CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – From 3-3 to a 22-game win streak; one completed pass to 13, the Urban Meyer era has rescued Ohio State from swallowing itself. Things were so drastically different the last time the Buckeyes came to Illinois it’s hard to even put into words.
Oct. 15, 2011, came one week after Ohio State completed its biggest second-half collapse in program history. Nebraska trailed by 21 points midway through the third quarter, before Braxton Miller suffered a game-altering injury and the Cornhuskers sent Memorial Stadium into a red-hot frenzy.
The Buckeyes traveled to Champaign the following week winless in the Big Ten and .500 for the season. They won no thanks to a passing game that manufactured one completion, albeit a touchdown.
“I was a young pup, so I grew up from that,” Miller said, laughing.
On Saturday, Ohio State was the better team from the opening coin toss until the final Carlos Hyde shimmy to the end zone. Instead of leaving with players – namely, Hyde – airing grievances on Twitter, the social media site was full of jubilant Buckeyes. Hyde rushed for a career-high 246 yards, the third-best output in school history, and his 30 points scored are tied for the most in a single game.
It’s a long way from two years ago – for both programs. Illinois is now 6-27 since that October day, losers of 20 consecutive Big Ten games. Ohio State’s yearlong stretch of turmoil has morphed into two years of ecstasy.
There’s no need for reassurance, though Urban Meyer was quick to offer optimism. Night and day is how he often describes not just the offense but also the team’s trajectory. All it takes is one flip of the TV dial to take notice. The Buckeyes are averaging 230 passing yards per game and thrown 31 touchdowns, four fewer than the program record set in 1995. That same season, Ohio State scored 64 touchdowns, a record that’s already fallen in 10 games (67).
Keep in mind Miller was the Big Ten freshman of the year in 2011. Still, the strides he’s made every season, even from being the conference’s top player a year ago to now, are significant. The quarterback that came to Champaign his freshman year is now unrecognizable. Meyer and Tom Herman have groomed Miller into a one-man tour de force.
“Braxton and the skill guys have come so far,” offensive lineman Jack Mewhort said this week. “Our passing game has evolved so much now and so many guys score touchdowns for us now that one pass is kind of unreal to think about.”
Miller’s last four games include a completion percentage hovering above 70 percent, 857 yards passing and 11 touchdowns. In the past three, the Buckeyes have scored at least 56 points thanks in large part to Miller’s efficiency. He threw for 150 yards and two touchdowns Saturday, running for an additional touchdown and 184 yards.
The best offensive line the country, as Miller refers to them, and his improved corps of receivers have contributed to the meteoric offensive rise.
“It’s definitely different now,” wide receiver Evan Spencer said. “It was just two completely different offensive strategies, two different offensive minds.”
Maybe the most pronounced difference is the mood. After a 17-7 win two years ago, there was elation in the 4-3 locker room. A 60-35 victory Saturday only brought along frustration for the undefeated Buckeyes.
“A win is a win, but I’m not pleased with the way we performed today,” Hyde said. “If we get to where we want to go this year, we have to get better. We can’t focus too much on our opponent’s records. We just need to focus on what’s good for us and that’s getting better in practice. We need to play our game no matter who our opponent is.”
That message matriculates from the top down.
“We have to make sure our focus is on getting better each week instead of all of the national stuff,” Meyer said. “I think I’m learning a lesson to just shut my mouth and quit worrying about this and that. Let’s get a little better.”
It was feast or famine against Nathan Scheelhaase.Defensive Woes Make Guest Appearance
Ranked second in the preseason, Ohio State fell in the polls after a series of big but closer-than-expected final margins. The drop also coincided with Braxton Miller’s injured knee. But the unimpressive nature of the Buckeyes’ first six games had more to do with defense than offense.
Buffalo scored 20 points; Cal peppered the Ohio State secondary en route to 34 points; Wisconsin used the same passing model to score 24 points and make a four-quarter rally; the following week it would be the Buckeyes who needed to rally after allowing 30 points to Northwestern.
At halftime of the Iowa game, with Ohio State trailing 17-10, head coach Urban Meyer was fuming. He let wide receiver Philly Brown deliver the stern message, though. After the Buckeyes rebounded and poured it on the Hawkeyes in the second half, Meyer called a meeting. But this wasn’t your normal team meeting. The invitees were only the defensive coaches and players.
Meyer witnessed great defensive play for six seasons at Florida, units that were routinely among the nation’s best and in national championship contention. He saw the same thing in the Jim Tressel era Buckeyes. Not anymore, though. They were being pushed around and he was tired of it.
So Meyer gathered them all up and said enough is enough.
“You want to see how much we have improved,” he said. “These last few weeks, it’s night and day.”
On Saturday, there may have been more night than day. The previous 10 quarters Ohio State allowed 14 points. Illinois managed to gash the Buckeyes for 28 points – punt return omitted – and 420 yards of offense.
