2020 tOSU Defense

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DEFENSIVE LINE (16)
Returning Starters: Zach Harrison (284 snaps in 2019), Tyreke Smith (243), Tyler Friday (220), Jonathon Cooper (121)
Returning Contributors: Tommy Togiai (250), Haskell Garrett (218), Antwuan Jackson (201), Javontae Jean-Baptiste (201), Jerron Cage (88), Noah Potter (37), Jaden McKenzie (11)
Other Veterans: Taron Vincent, Cormontae Hamilton
Newcomers: Jacolbe Cowan, Ty Hamilton, Darrion Henry-Young

Ohio State is replacing all three of its defensive linemen who were consistent starters last season – Chase Young, Davon Hamilton and Jashon Cornell – but it does return four defensive ends who started multiple games in Cooper, who was a regular starter in 2018 but played only four games last season due to an ankle injury, plus Smith, Friday and Harrison. That quartet, along with Jean-Baptiste, gives the Buckeyes a strong stable of veteran defensive ends who they’ll count on to collectively step up and help them replace the production they lost with Young’s departure.

None of the returning defensive tackles have started a game for the Buckeyes, but Togiai, Garrett, Jackson, Cage and Vincent give them a talented stable of upperclassmen there, too. Togiai is the only sure-fire starter in the group, but Vincent, Garrett and Jackson are also expected to see regular playing time. Vincent, though, has a lot to prove after missing all of last season with a shoulder injury, and it’s uncertain whether Garrett’s availability for the upcoming season will be affected by the injuries he suffered in a shooting last month.

Potter provides additional depth at defensive end, McKenzie provides additional depth at defensive tackle. The Hamiltons, Cowan and Henry-Young are versatile, young defensive linemen who the Buckeyes would rather not have to rely on this year, but each of them has the physical tools to potentially provide value at multiple spots on the line as they develop.

Day: “There’s good depth, especially at the defensive end position. Really happy for Jonathon Cooper, to see him go through what he went through last year and then come back and finally get a chance to play, it’s exciting. So that’s great. And then we have a bunch of defensive ends. So those guys, the expectation level is very, very high for them to compete at a high level, when you look at the guys that have come before, but when you talk to Zach Harrison and Tyler Friday, Tyreke Smith, Javontae Jean-Baptiste, they’re all very, very talented. So it’s hard, because it’s been a year since we’ve had the pads on and it’s hard to evaluate defensive linemen, but they look good, their attitude’s been great, and I’m looking forward to seeing them play.”

LINEBACKERS (11)
Returning Starters: Pete Werner (593 snaps in 2019), Tuf Borland (425)
Returning Contributors: Baron Browning (368), Dallas Gant (118), Justin Hilliard (106), Teradja Mitchell (99), K’Vaughan Pope (77), Craig Young (15), Tommy Eichenberg (5)
Newcomers: Mitchell Melton, Cody Simon

Led by two seniors who have already been multi-year starters in Werner and Borland, another senior who’s been a regular contributor for the last two years in Browning, a sixth-year senior captain in Hilliard and a trio of talented juniors in Gant, Mitchell and Pope, Ohio State has more experienced depth at linebacker than any other position on the roster.

How exactly the Buckeyes will divide playing time among those seven linebackers remains a question, but it’s likely those seven will play the vast majority of linebacker snaps for Ohio State in 2020. Young and Eichenberg should be more ready to contribute now that they’ve been at Ohio State for a year, while Simon and Melton also have upside for the future, but their opportunities for significant playing time this season are likely to be limited to special teams unless there are a rash of absences on the depth chart in front of them.

Day: “You look at Pete and Tuf, you look at Baron, you look at Justin Hilliard and that’s four guys that have played a lot of football here, and they’ve played a lot of games. So that’s huge for us. Especially at the linebacker position, when you haven’t hit for so long, to be able to have those reps under their belt, it’s not the first time they’re gonna be going on the field. So I feel good about that, and then the depth underneath them. There’s some guys pushing each other right there with Teradja and Dallas Gant, there’s a bunch of guys in there that are fighting for playing time. So it’ll be fun to see those guys compete again as the season goes on, and we’re hoping that they can help us in special teams as well, and different areas, different personnel groupings. It’s a good group.”

