COLUMBUS, Ohio — Cody Simon is realistic when it comes to defensive coverages. He knows that nothing is perfect. He knows that every coverage has its own set of issues.
But to the sophomore linebacker, that’s what defensive game planning is: to limit those holes as much as possible.
“For us, it’s just knowing our issues and being able to prevent them as much as possible,” Simon said. “We don’t know what Purdue’s game plan is going to be, but we can know our issues and know how to defend them.”
As the season has continued, those “issues” for Ohio State’s defense have come primarily from the middle of the field, in the spaces between the linebacker and the safety. It’s a space Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez and slot receiver Samori Toure took advantage of, recording both of the Cornhuskers’ deep shots against Ohio State safety Lathan Ransom in the middle of the field.
Heading into Purdue, redshirt sophomore linebacker Steele Chambers said it’s about understanding where opponents have attacked the defense in the past, focusing on how to fix it and moving forward.
But it helps to have a defensive line that’s been dominating the line of scrimmage like Ohio State has had over the past few weeks.
“Just makes it really clean for us. They are able to go inside and wreak havoc. We’re just open to really play and just have fun,” Chambers said. “They are doing the hard work for us up front, so we’re just going around making tackles.”
Since the bye week, Ohio State’s defense has recorded 14 sacks and 30 tackles for loss in the past three games combined, including 17.5 tackles for loss by the defensive line.
Junior defensive end Zach Harrison has played a big role in that, recording eight tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks and a quarterback hit in the last three games combined.
But he said the defensive line is just one piece of a puzzle that’s just getting better each and every week.
“We know that if we can rush, the DBs don’t have to cover long,” Harrison said. “If the DBs do their job in coverage, we are going to get home and make plays; the linebackers in the middle doing a little bit of both. That’s something we take pride in: playing with energy and having fun out there, playing together.”
Ohio State’s defense, which leads the Big Ten in sacks with 34, will take on a Purdue offensive line that has allowed 25 sacks in nine games: 12th worst in the conference.
On tape, Harrison sees a talented and athletic offensive line, but a unit Ohio State can take advantage of if the line uses its fundamentals and technique to win one-on-one battles.
If defenses haven’t gotten home against quarterback Aidan O’Connell and the rest of the Purdue offense, the Boilermakers have shined in the passing game, coming in with the No. 2 passing offense in the Big Ten: averaging 332.6 yards per game, 7.4 yards per attempt and 19 touchdowns — tied with Maryland for second behind Ohio State’s 27.
Ohio State has weapons to worry about, including junior wide receiver David Bell: a reigning first-team All-Big Ten receiver who is the conference’s only 1,000-yard receiver, a receiver who recorded 210 receiving yards on 11 receptions against Michigan State last weekend.
All Sevyn Banks sees is an opportunity.
The senior cornerback said, heading into a matchup with a prolific passing attack, the coaches have been preaching the opportunity to have an edge, to not settle, to not be complacent.
But Banks is excited. He’s looking forward to the matchup with Purdue’s offense. It’s an opportunity for the Buckeyes to show what they can do.
“They pass a lot. It’s great,” Banks said. “It’s opportunities to make plays.”
