Ohio State football team captain didn’t hold back with a strong, telling message that now has to be backed up against Iowa
The senior leader for ohio State didn’t hold back on a message to his teammates, and now it has to be backed up against Iowa.
The Ohio State Buckeyes beat Illinois 42-19 in their Big Ten opener in Columbus, but the final score told a misleading story. Illinois racked up 462 total yards against Ohio State’s defense, and the Illini could have had more points on the board.
It was one of the worst performances for the Matt Patricia-led defense since he took over as defensive coordinator last season.
Ohio State’s run defense raises a red flag
The ground game was the biggest issue. Illinois gashed Ohio State for 199 rushing yards, the kind of performance the Buckeyes simply cannot allow this season, especially in their biggest games going forward. It was a potential red flag for what could be coming if things don’t get fixed.
Ohio State’s defense lost a ton of players from last year’s team, including defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, who was a major run-stop force. Still, the Buckeyes have to be better than the 45th-ranked defense in the country, giving up 114 rushing yards per game through four weeks.
While Ohio State boasts one of the top offenses in college football, the defense is going to have to come around if the Buckeyes want to accomplish their biggest goals this season.
Kenyatta Jackson calls out the standard
Ohio State defensive end and team captain Kenyatta Jackson made it plain and simple that the Week 4 showing isn’t good enough and doesn’t meet the standard.
“I mean, it wasn’t acceptable,” Jackson said. “200 rushing yards is terrible. So with me being the captain, me being the leader. It starts with the D-line. For a fact, I know me and my guys will be ready on Saturday against Iowa in the running game.”
That is Jackson putting a lot of belief in his group that things are going to be fixed against Iowa on Saturday in a top-15 Big Ten matchup. The Hawkeyes are a team that wants to play tough defense and run the ball to keep it out of Ohio State’s hands. That’s how Iowa wins games, and if the Hawkeyes have success against Ohio State, a lot of it will come on the ground. Iowa is averaging 215 yards per game rushing, and running back Kamari Moulton is the lead back to watch.
Jackson and the defensive line group have to go out and prove it, backing up those words that things are going to be fixed. If they don’t, Ohio State may have a real problem on its hands with the Indiana Hoosiers, USC Trojans, Oregon Ducks, and Michigan Wolverines still on the schedule after a tough Iowa game.
Jackson’s message was clear: the standard at Ohio State demands more, and the defensive line knows it starts with them.
