The Ohio State football team is undefeated. They are 4-0 and haven’t really been challenged yet. They have some of the best stats in the country too. On offense, they’re fifth in total yards per game, 14th in both passing and rushing yards per game, and fourth in points per game.

Defensively, they have some impressive stats as well. They are second in total yards allowed per game, ninth in passing yards allowed, third in rush yards per game allowed, and number one in points allowed per game. The Buckeyes are a well-rounded team.

Still, even with all of the success on defense, it sounds like there might be some trouble brewing. Ohio State hasn’t faced the best offenses so far this season, so it’s hard to determine how good the defense is. They’ve struggled to get to the quarterback and stopping rushers in space. That is now a point of contention.

There are some rumors, albeit unsubstantiated, that there is tension between defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and defensive line coach Larry Johnson. There is some disagreement on how the defense should be run, specifically on the scheme and the defensive line.

Knowles runs a 4-2-5 and that doesn’t seem to produce a lot of sacks. Johnson recruits top players on the pitch that his defensive ends will be able to rack up the sacks. This formation also has shown to be not as effective against the run. Quarterbacks who can run specifically cause issues.

These message board rumors from guys around the team aren’t something the coaches themselves would ever actually address in the media. That doesn’t mean they aren’t something to keep an eye on. Just look at any of the Ohio State sites with boards, and you’ll find them. Johnson is old and he’s close to retirement. Something like this could push him out.

We’ll see if this resolves itself over the course of the year.