Big Ten Network’s Gerry DiNardo: Ohio State’s defense has them atop the Big Ten, not Michigan
Gerry DiNardo thinks that Ohio State football might finally have found the missing pieces that eluded them last year. And in doing so, the Big Ten Network analyst and former college coach believes that Ohio State is now the best team in the Big Ten.
This Ohio State defense is greatly improved under defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. Last week in their Big Ten opener, a 52-21 win over Wisconsin, Ohio State limited their Big Ten rival to 296 yards of total offense and just 11 first downs.
No. 3 Ohio State (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) hosts Rutgers football (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) on Saturday (3:00 PM ET, BTN).
“Well it took me a little bit of time to learn it, I watched them against Wisconsin, and I think they’re so much improved and this is where the schedule has really helped Ohio State whereas the schedule has hurt Michigan. When I was comparing those two teams, who was the best in the conference, I thought it was Michigan,” DiNardo said on the Big Ten Network.
“Now I think it is Ohio State because of the defense.”
The addition of Knowles this offseason has been instrumental in Ohio State’s emergence this season as a true national championship contender. Knowles comes from Oklahoma State where he had one of the best and most consistent defenses in the nation over the past four seasons.
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“It looks like coach Knowles knows his personnel now, so he is playing to his personnel. Looks like the personnel knows his defense. The strides they’ve taken from spring ball to the opening game to now is significant. This is the missing piece to the puzzle,” DiNardo said.
“They’re running the ball better and now it looks like the right defense for them.”
A former standout at Notre Dame, DiNardo was a former head coach at LSU and Indiana among other stops. At LSU, he won two SEC West division titles.
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