The Lantern - September 14, 2023

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The tragedy of Bill and Mary

An Ohio State cold case, revisited

TOP STORIES CAMPUS

Role model or ‘Anti-Hero’? Law and Society Scholars put the ‘bejeweled’ superstar on trial

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ARTS & LIFE

John

AMANI BAYO

French students learn the phrase, “Joie de vivre,” early on, but two Ohio students weren’t truly introduced to the joy of life until they met each other.

William “Bill” Sproat, a graduate student at Ohio State, and Mary Petry, a third-year at the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati — both introverted, devout Catholics

— first met through a mutual friend. Their shared love and practice of French culture took care of the rest.

Despite the 116 miles between them, their thoughts were always of each other. Those who knew them saw the couple as young and in love.

Because of this connection, it wasn’t surprising when Petry grabbed a last-minute ride to Columbus on a cold February Friday night to spend a quiet weekend with Sproat in his South Campus apartment, escaping

the stressful reality of student life and relishing in their memories abroad in France.

Feb. 27 should have been like any other night. Except it was anything but.

That night, someone crept from the shadows and stole the lives of Sproat and Petry. The person who bound, bludgeoned and stabbed the couple has remained unknown ever since.

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That night was 53 years ago.

The story of Bill and Mary, now one of Ohio State’s oldest cold cases, has faded in and out of the public eye and swept across the desks of many homicide detectives throughout the decades to no avail.

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Thursday, September 14, 2023
Distinguished professor, leading climatologist Lonnie Thompson subject of ‘Canary’ flm premiering Friday Football: Former Buckeyes safety Hickman makes NFL debut for Cleveland Browns COURTESY OF MARY AND BILL PODCAST LEFT: Mary Petry high school graduation photo from Martha Petry. RIGHT: Bill Sproat college photo from Patricia Loeliger.

Thursday, September 14, 2023

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A new podcast, “Bill and Mary: An Ohio Cold Case,” produced by the son of a couple who was friends with Sproat, aired this summer in an attempt to bring new light to the tragic story.

An examination of Lantern archives, interviews with police and individuals connected to the case suggest it “got lost” due to the lack of investigative technology, rise in off-campus violence and the distraction of civil unrest in the Vietnam War era.

With the advent of the new podcast and family members’ persistence, yet another review of the case has led police to say a new technique involving DNA testing may help them finally solve the mystery.

The sisters of both victims say they aren’t interested in punishment as much as they are in knowing the killer’s motive.

CAMPUS

Sproat, originally from Pennsylvania, earned his bachelor’s in French at Xavier University. He was in his first year as a graduate student at Ohio State when he was murdered. Mary Petry was a thirdyear in French at the College of Mount St. Joseph.

“I actually do have some hope now that there might be a hit,” Patricia Sproat Loeliger, Sproat’s sister, said. “But at this point, I just want to know why and why so brutally.”

The murders were devastating for the families. Loeliger said Sproat’s sudden absence was heavily felt in the family.

“There’s always the empty chair,” Loeliger said. “He had all these academic accolades and my parents were very proud of him. You’re always wondering if it would have been easier for them if it had been me.”

Loeliger last spoke to Sproat the Sunday before he was murdered and remembered him promising to introduce Mary Petry to the family that Easter.

“I was so angry when I was 21, 22,” Loeliger said. “If there was a gun, I would have shot the person.”

Martha Petry described her sister as the academic scholar of the family. She recalled her winning an award for the best international student for her time abroad in the summer of 1968.

She remembered Mary Petry as someone with a clear vision for her future, really wanting Martha Petry to like Sproat because of how important he was to her.

“She was gonna marry Bill,” Martha Petry said. “She was going to teach at one of the Catholic high schools until both of them could go over to France and live their lives.”

Sproat is remembered as a soft and gentle person. Loeliger said he was also considered the academic scholar in the family with a strong career focus.

