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When Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer looks across the field to the other sideline on Saturday afternoon in Ohio Stadium, he'll see several familiar faces. When the Ohio State coach Urban Meyer watches the Rutgers defense, he'll see almost a carbon copy of the schemes that his team runs.
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"It's our defense. I mean like exactly," Meyer said. "They do a very good job and their defensive line is much improved and the guys are bigger and stronger and they also stole one of our strength coaches, Kenny Parker, and it looks like it. They're very strong."
That's a reason the defense is so similar. Chris Ash was hired as Rutgers head coach in December after two years as Meyer's co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Ohio State. Ash took several assistants with him, including Parker.
On the Ohio State side, assistant head coach and defensive coordinator Greg Schiano was the head coach at Rutgers from 2001 to 2011 before moving on to the NFL as the head coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and then landing in Columbus on Meyer's staff this year.
But the similarities pretty much end there. The second-ranked Buckeyes (3-0, 0-0 Big Ten) will take the field for their homecoming game and Big Ten opener with far superior talent to Rutgers (2-2, 0-1), which played a competitive game on Saturday at home against Iowa before falling 14-7.
With several coaches who worked last year for Ohio State now at Rutgers, the Buckeyes will take extra precautions to guard against predictable tendencies or tipping signals.
"This is very serious stuff and we have had that conversation ? in great detail," Meyer said. "We changed most of our defensive signals prior to this and offensively we're being very cautious, also special teams. ? So we've just got to be sharp."
Ohio State has shown in nonconference games that it's a force to be reckoned with again this year not only in the Big Ten but nationally. The Buckeyes proved that in the last game before their bye week.
They were more than okey-dokey against Oklahoma two weeks ago. The Buckeyes blew the doors off the Sooners in Norman, rolling to a 45-24 win in Norman, Oklahoma, in dominating performance from the outset.
Through three games, Ohio State is averaging 56.7 points per game and 545.3 yards in total offense. Quarterback J.T. Barrett has passed for 10 touchdowns with one interception and the Ohio State defense has nine interceptions (four returned for touchdowns) and leads the nation in turnover margin at plus-9.
One other stat that makes the Buckeyes even more imposing: They're 14-0 in October since Meyer arrived for the 2012 season. So should there be any concerns about this team going forward?
"It's so early right now and you better worry about the next game, the next practice, the next game, and not worry about anything else," Meyer said. "That's my concern is with all the added publicity, press conferences and everybody being told how good they are. I really worry about that."
Ohio State is a 37-point favorite.
NOTES, QUOTES
PLAYERS TO WATCH
--QB J.T. Barrett -- If you're looking for reasons why Ohio State's young offense is off to such a good start this season, the success all starts with the redshirt junior. Barrett has been outstanding in the Buckeyes' first three games, accounting for 13 touchdowns. Against Oklahoma in Ohio State's most recent win before its bye week, Barrett threw four touchdown passes and led the impressive assault against the Sooners. If he keeps it up, you'll continue to hear his name in the Heisman Trophy conversation. Saturday's home game against Rutgers should be another opportunity for Barrett to put up nice numbers.
--S Malik Hooker -- Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said before the Sooners faced the Buckeyes that the sophomore is an impressive athlete. Hooker went out and showed Oklahoma, making eight tackles, including 1.5 for loss and half a sack, and had one pass breakup. With three interceptions this year, he is providing excellent coverage and also run support for the defense. After the Buckeyes lost their starting safeties from last year, Hooker has helped ease any concerns about experience in the back end.
--WR Noah Brown -- Ohio State coach Urban Meyer had talked about getting Brown going after a slow start to the season. So Brown went out and had the game of his life against Oklahoma, catching a school-record-tying four touchdown passes, including a highlight-reel play in which he reached around a defensive back and trapped the ball against the opponent's back for the catch while falling to the ground. Brown finished the game with five receptions for 72 yards. Coming back from a broken leg last season, Brown needed that game to get him going.
