Before the first question about Ohio State's pass defense was even finished being asked during his Monday press conference, head coach Urban Meyer interrupted it with three simple words to show his anxiousness for the task at hand when the Buckeyes take on Cincinnati.
"Here we go," he said.
A year after Ohio State ranked 11th out of 12 teams in the Big Ten in passing defense, allowing 268 yards per game, it became clear a change was needed.
Meyer brought in Chris Ash to be the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach and installed a brand new defensive scheme that players and coaches have said is much more aggressive in style than in years past.
But through this season's first three games, it hasn't really been tested.
The Buckeyes faced a triple-option team in Navy in the season-opener, a well-balanced Virginia Tech offense in Week 2 and simply overmatched Kent State in all phases of the game last week in a 66-0 rout.
This weekend against Cincinnati, though, the questions about Ohio State's pass defense will be answered.
"The first game was wishbone, second game we played pretty good and I think we held them to 190‑some yards passing, not great and the last game was out of hand real early so this is the test," Meyer said. "This is the one that we're all shooting for and they're really good at throwing the ball and it will be a challenge for us."
The Bearcats rank ninth nationally in passing yards per game (353.5) and quarterback Gunner Kiel has already thrown 10 touchdown passes while completing over 65 percent of his passes in just two games this season.
Seven different Cincinnati players have already caught touchdown passes this year.
“They have a group of diverse receivers, inside and outside," Ohio State cornerback Doran Grant said. "They can catch the ball pretty good. The outside receivers are pretty solid and so are the inside receivers so (Kiel) has a lot of weapons.”
The Bearcats' top two options are juniors Mekale McKay and Shaq Washington, but Ohio State's coaching staff knows there are more threats for Cincinnati to make plays.
“This is the best group of receivers we’ve seen this year and maybe the best group that we will see all year," Ohio State cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs said. "This is a very dynamic quarterback, they spread the ball around and throw it to all different areas of the field. They’re very fast but they’ve also got two tall guys on the outside, quick, small guys on the inside. They’re a complete throwing package so we’re going to be tested like we have not been.”
With Saturday night being the first time this year Ohio State's secondary will be tested, are the Buckeyes up for the challenge?
“I hope so," Coombs said. "I think we practiced really well this week. I think our kids have really taken to the change and the difference throughout the course of the year, but we have not been challenged like this."
