Freshman Christian Bryant from Cleveland Glenville could be seeing plenty of action for the next few weeks because of a shoulder injury to Tyler Moeller.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — 12:07 p.m.: No. 2 is on the field for the Ohio State defense. And it's not Terrelle Pryor playing both ways.
Freshman Christian Bryant came to Ohio State from Cleveland Glenville High School with experience at both cornerback and safety, a cover guy who could hit and a freshman who had the football savvy to learn quickly. That made him an ideal guy for a position switch. With Tyler Moeller, arguably Ohio State's defensive MVP this season, on the sidelines with a shoulder injury suffered during the Buckeyes' first defensive series, Bryant is now running with the first team. And he'll stay there the rest of the game, any maybe longer.
The Columbus Dispatch reported Saturday night that Moeller could miss an extended period of time with a possible torn muscle in his chest.
"They were telling me the whole week I had to be ready," Bryant said, "and I think I played pretty good."
12:08: Karma wins. A week after Ohio State scored a 20-yard touchdown with a throwback pass to the quarterback, running back Jordan Hall hitting Pryor for the score with a 25-point lead on Eastern Michigan, the OSU defense is victimized. Illinois quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase catches a 23-yard pass from receiver Jarred Fayson on second-and-11.
OSU linebacker Brian Rolle was worried about the bubble screen, then was talking to himself.
"You reap what you sow, I guess," Rolle said. "Our offense did it and their offense tried to match it, but they didn't score."
Not yet anyway.
12:10: After setting up a first and goal at the 8-yard line, the Illini reach the end zone on a third-down 3-yard touchdown run by Scheelhaase to take a 7-0 lead over the surprised OSU defense.
"That first drive, they were just more high-tempo," Rolle said. "I felt like with the hurry up they did a little more than we expected. Outside the first drive, our defense did a good job."
"They had a week off and they prepared very well," OSU defensive end Nathan Williams said.
12:24: After Ohio State ties the game at 7, the Buckeyes allow the Illini one first down on their second series before forcing a punt, as Bryant begins to settle in. Throughout the game, senior safety Jermale Hines, also a Glenville grad, will push Bryant into the right spot if need be.
"Jermale is like an older brother to me," Bryant said. "I look up to him and he lined me up a little bit and talked to me. It was pregame jitters the first couple plays. That first hit always calms the nerves down."
Hines is also the next backup at Ohio State's nickel defense spot, called the "star" if something happens to Bryant. Hines played there in the past before shifting to full-time starting safety this year. With a travel roster of just 70 players and junior Nate Oliver back in Columbus with a nagging hamstring injury, there's no one else after Bryant.
1:02: Terrelle Pryor is intercepted by Illinois' Trulon Henry at the 39-yard line and Henry returns it 15 yards to the Ohio State 24, setting up great field position with the game still tied at 7.
"You've got to take things personally, especially when they're that close," Williams said.
The Buckeyes do and Illinois picks up one first down before Scheelhaase is swarmed under on third-and-4 from the 7-yard line, forcing Illinois to settle for a 27-yard Derek Dimke field goal and a 10-7 lead.
1:50: With Pryor in the locker room and the Buckeyes unsure of his return, Hines provides a pick-me-up by intercepting Scheelhaase on a deep ball over the middle, the only turnover the Buckeyes will force in the game.
"I saw the quarterback and he stared him down the whole time and I just jumped in front of it," Hines said.
2:06: Williams tracks down the speedy Scheelhaase, tripping him up with an ankle tackle for a 12-yard loss, one of Ohio State's three sacks on the day. Williams served as a spy for much of the day, delaying his pass rush until he saw what Scheelhaase was planning to do.
"He's faster than me, obviously," Williams said, "so I had to trip him up. I could have had one earlier but I tripped him up and he stayed on his feet."
3:10: Jim Tressel says after the win that Moeller injury is in a muscle, not a joint, and that "makes you feel better." That feeling may not have lasted very long. The coaches told Bryant to be ready. Now they may really mean that.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: dlesmerises@plaind.com, 216-999-4479