DEFENSIVE BACKS (14)
Returning Starters: Shaun Wade (529 snaps in 2019)
Returning Contributors: Cameron Brown (254), Sevyn Banks (170), Josh Proctor (123), Marcus Williamson (86), Marcus Hooker (82), Tyreke Johnson (57), Bryson Shaw (6)
Other Veterans: Ronnie Hickman
Newcomers: Lejond Cavazos, Cameron Martinez, Lathan Ransom, Ryan Watts, Kourt Williams

Wade’s decision to opt back into the 2020 season provides crucial experience and leadership for Ohio State’s otherwise inexperienced secondary, which is replacing three starters from last season who are now starting in the NFL (Jeff Okudah, Damon Arnette and Jordan Fuller). While Wade is expected to be a star at one outside cornerback spot, there’s still some question marks at the other three positions.

That said, the Buckeyes have six other third- and fourth-year defensive backs who could also be ready to play bigger roles this year with Banks, Brown, Williamson and Johnson at cornerback and Proctor and Hooker at safety. It’s likely that all six of those defensive backs will see playing time in some capacity, as new defensive coordinator and secondary coach Kerry Coombs has expressed a desire to rotate defensive backs as he did during his previous stint at Ohio State.

Shaw and Hickman could also be candidates to contribute at safety or slot cornerback now that they’ve been at Ohio State for a year, while Williams – a safety who could also end up playing bullet/Sam linebacker – appears to be the most likely candidate to contribute immediately among the true freshman after he became one of the first two members of the class of 2020 to lose his black stripe on Monday.

Day: “Kerry does a great job of developing, but he’s got his hands full. You have one great player who has a chance to be the best corner in the country in Shaun Wade, but then after that, it’s a young group. You’re replacing Jeff Okudah, you’re replacing Jordan Fuller, you’re replacing Damon Arnette. Those are three guys that just played a whole bunch of football on Sunday. So you don’t just like show up and just put a new guy out there.

“However, some of these guys did play last year. Sevyn Banks played last year, Cam Brown played last year, Josh Proctor played last year, Marcus Williamson played last year, Marcus Hooker, these guys all played in games. So while they’re inexperienced in terms of starting and playing the championship-level games, they have played football. They do have snaps under their belt. And Kerry’s done a great job of bringing them along. So I think they’re gonna be able to play at a high level.

“The other guy that really has shown early on, even in these kind of practices right here, is Kourt Williams. A young guy who I think has a chance to be a really, really good player. His approach has been excellent. He’s versatile. He can do a lot of things. So that’s someone to keep an eye on.”

Cameron Brown is among the cornerbacks Ohio State will be looking for to step up this fall.

 

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Depth, Experience at Linebacker
Few teams will have as much experience as Ohio State will have at linebacker, led by seniors Tuf Borland, Pete Werner, Baron Browning and Justin Hilliard.

Borland (34 career starts) and Werner (27 career starts) started at the middle and outside linebacker positions, respectively, last year. Browning seems likely to replace Harrison in the lineup, although the roles could change going into 2020. Hilliard was a key backup and will be back for a rare sixth season in 2020.

Right behind them are three talented juniors ready to fill roles as needed in Teradja Mitchell, Dallas Gant and K'Vaughan Pope. Gant backed up Borland in the middle, while Mitchell and Pope were slotted outside last year.

Sophomore Craig Young (converted from tight end), redshirt freshman Tommy Eichenberg and true freshmen Cody Simon and Mitchell Melton will all be in the mix as well this season.

“The linebacker position is a very mature group when you look at Pete, Tuf, Baron and Justin Hilliard,” Day said. “Those are four guys who have played a lot of football here. They have played in a lot of games.

“We haven’t hit for so long, but they have those reps under their belt. I feel good about that. Plus, we have depth underneath them with guys pushing them like Teradja and Dallas Gant. It will be fun to see those guys compete as the season goes on. They will help us in special teams as well."

