Jim Knowles did not mince words when it came to the challenge of preparing for Eli Drinkwitz’s Missouri offense.

As the defensive coordinator for Ohio State, Knowles is trying to get the Buckeyes ready for the Tigers. He was asked a wide array of questions during a Tuesday press conference, and Knowles was particularly complimentary about the Mizzou offensive line.

Overall, Knowles believes the Tigers’ unit compares favorably to the offensive lines at Notre Dame and Michigan, two of the best units Ohio State faced this season. The DC pointed to an elite combination of size, athleticism and knowledge of the offense.

“I see a lot of the same qualities (compared to Michigan and Notre Dame). They combine size and athleticism. So, you have big guys who can run, who can move, who understand the offense,” said Knowles. “They seem to be in the right position all the time, and that’s tough to go against. They’re as good as anybody we’ve played.”

Another unit that is tough for Knowles to prepare for is the receivers. He pointed to a really good group of players led by Luther Burden III but also said the scheme does a good job of freeing up the receivers.

“Yeah, overall it’s challenging. They do spread the field, I think they create openings for their receivers and mismatches. There’s a lot of motions, there’s a lot of shifts so they do a great job of getting those guys free,” Knowles explained. “That’s really a big thing. They’re really good, but their offensive structure to get them free through movements and shifts.”

Speaking of Burden, he led the Tigers with 83 catches for 1,197 yards and 8 touchdowns, averaging over 14 yards per catch this season. Knowles said his unit has to be prepared for where Burden is at all times, but that’s difficult with Burden’s usage across the formation.

“Absolutely, he’s everywhere. He’s as talented a guy as we have faced. Hes’ a guy who — you said it — you better know where he is at all times, and he’s in so many different places,” said Knowles. “So it makes it challenging.”