Early BH: Callers are alerted to sign theft by the Jack Handey vibes
** It’s a trust issue. Sorry to Billy Joel, but the Ohio State secondary has had some unfortunate events this season. Without Denzel Burke in the corner and Lathan Ransom in the safety position, the Buckeyes faced Rutgers. Subsequently, safety Josh Proctor was eliminated from the game following his significant hit on Kyle Monangai of Rutgers, which resulted in Jordan Hancock’s crucial interception.
The secondary has had a “next man up” mindset the entire season. Burke was replaced at the beginning by rookie Jermaine Matthews. Instead of Ransom, the third safety, Hancock was a cornerback in the starting lineup. Proctor was replaced at safety by sophomore Kye Stokes and freshman Malik Hartford.
Defense coordinator Jim Knowles stated, “You have to have guys that you have faith and confidence in when you’re playing new guys in the secondary.” One poor play there could cost you the game. Some young individuals have shown initiative. As they had demonstrated it in practice, we were prepared to release them.
On the opening play of the game, Matthews was hit with a deep ball from Rutgers.
Knowles remarked, “Jermaine has moxie—he’s confident.” “You win some and you lose some when you come in and battle against some of the top receivers in the nation without giving up. It’s confidence, attitude, and body language. All of that is very helpful in those supporting roles.
Proctor is nearing the end of his sixth year in the program. Burke and Ransom most certainly have NFL careers ahead of them. But with so many young players making contributions today, the secondary appears to be in strong hands for 2024.
