04-15-2009, 07:51 AM
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Head Coach
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Join Date: Nov 2003
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Quote:
Secondary proving to be a primary focus for Buckeyes, looking to replace two starters
by Doug Lesmerises/Plain Dealer Reporter
Tuesday April 14, 2009
COLUMBUS -- Three starters return in Ohio State's secondary, but the search for a second starting cornerback is as crucial as any competition the Buckeyes have going this spring. Finding a third corner matters almost as much.
A year ago, Ohio State basically had three starting corners in Malcolm Jenkins, Donald Washington and Chimdi Chekwa. Washington and Chekwa rotated in the base defense, but when the Buckeyes needed to cover on passing downs, they played all three corners together, Washington lining up over the slot receiver. Ohio State could go man-to-man, go hard after the quarterback and trust things were taken care of.
"That was definitely a bonus," OSU corners coach Taver Johnson said. "We had three legitimate corners that could cover anybody. When you have that, you have something special."
With Jenkins and Washington awaiting the NFL draft, the only sure thing the Buckeyes have is Chekwa, a red-shirt junior who they believe is ready to become the next elite OSU corner.
"He can do it all," senior safety Kurt Coleman said. "He's a cover corner and he can hit. He was kind of behind Malcolm and Donald, but I think this is his year to break out."
He just needs one or two running mates. So far this spring, fifth-year senior Andre Amos has most often run with the first-team defense, but red-shirt freshman Travis Howard and junior Devon Torrence have lined up with the first team as well. Freshman C.J. Barnett, already at spring practice, and Corey Brown, a freshman who will report for preseason camp, could be factors by the fall, too.
For now, as Coleman broke it down, Howard is the purest cover corner, Torrence the playmaking athlete and Amos the veteran. The veteran is probably the safest bet, just as fifth-year senior Antonio Smith emerged as the starter opposite Jenkins in 2006.
"Andre is so smart, and you need a player like that out there, who's so smart he's not going to make any mistakes," Coleman said.
Amos played as a red-shirt freshman in 2006, but lost most of the last two seasons to a torn ACL and a torn pectoral muscle. Chekwa said Amos looks as fast now as he did on old film, and if that holds true, he should hold down the spot. But what about the passing downs?
Former linebacker Jermale Hines plays the star position, and is a starter in the nickel defense. But he excels at blitzing and stopping the run against teams that feature the spread. On third-down passing situations, Hines can cover, Johnson said, but it's not ideal. And that might limit how aggressive the Buckeyes can be going after the quarterback.
Someone like Howard jumping up to play in that situation is preferable. But there are enough differences between playing corner, and playing the star and covering the slot, that Johnson can't even think about asking a young guy to do it now.
"That'd be asking too much," Johnson said. "That wouldn't be fair to him."
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Secondary proving to be a primary focus for Buckeyes, looking to replace two starters - Ohio State Buckeyes Football & Basketball News - cleveland.com
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