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Ohio State Football: Three possible season-long trends

By Zane Harris

Ohio State Buckeyes Thayer Munford (75), Haskell Garrett (92), Miyan Williams (28) and defensive coordinator Kery Coombs sign Carmen Ohio after beating Minnesota Golden Gophers 45-31 in Huntington Bank Stadium at University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN on September 2, 2021.Ceb Osu21min Kwr 65
Ohio State Buckeyes Thayer Munford (75), Haskell Garrett (92), Miyan Williams (28) and defensive coordinator Kery Coombs sign Carmen Ohio after beating Minnesota Golden Gophers 45-31 in Huntington Bank Stadium at University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN on September 2, 2021.Ceb Osu21min Kwr 65 /
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The Ohio State football team doesn’t have their defense fixed just yet. Mandatory Credit: Harrison Barden-USA TODAY Sports
The Ohio State football team doesn’t have their defense fixed just yet. Mandatory Credit: Harrison Barden-USA TODAY Sports /

Defensive Concerns

The final takeaway from the week one matchup against Minnesota is that the Buckeyes still have some adjustments to make before they can live up to the hype on defense.

While they were going against one of the best running backs in the nation in Mohammed Ibrahim, he tore up Ohio State’s defense. He suffered a season-ending lower leg injury in the week one matchup. Despite only playing around half of the game, Ibrahim still rushed for 163 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries.

Although the Buckeyes will likely not face a better running back this season, it is still concerning that he was able to do that much damage to a defense of Ohio State’s caliber. If Ibrahim would have remained in the game and not suffered his season-ending injury, it would have been nowhere near as easy for Ohio State to make their second-half comeback.

Along with this, being unable to stop the run would have allowed for the Golden Gophers to chew more precious time off of the clock. They will once again be put to the test on the ground against Oregon. Against Fresno State, Oregon used a two-man committee at running back.

CJ Verdell totaled 74 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries and Travis Dye had 64 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. Along with this, Oregon has a dual-threat quarterback that is sure to keep the Buckeyes on their toes. Against Fresno State, he ran for 56 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries.

Next. Ohio State Football: Miyan Williams' transformation. dark

The Buckeyes’ defense will get a chance to prove themselves in week two and they likely will.

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