Arkansas
Jim Knowles’ Ohio State defense refuses to be satisfied after bend-but-don’t-break effort
Ohio State’s protection stored Arkansas State out of the tip zone, held the Crimson Wolves to 53 dashing yards, and located their manner into the backfield 12 occasions throughout Saturday’s 45-12 win. However as disruptive as they have been, the Buckeyes have been unhappy with their efficiency.
“Did not fairly end it the best way we might have prefer to have seen, fairly truthfully,” mentioned head coach Ryan Day. “It was type of a bend-but-don’t break fashion immediately.”
Steele Chambers and Cody Simon led OSU with six tackles a chunk, however they have been amongst those that thought there was room for enchancment.
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“We’re not the place we wish to be at,” mentioned Simon. “You by no means really need any penalties.”
As an alternative, the protection was flagged seven occasions for 65 yards.
“I really feel like simply having the ability to disrupt the ball, simply having the ability to play offense on protection,” mentioned Chambers, “I believe that might be large for us to begin doing.”
As an alternative for the second straight week, Ohio State didn’t pressure a turnover.
Sophomore cornerback Denzel Burke tried for an interception within the first quarter on a third and 11 play from the 48-yard line however ended up committing go interference. It arrange a Crimson Wolves’ subject objective on their second possession. Burke was then victimized on a 58-yard go play with 14:48 remaining within the second quarter that additionally arrange an Arkansas State subject objective.
That go went to Champ Flemings who registered 10 catches for 105 yards towards the Scarlet and Grey.
It additionally resulted in OSU rotating in Jakailin “JK” Johnson, who had three tackles on the afternoon.
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New Buckeyes defensive coordinator Jim Knowles has been fast to insert gamers like Johnson into the lineup, each due to the staff’s depth (27 totally different defensive gamers registered a sort out towards Arkansas State) and to strengthen a message of accountability.
And that is what the OSU protection did Saturday – maintain itself accountable. As a result of for all of the shortcomings, the actual fact stays that in two video games, the staff has given up a single landing: Audric Estime’s one-yard dashing rating within the second quarter for Notre Dame.
Michael Corridor has emerged as a pressure. After recording 4 tackles and two tackles for loss towards the Combating Irish, he adopted up with three TFLs Saturday. He might need even had extra had he not left the sport with a shoulder damage within the third quarter.
“It isn’t one thing that we anticipate him to overlook any time for,” mentioned Day. “There was no concern popping out of (the sport) that it was going to be long run.”
And whereas Burke might have struggled, security Josh Proctor was in that very same place per week in the past and managed to bounce again.
“I took immediately as my second shot,” Proctor mentioned. “Really feel like I did fairly good.”
He had three tackles, however simply as his teammates had performed, expressed a level of frustration.
“Might be rather a lot higher,” he mentioned. “Most likely get on the movie and watch over there with coach and see the place we went proper, the place we went flawed.”
And of all of the positives for the Buckeyes, that may be the best: that after two weeks by which they confirmed marked enchancment over the 2021 season, they nonetheless are striving for extra.