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DT Adolphus "Diesel" Washington (Official Thread)

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Pete Thamel ‏@SIPeteThamel 8m
Also in @TheInsideRead: #ALSIceBucketChallenge hits college football. Stanford. OBannon. Kessler. Ohio St. Jameis. http://www.si.com/college-football/2014/08/11/inside-read-chris-petersen-washington-als-challenge…



Ohio State is expected to have the most dominant defensive line in the nation this season. Here’s something even scarier for Buckeyes opponents: the least accomplished member of that front four may have the highest ceiling. Junior Adolphus Washington -- known as Dede to his teammates -- was a good enough athlete that while at Taft High in Cincinnati he led his basketball conference in scoring and rebounding. Not bad for a 6-4, 288-pounder.

Hampered by a groin injury last season, Washington hasn’t quite lived up to his billing as the best player in the state of Ohio as a senior in 2011 (he had 23.5 sacks as a senior at Taft). But this year promises to be different, as the former end has moved inside and looked unblockable at times in the spring. “He took on a double-team as well as anyone in the country,” said senior defensive tackle Michael Bennett. “Who’s the weak link on the defensive line? I don’t think we have a weak link?”

It isn’t Bennett, who had 7.5 sacks last season and has formed a defensive tackle duo with Washington nicknamed “The Bash Brothers.” It isn’t any of Ohio State’s ends, as junior Noah Spence and Joey Bosa may be the country’s most dynamic duo at that position if they improve from their 28 combined tackles for loss last year.

First-year line coach Larry Johnson, who previously spent 18 years at Penn State coaching the defensive line, knows he inherited a lot of talent and doesn’t mince words about their potential. “This group has a chance to be really special,” Johnson said. “They’re very athletic and change direction well. I’m impressed.”
 
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Marcus Hartman [BSB free] posted transcripts today from B1G Media Day interviews with Bennett, which included this:

http://ohiostate.scout.com/story/1432666-michael-bennett-holds-court?s=145

"I think all four of us are NFL-caliber athletes. I think you'll see maybe Joey will be the last one to go to the NFL because he's the youngest but all four of us can go to the NFL. I keep trying to tell people about Adolphus. Adolphus is a better athlete than me so he's going to have a really good season."

...

"Everyone who asks about Adolphus I always tell I think he's going to have a ridiculous first half of the season until people find out who he is. Because they know about me on the interior and they're gonna try and double-team me and shut me down and Adolphus is gonna rip them apart. He might be mad that I'm giving out his secret now, but I think it's a hard decision figuring out who you're gonna block on that interior line because Adolphus is a weapon and he's gonna show it this year."
 
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I read that too and it got me excited to see Adolphus in action this year. I assume he'll be playing inside mostly, but he was pretty good at end for us during his FR year. I wonder if they'll use him at DE in the first few games at all while Spence is serving his suspension.
 
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southcampus said:
I read that too and it got me excited to see Adolphus in action this year. I assume he'll be playing inside mostly, but he was pretty good at end for us during his FR year. I wonder if they'll use him at DE in the first few games at all while Spence is serving his suspension.
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I was hoping the same thing. His versatility to play inside and out made him so special to me. I'm hoping that we can see Washington, Carter, Bennett, and Bosa in at the same time. A lot of beef and athleticism at the same time.
 
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Mike80 said:
nvm saw you were talking about while Spence was suspended.
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I also meant while Spence was Healthy. That group of guys would help significantly with power run teams like Wisky, Mich st and Alabama for example. Not saying Spence wouldn't, but his specialty is rushing the QB more than stopping the run. The 4 guys mentioned would still Be able to get to the QB but also excel at shutting down the run.
 
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pnuts34 said:
I also meant while Spence was Healthy. That group of guys would help significantly with power run teams like Wisky, Mich st and Alabama for example. Not saying Spence wouldn't, but his specialty is rushing the QB more than stopping the run. The 4 guys mentioned would still Be able to get to the QB but also excel at shutting down the run.
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I kind of doubt we'll see it at any point other than when Spence is out or if there is an injury somewhere and the rotation has to change.
 
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Mike80 said:
I kind of doubt we'll see it at any point other than when Spence is out or if there is an injury somewhere and the rotation has to change.
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That's what I was referring to, a rotation change. I can believe that coaches like Johnson and Ash will use a D line rotation that counters the offensive scheme of the opponent. Regardless, barring injury, Diesel should be a terror against opposing O lines all season. He can be a versatile player along the line like Cam Heyward due to his athleticism and size
 
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pnuts34 said:
That's what I was referring to, a rotation change. I can believe that coaches like Johnson and Ash will use a D line rotation that counters the offensive scheme of the opponent. Regardless, barring injury, Diesel should be a terror against opposing O lines all season. He can be a versatile player along the line like Cam Heyward due to his athleticism and size
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You just changed the goalposts of the subject. Once Spence is off of suspension, he will be on the 1st D-line rotation regardless.
 
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Mike80 said:
I kind of doubt we'll see it at any point other than when Spence is out or if there is an injury somewhere and the rotation has to change.
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With Johnson talking about wanting 9 guys, you have to think he wants to rotate players in and out a lot more than we have. I'm guessing that's not in a "first string out, second string in" way either -- but rather changing 1 or 2 guys at a time.
 
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kujirakira said:
With Johnson talking about wanting 9 guys, you have to think he wants to rotate players in and out a lot more than we have. I'm guessing that's not in a "first string out, second string in" way either -- but rather changing 1 or 2 guys at a time.
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True - but I think the true 1st string are the guys that will be on the field when it's an important down, at the goal line and those who start most of the games. I have to think that'll include both Diesel and Spence most of the time.

Thinking - Spence - Bennett - Diesel - Bosa is probably the main starters this year on the D-line just in my imo.
 
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