Ohio State Football: 3 under-the-radar players who must contribute

The Ohio State Football team is going to need to stop the run to get Oregon off the field.

Ohio State will face a different kind of test this week when they face a mobile quarterback. Anthony Brown brings the running and option element that will stretch the Buckeye defense that already struggled against Minnesota. The hope is that part of the issue was injuries and scheme, but there are a few players who will be instrumental this week.

The group that will have the biggest impact in stopping any kind of option are the linebackers. Teradja Mitchell has emerged as the leader of this unit, and he will need to really step up his game in shutting down Brown and company. The Ducks should not burn Ohio State through the air consistently, so the Buckeyes will need to focus the majority of their attention on solving the issues that Minnesota exposed last week.

Mitchell has a big game if he can be in the backfield consistently. Blowing up plays and making big stops is something to watch for to see if this defense has turned a corner. Buckeye Nation is waiting for the Silver Bullets to be back, and Mitchell will be a huge part of an improved group if the Buckeyes do turn the corner.

If all of these players are able to do their jobs, there’s no reason why the Buckeyes can’t walk out of the Shoe on Saturday afternoon with a well-earned victory. They are the more talented team and should show it in front of a lot of people.