“He was not a fighter kind of person,” Loeliger said. “He was quiet but fun-loving, very conscientious about his studies yet not nerdy,” Loeliger said.

Martha Petry said she struggled to imagine how horrific Sproat and Mary Petry’s last moments were.

She’s been able to get by knowing their last moments were with each other.

Their deaths shocked communities throughout the Midwest as victims of a murder so gruesome that many people drew comparisons to the Manson murders, where victims were slain through stabbing and bludgeoning just one year before the deaths of Sproat and Mary Petry.

“They looked like pretty good kids,” former State Attorney General Paul W. Brown told a Lantern reporter in 1970, days after the bodies were discovered. “Someone is going to be awfully shocked.”

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COURTESY OF JUSTIN GLANVILLE Only known photograph of Mary and Bill together in 1969 from Martha Petry.

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Campus safety in the ’70s

After a night out with friends, Sproat’s roommate and childhood friend returned to their apartment at 178 ½ W. Eighth Ave. the afternoon of Feb. 28, 1970, to see a horrific sight of Sproat, 22, and his girlfriend

Mary Petry, 20, deceased.

The night before, between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m., the couple was brutally murdered. According to police reports, a lack of forced entry or apparent robbery supports the assumption the couple knew the assailant.

Despite police receiving hundreds of tips in the immediate aftermath of the crime, the case ultimately ran cold after a few months, according to Lantern reports. Speculation from a serial rapist to a vengeful acquaintance punishing the Catholic couple for supposedly spending a night together circulated throughout the decades but ultimately led to nothing.

Ohio State’s campus was struck by the brutality of the crime, however, with violent crime running rampant in the area — especially sexual assault — students were accustomed to the danger. Lou Heldman, a former Lantern reporter who covered the story when it first unfolded, said he is still shaken by what happened.

“On one hand, it was an absolutely

horrifying crime. On the other hand, it wasn’t surprising,” Heldman said. “This was just so awful that it stuck with me all these years.”

According to Lantern archives, the slayings were the second and third in the area in the previous three months.

The fact that Mary Petry was sexually assaulted, according to the police report, not only pointed to a possible motive but frightened women in the area. One university employee who lived a block away from the murder told The Lantern the homicides were “too close for comfort” and began carrying chemical mace in addition to installing metal and wooden rods in her windows.

Even so, Sproat and Mary Petry’s case faded in the midst of more acts of random violent crime on Ohio State’s campus. Although detectives never considered the case closed, they did affirm six months after the crime took place that a lack of witnesses made for little chance the case would be solved, according to Lantern archives.

Moreover, in the spring of 1970, Ohio State and campuses around the country were filled with a tremendous amount of civil unrest, Heldman said. Just a few months after the murders, the infamous Kent State shootings absorbed all of the media’s attention along with other tumultuous anti-war protests across the nation.

“Unfortunately, the murders kind of got lost in everything that happened afterward,” Heldman said.

Past investigations

Through the decades, Sproat and Mary Petry’s case has seen many

surges of new developments that ultimately stalled, according to Lantern archives. In the earliest stage of the investigation, police were able to obtain what they believed to be objects used in the murder from the crime scene, including a bowling ball and a knife.

They also collected DNA from Sproat, Mary Petry and a third unknown source.

In addition to attempting to extract fingerprint DNA with lead dust, police have cycled through different persons of interest, produced a suspect sketch and even offered monetary rewards in exchange for information helpful to the case, according to a Lantern report.

As decades went on and investigative leads went stale, there was little hope the case would ever be solved.

According to the Bill and Mary podcast, since the families of the two did not reside in Columbus, they had a strong sense of trust in the investigative process that dissuaded them from taking more assertive steps with police despite a lack of answers.

Loeliger said she only received one letter from Ohio State expressing their condolences.

Friends eventually left the Columbus area, partially due to the haunting shock of what happened. Although loved ones never stopped searching for answers, they were left with no choice but to keep pushing through life.

