COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State football’s defense unquestionably succeeded in the first half of the season. Back in July, when coach Ryan Day said he wanted a top-10 defense, it seemed like a long-term aspiration — a goal to drive improvement even if that standard remained out of reach. Well, six games later, OSU ranks seventh in the nation in total defense and 11th in yards allowed per play. When you look at metrics that adjust for strength of opponent and prioritize non-garbage time reps, OSU still ranks 12th in Football Outsiders’ DFEI and eighth in ESPN’s SP+ defensive score. At nearly every defensive position, the Buckeyes are more reliable and more disruptive compared to a year ago. Nearly, except for one — cornerback. The across-the-board competency at nine other spots has magnified the shortcomings at a position that already faced the most play-to-play scrutiny of any on the defense.…
Continue Reading: Ohio State football’s cornerbacks can reset, recharge and reinforce during open week
