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Jim Knowles addresses unsurprising defensive effort vs. Notre Dame: ‘We expected it’
By Michael Daly
Published:
Jim Knowles discussed Ohio State’s basic defensive effort in the win over Notre Dame.
Ohio State prevailed in a 21-10 win and the defense pitched a shutout in the 2nd half of the contest. Ohio State went into the half with a 3-point deficit and the defense was going to play a role in taking the lead in the 2nd half.
Jim Knowles on Ohio State's defensive performance against Notre Dame: "I'm not surprised, we expected it."
— Griffin Strom (@GriffinStrom3) September 4, 2022
Jim Knowles: “There’s still a lot of things we haven’t shown. Tonight we were rather basic.”
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) September 4, 2022
Notre Dame never regained the momentum from the 1st half and the Buckeyes were in control. Knowles addressed having a basic defensive scheme in the win, per Eleven Warriors’ Dan Hope:
“There’s still a lot of things we haven’t shown. Tonight we were rather basic,” Knowles said.
The defense held Notre Dame quarterback Tyler Buchner to 177 passing yards and 0 touchdowns. Ohio State held Buchner and Notre Dame’s offense in check without showing the entire defensive game plan.
Jim Knowles on the Buckeye defense: "What I'm most pleased with is the fact that they never flinched." Knowles says one or two missed plays "didn't affect them at all."
— Griffin Strom (@GriffinStrom3) September 4, 2022
“What I’m most pleased with is the fact that they never flinched,” Knowles said.
Knowles acknowledged a few mistakes on the defense’s part, but the Buckeyes managed it well. Linebacker Tommy Eichenberg led the defense in tackles and sacks for the game. He had 9 total tackles and 2 sacks.
Ohio State’s defense will look to show how complex it is in the future. Ohio State will be back in action on Saturday, Sept. 10 against Arkansas State at 12 p.m. ET.