It was only a matter of time until opposing defenses learned how to take away Illinois wide receiver Collin Dixon, and really, it's no surprise that Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia was the one to do it. However, Patricia put on a clinic on how to take away offensive threats, and Illinois DC Bobby Hauck should take a lesson.
When you think of the Ohio State offense, star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith probably is the first name that comes to mind. Smith has been on a tear in his career in Columbus, and this season has been no different. When preparing for the game this week, Hauck knew Smith would be a handful, but he made the mistake of not giving special attention to Smith and forcing other guys to step up; instead, he just chose to take on the offense as a whole.
Patricia took a different route for the Buckeyes. The Ohio State secondary was honed in on Dixon, which makes sense since he came into this game leading the nation with seven touchdowns and led the team with 25 receptions and 367 receiving yards. While Dixon still found ways to make a difference, it was a little too late.
Dixon finished with a season-low five receptions and 63 yards, and didn't find the end zone for the first time this season. Luckily, Hudson Clement finally broke out this season, leading the Illini with five receptions and 87 yards.
Brett Bielema might have a Bobby Hauck problem at Illinois
Smith ended up having a career day for Ohio State, becoming just the fifth Buckeye to score four receiving touchdowns in a game. Smith single-handedly outscored Illinois today, but his quarterback, Julian Sayin, needs a share of the credit as well.
The Illini just never got pressure on the Ohio State QB, allowing him to drop back and just fire the ball downfield perfectly to Smith all game. It wasn't just Sayin's arm that was impressive, though, because his legs were in use too, especially on some crucial third-and-fourth-down plays.
When Illinois had Sayin nearly down for a big sack on a 3rd & 7 in the second quarter, and he found a way to get out of it and run the ball for a first down, it just felt like it was going to be a long day for the Illini. Illinois forced the Buckeyes to punt just two times on the day, and Hauck just could not find an answer for this offense.
Granted, Ohio State has an elite offense, but when Smith goes off for 12 receptions for 217 yards and four touchdowns with no real adjustments made, it feels like Hauck could be the problem here. This is an Illinois offense littered with talent, even NFL talent, but Hauck's defensive scheme is putting too much pressure on the secondary with no help up front in the 3-3-5.
Bret Bielema may need to reevaluate his defensive coordinator position again after this season, but at this point, the Illini will probably have to ride out the Bobby Hauck experiment for the rest of the season.
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