Finding flaws in Ohio State’s 2019 campaign is no easy task, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

If you look past overall offensive and defensive stats, there were several categories in which Ohio State performed worse than a slew of Big Ten teams, and dozens more nationwide.

In part one, we examined Ohio State’s struggles with giving up sacks and fumbling the ball last year, and how the Buckeyes may improve in those aspects heading into 2020.

Part two will delve into the Buckeyes’ penchant for committing penalties, and the lackluster season they had in the kick and punt return game.

The whistle of the referee wasn’t often in the Buckeyes’ favor in 2019, as their 81 penalties were the third-most in the Big Ten.

Believe it or not, the frequency in which Ohio State was flagged last year was a significant improvement on the two years prior, where the Buckeyes had 116 and 97 penalties, respectively.

Still, it’s not a figure to celebrate, especially when there are other conference opponents that committed nearly 30 fewer penalties in the same season.

The Buckeyes gave up an average of 55 yards per game in penalty losses, and sometimes in key situations.

The most infamous penalty of the season will be long be remembered in Buckeye lore, when cornerback Shaun Wade was called for targeting on a sack of Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence in the Fiesta Bowl. The penalty ushered in a swift change in momentum and may have altered the outcome of the Buckeyes’ season altogether.

Just four plays later, a pass interference on former cornerback Amir Riep helped set up a touchdown that allowed Clemson to begin climbing back into the game. In totality, the Buckeyes were whistled eight times and gave up 77 yards in penalties in the loss.