Ohio State football: Young team facing challenges inside and out in return to Big Ten play

Here are five things to know about the game between Ohio State and the Scarlet Knights:

1. A younger-than-expected lineup has created some challenges for Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and his staff.

Among the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the program is a scrambling of the usual order of things.

Older players who appeared to be next in line for playing time after a number of productive veterans moved on have had a hard time holding off members of the 2021 and ‘22 class who have come on strong over the past nine months or so.

Some of that is about how talented the youngsters are, but Day noted another aspect of it this week: The veterans missed a lot of developmental time last year with the season cut in half, giving them less of an advantage than usual when it comes to earning playing time.

“We had so many unknowns of guys who had been in the program two or three years, who didn’t have experience,” Day said. “There is a lot of competition going on across the board. That’s the good thing. I think you are starting to see guys settling into roles.”

Those who were injured in the spring and/or preseason face an even bigger challenge to earning playing time.

2. Having so many young contributors can make finding leaders difficult. The Buckeyes are trying to work that out was they go.

Senior defensive tackle Haskell Garrett has embraced becoming one of the older guys after deciding to return to school despite being named an All-American last season.

“It’s just patience,” Garrett said of his leadership style. “Just hear everybody’s guidance from the coaches, understanding how to be leaders, have patience and understand it’s a process. I went through my own process to get to where I am at Ohio State, so now it’s me in becoming a better teacher and have patience with the young guys.”

He said his No. 1 piece of advice for the youngsters is to have fun.

“And when I say have fun, I mean we take this sport seriously with schematics, with the pressure that we get through social media, through our families — it’s still just a sport and have fun. You need to execute your job at a high level because you’re at Ohio State, but at the end of the day it’s just football.”

3. There is hope the Ohio State defense is turning a corner.

After struggling through the first three weeks, a different approach in the secondary and a few new faces helped the Buckeyes wipe out Akron last week.

It remains to be seen how much of that was the competition (or lack thereof) and how much of it was real improvement by Ohio State, though.

“I think we have made some strides,” Day said. “This week will be another big test for us. I think you just overall see us changing some things up, playing with great aggression. We’ll know that more here in a couple weeks and figure out where we’re at.

“I don’t think the answer is here yet. We have to see where we’re at with this thing week to week. You have to bring it every week. It will be a whole different game this week and a different challenge.”

4. Greg Schiano has the Scarlet Knights playing better than they have in a while.

Rutgers won three Big Ten games last year after wining only four in the previous five seasons.

They started this season 3-0 before a 20-13 loss at Michigan last week in which the Scarlet Knights dominated the second half and had multiple chances to tie the game.

“(Greg) does a good job coaching in all three phases,” said Day, who shared a staff with Schiano at Ohio State in 2017 and ‘18. “It is a challenge going on the road.

“You see what he did last year, and last week they took (Michigan) to the fourth quarter. They played excellent defense in the fourth quarter. He has the guys believing and playing hard.”

The Rutgers defense is ranked 11th or better nationally in total defense, pass efficiency defense, scoring defense and turnover margin while the offense is led by solid senior quarterback Noah Vedral, talented running back Isaiah Pacheco and dangerous receiver Bo Melton.

5. Garrett praised Schiano for his motivational skills.

Undersized defensive tackles Julius Turner and Mayan Ahanatu are the top-rated players on the Rutgers defense according to Pro Football Focus, and they benefit from an attacking scheme that features a unique-looking “tilt nose” that has Turner align at an angle instead of directly over the center.

The offense has relied on Vedral’s ball-handling on zone-read plays and run/pass options, and Schiano has made trick plays a staple of the Rutgers offense and special teams.

But Garrett also credited Schiano for his way with players off the field.

“Being around him when he was here, he’s a really good talker,” Garrett said. “He inspires and tries to fuel your emotion and your passion and tries to drive you, and ultimately you as a player put that on the field.

“I feel that he’s done that with his guys, and this is a great football team. This isn’t the Rutgers that it used to be.”

SATURDAY’S GAME

Ohio State at Rutgers, 3:30 p.m., BTN, 1410