Last week, Ohio State gave up 20 points to the Buffalo Bulls, and that was enough to drop the Buckeyes to No. 3 in the latest poll. However, there was less than a sense of panic among the OSU faithful and more importantly the OSU coaching staff.
Why? Because Ohio State wasn’t near full strength on defense—especially in the secondary—where it was missing cornerback Bradley Roby (suspension) and safety C.J. Barnett (ankle sprain).
As we enter Week 2, though, it appears that Barnett will be back in the starting lineup and that Roby’s suspension will be over. We’re just not sure how much Roby will play against San Diego State on Saturday.
So, Ohio State fans should expect everything to be right with the world with those two stars back in the fold starting this week, right?
Well, maybe not, and that’s because the numbers tell a vastly different story about just how good Ohio State’s pass defense actually was and is.
Yes, Roby and Barnett are insanely talented players and are among the best at their positions in the Big Ten.
However, they were those same players a season ago, and the results in the passing game suggest this is anything but an elite unit. Ohio State ranked in the middle of or in the bottom half of the Big Ten in almost all defensive categories involving the passing game.
Category
Total
Rank
Scoring D
22.8 points
6th
Total D
359.6 yards
6th
Passing D
243.5 yards
11th
Def. Pass…
Continue Reading: Getting Bradley Roby and C.J. Barnett Back Doesn’t Matter Much to Ohio State
