If you're putting together a list of the issues and problem areas for the Buckeyes, then it's likely to be quite lengthy.
From an offensive standpoint, the season started out strong but has been sputtering lately. Yes, the passing game is one of the best in America and the wideouts are actually playing quite well, but the offensive line and running game are both problematic at the moment. As for the red zone offense, that was possibly the most embarrassing part of the loss to Purdue.
Ohio State's defensive struggles have been even more obvious this year. Whether we're talking about the linebacker play as a whole or the safety spot opposite Jordan Fuller, the defense is a huge area of concern and has to get better before the Buckeyes face Michigan State and Michigan; or even Nebraska and Maryland for that matter.
Missed tackles, missed assignments, poor angles, and big plays have been the story of the year thus far. It's been painful to watch whether it be against Oregon State or Penn State and whether the guilty party was a linebacker being out of position or a safety lacking basic ball skills.
There are plenty of players who need to step up on defense, but with just four games remaining in the regular season, sophomores Isaiah Pryor and Baron Browning may be at the top of the list and could hold the keys to a defensive renaissance of sorts.
I don't think there's a single player on the team who's taken more heat than Pryor. I suppose it was a bit ominous when the battle for the starting spot lasted right up until the kickoff against Oregon State. Pryor and Jahsen Wint were listed as co-starters for that contest, but the Lawrenceville, Georgia native was clearly the winner of that battle.
As a high school prospect, Pryor was the nation's No. 8 safety prospect. He was a five-star at one point in the process and held offers from all over the country. When he signed with the Buckeyes he was the No. 63-ranked prospect regardless of position. Needless to say, the expectations were high.
It's been a comedy of errors at times this season. He's taken poor angles, misjudged balls, and had one of the worst tackle attempts you'll ever see while trying to bring down Rondale Moore last weekend. Still, plenty of Buckeye defensive backs have taken some lumps early on in their careers, so it's probably not fair to give up on Pryor just yet.
Let's forget that this ever happened.
The disarray at linebacker is perhaps even more glaring than any other position on the team. It's difficult to even rank the position group right now, but it's painfully obvious that things need to improve in a big way. There are still a ton of questions surrounding Bill Davis and his ability to coach the position, and most seem to believe the second-year coach is firmly entrenched on the hot seat.
Baron Browning was one of five five-star signees in the 2017 recruiting class. The Texan came into the 2018 season battling for a starting spot at linebacker and has seemingly made the move to the middle thanks in part to Tuf Borland's recovery from an achilles injury. So far there are more questions than answers surrounding his development and overall play.
It's a bit of a tricky situation, however, since Browning certainly looks like more of an outside backer and has perhaps been playing out of position for the bulk of the season. He's the most athletic linebacker on the team so it certainly seems that a move back to the outside could be in the cards. The Borland injury – and recovery which still doesn't seem to be at 100 percent – have likely thrown a wrench into the plans.
Browning flashed a few times early on against Purdue, but other than that it was a total disaster for the entire defense. He was on the field for 31 snaps; mostly playing in nickel packages. For comparison's sake, Malik Harrison was on the field for 56, Pete Werner for 47, and Tuf Borland saw 38 snaps. The unit is really in a weird place right now. Most would probably say that Harrison has been the best thus far, but that's not exactly a ringing endorsement.
The biggest thing for the linebackers – besides the dreadful coaching – could simply be Borland getting back up to where he was before the injury. I'm not sure about Werner on the outside, but Browning's athleticism probably could be better utilized. There's obviously way more to the position than being an elite athlete, though, and he's got plenty of other areas to work on.
If Ohio State wants to have any hope of winning its next four games and making an appearance in Indy, then the defense needs to improve by leaps and bounds. Browning and Pryor haven't even come close to living up to their billing thus far, and here's to hoping they can be two key components of a defensive turnaround.
