Following a 35-21 loss to Virginia Tech back on Sept. 6, Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer was very critical of the Buckeyes' group of wide receivers, saying he was disappointed with how they failed to get open against the tight coverage of the Hokies.
"I thought we've improved at wide receiver and we just didn't get open enough," Meyer said at his press conference the Monday following the loss. "They made a decision to take away the tailbacks and there were nine guys within six yards of the line of scrimmage, and you have to make someone pay a price and come up with some of those catches."
The Buckeyes didn't. And they lost the game.
Meyer also went on to admit Virginia Tech played a press coverage, Cover 0 scheme which Ohio State wasn't ready for. When asked what the plan was if and when the other teams on the Buckeyes' schedule tried to do the same thing, Meyer hesitated for a second before answering.
"I don't know if people have the personnel," he said. "I know one of them does. The team that won the Big Ten last year does."
Meyer was obviously referring to Michigan State, which will host Ohio State on Saturday night in a game that will likely determine the winner of the Big Ten East.
The Spartans' secondary, which dubbed itself the 'No Fly Zone' last season, is likely the best group the Buckeyes will go up against this year. Michigan State enters Saturday's game 15th in the country in pass defense, allowing 184 yards per game through the air. They've also intercepted 10 passes on the year.
“We’re gonna be ready. We have a great game plan coming in," Ohio State senior wide receiver Devin Smith said after Wednesday's practice. "We’re gonna come in (Thursday) and just finalize everything and come out Saturday and just try and be productive.”
The Buckeyes' wide outs are going to need to be a little bit more than just productive, though. They're going to have to be major factors in the game to give redshirt freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett some help.
Last year with Braxton Miller at the helm, Ohio State's offense completed just eight passes for 101 yards during a 34-24 loss to the Spartans in the Big Ten championship game.
“I don’t really know them that much offensively, but defensively I feel like they’re kind of the same," Smith said. "Losing Darqueze Dennard was obviously a big loss for them, but they’ve got a lot of guys that back him up. No. 15 and No. 2, they’re pretty good, but I feel like we’re ready. I’ve got a lot of confidence in the O-line, everybody in my room and the quarterback, so I think we’re ready.”
Barrett and the Ohio State offense rank near the top of every statistical category, but Saturday they will meet their match against the No. 8 Spartans. How Barrett's weapons on the outside perform will play a huge factor in who comes out victorious.
"This game, to me, means everything," senior wide receiver Evan Spencer said. "Not for revenge sake, but it’s my last go-round and it’s two great teams going head-to-head and I think it’ll be a really good matchup for us and it’ll be fun to get out there and play against them because I’ve been thinking about that game since the Big Ten championship last year.”