 

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KERRY COOMBS, DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR

• Banks has to stay consistent in his preparation, Coombs says, but he's also built in the traditional mold of cornerbacks who've succeeded at Ohio State.
• Coombs says he got to know a lot of players more away from the football field over the offseason. However, the absence of practice time was "disappointing." He thinks Ohio State "maximized" every bit of time they were allowed.
• "I love Shaun Wade. I'm thrilled he came back." He says a lot of the other cornerbacks are talented but young. He believes they'll be "ready to play" and "fine."
• Coombs says he's looking for a "gritty competitor" who "plays with a fearless mentality" at cornerback. "Physically, I love long, fast corners and we all know that." More than anything, he says, he wants a mentally tough corner. "We're developing that mentality."
• He says some players have been slowed by injuries.
• "The core group of players that everybody has talked about are the guys who are going to go."
• Coombs says it's been 53 years since he wasn't on a sideline and he was worried he might not be able to coach this year.
• "Buckeyes are special people. I'm just really, really glad to be one of them."
• Coombs says the NFL is a nickel-based league because it's a passing league. In college football, the quarterback run factor and other aspects of offenses lead defenses to be less nickel-heavy.
• He says having the ability to play in multiple personnel groupings on defense is important. The talent and health of the roster will determine who's on the field this year.
• Coombs says he sang "Happy Birthday" to Wade, joking that led to him returning. The cornerback told Coombs he wanted him to talk to him as though he's his son.
• On if there's any chance Wade might not play this fall: "No concern about that."
• "Really the whole mantra of BIA came from being at the best place in America." He says when he recruits players, he tells them he only wants to be around players who want to be the best at everything they do.
• Coombs says Williamson is playing more in the slot than outside because slot receivers will be more similar to his size. He says he has always found Williamson to be a "thoughtful, intelligent player." Thinks he had an "extraordinary offseason."
• On Haskell Garrett: "I think he's probably not as far away as anybody would have thought."

 

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“More than anything I’m looking for a gritty competitor, a kid that refuses to lose and that plays with a fearless mentality of: My man catches no balls,” Coombs said. “That’s really the mindset that we have to have play in and play out.

“Physically, I love long, fast corners, and we all know that. But more than anything I want a mentally tough guy who is going to line up day in, day out and play in, play out and have the confidence that his guy is not going to get open. He’s going to be on-body coverage, and he’s going to deny that reception.”

 

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While Day and Dennis are on the same page, senior defensive end Jonathon Cooper and the rest of the Ohio State defensive line is turning the page.

Gone are Chase Young, Jashon Cornell, DaVon Hamilton, and Robert Landers. And yet even as all four of those losses are significant, the one that gets the most attention is Young and how the Buckeyes are going to try and replace him.

This isn't the first time in recent years the Buckeyes had to replace an All-American defensive end. They replaced John Simon with Joey Bosa, then replaced Joey Bosa with his brother Nick, then replaced Nick Bosa with Chase Young. And now the Buckeyes have to do some more creative writing to figure out how to replace arguably the best of all of them.

But this is still Ohio State and there are plenty of other characters worth building a plot around.

"Yeah, obviously Chase was an amazing player and replacing him isn't going to be easy, but I am very confident in our guys and the way that they stepped up," said senior defensive end Jonathon Cooper. "We got Tyreke [Smith], Zach [Harrison], Javontae [Jean-Baptiste], Tyler Friday. That's just the defensive ends on the outside who have really stepped up their game, at least that I've seen and are ready to take on a bigger role.

"You know, we're not just one player, we're the Rushmen. And so we rush together, and I feel like us all coming back who are better, who have seen time in the games and have had playing time are really going to step up for us this year."

 

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AL WASHINGTON, LINEBACKERS COACH

