Despite Ohio State moving to 7-0 after last weekend’s 52-49 win over Indiana, the mood in Columbus has been far from celebratory.
That is because the woeful Hoosiers rolled up 481 yards of total offense on the vaunted Buckeyes defense.
After head coach Urban Meyer called a Sunday meeting with his defensive coaches and players, it’s clear that changes are in order for a team that has relied largely on the brilliance of quarterback Braxton Miller to remain unbeaten (h/t, espn.com).
Those changes have to begin up front for the Buckeyes defense, especially considering that they start three seniors and a junior in the trenches—with defensive end John Simon and defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins ranking among the top NFL prospects at their respective positions.
That unit is the one area where Meyer has a combination of veteran leadership and proven difference makers capable of turning things around for a defense that has allowed an average of 400 yards per game to this point.
As my B/R colleague Adam Jacobi astutely points out, mental breakdowns are likely the culprit instead of a talent or coaching deficiency.
The ability to control the line of scrimmage is the greatest equalizer for a team that is struggling with giving up big plays.
Continue reading at Bleacher Report – Big Ten Football
