2006 Ohio State Outlook: Defense

[osugrad21]

BN $

9/27

Comparison of the 2005 and 2006 defenses. Good read.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

OSU corners 'steal' spotlight
By JON SPENCER
Mansfield News Journal



COLUMBUS - Their homerun trots need a little work, but cornerbacks Malcolm Jenkins and Antonio Smith proved they can handle cleanup roles for Ohio State's top-ranked football team. Their pick-sixes in the final three minutes against Penn State turned a 14-6 struggle into a 28-6 runaway as a supposedly green defense continued to show it packs the same wallop as OSU's celebrated offense.

"I was kind of hoping when I looked at Ohio State on film I'd see some weaknesses," said Kirk Ferentz, whose No. 13 Iowa Hawkeyes host the Buckeyes Saturday night in a showdown of 4-0 teams. "Because of the great players that left, I was skeptical during the summer hearing everyone picked Ohio State at the top of the heap, but now after four games I see why. "It's just amazing. For the quote, unquote, inexperience on defense, they are playing super defense."

Despite nine new starters this season on that side of the ball, the Buckeyes lead the Big Ten in scoring defense (8.0 ppg) and interceptions with eight - two more than they had all of last season.
Ohio State ranks second behind Michigan in turnover margin at plus-five, thanks to nine takaways and a Big Ten-low four giveways. Last year, with three NFL first-round picks in the lineup, the Buckeyes had only 12 takeaways in 12 games.
"They've answered (all the questions) through four games," coach Jim Tressel said of his defense. "They've had four tests and passed them, some with better grades than others.They've gotten incrementally better and (Saturday) they face a veteran quarterback (Drew Tate) ... and a good football team ... but I have a lot of confidence in them."
The only fault Tressel could find with Jenkins and Smith was their end zone exuberance. Replays appeared to show Jenkins spiking the ball before he crossed the goal line on his 61-yard interception return. Moments later, Smith pilfered another pass by shaky Penn State sophomore Anthony Morelli and took it back 55 yards, high-stepping at the end like the OSU drum major .
The officials didn't throw a flag for excessive celebration, but Tressel did ... sort of.
"We talk a lot about 'Act like you've been there before,' but you know, I thought about it, and Malcolm had never been there before," Tressel said. "Not to excuse that, and I thought I saw little high step by Antonio.
"It was the first time they had that sensation, and I'd like to think we'll learn from it and it won't happen again."
Jenkins' first trip to the end zone capped a long journey for the sophomore. The only New Jersey native on scholarship at OSU wants to join the pantheon of great defensive backs who have played for the Buckeyes. The secondary has produced five first-round picks and 17 NFL draftees over the last nine years alone.
"It played a big part in me coming here because I knew they had a tradition of sending defensive backs to the league," Jenkins said. "I didn't expect to blow up this fast and make an input so quickly. It happened, and now I'm just trying to get better."
Jenkins made three starts last season as a true freshman and made 37 tackles, making him the top returnee in that department. So far he has 16 tackles, sixth-best on the team, and leads the secondary with two picks.
"The only one who could compete with him since I've been here is Chris Gamble," defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock said when asked to compare cornerbacks. "Chris was such a great athlete.
"I talked to Malcolm over the summer and told him he has to take on the role of a senior. In the huddle he has a one-track mind, he's so focused."
Jenkins says the same thing about Smith, who did not arrive at OSU with Jenkins; credentials, but has risen from walk-on to special teams grunt to first-year starter as a fifth-year senior.
"He's a smart guy, he's always in the film room learning the craft," Jenkins said of Smith, an engineering major who enrolled at OSU on an academic scholarship. "He's always going full-speed in practice and has a hunger to get better."
Smith might not be the toughest member of his clan, though. "My younger siblings told me that my grandmother was so excited when I scored my touchdown that she almost knocked somebody out of the stands," he said.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

OHIO STATE FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK
Terry, Freeman on move at linebacker

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Ken Gordon and Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




Ohio State still is rotating freely at linebacker, but the Buckeyes have tweaked that rotation in order to get Curtis Terry on the field more often.
Defensive coordinator Jim Heacock said yesterday that Ohio State now is using the trio of John Kerr, James Laurinaitis and Terry in its base defense and Marcus Freeman and Laurinaitis as the nickel linebackers.
Terry used to spell Freeman in base alignments but now is the starter there.
"With nickel, Freeman runs a little bit better (than Terry), little bit better pass drops," Heacock said.
He said Terry had strong games against Texas and Cincinnati. The junior from Cleveland Glenville has eight tackles, six in the past two games.
"He?s tough and aggressive, got good explosion," Heacock said. "He?s able to get after it."
Heacock said Ross Homan likely will rotate more with Kerr this week. Larry Grant backs up Laurinaitis.
Playing 12 straight

With the new 12-game regular season, Ohio State will only have a bye week once every few years. The Buckeyes have made some adjustments to compensate for the lack of rest time this season.
"The only difference I?ve seen is we only go full pads one day (Tuesday) and then shells (helmets and shoulder pads only) on Wednesday," center Doug Datish said. "And maybe not working ones-onones as much. It?s more important to conserve energy and not beat each other up."
Defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock saw a bright side.
"It works out better; we had a pretty bad record after the bye week," he said.
Under coach Jim Tressel, the Buckeyes are 1-4 after a bye.
Working on the fine points

Antonio Pittman is No. 11 in the country ? No. 3 in the Big Ten ? in rushing (112.5-yard average). But the junior tailback said he and running backs coach Dick Tressel are more interested in what he did wrong, even after his 110-yard, one-touchdown effort against Penn State.
"That?s what you need," said Pittman, whose 1,331-yard season last year was the second best by a sophomore OSU back. "To get better, you?ve always got to find out what you did bad."
Against Penn State, "I was late on a couple of cuts (on pass routes), and my pass blocking; I missed an assignment once or twice," he said.
Have wheels , will applaud

