Ohio State coaches and players have admitted they weren't properly prepared for the defense Virginia Tech played against them in their Week 2 matchup.
The Hokies, who are traditionally a blitz-heavy team, came out in a 46 Bear front with a Cover 0 look to try and completely eliminate the Buckeyes' run game, confuse redshirt freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett with a series of zone blitzes and dared Ohio State's receivers win one-on-one battles.
The result was a seven-sack performance by the Virginia Tech defense as it came away with a 35-21 upset at Ohio Stadium.
Two days after the game, Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer was asked how the Buckeyes would respond if another team tried to run a similar scheme.
"I don't know if people have the personnel," Meyer said. "I know one of them does. The team that won the Big Ten last year does. I don't know. That's risky stuff."
Meyer, of course, was referring to Michigan State. The Buckeyes don't travel to East Lansing until Nov. 8, but his theory was put to the test much quicker than the third-year coach anticipated.
Kent State tried the same type of 46 Bear look during the first few series of its Week 3 game against Ohio State, but it was obvious the Golden Flashes didn't have the personnel to properly execute it as the Buckeyes won convincingly, 66-0.
But what's to stop Cincinnati, a program Meyer said was "absolutely" Power 5 level, from trying it, as well? Meyer said on his call-in show Thursday despite the Bearcats being a traditional 4-3 defense, he wouldn't be surprised if they try to give Ohio State a 46-type look.
"Kent State came right out with that Bear package and that's just a unique defense that really shuts down a lot of the run game, forces your quarterback to be a playmaker," he said. "We've worked very hard on that and anticipate we're gonna see some of that, no question."
Cincinnati's defense certainly isn't as stout as Virginia Tech's, but it's not as weak as Kent State's, either. Truth is, it probably falls somewhere in the middle.
The Bearcats rank just 106th in the country in total defense, giving up 463.5 yards per game. But they can pressure the quarterback from the defensive line with the likes of Brad Harrah, Terrell Hartsfield and perhaps the greatest name in college football, Silverberry Mouhon. The UC defense has already recorded 11 sacks in just two games.
“We expect them to be tough. They look like they can bring it on defense. They do a lot of great stuff," Ohio State starting center Jacoby Boren said. "They bring some pressure, too, but like I said we’ve had two weeks to prepare for them so that’s pretty good for us so we should be ready for it.”
But while the Bearcats' do have abnormally high sack totals for just the season's first two games, it's important to keep in perspective who they have played.
Cincinnati has two victories on the season, both against MAC teams, and is still giving up over 350 yards per game through the air and over 120 on the ground. Judging by those, one could assume its run defense is much stronger than its pass defense.
But whichever type of scheme the Bearcats plan to deliver Saturday night, Ohio State insists it is ready.
“Whatever they’re gonna show us, I think I’m confident, we’re confident, that we’re gonna do well against their look," junior tight end Nick Vannett said. "The way we perform during the week, we’re ready for whatever they’re gonna bring at us. If they bring that, if they run quarters, we’ve got answers for that so I think we’ll be all right.”
