Quarterbacks: C+
Aside from the shocking 80-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Brett Swain on the first play from scrimmage, sophomore quarterback Kevin O'Connell failed to get anything else going through the air, going 11-16 for 79 yards over the remainder of the game.
Although O'Connell didn't turn the ball over, it wasn't so much because he played smart.
Overall, after the way the passing game sputtered following the game's opening touchdown, it would be tough to say the Aztecs' lone score wasn't a fluke.
Running backs: D
Head coach Tom Craft opted to operate his offense out of the shotgun for the majority of Saturday's game, not leaving much room for the running game to blossom.
And when SDSU did run, it was nothing short of ugly. Led by A.J. Hawk, Ohio State's east-west speed overwhelmed the Aztecs and led to their horrendous .7-yards per carry average, while holding sophomore Lynell Hamilton to just 15 yards on seven carries.
Wide receivers: C+
Saturday, the Buckeyes' corners exemplified the meaning of "blanket coverage." All-conference senior wideout Jeff Webb mustered just 18 yards on four catches while Swain was the leading receiver with one catch for 80 yards. Sophomore Chazeray Schilens also tallied 41 yards on three grabs, but it was a forgettable day for SDSU's offensive unit.
Offensive line: D
O'Connell was sacked three times, while the running game averaged fewer than one yard per carry. The Aztec offensive line was completely overmatched, outplayed and downright embarrassed by OSU's hungry front-four and its constantly blitzing linebackers.
To make matters worse, the unit was flagged several times for holding throughout the game. If the offensive line plays like that again, it will be hard to move the ball, let alone win a game.
Defensive line: B
Although the Buckeyes racked up 194 yards on the ground against SDSU, don't let the numbers deceive you. The Aztecs held OSU to 3.9 yards per carry - a feat considered improbable after surrendering 463 yards rushing its first two games.
Sophomore defensive end Antwan Applewhite led the charge early on, and had a solid game. The Achilles heel for the unit was missed tackles - mainly on buckeye signal-caller Troy Smith - during critical downs.
Linebackers: B+
Senior linebacker Freddy Keiaho's play was nothing short of phenomenal. Keiaho constantly swarmed to where the ball was, and the result was an 18-tackle performance against one of the nation's premier running teams. Keiaho and the rest of the SDSU backers plugged holes quickly and if it weren't for OSU constantly having a short field, this unit could have held the Buckeyes to a very low point total.
Secondary: B
Junior cornerback Donny Baker easily had his best game as an Aztec, tallying 12 tackles and an interception. The rest of the secondary did an excellent job in run support and was quick to help the linebackers in taking down OSU's ball-carriers.
Unfortunately when it mattered most, the unit allowed the Buckeye receivers to do just enough to keep the chains moving and eat up the clock.
Special teams: D+
The majority of OSU's scoring can be based mainly on the shoulders of the special teams unit. The Buckeyes constantly had a short field to work with because of the Aztecs' inability to cover punt returner Santonio Holmes. And for the third straight week, SDSU managed to miss an extra point attempt.
Coaching: C+
Craft cannot be blamed for his team's offensive inadequacy. It simply came down to execution, and on Saturday, SDSU failed to execute. The Aztecs didn't give Craft a chance to put together much of an offensive strategy, although he did look like a genius after the game's opening touchdown.
-Kourosh Safavi, Senior Staff Writer
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