and a fumble recovery he returned 61 yards
for a touchdown.
The secondary doesn't boast many battle-
tested veterans, but senior cornerback Doran
Grant is a good one. He'll be flanked by a
host of freshmen and sophomores, but the
newcomers have actually helped improve the
defensive backfield, along with a few other
tweaks.
"Most people when looking at Ohio State,
especially from a Michigan standpoint,
will remember the Buckeyes giving up a
significant amount of passing yards last
year," Noon said. "They scrapped a bunch of
things, and instead of running predominately
nickel like they did last year, they're running
a lot more 4-3. They have some young guys
that have stepped into positions, and they
have been playing very well.
"Redshirt freshman cornerback Eli Apple
and sophomore safety Vonn Bell have both
been playing at a good level, but they still
have moments where they look like young
guys. If Ohio State wants to climb to special
status, those guys are going to have to be
more consistent." ❑
Junior weakside linebacker Joshua Perry is the Buckeyes' leading tackler this season, with
99 stops through 11 games.
PHOTO COURTESY OHIO STATE
