OSU getting back to its element

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

Through four games and four victories, Ohio State’s defense has faced a continual drumbeat of short passes, quick routes, screens and sweeps.

Every opponent, it seems, has relied on sleight of hand.

No wonder the Buckeyes — built for the black-and-blue Big Ten — are dead last in the conference in defense, allowing almost 400 yards a game.

“That’s very alarming,” coach Urban Meyer said on Tuesday. “It’s not the (same) Ohio State defense over the last 10 years (that was) as good as there is in the country. That’s very alarming and that’s something that’s got to change real fast.”

Now the 14th-ranked Buckeyes are getting back into their element. They’ll be in familiar territory, at least in terms of the style of play, when they open the Big Ten schedule on Saturday at No. 20 Michigan State.

A 244-pound tailback? Check. Less misdirection? Check. Fewer passes? Check.

After facing subterfuge and rush-avoiding quick-hitters for a month, now the Buckeyes are pleased that they can get back to meeting ball-carriers head on.

“We have to find out what we want to hang our hat on,” defensive co-coordinator Everett Withers said. “It’s an ongoing process. The mission is to win the next game and — hopefully, eventually — we find exactly who we are on defense. This week will give us a pretty good idea.”

The Spartans don’t figure to do a lot of bubble screens and trickery, which have been a regular part of the diet from the Buckeyes’ opponents so far. Instead, they’ll go with a sledge hammer directly at the defense.

Michigan State’s first and foremost weapon is Le’Veon Bell, a brawny runner from not far from the Ohio State campus who is third in the nation in rushing at 153 yards a game.

There is very little subtlety in having a guy who weighs an eighth of a ton running right at you.

“The No. 1 thing is we’re going to have to stop the run,” linebacker Etienne Sabino said.

“Their run game is the strength of their offense. They have a great running back. We have to stop them from running. If we’re able to do that, we can have a pretty good game.”

Ohio State’s four opponents so far — Miami (Ohio), Central Florida, California and UAB — managed just 4 yards per rush. But they went for a startling 9.9 yards per pass completion.