Ohio State gave up three touchdowns to Eastern Michigan as a young secondary allowed some big pass plays.
Backup defensive back Dominic Clarke (28) can't prevent Eastern Michigan's Kinsman Thomas from crossing the goal line for a 41-yard TD reception in the second quarter.COLUMBUS, Ohio -- On The Clock as the Buckeyes and Eagles take the field.
4:30 p.m.: A year ago, Ohio State shut out three opponents. This season, the Buckeyes' first-team defense had allowed just 10 points entering Saturday's game, but scores allowed on special teams or by the second-team defense had prevented Ohio State from posting a zero on the scoreboard.
This seemed like a reasonable time for a shutout. Now that chance was gone, with Eastern Michigan finding the end zone on a two-yard Dwayne Priest touchdown run early in the second quarter. The Eagles weren't done, either, as they scored three times in the 73-20 rout.
"We just didn't come out and play as good as we usually do," OSU defensive back Tyler Moeller said. "We didn't play like a Silver Bullet defense."
That was hard to argue. This Priest run was set up by a 19-yard pass from Alex Gillett to Donald Scott. OSU defensive lineman John Simon popped Gillett just after he released the ball and safety Jermale Hines cracked Scott as he caught it, but both hits were too late.
"I think we probably hit the quarterback 10 to 15 times," defensive coordinator Jim Heacock said. "On all the long passes we were hitting him, but it's a fraction of a second [late]. You've got to get there. We'll have to look at how we can get there quicker, because we were hitting him, but what good does that do when the ball is already gone?"
5:01: Gillett made another tremendous throw, this time getting the ball out just ahead of a Brian Rolle blitz. Devon Torrence had pretty tight coverage over the middle, but Kinsman Thomas hauled in the 41-yard completion.
"I tip my hat to them," Torrence said. "I was in perfect coverage and he made a great catch on it."
The Buckeyes were hurting in the secondary, though. Chimdi Chekwa, the other starting cornerback, spent much of the game on the sidelines riding an exercise bike while trying to work through back spasms. With No. 3 corner Travis Howard out with a shoulder injury, that put No. 4 corner Corey Brown, a redshirt freshman, in with the first team. Orhian Johnson was already new at the safety spot, starting his second game ever.
"Those guys have to step up," Torrence said. "It's good to get them experience, we just have to make sure Chimdi is healthy for next week."
5:04: The Eagles scored their second touchdown, cutting the OSU lead to 38-14, as Thomas beat No. 5 corner Dominic Clarke on a slant for a 13-yard score.
Heacock said the Buckeyes did have to adjust their coverage a bit to make it easier on the younger players. He agrees they need Chekwa back.
"You can't forget that those guys are young and you've got to cut it back a little bit," Heacock said. "We've got to get those guys healthy and regroup. But the guys we have on the field, we've got a good group of guys but we've got to keep it simple. They can run and hit and we feel good about that."
5:46: Eastern Michigan's final score came on a 32-yard pass from Gillett to Scott, as Johnson was late helping in coverage.
"I believe there was supposed to be safety help over there, but that's football," Torrence said. "They're going to catch touchdowns. And those guys are pretty young.
"Sometimes somebody is going to make a play and they're going to score touchdowns. It was good for us to face that. We haven't faced too much adversity with the last few games.
"With the Big Ten, you'll have a little gut check. But those are the types of things that are definitely correctable. It's not as big a deal as it may seem. Yes, we gave them up, but it probably won't happen anymore. We'll correct it."