That was until Justin Glanville, producer of the Bill and Mary podcast, played a crucial role in bringing the decades-long case back to the public and detective’s attention.

Glanville said as he began to make requests for documents related to the case when starting the podcast three years ago, coupled with the persistence of family members, Columbus police were influenced to make another effort at reviving the investigation.

With new technology, known as investigative genetic genealogy, that can use familial DNA to identify suspects, Assistant Chief Greg Bodker of the Columbus Police Department said detectives are cautiously optimistic this cold case can still be solved.

According to the podcast, preserved DNA from the 1970 crime scene is currently awaiting analysis through an investigative genetic genealogy lab until two other suspects can be ruled out.

Glanville said he grew up hearing the tale of the young couple whose lives were mercilessly taken because his parents were friends of Sproat. His father, Philip Glanville, had also visited Columbus the same weekend of Sproat and Mary Petry’s death to spend time with his girlfriend and now wife, Holly Glanville, an Ohio State student at the time.

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Thursday, September 14, 2023 | The Lantern | 3 thelantern.com @TheLantern
“We believe that there’s evidence that, given today’s technology, may have an opportunity to lead to the identity of the people that were responsible for that crime,” Bodker said.

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“This was a case that they talked about from time to time and they just always remembered it, and it always haunted them as just this horrible thing from their past,” Justin Glanville said.

Martha Petry said she began regular contact with lead detectives of the Homicide Case Review Unit, Sgt. Tim McConnell and William Gillette, during the pandemic.

“It requires great emotional energy to pursue the case,” Martha Petry said. “Sgt. McConnell and Detective Gillette both visited me in my house, maybe a year and a half ago, and since then I don’t go on the website — I talk to Sgt. McConnell directly.”

Given the age of the case, Bodker said eyewitness evidence is too weak to consider, which makes preserved DNA evidence the primary key to solving the case all these years later.

Role model or ‘Anti-Hero’?

Law and Society Scholars put the ‘bejeweled’ superstar on trial

GARRET TRAVERS

Lantern Reporter

travers.51@osu.edu

Is society ready to fill in the “blank space” surrounding the political responsibilities of megastar Taylor Swift?

About 50 students from Ohio State’s Law and Society Scholars Program and the Taylor Swift fan club — Scarlet and Gray (Taylor’s Version) — gathered in Pomerene Hall Tuesday night to discuss the political side of the famed star. Devika Carr, the program manager and pre-law adviser for the scholars program students, said the event was received well by both die-hard Swifties and critics alike.

“Even though not everyone will agree that Taylor Swift is relevant or important or even that her artistry should be valued, I believe that it’s relevant to almost everything that’s going on in society now, what’s happened in the past and what will happen in the future,” Carr said.

The groups covered everything related to Swift’s politics, from her “politically correct” lyrics, to the economic and environmental impact of her ultra-popular tours. Questions were posed to attendees as both “lovers” and “haters” shared their thoughts in small and large group discussions.

Nigel Becker, a fourth-year in communication, political science and history, as well as a member of the scholars committee that hosted the event, said a few of the scholars’ love for both Swift and politics inspired the event.

“I think the biggest application for people to take away is how something or someone as innocuous as Taylor Swift can intersect with so many other issues,” Becker said.

Emily Truskoski, a third-year in philosophy, politics and economics, led some of the discussion surrounding Swift’s impact on her fans and beyond.

Where are we now?

Fifty-three years later, it is hard to tell how much progress has been made in the open investigation, and many questions still remain. The main one endures — what had Sproat and Mary Petry done to have their lives ripped away from them in such a heartless manner?

Martha Petry said as time has passed, the only justice she is interested in is knowing the reason behind the perpetrator’s actions because of how gruesome

it was.

“I know that the why is connected with the person, but I still believe that this was a crime of passion because it was so horrendous,” Martha Petry said.

