If there's an opposing coach around the country who knows Ohio State's defensive personnel better than anyone else, it's Rutgers head coach Chris Ash.
After previous stops at Wisconsin and Arkansas, Ash spent the last two seasons in Columbus as the Buckeyes' co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach. He changed Ohio State's defensive scheme and is well-aware of the guys the Buckeyes have playing this season.
But while Ohio State's defensive prowess this year surprised a lot of people through the first three games, Ash is not one of them.
"No, not at all," he said Tuesday on the Big Ten coaches weekly teleconference. "At Ohio State, they recruit at a high level and just really reload and it's the next man in.
"When someone goes to the NFL or their career is over, there's another talented player waiting to burst on the scene and become an Ohio State legend and this is no different."
First, a look at the numbers.
Ohio State ranks 13th nationally in total defense (278.3 yards per game), ninth in scoring defense (12.3 points per game), 24th in pass defense (176.0 yards per game) and 19th in run defense (102.3 yards per game).
Additionally, and perhaps even more impressive, are the ballhawking numbers. The Buckeyes are tied for fourth in the country with nine interceptions (the three teams ahead of them have all played an additional game) and Ohio State's four defensive touchdowns rank No. 1 in the country.
The Buckeyes are also the only team in FBS to not yet allow a rushing touchdown.
“We’re never satisfied with getting a sack, getting a sack-fumble or getting an interception," Ohio State redshirt junior linebacker Chris Worley said. "The goal is to make an even better play and go score."
But what makes Ohio State's defensive output thus far so impressive is that the majority of the players on the field are seeing the first significant playing time of their careers. Sure, Tyquan Lewis, Sam Hubbard, Raekwon McMillan and Gareon Conley were household names, but the rest were not.
Worley, Malik Hooker, Marshon Lattimore and many others are just getting their first real shot at playing time. Ash saw the potential with this new wave of talent in Ohio State's practices over the last few years. He always figured this kind of performance would happen.
But maybe Ash didn't expect it so quickly.
"The only thing that's probably a little bit surprising is how well they're playing so early," Ash said. "That staff has done an outstanding job of getting those guys game ready in an early fashion. In 2014, we lost that Virginia Tech game early in the season and you just don't see that type of stumble or pot hole for this football team in the first three games."
Ohio State hopes the stellar defense, the takeaways and the points continue throughout the rest of the season. It's what has made this unit so good through the first month of the year.
"Takeaways [are] a huge thing in a football game," defensive end Tyquan Lewis said. "So you get the ball and score, that's very big in the football game. We really preach that."
