Forcing Illinois to pass will work as long as the secondary makes plays
SHAUN WADE PICK-6️⃣ #DBU
— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 21, 2020
This has been a weird year for the Ohio State secondary. Shaun Wade was once thought to be a top ten pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, but some shaky play has dropped him for many experts. His interception against Indiana is the type of play he’ll need to make if the Buckeyes can stop the Illinois rushing attack.
It isn’t all about Wade, but it does start with him. The back-end of the defense will need to take advantage of a very pedestrian passing attack if Illinois becomes one-dimensional. Scoring on defense, or creating a short field will help get Ohio State to get ahead early in the game. Without Ryan Day, making plays to ease the pressure on the coaching staff will help. Stop the run, play tight coverage, and make plays on the ball.
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