COLUMBUS — It started with Rodjay Burns and who knows where it will stop? Ohio State hopes it doesn’t.
When Burns, a seldom-used freshman defensive back, returned an interception 75 yards for a touchdown for Ohio State in the final minutes of a 77-10 win over Bowling Green in it’s opener, it was the beginning of a record-setting season for the Buckeyes defense.
Since then, Ohio State has returned five more interceptions for touchdowns, including two in a 62-3 win over Nebraska last Saturday night.
The first of those two last Saturday broke the school record for touchdowns on interceptions, which was four.
This year’s team has taken six of the 14 interceptions it has to the end zone. Defensive backs Marshon Lattimore and Malik Hooker each had one against Tulsa. Linebacker Jerome Baker returned one 68 yards for a score against Oklahoma, and Damon Webb and Hooker scored after picks against Nebraska.
Hooker, who has five of OSU’s interceptions this season, nearly scored a third time. But a questionable blocking below the waist penalty cost him the TD.
When Ohio State coach Urban Meyer was asked about all the scoring after interceptions on Monday at his weekly press conference and again on the Big Ten teleconference Tuesday, the first thing he talked about was how well OSU blocks after it gets an interception.
“Our guys are so well trained and they believe in our staff so much. Every staff says go get a hat on somebody, but our guys have taken it to a new level. Both interceptions (against Nebraska) were great examples,” Meyer said. “Guys turned like their hair was on fire to go get blocks and they were escorted to the end zone.
“We certainly have emphasized that and it is paying off,” Meyer said.