Martha Petry said she is grateful for the investigative work that is now underway, and that might finally lead to an answer to this question.

What really happened in Apartment C on the night of Feb. 27, 1970?

“We can acknowledge the impact that celebrities do play in our lives, whether we realize it or not, and to recognize how we can hold celebrities accountable for their actions while also not necessarily feeling like they’re obligated to hold certain positions or roles in our lives,” Truskoski said.

Scholars leading the group shared facts about how Swift’s tours

acted as a stimulus package for some cities she visited, down to the environmental impact of glitter and confetti used on tour. This led to a larger discussion on the responsibilities public figures have, especially with political advocacy and responsibility.

Still, students continue to be wonderstruck by Swift’s appeal.

4 | The Lantern | Thursday, September 14, 2023 thelantern.com @TheLantern
PHOTO CREDIT | GARRET TRAVERS Members of Ohio State’s Law and Society Scholars Program and Scarlet and Gray (Taylor’s Version), gathered Tuesday night to discuss the political side of the famed star.

ARTS&LIFE

Ohio State alum monkeys around, enacts plans to open primate sanctuary

Distinguished professor, leading climatologist Lonnie Thompson subject of ‘Canary’ film premiering Friday

A new documentary, titled “Canary,” is set to premiere Friday at Gateway Film Center, and Ohio State’s very own Lonnie Thompson is its star.

The film profiles Thompson — a distinguished university professor in the School of Earth Sciences as well as a research scientist at the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center — and his extensive international career studying glaciers and climate change, according to Gateway’s website.

Gateway’s website also stated Q&As with Thompson and his wife, Ellen Mosley-Thompson — a distinguished university professor of geography at Ohio State and a senior research scientist at the research center — will take place after Friday’s 1:30 p.m., screening and Sunday’s 7 p.m. screening.

Mosley-Thompson said the name “Canary” is a historical allusion, referring to how coal miners ventured into mines with caged canary birds throughout the 1900s. If a canary showed signs of distress or died, miners would know there was a dangerous amount of carbon monoxide in the air – meaning an explosion could be imminent.

“The idea is that the mountain glaciers around the world that are well documented to be retreating, they serve as a canary for us that something’s wrong in our climate, that these glaciers that have existed for tens of thousands of years are starting to respond to something that’s causing them to melt,” Mosley-Thompson said. “And

that something is the fact that our climate is warming.”

Mosley-Thompson said the documentary primarily recounts Thompson’s history with the Ice Core Paleoclimatology Research Group, including its many worldwide expeditions to obtain ice core data. After extracting ice cylinders from the ground, Mosley-Thompson said the research team can analyze the cores’ physical and chemical properties to provide evidence of global warming and other climate change processes.

Thompson said he hopes “Canary” can foster a sense of resolve across generations, from younger people to older individuals.

“Scientists are human beings. We have the same challenges that everyone has,” Thompson said. “I hope the movie inspires people that despite the challenges, you can meet those challenges, you can overcome them and you should never give up. You have to keep trying.”

Based on his career observations, Thompson said 2023 is likely to be earth’s warmest year on record. Even though this conclusion seems bleak, the documentary conveys what individuals can do to make a difference and inspires people to demand change, Thompson said.

“You don’t have to have the same culture, you don’t have to have the same beliefs,

but you have to realize that we all face a common enemy, which is a climate crisis,” Thompson said. “And the only way we’re going to solve that is to work together to find the solutions.”

Annalise Khandelwal, a third-year in environmental science and deputy director of Climate Advocacy for Ohio State’s Undergraduate Student Government, is hosting an on-campus streaming event for the documentary at the Wexner Center for the Arts Film/Video Theater Oct. 2.

The audience can enjoy vegetarian and vegan hors d’oeuvres from 5-6 p.m. Thompson and Mosley-Thompson — who will both be in attendance — will share a word at 6:15 p.m., and the documentary screening begins at 6:30 p.m., Khandelwal said in an email.

