No position went through more turmoil in 2010 than the defensive backs. They endured injuries- lots and lots of injuries, position changes, schematic changes, bad stretches in games, criticism from fans, and everything in between.

Through it all, however, the secondary continued to play remarkably well. In fact, some fans might be surprised at just how successful they have been.

Led by the senior trio of Jermale Hines, Chimdi Chekwa, and Devon Torrence, Ohio State was able to field the fourth best pass defense in the country which only gave up 156.3 yards per game through the air. On top of that, the Buckeyes recorded 18 interceptions, tied for the 10th most in the country.

Stats, as always, should be taken with a grain of salt, but given the circumstances, those numbers are impressive.

The secondary will need to be impressive against a potent Arkansas passing attack led by Ryan Mallett. In fact, how well Ohio State defends the pass will be one of the top things to watch for in the Sugar Bowl.

Here is a look at how the players in the secondary have done this season, and what to expect in the bowl game.

#7 Jermale Hines

Jermale Hines is the rock in Ohio State’s secondary. While not the greatest against the pass, he covers ground quickly and is a sure tackler, making him excellent in run support and good enough in coverage. His 61 tackles are the 3rd most on the team, and he is among the leaders in passes defended and broken up.

Hines can get caught out of position at times when covering receivers one on one, but more often than not he is able to make the play.

Speaking of making plays, Hines’ 4th and 1 stop against Penn State was the turning point of that game, and a high point (among many) for the defense in the regular season.

Excellent against the run, solid against the pass, and with the ability and experience to make plays when they are needed most, Hines is one of the most well rounded and effective players not only in the secondary, but on the entire defense.

His ability to defend against the run and pass will be a key factor in stopping the balanced Arkansas offense.

Hines was named first team All-Big Ten by the coaches (2nd team by the media).

#5 Chimdi Chekwa

A  senior and three year starter at cornerback, Chimdi Chekwa is one of the most experienced and versatile players on the defense. Despite being a steady contributor for over thirty games, he often receives criticism for not turning his head in time to make a play in coverage and subsequently being flagged for interference.

Due to injuries, Chekwa was moved to safety in certain packages near the end of the season. While the move was almost certainly not in response to the criticism mentioned above, playing safety did maximize his best attributes (speed, tackling, experience) and minimized any weaknesses he may have in man coverage.

Against Arkansas, Ohio State will want to get its best defenders on the field, and that could result in Chekwa at safety for most of the game. At safety or at corner, his experience and versatility give the defense plenty of options, and it will be interesting to see how he is utilized in his last game as a Buckeye.

Chekwa was named first team All-Big Ten by the coaches and the media.

#1 Devon Torrence

The forgotten one among the three senior leaders in the secondary, Devon Torrence has quietly put together a solid year at cornerback. A sure tackler, Torrence is tied for fourth on the team with 44 stops.

Torrence has looked soft at times in pass coverage, most notably during the first half of the Penn State game. In retrospect, however, the soft zones may have been part of the game plan, leaving little for Torrence to do but make tackles after the catch.

Regardless, Torrence more than made up for a bad first half early in the second of the same game. In what was perhaps the play of the year on defense, he jumped an out route beautifully, intercepted the ball, and took it to the house.

Other than Penn State,  Torrence was relatively quiet for most of the year. Not having your name called isn’t necessarily a bad thing in the secondary, however. If a quiet night means you are not getting thrown on…well, good. Given that he will likely be the primary target that Arkansas tests early in the game, if Torrence can have a quietly solid night in the Sugar Bowl, fans will be happy.

If he can house another pick six and ruin Mallet’s evening, fans will be ecstatic.

#19 Orhian Johnson

The “weak link” in Ohio State’s secondary at safety, Orhian Johnson doesn’t lack skill (by some accounts he rivals Pryor as the most athletic player on the team), but he does lack experience, which causes him to be frustratingly out of position from time to time.

Having said that, Johnson has made plays this year with two forced fumbles and an interception. He is also tied for fourth on the team with 44 tackles.

Injuries limited Johnson during fall camp, which ultimately cost him the starting spot and may have set him back a few games on the learning curve.

Ironically, injuries to other players (C.J. Barnett, Christian Bryant, Tyler Moeller) thrust Johnson back into the starting lineup in the middle of the season. Even though he looked lost at times, like the rest of the secondary, he improved as the season progressed. With several weeks of bowl practice to prepare, he should be primed and ready to go in the Sugar Bowl.

If Johnson can master the mental aspect of the game and let his natural athleticism take over, he has the ability to be a game changer. Fingers crossed on that one, as he is likely high up on the list of players that Arkansas will target.

#18 Travis Howard

Limited by injuries early in the year, Travis Howard burst onto the scene with a pick six against Penn State and added another interception against Michigan for good measure.

He has performed so well in the last few games that he looks like a lock for one of the vacated starting corner spots next season. In the meantime, his emergence has been a huge part of successfully dealing with the numerous injuries in the secondary. If Chekwa moves to safety in the bowl game, Howard will be the one replacing him on the edge.

Arkansas will be a test for Howard and the secondary, but if he continues to play as well as he has been, he will be the heir apparent as the next great Buckeye defensive back in 2011.

That is lofty praise based on a relatively limited body of work, but I have never been one to shy away from optimism.

The Rest

There are many other players in the secondary that are worth mentioning, but it being a bowl game, the chances of them seeing the field are relatively limited.

First and foremost, if Christian Bryant is able to return from injury he could add even more depth and versatility to the packages utilized in the secondary. There were rumors circulating that he might return for the Michigan game. Those didn’t pan out, so we will see if he makes it back in time to play in the bowl.

Another player that I would be remiss if I did not mention is 5th year senior Aaron Gant. His playing time was severely limited by injuries throughout his career , but he was able to see the field at safety in a few games this season.

While it was nice to see Gant back on the field, it is unlikely he will see much playing time beyond special teams in the Sugar Bowl. Regardless, I always appreciate players that stay with the Buckeyes through turmoil and continue to help the team in any way they can.

Speaking of special teams and helping the team; Jamie Wood, Nate Ebner, Dominic Clarke, Nate Oliver, Corey Brown, Donnie Evege, and Zach Domicone are all players in the secondary that saw action in a majority of games this season. Their role will likely be limited to contributing on special teams in the bowl game, but they will all be contenders for starting spots next season and are worth a mention.

Finally, a get well soon  goes out to C.J. Barnett and Tyler Moeller. They will be recovering from injuries past the bowl game, but their return in 2011 will be anxiously anticipated.

And so on…

The bottom line is that there is plenty of talent and experience in the secondary as the Buckeyes prepare for the Sugar Bowl despite the injuries and turmoil throughout most of  the year.

With the emergence of Travis Howard and a few extra weeks to prepare, the defense will be able to get creative with their schemes and packages in the secondary. For instance, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Ohio State utilizing a five back look with Chekwa and Johnson at safety, Torrence and Howard at corner, and Hines back at star (the position he played at the beginning of last season).

It will be a challenge to stop Arkansas through the air, but if the Buckeyes play their best and force a few turnovers, (with a little help from the front seven) this secondary is capable of slowing down, if not outright stopping even the most potent passing attacks.

Stopping Arkansas’ passing attack is obviously the absolute best case scenario. In all likelihood, they will have some success moving the ball early in the game. Luckily, the secondary has responded to adversity on and off the field all season, and with plenty of senior leadership, they should be able to adjust and respond one more time.