After 2 straight shutouts, OSU defense gets respect

The Bucks didn’t let Illinois inside their own 29.

COLUMBUS (AP) — This was supposed to be an Ohio State team that needed its offense to carry the burden until the defense was on its feet.

That couldn’t have been more wrong. In fact, the reverse might be true.

The Buckeyes (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten) are playing like they haven’t missed seven departing starters, including three-time All-American linebacker James Laurinaitis, cornerback Malcolm Jenkins and linebacker Marcus Freeman.

“It starts with we’ve got great players,” coach Jim Tressel said. “Our defensive guys do a fabulous job preparing. They spend lots and lots of time. They take a lot of pride in making sure that they can uphold that tradition. They play hard.”

The defense never permitted Illinois — a team that scored 48 points on the Buckeyes the last two years with Juice Williams at quarterback — to get inside the Ohio State 29 in a 30-0 pasting on Saturday. It was the Buckeyes’ second shutout in a row, the first time that’s happened in 13 years.

Sure, it was raining hard for most of the game. But holding the Illini to just 2.7 yards per play and 170 total yards was impressive. The Buckeyes climbed four spots to No. 9 in the latest Associated Press Top 25.

The loss led to some serious introspection by the Illini, who mustered just nine points in a lopsided loss to Missouri to open the season before walloping Bowl Championship Series opponent Illinois State two weeks ago. Judging from their meager attack, it’s hard to imagine that the Illini had two weeks to prepare for Ohio State.

No wonder wide receiver Arrelious Benn was at a loss to explain his unit’s anemic effort.

“I’m just clueless. I don’t know what it is,” he said. “We chip and chip our way down the field and then [have] a costly penalty or interception. It’s really frustrating. We didn’t even put up a field goal.”

Tressel said everything starts up front with his defense, but the back seven are also playing exceedingly well.

“When you can control the trenches, which thus far we’ve done a pretty good job with that, you’ve got a very good chance,” he said.

“[Then] you’ve got guys in the back end that are very disciplined and do what they’re supposed to do. They know that the other guys are going to be putting some pressure on the opposing quarterback.”

The Buckeyes registered five sacks. When the Illini tried to pass, the primary receiver was seldom open and there were seldom other places to look.

“We knew the rain would affect the passing game,” Ohio State safety Kurt Coleman said. “The key to our defense against Juice was to limit what he could do. We wanted to get on him as quickly as we could.”

Williams was 13 of 25 for 77 yards with two interceptions, while McGee was 2 for 4 for 11 yards with one pick. The running game wasn’t a threat, mustering just 82 yards on 34 carries.

“We wanted to make them one-dimensional,” said linebacker Austin Spitler.

Spitler spent the last three years in the shadows, occasionally getting in for a play at linebacker when Laurinaitis would take a break.

“It has to do with a mindset of being scrappy,” the graduate student said. “[The opponent] can drive, but we never give in.”

No one in the Buckeyes locker room was getting ahead of themselves. It was only the Big Ten opener; the bulk of the season is still ahead.

But with games at Indiana, home with Wisconsin, at Purdue, home with Minnesota and nonconference foe New Mexico State the next five weeks, the Buckeyes have plenty of time to fine-tune their offense if the defense keeps playing like this.

Then come games at Penn State, at home against Iowa and the annual season-ender against Michigan, this time in Ann Arbor.

“We owe our defense,” Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor said. “They’re really something.”