Ohio State's Ryan Day Offers Solution To Defensive Issues

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day wants to employ some new wrinkles to maximize his team's defense.

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day reacts to a targeting call on linebacker Arvell Reese during the second half of the NCAA football game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. Ohio State won 21-17. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Ohio State Buckeyes are 6-1 on the season and are still widely viewed as one of the best teams in the country, but during their Week 7 loss to the Oregon Ducks, they displayed some flaws.

Namely, their defense was not getting the job done, and fatigue may have played a significant factor.

Ohio State's starters along the defensive line have been playing a whole lot of snaps this season, and head coach Ryan Day would like to see that change in order to keep his best players fresh late in games.

"I definitely think we want to rotate guys," Day said, via Andy Anders of Eleven Warriors. "But when the game's on the line like that, we've got to make sure that we're getting stops. We did that. We'll have to do that again this week. But yeah, we've got to get (Kayden McDonald) mixed in more, Hero (Kanu) mixed in more, Kenyatta (Jackson Jr.), Caden Curry, and make sure that our guys are fresh in the fourth quarter."

It's definitely a complicated balance. While Day wants to ensure that his top guys are energized in the final frame, he also wants to consistently get stops. In order to do that, his best players need to be on the field.

The good news is that the Buckeyes put forth a much stronger defensive showing against the Nebraska Cornhuskers last Saturday, surrendering just 17 points.

But Ohio State is about to face the third-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions, who present a much bigger challenge than Nebraska.

There have been legitimate questions about the Buckeyes' ability to handle elite teams this year, as evidenced by their loss to Oregon.

We'll see if Ohio State can answer the bell this weekend.