding so much success, and should Buckeye fans expect it to continue? Here is the Curtis Samuel analysis from LWOS.
Curtis Samuel Analysis
Surprising Strength
From his highlights this season, he is known for his blistering speed, cutting through the heart of the Bowling Green defense. However, one of the most underrated attributes that Samuel has is his strength. Even going back to his freshman year film, it is evident that Samuel has the strength necessary to lower his shoulder and get a few extra yards. An example from this season would be against senior Trenton Greene. Greene weighs in almost 20 lbs heavier than Samuel but it did not make a difference during the game. On a short slant route, Samuel used his speed to get separation between himself and Greene before carrying Greene an extra four yards before finally going to the ground. This strength is what will make Samuel a serious asset against stronger and tougher Big Ten defenses.
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Blistering Speed
While his strength is underrated, his speed is clear to anyone watching him play. His 4.36 40-yard dash time is among some of the fastest in college football. While this speed has always been prevalent, Samuel is just starting to utilize it. Before this season, Samuel never had a play for more than 40 yards and was not a deep threat by any means. This season however, Samuel was able to break out for a 79 yard touchdown against Bowling Green. On this play, Samuel beat freshman Antonyo Sotolongo running another slant route. Despite playing seven to eight yards off of him, Sotolongo was still beaten easily by Samuel. While strength will be important in the later conference games of the season, Samuel’s speed may be what Ohio State needs if they want to return to the National Championship Game this January.
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What His Coaches Think of Him
No matter how good Samuel may seem on film, it would mean nothing if his coaches did not utilize him. Head Coach Urban Meyer has used an H-Back since his first season at Bowling Green. Throughout the years, Meyer has built upon how to utilize the H-Back with some very successful results such as Percy Harvin. Meyer has mentioned how highly he thinks of Samuel before. Meyer stated, “He’s the first true hybrid I’ve had in awhile where he’s big enough.” With his size and speed, Meyer will likely try to use him as much as possible while still using Weber.
Overall
When teams watch film on Ohio State, one of the first things to mention will be how to stop Samuel. His versatility is among the best that Ohio State has ever seen. The depth of Ohio State’s running backs should help keep some eyes off of him. As long as the offense does not become stagnant like last season, Samuel should have no problem getting his touches. If Samuel can continue what he is doing now, it would not be shocking to see his name on the ballot for the Paul Hornung Award.
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