Football: Defense believes it still has more to prove after 56-0 shutout against Western Michigan

History repeated itself, exactly five years to the day Saturday.

The Buckeyes’ defense held Western Michigan scoreless, the first time they shut out a team since 2019.

Ohio State’s defense ranked in the top five in nearly every statistical category in 2023 and there hasn’t been a missed step thus far in 2024.

The Buckeyes are on track to surpass their impressive 2023 numbers and are proving themselves to have one of the best defenses in the country.

Head coach Ryan Day said the mentality of Ohio State’s defense is to shut its opponent out weekly, and he’s seen that in both the Buckeyes’ contests.

“There were six points last week, we didn’t allow them in the end zone and I could hear the defensive guys talking at half time [about] the shutout,” Day said. “There’s a mindset there and our guys are competitive. I think you can see that even to the end, they’re competing.”

The 2024 Buckeyes’ defense features eight returning starters from last season, ranking first in the Division 1 Football Bowl Subdivision, or FBS, in pass yards allowed per game, and third in both yards per game and yards per play, according to Sports Reference .

For Ohio State, the defense believes there’s still room for improvement.

After the Buckeyes only forced 11 total turnovers in 2023, graduate Mike linebacker Cody Simon said forcing turnovers a key focus for Ohio State in 2024.

“I mean, there’s always room to improve and there’s definitely areas for more opportunity for turnovers,” Simon said. “We got to be more detailed in that and I think that’s going be the next step for us.”

In the first quarter of the Buckeyes’ game against Western Michigan, star senior cornerback Denzel Burke was ejected for targeting.

Ohio State didn’t flinch for a second.

Junior linebacker Sonny Styles said the defense believes in everyone, no matter their position on the depth chart.

“Next man up, I think that’s the biggest thing,” Styles said. “I think our defense, every position, like we got we got guys all in the depth chart, so [Burke] goes down — obviously don’t want to see that happen — but next guy, I think it was Jermaine that came in.”

Multiple Buckeyes on defense, including Styles, expressed the importance of playing off Ohio State’s high-powered offense.

“Getting a three and out and the offense just drives the field in like five, six plays, it’s great,” Styles said. “I was so happy to see our O-line come off the ball, some of those rushing touchdowns like everyone was blocked, so that was great to see.”

When the Buckeyes’ offense is operating at a high level, senior defensive end Jack Sawyer said the defense feeds off it.

“When the offense is clicking, it makes us play a little more freely on defense,” Sawyer said. “It’s a lot of fun when the offense is scoring touchdowns, we’re getting three and outs, going back and forth.”

With no scheduled game Saturday, Ohio State has an early bye week in its season. But that term isn’t being used. Instead, Simon said this time will be used as an “improvement week” for the Buckeyes.

“We’re just getting more reps, just trying to get better,” Simon said. “That’s the goal at all times — to get better.”