Ohio State co-DC Alex Grinch: 'We're running out of time in terms of being young'

No. 3 Ohio State treated Week 7 like it has any other week this season.

The Buckeyes got out of the weekend with a win. The team is now 7-0. However, it hasn’t all been perfect.

The defense has been tested at times. And on Saturday, the Buckeyes were tested. It should be said that at one point, Ohio State’s defense was without 5 starters (due to injury).

In the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes held Minnesota scoreless, leading to a 30-14 victory. The team came up big when it needed to.

After the game, though, co-defensive coordinator Alex Grinch talked about the Buckeyes’ youth and the amount of injuries on defense:

Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Alex Grinch on playing without five starters on defense: "We’re running out of time in terms of being young. Is it a work in progress? I think it always is, but it’s time now for us to get our feet underneath us and perform better."

— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) October 13, 2018

Sure, the Buckeyes are young. But eventually, as Grinch says, the defensive unit has to perform better. At one point in the second half, Minnesota was averaging 7.5 yards per play.

That has to change if Ohio State wants to ultimately win a national title.