COLUMBUS — Ohio State picked up a top-five road win on Saturday at Indiana. Here’s what stood out on a second look.
1. Matt Patricia turned up the gas in a major way when it fell to the defense to make sure the Buckeyes left Bloomington with a win.
Indiana had nine combined third- and fourth-down attempts in the second half and converted only three. On those nine plays, Patricia called a zero blitz (man coverage with no deep safety and everyone else rushing the quarterback) four times. The notoriously conservative coordinator has been more aggressive since a bend-but-don’t-break style proved the Buckeyes’ undoing against Texas, but this was another level. Frankly, it’s a welcome change.
Patricia first showed a zero blitz on third-and-10 in the third quarter. Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover was forced into a short throw that Jay Timmons tackled. On the next play, Patricia kept his foot on the gas and sent seven on fourth-and-4, and Jaylen McClain got a free run at Hoover to produce a sack-fumble.
The Buckeyes had crowded the line similarly earlier in the game, but dropped out and sent only four rushers. This time, Patricia sent the house.
When the Hoosiers threatened to take the lead late, Patricia called an all-out pressure on the final two plays as an aggressive last stand — a stark departure from how things ended at Texas in September. The Hoosiers tried a quarterback draw on third-and-4, and Hoover had nowhere to run other than into the arms of a waiting Beau Atkinson for no gain.