The feeling last offseason, as Shaun Wade recalls, was that Ohio State had to return the defensive backfield to “Best In America” status. At some point after the 2018 season, with Damon Arnette having decided to stick around for a fifth season and Jeff Okudah also back for a third year, Wade remembers the three cornerbacks having a conversation about getting back to being viewed as the top secondary in the country.
“I thought we gave too many balls up, too many big balls, too many touchdowns,” Wade said a week ago. “That wasn't us. So we had to get back to that repertoire.