2007 tOSU Defense

[RhodeIslandBuck]

2007 Ohio State Preview: Defense

Defensive End- Junior and All-American candidate Vernon Gholston leads the group, Gholston is a quick defensive end who if need be can use his power to get around any lineman. Starting at the other bookend is Lawrence Wilson, who got sufficient playing time last year at the strong side defensive end spot. Backing up Gholston will be Alex Barrow who played in all thirteen games last year. Backing up Wilson will be Ryan Williams, a sophomore from California. Walter Dublin, a versatile player could play both strong side and weak side defensive end. Incoming freshman Solomon Thomas is expected to redshirt.

Bottom Line- Gholston could be the best pair of defensive ends in the Big Ten and having a quality corp of backups will only help.
Depth Chart
WDE

1. 50 Vernon Gholston
2. 78 Alex Barrow
3. 94 Walter Dublin

SDE

1. 87 Lawrence Wilson
2. 91 Ryan Williams
3. 94 Walter Dublin

Defensive Tackle- Ohio State loses the three highest players on the depth chart at this position, so this is considered by many to be the weak spot of the defense. Sophomore Todd Denlinger, who had a stellar 2006 spring game is expected to be one of the starters at the tackle spot. Doug Worthington and Robert Rose are expected to battle for the other starting spot. Both are converted defensive ends but Worthington looks to have the edge because of experience, but Rose is a freak athlete and could win the spot. Nader Abdallah and Dexter Larimore round out the group.
Bottom Line- With the lack of experience we could see some teams run the ball up the middle on us, but as the season progresses, so will the defensive tackles.
Depth Chart

1. 92 Todd Denlinger
2. 84 Doug Worthington
3. 9 Robert Rose
4. 93 Nader Abdallah
5. 72 Dexter Larimore

Inside Linebacker - The Buckeyes return last year?s leading tackler and All-American James Laurinaitis. Laurinaitis, a sophomore, was last year?s winner of the Bronko Nagurski award. Backing up the All-American will be senior Larry Grant, Grant was a Junior College All-American and earned sufficient playing time last year. Third on the depth chart is redshirt freshman Mark Johnson, a highly touted linebacker from California who is coming off a shoulder injury. This may be the strongest position on defense for Ohio State.
Bottom Line- An All-American being backed up by a Junior College All-American, what more do I have to say?
Depth Chart
MIKE

1. 33 James Laurinaitis
2. 6 Larry Grant
3. 44 Mark Johnson

Outside Linebacker- Marcus Freeman, a highly touted junior looks to continue a strong finish from last year. Freeman is great I pass support but he could work on his run stopping ability just a little more. Starting at the other outside linebacker position is Ross Homan, a sophomore from Coldwater, Ohio. Backing up these two are Curtis Terry who frequently steps in during run-stopping situations and redshirt freshman Tyler Moeller. Finishing out the group are redshirt freshman Thaddeus Gibson who is expected to play a lot next year and Austin Spitler who has a nose for the ball. Incoming freshmen Brian Rolle and Jer?male Hines are both likely to be redshirted.
Bottom Line- Similar to inside linebacker, tremendous depth, expect all six to receive a good chunk of playing time.
Depth Chart
SAM

1. 1 Marcus Freeman
2. 55 Curtis Terry
3. 37 Thaddeus Gibson

WILL

1. 51 Ross Homan
2. 26 Tyler Moeller
3. 38 Austin Spitler

Cornerback- The Buckeyes return All-American candidate Malcolm Jenkins, who picked off five passes last year. Battling for the second cornerback spot are Donald Washington and Andre Amos. Both are great talents and you can?t go wrong with either but Donald Washington Possesses the edge right now. Kurt Coleman who could be moved to safety trails Washington and Amos, but not by much. Redshirt freshman Chimdi Chekwa and incoming freshman James Scott round out the group. Incoming freshman Donnie Evege will more than likely redshirt.
Depth Chart
FC

1. 2 Malcolm Jenkins
2. 13 Andre Amos
3. 5 Chimdi Chekwa

BC

1. 20 Donald Washington
2. 4 Kurt Coleman
3. ?? James Scott

NB

1. 13 Andre Amos
2. 4 Kurt Coleman

Safety- The Bucks have a solid group here led by sophomore Anderson Russell. Russell went down last year with a knee injury in the Iowa game but he was playing great football before the injury. Starting at the other safety position Jamario O?Neal. O?Neal is very fast but he seems to have trouble translating his athleticism into good football play. But another year in the system could cure that. Backing up O?Neal and Russell are incoming freshman Eugene Clifford and sophomore Aaron Gant. Finishing out the defense are Grant Schwartz and Nick Patterson
Bottom Line- There?s no need to worry about Anderson Russell, he will perform but if O?Neal plays well this could be a very, very hard defensive backfield to pass on.
Depth Chart
FS

1. 3 Jamario O?Neal
2. ?? Eugene Clifford
3. 24 Grant Schwartz

SS

1. 21 Anderson Russell
2. 8 Aaron Gant
3. 23 Nick Patterson

Special teams will be posted tomorrow evening.