Khandelwal said her passion for climate science and education led her to organize the on-campus viewing of “Canary.” In addition, Khandelwal said she hopes the documentary can help bridge the knowledge gap between Ohio State’s broader student body and the research center’s ongoing work.

“Because of the current state of our earth, it is important to me that everyone at The Ohio State University is able to become aware of Lonnie’s, Ellen’s and the rest of the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center’s fight against the climate crisis in an accessible manner,” Khandelwal said.

She said this event is free of charge but registration is required.

Tickets to “Canary” showings at Gateway can be purchased via the film center’s website.

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Thursday, September 14, 2023
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COURTESY OF ELLEN MOSLEY-THOMPSON Lonnie Thompson, distinguished Ohio State professor and leading climatologist, during his 2019 Huascarán expedition with the Ice Core Paleoclimatology Research Group.

Ohio State alum Tessa Cannon purchases nearly 60 acres of land to open primate sanctuary

An Ohio State alum is getting into the monkey business and has taken a major step toward helping primates everywhere.

For the Love of Primates, a nonprofit organization founded and led by Tessa Cannon, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Anthropology, has purchased nearly 60 acres of land near Crooksville, Ohio, that will soon be home to the largest primate sanctuary in Central Ohio.

“There are hardly any sanctuaries in the U.S., and they are mostly all full and functioning at capacity,” Cannon said. “There are all of these primates that need to be retired from laboratory research and have no place to go.”

For the Love of Primates is in the process of creating designs for the sanctuary, alongside design teams at Zoo Atlanta and the Jane Goodall Institute, Cannon said. The current designs accommodate between 80 to 100 primates and will occupy roughly 30 percent of the newly purchased land, leaving room for future expansion, she said.

Cannon said the organization plans to house mainly macaque and vervet monkeys that have been retired from lab research. Crooksville’s location is optimal for this kind of sanctuary, as it allows for proximity to the metropolitan Columbus area while remaining fairly secluded, Cannon said.

Currently, Cannon said there are less than 1,000 primates housed in sanctuaries within the United States, but over 100,000 primates in labs within the same borders. Most of these lab primates will end up being euthanized, she said.

Cannon said the nonprofit aims to not only provide a safe environment for these rescued primates, but also bring awareness to a problem of which many people are

largely unaware.

“People do not realize how much primates are used in research,” Cannon said. “Pretty much any new drug, vaccine or pretty much any new medical advancement is required to be tested in primates before it can be tested in people. Things like the COVID-19 vaccine wouldn’t exist if we did not have primate testing.”

Due to the especially cold climate that emerges in winter months, Cannon said there are few primate sanctuaries in places like Ohio. She said For the Love of Primates hopes its sanctuary will be a leading example for more sanctuaries to be constructed in similar climates across the nation.

One of the few primate sanctuaries in Ohio is the American Primate Educational Sanctuary in Blacklick, Ohio. Owner Pam White said the shelter rescues primates that were once owned as domesticated pets and currently houses eight gibbon apes, a species considered critically endangered.

White said expanding her sanctuary has been difficult due to financial restrictions, and she has had to turn away potential rescues as a result.

“I have had several places ask me if I would take [primates] that were in labs, but they only give you so much money,” White said. “And when that money runs out, you are on your own.”

White said she hopes For the Love of Primates can house many of the primates she and other sanctuaries are presently unable to care for.

“I really do wish the best for them, especially for those animals,” White said.

When opening her sanctuary over two decades ago, White said her primary goal was to educate the upcoming generations about primates. For the Love of Primates has similar goals, Cannon said.

In addition to developing the sanctuary, Cannon said the organization is expanding their outreach programs to include free STEM and environmental education programs for K-8 children.

Such programs, which focus on primates’ evolutionary and environmental aspects, have been brought by the nonprofit to hundreds of children at local libraries and YMCA camps, Cannon said. Now, the sanctuary will give For the Love of Primates a home base out of which it can teach these programs, she said.

