By MATT MARKEY (ToledoBlade.com) — COLUMBUS – After posting two straight shutouts, the Ohio State defense will be forced to adjust its lineup for Saturday’s game at Indiana due to the suspension of senior safety Kurt Coleman.

Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said Tuesday afternoon that senior Anderson Russell will move into Coleman’s strong safety position when the Buckeyes are in their base defense and play next to junior free safety Jermale Hines. Redshirt freshman Orhian Johnson will play the third safety role when Ohio State is in its nickel defense.

“You can never look at losing a player as something that stops you in your tracks,” Tressel said while speaking to the media at his weekly news conference held at the Jack Nicklaus Museum on the OSU campus. “Hopefully, you are always getting people ready so that they can step in.”

Tressel said the loss of Coleman, who was suspended for one game by the Big Ten Conference for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Illinois backup quarterback Eddie McGee late in the Buckeyes 30-0 win last Saturday, will not slow the preparation for Indiana (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten). Tressel said Coleman, one of the OSU captains, and the team have put the issue behind them.

“He took it like a man, and we’ll move forward,” Tressel said. “Our direction is to make sure it is yesterday’s news, and move forward.”

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