With an opening-night showdown with Minnesota on Thursday (8:00 p.m., FOX), Ohio State’s young and inexperienced linebackers face a difficult task: slowing Golden Gophers’ star running back Mohamed Ibrahim.
After losing all four starters from last year to the NFL, the young Buckeye linebackers will be thrown into the fire early against one of the nation’s top rushers in Ibrahim. Head coach Ryan Day pointed to a number of factors it will take to slow the talented back.
“We have to do a good job of getting him down. There’s a lot of different ways we’re going to look to do that, but he’s a very good running back,” Day said Monday. “He runs hard, the offensive line does a good job of getting moving. We’re going to have to defeat blocks and tackle well.”
Teradja Mitchell, the most veteran member of the Ohio State linebackers, echoed Day’s sentiment and recognized what they need to do to keep Ibrahim in check.
“Definitely can’t go in there and arm tackle him. I think he’s one of the better backs in the country, so it’s definitely going to be a challenge for the defense,” Mitchell said. “We definitely can’t have any arm tackles; got to wrap him up.”
In 2020, Ibrahim was the lone 1,000-yard rusher in the Big Ten — finishing the season with 1,076 yards and 15 touchdowns in seven games.
The 5-foot-10, 210-pound running back is primed for another strong season behind a Gopher offensive front that sports an average age of 23.
With attention to the Gophers’ experienced offensive line, Mitchell was highly complimentary of Ibrahim’s slew of blockers.
“It’s a great offensive line. You can tell they’re an older group. It’s going to be a challenge and we’re up for it,” Mitchell said. “They’re an aggressive offensive line. They can get running sideways, they can go from sideline to sideline as far as blocking.”
While preparing for Ibrahim and the Gophers’ offensive front, Mitchell likened the Gophers’ star back to Ohio State running back Miyan Williams — pointing to similarities in size and play style.
While the Buckeyes trot out an inexperienced linebacking corps, that will likely comprise of Mitchell, seniors Dallas Gant and K’Vaughn Pope and sophomores Cody Simon and Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State’s veteran defensive line will also play a role in slowing Ibrahim.
Team captain and junior defensive end Zach Harrison pointed to Ibrahim’s explosiveness as one of the many keys to his success last season.
“From what I’ve watched on film, he’s an explosive guy who’s good at finding holes and good at finding little seams,” Harrison said. “We just got to make sure that we’re gapped out, keep our eyes disciplined and don’t let him have any lanes to run through.”
While Harrison and the rest of the Buckeyes’ defensive line will try to bottle up Ibrahim, the Gophers’ offensive line poses a threat to Ohio State’s talented front.
Harrison pointed to the Gophers’ size and speed up front as things that could give the Buckeyes fits.
“They’re big, that’s the first thing I noticed,” Harrison said. “They move well, they run fast. That’s definitely going to be a challenge for us on the D-line, but I feel like we’re an experienced D-line. It’s going to be a good matchup.”
As the Buckeyes will look to slow the top-tier Minnesota rushing attack, Harrison said it will all come down to fundamentals.
“It’s all just hand placement and making sure your pads is low, making sure your steps are right because if they get on you and they get really into the run,” Harrison said.
