But with the front failing thus far to create much pressure, albeit in limited opportunities, the Buckeye defense has quietly signaled a move away from simply putting 'the best 11' on the field at all times. Rather, the unit has taken more of an NFL-style approach to personnel, swapping out Styles for a more traditional cornerback to man the slot on 2nd or 3rd & long.
"You're balancing how much man you're going to play vs. how much zone, how much disguise you want to have," Knowles said of how he calls plays based on which player is in at the nickel spot. "Man is man, you certainly want a corner there, but you have to have looks off of it so he has to understand."
That understanding was put into question on Saturday, as YSU repeatedly created chaos in the OSU secondary by sending receivers in motion. With some new bodies occupying roles different, busts were prevalent when reviewing the tape.
After Cam Martinez was sent to the bench for giving up a long gain on the Penguins' first possession of the game, getting beat deep by the slot receiver, Knowles didn't respond by keeping Styles in the game at nickel. Rather, it was cornerback Jordan Hancock who occupied the alley in pass situations.
Yet Hancock looked lost at times when responding to motion, following his man all the way across the field instead of passing him off to a teammate. When that receiver yo-yoed back across the formation, he was wide open for an easy catch in the flat while Hancock was still running the other way, resulting in an easy first down.