Cannon said she ultimately hopes For the Love of Primates opens people’s eyes to primates’ key societal contributions.

“Primates have a huge impact on human lives, and many people just don’t really know about it,” Cannon said.

Though an opening date for For the Love of Primates’ sanctuary is unannounced at the time of publication, more information about the organization can be found on its website.

6 | The Lantern | Thursday, September 14, 2023 thelantern.com @TheLantern
LOGAN NOWLIN LANTERN REPORTER A vervet monkey in its habitat at the Columbus Zoo Sept. 2.

Football: McCord o cially named starting quarterback

LAURYN LUDERMAN

After starting in the first two games of the season, head coach Ryan Day o named junior Kyle McCord as Ohio State’s full-time quarterback at Tuesday’s press conference.

“Kyle has really stepped up and deserves to be the starter,” Day said. “So we’re gonna go ahead and make that distinction.”

He repeated the phrase “overall consistency.”

Day said after reviewing the film, he saw the consistency he needed from McCord.

“He made some nice throws, he kept the offense going, he came out of the gates playing e said. “That’s what we’re going to look for moving forward, but just the overall consistency.”

So far, McCord has reached 497 passing yards with a 64 percent completion rate.

Day said sophomore Devin Brown will still get playing time, but the team needs to build o the offense.

McCORD THROUGH 2 GAMES

Week 1 @ Indiana

20/33, 239 Passing Yards, 0 Pass TD, 1 INT

Week 2 vs Youngstown State

14/20, 258 Passing Yards, 3 Pass TD, 0 INT

Former Buckeyes safety Hickman makes NFL debut for Cleveland Browns

Even though former Buckeyes safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. went undrafted in April’s NFL Draft, that didn’t deter him from earning a spot on an NFL 53-man roster.

Hickman was projected to hear his name called during the NFL draft, however the moment never came.

Hickman’s only option was to sign with a team after the draft. He decided to stay in Ohio and sign as an undrafted free agent with the Cleveland Browns May 12.

When a player is drafted, they’re more likely to stick around on an NFL team than as an undrafted free agent because the team is investing more. Players brought on to NFL rosters during training camp rarely end up surviving the cutdowns, when teams are forced to trim their rosters from 90 to 53.

Hickman wasn’t like the rest and stuck out all preseason, having meaningful production for the Browns. He recorded three interceptions in four games, including two in the same game against the Washington Commanders.

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski had high praise for Hickman following the Commanders game, furthering his case to make the team’s final roster.

“Knowing where to go and what to do and just the ability, you can’t do your job if you don’t know your job, and he’s a young man that really works hard at knowing what to do, so that puts himself

in position,” Stefanski said in a press conference Aug. 12. “I think he’s got really good ball skills and that was evident last night [Aug. 11].”

During preseason and training camp, Hickman chose to prioritize the process.

“I think it worked for the better, ending up where I’m at right now,” Hickman said in an August press conference. “There was a lot of outside noise, a lot of people telling you this or seeing stuff online, but I chose to not focus on those things and I thank my family for kind of letting me just hone in on the football aspect of things.”

On Aug. 29, the Browns told Hickman he made the team’s initial 53-man roster.

“[It’s] extremely special,” Hickman said. “A lot of emotions, I still remember draft day of not getting that call, so just using those emotions to drive me and help me get to the point where I’m at now.”

Hickman is eager to be a great player through work on and off the field, Browns veteran safety Juan Thornhill said in an August press conference.

“The guy’s a competitor,” Thornhill said. “He’s very smart. It seems like he takes this game very seriously. He’s always in the playbook, asking questions in the meetings, and when you put him on the field, it shows.”

Hickman played 10 snaps during the Browns’ dominant 24-3 week one win against the Cincinnati Bengals and will look to continue to make an impact for Cleveland this season on defense, as well as special teams.

