How Ohio State’s 2024 Passing Offense Dominated College Football and Secured a National Championship

The 2024 Ohio State Buckeyes didn’t just win a national championship — they rewrote the book on offensive dominance. The key? A surgically precise passing game rooted in NFL-level concepts, elite route spacing, quarterback-friendly reads, and full-field progression designs. This wasn’t a gimmick. It was a masterclass in execution, spacing, and schematic advantage — with concepts pulled directly from the West Coast and Air Raid traditions, fine-tuned for the college game.

After losing to Michigan in a 13-10 in an ugly matchup between historic foes, Chip Kelly took over the offensive play calling, and the rest is history. it was lights out. no one even came close to stopping Ohio State's passing attack and explosive offense.

Behind a system rooted in NFL-level passing concepts, triangle route structures, and full-field progressions, the Buckeyes deployed a machine-like aerial attack that left even the best defenses gasping for answers. Every route, read, and protection was designed to stress coverage, create space, and maximize quarterback efficiency. It also helps that they had the best athletes in the world running this system.

So how did they do it? The answer lies in an elite system built on NFL-level passing concepts, middle triangle mastery, full-field reads, and quarterback control. Here’s a deep dive into the passing plays and route combinations that made Ohio State unstoppable in their 2024 title run.

Here’s a breakdown of the exact plays and concepts that fueled Ohio State’s unstoppable championship run — and why this offense is quickly becoming the blueprint for coaches at every level.

Foundation With Middle Triangle Mastery

At the heart of the offense were “Middle Triangle” concepts — route combinations that attacked defenders horizontally and vertically at multiple levels. These concepts created clear throwing windows by stretching the hook/curl and flat defenders while layering receivers at 5, 10, and 15 yards.

The result? Built-in answers for every coverage shell and the flexibility to read space, not just matchups.

SOFA – Sail + Sit + Hitch (Middle Triangle Zone Killer)

• Route Combo: Sail (Corner), Hitch, Sit
• Purpose: Stretch flat defenders and curl defenders
• Execution: The Sail pulls coverage deep, Hitches settle underneath, and the Sit route offers a reliable outlet
• Why It Worked: Against Cover 2 or 4, defenders were put in a bind with no right answer

This play consistently moved the chains and set up explosive plays off second-level breakdowns.

PIVOT – Man Coverage Buster with High/Low Integrity

• Route Combo: Pivots by inside receivers, a deep Post by FS1, and a Follow by the boundary
• Purpose: Exploit man coverage with underneath separation and high-post stretch
• Why It Worked: The Post pulled safeties while Pivot routes created separation with sudden breaks and inside leverage

This concept was especially lethal in third-and-medium situations when defenses dialed up man or match.

LAYERS – Full-Field Mesh Meets Dig and Dodge

• Route Combo: Mesh + Drag + Dig + Dodge
• Purpose: Stress zone defenders with crossing routes and intermediate layers
• Execution: The QB worked across the field in rhythm, reading mesh keys and dig zone defenders
• Why It Worked: Mesh routes cleared out underneath, and the Dig and Dodge broke wide open behind them

This was Ohio State’s go-to play against match coverage teams — it created chaos and mismatches at every level.

CHOICE – Isolate a Defender, Attack Leverage

• Route Combo: Comeback, Hook, Middle Read, and a 6-yard Choice Route
• Purpose: Isolate linebackers or nickel defenders in space
• Execution: F3 had the freedom to sit, break out, or break in based on leverage
• Why It Worked: The QB had full-field vision with short, intermediate, and deep options all built into the triangle read

A devastating concept against both man and zone, with routes that adjusted post-snap to exploit coverage rotation.

DRIVE – West Coast Foundation with Modern Flexibility

• Route Combo: Drag + Deep In + Tagged Boundary Route
• Purpose: Layered cross with backside control
• Execution: QB read Drag to In, with boundary side tagged based on shell
• Why It Worked: Gave the quarterback rhythm throws and always kept a short option available

Reliable on early downs, but also used in tempo to punish slow-developing zone looks.

CHARGER – Versatile Triangle Concept with Outside Leverage Answers

• Route Combo: Drag + Dodge + In + Cat Route (convert vs cloud)
• Purpose: Defeat outside leverage, manipulate safeties and flat defenders
• Execution: F1’s Cat Route acted as a cloud-beater; F2 and F3 attacked interior leverage
• Why It Worked: Forced underneath defenders to commit early, and always had a checkdown to the back

A full-field concept that destroyed both quarters and cover 3 rotation.

Protection Scheme: Built-In Answers to Pressure

Each concept was protected by 52/53 or 62/63 protection schemes — with center-directed slides, running back scan responsibilities, and built-in rules for handling 4-, 5-, and even 6-man pressures.

• Edge and interior stunts were neutralized by slide+scan principles
• Quarterbacks were taught “check black, signal, throw” for deep shots vs. no deep safety looks
• Backs and TEs were coached to dual-read late pressure and swing release for spacing

The protection wasn’t just sound — it was synced with route depths and read timing.

Quarterback Play: Read-Controlled, Coverage-Based Execution

Ohio State QBs weren’t guessing. Every snap followed a structure.

• Matchup read? Work triangle routes vs. leverage
• Zone read? Follow high-to-low across horizontal stretch
• Quarters or 2-high? Throw deep dig or seam if hook defenders widen
• Man coverage? Isolate on pivot, drag, or choice routes

All footwork was tied to coverage shell and progression rhythm — from Big 3 sets to Shuffle mechanics. It allowed the quarterback to play fast, clean, and with total clarity.

Why No One Could Stop It in the Playoffs

The 2024 playoff stretch highlighted just how complete this passing attack was:

• Averaged over 38 points per game
• Converted 72% of third downs
• Had zero red zone turnovers
• Completed over 70% of passes in the postseason

Defensive coordinators were trapped in a nightmare scenario. Play man, and the pivot/drag combinations destroyed leverage. Play zone, and triangle reads carved up every layer. Blitz, and the ball was out before the pressure landed — or the protection picked it up perfectly.

Final Thoughts: This Is the Blueprint for Modern Passing Offense

What Ohio State built in 2024 wasn’t a system built on stars. It was built on structure.

Concepts that create space

Route combinations that teach themselves

Quarterback reads that are fast and decisive

Protection that holds up under pressure

This was the closest thing to an NFL-ready college offense — not because of complexity, but because of clarity.

If you’re a coach looking to elevate your passing game, this isn’t just a playbook worth studying — it’s a system worth installing.