“It’s tough to win on the road,” senior safety C.J. Barnett said. “We got the win and just have to get back to work tomorrow.”
All the issues for the Buckeyes came with a caveat. After losing Christian Bryant in the waning moments of the Wisconsin game, Ohio State played without him and two starting linebackers against the Illini. Then Joey Bosa strained his neck in the third quarter. Illinois’ average yardage per play added up to 4.8 and it accumulated the first two rushes of 20 or more yards against the Buckeyes all season.
“I’m not satisfied because you don’t want anyone to score any points on you, but 35 is way too much,” said junior linebacker Ryan Shazier, who recorded a game-high 16 tackles. ”If the offense isn’t the offense that it is right now, this could have been a different situation. We gave up too many points today and we just have to work on it and fix it this week.”
The current turnaround is – or was – eerily similar to what took place just one year ago. After an uninspiring effort during the non-conference schedule, Ohio State’s defensive woes carried over into the first half of the Big Ten slate. The tipping point came when the Buckeyes’ allowed 49 points to Indiana, the program’s most ever in a win.
Shortly thereafter, Meyer became more involved in defensive meetings and game planning. Thus started a turnaround that saw Ohio State rank second nationally in total defense for the month of November.
“We answer [when Coach Meyer talks],” Shazier said.
Chances are Luke Fickell and Meyer will be talking on Sunday – to each other and to the team. Ohio State’s defensive deficiencies were exposed once more Saturday, mainly in the passing area. Nathan Scheelhaase completed 33-of-50 attempts for 288 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
A bulk of the momentum shifting from the Buckeye defense to Illini offense overlapped with Bosa’s injury. He finished with 2.5 sacks, proving his value against a mobile quarterback.
“I think pressuring the quarterback is definitely something that we need,” Spence said. “We need to keep attacking and disrupt on every play.”
Communication issues have been shored up in the absence of Bryant, linebacker play continues to improve but the relative health of the defense is dipping. Curtis Grant and Joshua Perry’s rise is still in motion and an attribute not totally expected, and the return of defensive lineman Tommy Schutt, who missed six games with a broken foot, has caused a boon in production across the whole defense.
“I like to think I add a physical presence inside, eating up blocks, letting our linebackers make plays, stuff like that,” said Schutt, who applied pressure to Scheelhaase on a critical series.
The defense will continue to be tested next week. Indiana owns the No. 10 scoring offense in the country.
It took Zach Boren moving from offense to defense for Ohio State to make strides last season. Some point to Pittsburgh Brown becoming acclimated, improved linebacker play and Schutt’s return as keys to the 2013 upsurge.
“We’re starting to click,” Schutt said. “I think a turning point was the first half of the Iowa game, where we felt we didn’t play up to our expectations. We got a pretty good halftime, came out and played much better in the second half, and have been playing well since.”
Until Saturday. Now the Buckeyes have a week of grinding, getting healthy and another reinvention.
Said Meyer: “We’re not playing good enough defense for what we expect.”
Redemption for Hyde Once More
Carlos Hyde had just rushed for the third-highest total in school history and the Buckeyes eclipsed the previous best rushing yards per carry average. Still, Urban Meyer found a crinkle in all the back-patting.
“I don’t think our offensive line played Ohio State-ish,” he said after Ohio State’s 441-yard output.
Hyde’s day included 246 rushing yards, 26 receiving yards, five touchdowns and 30 points. The fourth quarter served as the ultimate highlight – touchdown runs of 51- and 55-yards to seal the victory. But he, too, was not overjoyed in the immediate aftermath of the Buckeyes’ win. He thanked others and then pointed out the inadequacy.
“It was a long day and we definitely have to improve because we kind of hit a wall,” Hyde said. “We came out scoring points, but we hit a wall later with a few three-and-outs. Like Coach Meyer told us before the game, ‘We’ve got to play very, very good.’ Late in the game we started clicking, but we can't hit that wall.”
There was no mention of scoring at least 56 for the third straight week or Hyde being on the verge of 1,000 yards, a number he’ll almost certainly surpass in the first quarter next week.
It’s been quite a year for Hyde and Saturday was a microcosm - good mixed with bad. He didn’t start due to an academic issue that neither he nor Meyer clarified.
“Academically, our guys are held to a certain standard. He’s fine,” Meyer said. “He has been great and I expect him to be great again. I have no problem with Carlos. He’s good to go.”
In a week he will suit up in Ohio Stadium one final time, run through the tunnel and be showered with praise from a legion of fans that have supported him through a host of ups and downs. For Hyde, the rollercoaster has been similar to the adventure rides in amusement parks: a thrill.
“It’s going to be a sad one, just thinking about the last time playing in the ‘Shoe,” Hyde said. “But I’m going to enjoy it.”
