COLUMBUS — As much as Ohio State has improved during the past two months, the Buckeyes’ biggest problem heading into their final four games remains the same.
Ohio State’s kickoff coverage reached its low point last week against Penn State, with the Buckeyes’ comeback victory coming in spite of its kick team, not because of it.
The Buckeyes allowed a long touchdown return to Penn State running back Saquon Barkley on the first play of the game, allowed linebacker Koa Farmer to return a kick 59 yards to set up another touchdown in the second quarter, and allowed Penn State to start its final possession of the game at its 43-yard line because of a poorly executed line-drive kick.
“We've had some mistakes, and at some point you've got to pay the piper,” Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said. “We're paying it right now.”
When the No. 3 Buckeyes (7-1, 5-0 Big Ten) travel to Iowa (5-3, 2-3) this week, Ohio State likely will debut a series of changes on the kickoff unit, which Meyer said “is a joke right now.”
Asked if personnel changes were likely, Meyer did not hesitate.
“Oh, yeah,” he said. “We’re going to make some changes on personnel. We just have to keep re-evaluating.”
One solution the Buckeyes have considered is to insert its first-teamers onto the special teams, which it tried midgame against Penn State. Wide receiver Austin Mack was inserted into the kickoff team, and he said this week that he could be there again for the Iowa game.
In any case, Ohio State made plain that it can’t continue playing the way it did against Penn State.
“We can’t have what happened in the last game,” Mack said. “That’s something that we have to be serious about, and make sure we get done.”
The Buckeyes have gone through three kickoff specialists at various points this season but still has not found the answer there either. Meyer confirmed Wednesday that Sean Nuernberger and Blake Haubeil are still competing to be the full-time kickoff specialist.
Regardless of who takes the job, OSU wants touchbacks out of its kick team.
“I'd kick it out of the end zone every time,” Meyer said. “We're the only school in the America that can't kick it out of the end zone, even with the wind at our back.”
HILL SHINES: When Parris Campbell left the game with an injury, K.J. Hill filled in at slot receiver and kick returner. With Campbell questionable for this week’s game, Hill could again play the same role this week, and Meyer said he was encouraged what he saw against Penn State. “He was tremendous,” Meyer said. “He’s one of our better players.”
KINNICK CHRONICLES: OSU quarterback J.T. Barrett said he watched Michigan lose at Iowa last season and Penn State win there on the last play this season. Barrett said Kinnick Stadium is one of the harder places to win in the Big Ten. “That's a tough place to play, so with that, got to make sure that we're on top of everything," he said.
ALTERNATE REALITY: As Ohio State did last week, Iowa plans to wear an alternate jersey this week. The uniform is all black with gray lettering and yellow trim.
Contact Nicholas Piotrowicz at npiotrowicz@theblade.com, 419-724-6110 or on Twitter @NickPiotrowicz
First Published November 1, 2017, 10:55 p.m.