[zBuckeye10z]

Laurinaitis and Freeman will have to step up and lead the defense next year again. Hopefully they will be a shutdown defense and wont make the offense have to put up alot of points.

[msj2487]

I would switch Spitler and Grant, but everything else looks great.

Good work RIbuck

[OmahaBeef]

Are we going to see more 3-3-5 (or 3-5-3? however you want to classify it) instead of 4-3 next year like we saw in the bowl game?

[RhodeIslandBuck]

Originally Posted by OmahaBeef

Are we going to see more 3-3-5 (or 3-5-3? however you want to classify it) instead of 4-3 next year like we saw in the bowl game?

I thought next year we could run a 3-4 and utilize our depth at linebacker instead of making our lack of depth at DT vulnerable, but I still expect the coaches to stick with the base 4-3.

[zBuckeye10z]

Originally Posted by RhodeIslandBuck

I thought next year we could run a 3-4 and utilize our depth at linebacker instead of making our lack of depth at DT vulnerable, but I still expect the coaches to stick with the base 4-3.

3-4 would make more sense because of our lack of depth/talent at the DT position. The 4-3 won't go unused but I would guess that they would base 3-4 and not 4-3. I think it would make more sense.

[jpeezy11]

as a relative of one of the corners lets just say #13 will surprise u in 07

[jpeezy11]

after the loss to fla it seems like they would need to work on man coverage

[Oneshot]

1. The switch from a 3-4 to a 4-3 isn't just having one DT sit out and sticking a linebacker on the field... The techniques and entire defensive playbooks are different. From what I understand, there's a LOT more stunting and slanting involved in a 3-4 and a lot more blitzing. The staff isn't going to switch up the entire defensive gameplan because we have a good linebacker or a 'weaker' defensive tackle. So... I think we can forget the 3-4 as our main package. Besides, we don't even really run the 4-3 as our basic package. We usually run the nickel.

2. When did all this talk of Robert Rose moving to DT happen?? He has been a monster at DE, and hasn't taken a snap at DT this season.

[23Skidoo]

Originally Posted by Oneshot

1. The switch from a 3-4 to a 4-3 isn't just having one DT sit out and sticking a linebacker on the field... The techniques and entire defensive playbooks are different. From what I understand, there's a LOT more stunting and slanting involved in a 3-4 and a lot more blitzing. The staff isn't going to switch up the entire defensive gameplan because we have a good linebacker or a 'weaker' defensive tackle. So... I think we can forget the 3-4 as our main package. Besides, we don't even really run the 4-3 as our basic package. We usually run the nickel.

2. When did all this talk of Robert Rose moving to DT happen?? He has been a monster at DE, and hasn't taken a snap at DT this season.

1. I agree completely. I think another point people are missing is that a 3-4 generally includes larger DL than the 4-3. We'd need a "true" DT who can put on a lot of weight to play NT. And the "DEs" would have to be larger as well -- larger, I think, than Gholston. I think it's still an option, but I don't think it'll be our base. The one thing I do like is that it would put Grant and Laurinaitis on the field at the same time.

2. I think the consensus is that Rose has been growing a lot and could end up playing DT and/or DE. I think he stays at end though.

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

Nice effort RI. GPA for you...

Bottom Line-

Gholston could be the best pair of defensive ends in the Big Ten and having a quality corp of backups will only help.

Think you need to add "and Wilson could be...."

[smoney]

"Incoming freshmen Brian Rolle and Jer?male Hines are both likely to be redshirted."

Did I miss something? Did we already get Hines?

[Taosman]

I am starting to form the opinion that when A. Russ went down, we lost a lot on defense!
I think his return will be huge!

And I thnk that ONeal better take his game to another level or he'll get passed by Gant or Schwartz!

But, basically, I see the safety position as improved over the end of last year.

[DVo45]

If I was calling the shots:

D-Line

Vern will play the weak side-and he would rush the passer-no more coverage crap

I think Todd will play the 1 technique tackle

Rose will play the 3 technique

Wilson will play the strong end

Think about Rose playing as a 3 tech tackle...he could be a real force.

[osugrad21]

Dispatch

Ohio State football
Late-season slide on minds of defense

Sunday, April 8, 2007 3:32 AM
By Tim May


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Spring practices are about building for the future, and for the Ohio State defense this month that means finding five new starters among other things. "We're out there trying to grow and get better in every phase of the game," defensive coordinator Jim Heacock said as the Buckeyes hit roughly the halfway mark of the 15-session drills last week. "We're trying to build on the positives and the good things our defense did last season; we're not dwelling a whole lot on the negative. As we say, we want to get better every day, individually and as a group."

Cont...