Thursday, September 14, 2023 | The Lantern | 7 thelantern.com @TheLantern
CALEB
BLAKE PHOTO EDITOR

SPORTS

Football: Ohio State defense posting best numbers in over a decade

Ohio State has risen high in the NCAA defensive rankings.

By allowing just 5 points per game and giving up, on average, 193.5 offensive yards, the Buckeyes are putting up their best numbers since the early 2000s.

Perhaps it being the second year in defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ system plays a part.

“It’s always about balance. You never want to be predictable,” Knowles said. “You want to be able to put the pressure on when it’s least expected.”

It’s been 15 or more years since Ohio State has had such impressive production.

In 2007, Ohio State’s defense under coordinator Jim Heacock allowed 4 points per contest between weeks one and two.

The Buckeyes are currently tied for second nationally in scoring defense, having given up 10 total points. They sit at fourth in offensive yards allowed.

Knowles’ time at Ohio State is shaping up similarly to his four years at Oklahoma State from 2018-21 — putting up better statistics every season. The Cowboys’ defense went from allowing 452.5 yards per game in Knowles’ first year to 297.9 yards his final season.

“It’s really just learning and trying to grow and do what’s best to win,” Knowles said. “It’s not what I know, it’s what our players know. It’s what they do best.”

At Ohio State, the margin of total yards allowed from 2022 — Knowles’ first year — to present is 128. Whether that trend continues remains to be seen.

The Buckeyes allowed 22 points last season in their first two games, which is good, but not great. Against Indiana and Youngstown State, the defense has only given up 10 points and has outscored them all together by 48.

Graduate linebacker Steele Chambers leads the charge with 11 tackles, six unassisted. He said the game is starting to slow down and the defense’s confidence and camaraderie are building, but they haven’t hit their goal of forcing a shutout.

“We’re a lot closer as a defense compared to last year,” Chambers said. “Our mindset going into every single game is don’t let any points [up.]”

Another likely reason for Ohio State’s defensive production is the personnel. Knowles said several players have switched their mindsets from this year to last, and it’s evident on the field.

Like junior cornerback Denzel Burke.

Burke intercepted Youngstown State’s freshman quarterback Beau Brungard’s pass in the end zone Saturday. He hasn’t had a pick since he returned one for a 23yard score against Rutgers in 2021.

The entire cornerback room hadn’t intercepted a pass since November 2021.

“Just his [Burke’s] demeanor, his attitude, the way he takes care of his body, the brightness in his eyes, the locked-in learning, those things,” Knowles said. “We saw it all through spring and camp, expect to see it in the game and we have.”

Davison Igbinosun, cornerback transfer from Ole Miss, has found himself starting in both games this season. He’s broken up a pass and tallied nine tackles, eight unassisted.

Knowles said Igbinosun brings an aggressiveness to the room, even being called for targeting on his first-ever Ohio State snap against Indiana, which was reversed after review in his favor.

“More aggressive, stay aggressive, keep

throwing punches, don’t change, don’t back off, keep fighting,” Knowles said he told Igbinosun. “He’s doing a good job.”

Graduate linebacker Tommy Eichenberg, junior defensive tackle Tyleik Williams and sophomore safety Sonny Styles have made substantial contributions in both games, as well. Together the trio has made 28 tackles and 3 1/2 tackles for loss.

The Buckeyes will be challenged against the reigning passing leader nationally, Western Kentucky’s redshirt-senior quarterback Austin Reed.

If the Buckeyes can maintain such monumental numbers, like Igbinosun said Wednesday, maybe the “silver bullets” are back.

“That’s our standard,” Igbinosun said. “Best in America.”

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Thursday, September 14, 2023
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Former Buckeye earns 53-man roster spot, makes NFL debut after going undrafted
ON PAGE 7
CALEB BLAKE PHOTO EDITOR Denzel Burke (10) lines up for a play in Ohio State’s 23-3 season-opening win against Indiana.

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