Troy Smith has dazzled OSU fans with his ability to scramble and then throw pinpoint passes, all for the sake of making a play. Smith said Iowa fans have been treated to similar plays from quarterback Drew Tate for three seasons now.
"I?m a fan of him because of the job that he does, through and through, game by game," Smith said. "He makes a way out of no way at certain times. I don?t think he gets enough credit for what he does for the Hawkeyes. He does a great job of leading his team."

kgordon@dispatch.com

tmay@dispatch.com

[osugrad21]

OZone

Football
Heacock Says Surprising Buckeye Defense Still Evolving
By John Porentas

There are surprises every college football season. Sometimes it's a team that does unexpectedly well or poorly, other times its a player who has an unexpectedly good or bad season.

This season it's the Ohio State defense that has caught some people by surprise. The squad that was supposed to be the weak link isn't quite so weak, and according to OSU defensive coordinator, there is still ongoing improvement taking place and there is still plenty of upside left.

"The thing I like about them (his defense) most is that they realize that we really haven't done anything yet, that it's a work in progress and they're working hard, but I think they realize that we're not the defense that we need to be if we want to be where we want to be at the end of the year," Heacock said.

It makes you kind of scratch your head a little. This is defense that through four games is giving up just eight points per game, has not allowed a rushing touchdown and has produced eight turnovers, two more than last year's defense did all season. Just how much better can they be? Heacock thinks quite a bit better and sees continued evolvement not only on an individual player level, but in just how the OSU coaching staff is going to use that personnel.

According to Heacock, linebacker is one of the positions which is very much evolving and really is still in flux. What has become apparent is that certain players have exhibited strengths and weaknesses, and Heacock says the OSU coaching staff is set to make some changes in who plays in what situation. At outside linebacker, for instance, Curtis Terry has proven to be one of the best run stoppers on the team Heacock says that you can expect to see more of Terry in running situations and when the Buckeyes are in their base defense. There are other trends evolving at linebacker as well.

Curtis Terry

"Curtis is playing good run defense as is Kerr and Laurinaitis is playing well in both areas, dropping and playing the run," said Heacock.

"Those are probably our three best run guys (Terry, Kerr and Laurinaitis) right now and Freeman is a real good drop guy and a good athlete and plays well in space, so he and Laurinaitis have kind of taken on that role. Freeman runs a little bit better and is a little better in passing situations, so he and Laurinaitis are our nickel guys," said Heacock.

What is making that position even more interesting is the development of true freshman Ross Homan as the season as progressed. Heacock says Homan is getting better every week and will likely see more playing time as the season progresses.

Ross Homan

"Homan is going to play more, he and Kerr are going to split time a little bit more from now on," said Heacock.

The expected area of strength this season was the defense line, and it hasn't disappointed. But even there, Heacock sees players who are making a move and will probably see the field more. He really likes what he has seen of defensive end Lawrence Wilson lately.

Lawrence Wilson

"He didn't play as much as we thought he would (early in the season) but he'll play more as we go along. He's going to be a really good football player," said Heacock of Wilson

"I think he's a little bit like Homan. You'll see him more and more as time goes on. He'll play more this week than he did last week. He's getting better and better.

"He missed spring which was kind of tough on him but he's going to be an outstanding player. He's has a nice week of practice and he gives us a nice backup to Jay (Richardson). Those two will keep each other fresh and both will spend a lot of time on the field," Heacock said.

Linebacker and defensive end are not the only positions in transition, and Heacock likes it that way. The heavy substitution strategy that the OSU coaching staff has adopted on both sides of the ball this season has given hope to players at many positions, and Heacock says that has meant better overall play.

"I think the thing it does is it lets a lot of people know that they have to get ready to play," said Heacock.

"It promotes a good attitude because everybody knows they're involved with the game plan. We don't have a bunch of backups that know they're not going to play in the game. Everybody has a chance to play and if they have a great week of practice they will, plus we try to keep some competition going so we don't have that lull or complacency," he said.

Complacency is not likely on this defense. We count perhaps three positions that are really uncontested for playing time. Interior linemen Quinn Pitcock and David Patterson aren't likely to lose a lot of PT this season, nor is corner Malcolm Jenkins, but at every other position, there is somebody pushing the incumbent. Defensive ends Jay Richardson and Vernon Gholston will be pressed by Wilson, Alex Barrow and Robert Rose all season. Larry Grant will press James Laurinaitis, and Homan will pressure Kerr, while it already looks like Terry has moved up past Freeman in the base defense.

In the defensive backfield, Donald Washington and Andre Amos will keep the pressure on Antonio Smith, while Nick Patterson and Jamario O'Neal will keep safeties Brandon Mitchell and Anderson Russell looking over their shoulders.

As Heacock proved with his elevation of Terry at linebacker in the run package, he's not afraid to make changes based on who is performing. The OSU defense will definitely evolve and change as the season unfolds. If Heacock is right, that ought to make it pretty good as the season winds up.

[OSUBuckeye4Life]

10 Big Surprises of 2006
#2 Ohio State's defense

Having lost nine starters from last year's team, the defense was supposed to be Ohio State's weakness. But the Buckeyes have given up only 32 points in four games. The no-name D is led by big-play linebacker James Laurinaitis, who paces Ohio State with 36 tackles, three interceptions and two forced fumbles.

2nd only to "Meager Miami" from SI.

SI.com