• Washington said tackling technique is a big focus for the Buckeyes as they return to practicing in pads. The No. 1 thing they preach, he said, is “eyes up.” They also talk about “putting a near foot in the ground.”
• On balancing playing time in a deep linebacker group: “You just give people roles.” He believes they need to have more than three or four linebackers ready to play, especially this year given the circumstances.
• “Our goal is just to get better every day, and when your number is called, just be ready to play.”
• “I think this particular group of guys is one of the more special groups I've been around.” Said he's been impressed with the leadership and character they've exhibited during a difficult year.
• Washington said Teradja Mitchell and Dallas Gant are “doing unbelievably well ... they're having a really strong camp so far.”
• Washington said he is “really excited” about freshman linebackers Cody Simon and Mitchell Melton. “Both of those kids, I think, are gonna be special players.”
• Washington said Gant is a skilled player who has the versatility to play both Mike and Will linebacker, described Mitchell as “explosive” and K'Vaughan Pope as “very athletic.”
• Washington said Pete Werner has been “doing a really good job at the Will position.” Still lining up at other spots in some packages, as well. “I think he can be an impact player at the Will position.”
• On starting padded practices: “Football is not football until there is pads. You can look good in rehearsal, but you gotta get out there and play. ... You can't have too many padded practices.”
• On cross-training linebackers at multiple positions: “I think the best thing we do is we give our guys experience in all areas, inside and outside.”
• Washington says he believes the linebackers have grown closer to each other this year even though they were apart for part of the year because of everything they've had to go through.
• Washington said Tuf Borland is naturally more of a reserved guy, but has challenged himself to be a more vocal leader. “He's improving in every way.”
• Washington said he expects Justin Hilliard to be a “major contributor,” and getting to coach someone like him after everything he's been through is one of the best parts of being a coach.
• Washington said that while everyone getting an extra year of eligibility could be a benefit on the back end, he doesn't think the players think that way, because they all want to contribute now, which is what they want.

 

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OHIO STATE WILL RANK IN THE TOP-15 IN SCORING DEFENSE FOR THE FIFTH TIME IN THE LAST SIX SEASONS

Despite losing first round talent in defensive end Chase Young, cornerbacks Jeff Okudah and Damon Arnette, along with safety Jordan Fuller and defensive line veterans in DaVon Hamilton, Robert Landers and Jashon Cornell, among others, the Buckeyes have the talent to finish in the top-15 in scoring defense once again.

To do so, they'll have to prove they can reload, primarily in the secondary and the trenches.

I'm betting on big steps forward from Zach Harrison, Sevyn Banks, Josh Proctor, Tommy Togiai, Tyreke Smith and even vets like Baron Browning to fill some big shoes. I'm also betting on the defense taking advantage of playing Nebraska (No. 72 scoring offense in 2019), Rutgers (No. 129), Maryland (No. 93), Illinois (No. 79) and Michigan State (No. 104) in the middle of the schedule.

Beyond holding those teams to low point totals, I'm banking on the seasoning acquired throughout the schedule paying dividends against Michigan and into the postseason.

It feels like a somewhat risky pick but what's the point in predicting "Shaun Wade will be good?"

 

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"We had a conversation about that today and we have five guys who could start anywhere in the country, so I am going to treat them that way," Johnson said. "All five of them are considered starters for me right now. So, that's what we're going to do. We're going to make sure we do a good job of getting each guy a chance to start as we roll through the season.

"But I could not be more pleased with where we're at right now with all five guys and we've got to keep them healthy. From Tyreke all the way down to Jean-Baptiste, all the guys are doing a great job. You talk about working hard and I can't speak enough about how hard these guys have worked. So, they all deserve the chance to be starters and they will be."



In an offseason that saw the Buckeyes lose key members on the defensive line, including star defensive end Chase Young, Ohio State is turning to its depth for the 2020 campaign.

Without a true superstar on the defensive front, Ohio State is looking to kill teams by a thousand cuts, using an extensive rotation on both the interior and ends. Defensive line coach Larry Johnson said that the line will operate like it did in 2017, with a greater focus on the rotation rather than a specific individual.

Just sayin': They do have some potential superstars, like Zach Harrison.....

“He has all the attributes, what we look for in a player,” Johnson said Wednesday in a Zoom call. “The ceiling is very high for him going into his sophomore season, so I’m really pleased where he’s at right now.”

 

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“You’ve got five guys, and they all could be starting anywhere in the country,” Johnson said Wednesday. “So I’m gonna treat them that way. They’re all five starters for me right now. So we’re gonna do a good job of making sure each guy gets a chance to start as we go through the season. And I’m very pleased with where we’re at right now with those five guys.”

“You can’t play 60 plays at full-speed. No one can. But you can play 30-35 plays at full speed. And every play you put on video tape is a high-speed play. And I think it helps them. So I think our guys understand that,” Johnson said.

Johnson expects this year’s rotation among five defensive ends to be similar to the rotation he deployed among four defensive ends in 2017, when Jalyn Holmes, Nick Bosa, Sam Hubbard and Tyquan Lewis all played between 534 to 542 snaps for the season (an average of just over 38 per game).