Ohio State Confident Cornerback Denzel Burke Will Shake Sophomore Slump

"He certainly has some plays he wants back, but we’re all confident that he will and he’s ready to make those plays."

Ohio State cornerback Denzel Burke is in a bit of a sophomore slump, having allowed 151 yards on 12 targets through the first two games of the season, including a 58-yard reception in Saturday’s 45-12 win over Arkansas State. 

He was also called for two pass interference penalties in a span of three plays in the first quarter, which ultimately led to him being replaced by redshirt freshman Jakailin Johnson later in the half.

Still, neither head coach Ryan Day nor defensive coordinator Jim Knowles seem too concerned with Burke’s inconsistent play so far this season, and both expect him to right the ship sooner rather than later.

“Denzel is very, very talented, and you guys see what he’s capable of,” Day said during his press conference on Tuesday afternoon. “I think that he’s going to keep working to get better. He certainly has some plays he wants back, but we’re all confident that he will and he’s ready to make those plays.

“At the same time, he’s got to identify what those things are that got him jammed up on those plays and make the adjustments from there.”

Burke, who earned freshman All-American honors after starting all 13 games for the Buckeyes last fall, returned to the lineup in the second half and played well before Johnson finished things out with the second-team defense.

“Those guys at corner live on an island,” Knowles said. “It’s something that 99.99 percent of the population could never do. It’s a really tough, competitive situation. Sometimes you get into a little bit of a slump, so you come out and reassess.

“He went back in and did better, so I think he’s on track. When you’re in such a high-pressure position, you’re going to have some ups and downs. He’s got a great attitude and we trust him.”

Burke, who finished the win over the Red Wolves with two pass break ups and one tackle for loss in 43 defensive snaps, was notably wearing a shoulder brace on his left arm, presumably the result of an injury that forced him to miss time during fall camp.

Knowles didn’t use that as an excuse for Burke’s penalties or blown coverages, but did suggest the lack of preseason repetitions could be a factor in his unusual start to the season.

“It doesn't help,” Knowles said. “Repetitions stack on top of each other and repetitions against quality opponents stack on top of each other. When you miss a lot of time against our offense, those are certainly repetitions that can elevate your playing performance. So, yeah, it doesn’t help.”

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