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2022 tOSU Defense

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All three levels of the defense were to blame and head coach Ryan Day wasted little time blowing up the staff, bringing in Jim Knowles to coordinate the group while adding fresh assistants in Perry Eliano and Tim Walton to replace former defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs, secondary coach (and interim coordinator) Matt Barnes and linebackers coach Al Washington.

The pass defense took a huge chunk of the blame from fans for last season's struggles, and rightfully so as it ranked No. 96 in yards allowed per game (245.8) which was, unbelievably, an improvement over the 2020 group's No. 122 ranking (304.0 ypg).

But somewhat lost in the midst of the bitching about the pass defense was the fact Ohio State's rush defense regressed for a second-straight season and more importantly, really struggled in losses to Oregon and Michigan while damn near triggering a loss to Utah in the Rose Bowl.
 
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What are expectations for Buckeyes' defensive tackles? Knowles feels 'great about that group'

There has been a lot of discussion – and excitement – regarding Ohio State’s defensive ends for the 2022 season. And rightfully so when you’ve got a group that includes three former 5-star prospects in Zach Harrison, Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau, plus others that will contribute.

However, what about the Buckeyes’ defensive tackles? What are expectations for them? There would appear to be a clear top-5 – in whatever order – that includes sophomore Tyleik Williams, fifth-year senior Taron Vincent, sixth-year senior Jerron Cage, redshirt freshman Mike Hall and junior Ty Hamilton. Then rounding out the 3-deep will either be fourth-year junior Jaden McKenzie or incoming freshman Hero Kanu.

Earlier this month, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles expressed confidence in OSU’s defensive tackles.

“I feel great about that group,” he said. “I feel great. “There's a lot of guys competing in the interior of our defensive line. There's a lot of guys who showed the ability to make plays; guys who have experience. I think it's just a great mix. You know, we're gonna be able to do a lot of good things with that group.”

Vincent was the No. 1-ranked defensive tackle recruit in the country in the 2018 class and has battled injuries during his time at Ohio State. He played the best game of his career in the Rose Bowl win over Utah and Knowles said he carried that over to the spring.

“I think Taron is going to be great,” Knowles said. “I mean, he's got experience, like you said, but he showed great leadership, great attitude, you know, open to the process, wanting to learn the new system. And he's smart. You know, he picks things up quickly. So, I think the sky's the limit.”

Entire article: https://247sports.com/college/ohio-...zuhd3sxQ-Mk4swlhF9-s29-eJ1ZbU-l-d_Vnlp2o7iAsE
 
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WINNING THIRD DOWN AT A COMPETITIVE CLIP WILL GO A LONG WAY IN SOLVING OHIO STATE'S DEFENSIVE WOES

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It's no newsflash Ohio State's defense was the Achilles heel of a 2021 squad that failed to win the Big Ten and reach the College Football Playoff.

The Buckeyes ranked No. 38 in scoring defense, No. 59 in total defense and No. 100 in pass defense while posting an 11-2 record with losses to Oregon and Michigan. Six opponents scored at least 24 points and five scored at least 31, including 45 and 42 by Utah and Michigan, respectively.

As a result, head coach Ryan Day sent much of his defensive staff packing and most notably, brought in Jim Knowles, by way of Oklahoma State, to serve as his new defensive coordinator.

With a new scheme and new attitude, along with the law of averages, there's good reason to think the Buckeyes will be much improved on defense this fall.

One way Knowles' group can reach greater heights in 2022 is to fare better on third down.

A season ago, the Buckeyes were flat out terrible on third down, allowing opponents to move the chains a shocking 42.08% of the time, good for No. 100 in the country.

That marked the first time in at least 10 seasons Ohio State's defense fared so poorly on third down and was nearly 500 basis points worse than the 2020 defense's rate, which was already the program's worst of the CFP era.

Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...ong-way-in-solving-ohio-states-defensive-woes
 
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JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer, ‘These are guys that do not have limitations’


Last year as true freshmen, Ohio State defensive ends JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer both had their moments in limited opportunities. Despite playing 270 fewer snaps than Tyreke Smith and over 330 fewer snaps than Zach Harrison, Sawyer tied both Smith and Harrison for the team lead in sacks by a defensive end (3.0).

Tuimoloau, meanwhile, didn’t arrive until nearly the eve of fall camp, but he finished third among OSU’s defensive ends (behind Harrison and Smith) with 5.5 tackles for loss. His 17 tackles last year were also third among defensive ends behind Harrison and Smith.

The Buckeyes lose Tyreke Smith, but still return three senior defensive ends this year in Harrison, Tyler Friday, and Javontae Jean-Baptiste. Despite the presence of that kind of seniority, it hasn’t kept the attention away from Tuimoloau and Sawyer, especially when it comes to the expectations surrounding new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ more aggressive defense.
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Sawyer enrolled in the winter last year to put himself in a better position to see the field as a freshman. Tuimoloau, meanwhile, enrolled in the summer, but also showed up ready to play. So much so that he was in the starting lineup in weeks four and five for the Buckeyes.

“Yeah, that’s an outlier. That doesn’t happen very often. It doesn’t,” OSU strength coach Mickey Marotti said of Tuimoloau following spring camp. “He’s much improved. Obviously bigger, faster and stronger and more mature. And has been through the program now through a year. He should take that next step.”

Together, the potential of Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau has plenty of people excited, including the players themselves.

Entire article: https://buckeyescoop.com/jt-tuimoloau-and-jack-sawyer-these-are-guys-that-do-not-have-limitations/

“Me and JT are good buddies,” Sawyer said. “He’s put the work in this offseason. We work out together almost every day. It’s gonna be exciting to see what me and him to do this year.”






At Oklahoma State previously, Knowles’ weakside defensive end (also known as the “Jack” and eventually the “Leo”) became a marquee position. Last year, that position was handled by Brock Martin and Collin Oliver, and they combined for 29.5 tackles for loss and 19.5 sacks for the Cowboys.

This year at Ohio State, Sawyer will be one of the defensive ends manning that position, and he liked what he got to see of Knowles in the spring.

“He’s a mad scientist when it comes to x and O’s,” Sawyer said.
 
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The Bucks might not have an elite passer rusher (i.e. like a Bosa or Young); but with the personnel that they have, the DL should collectively have some elite "pass rusher" stats (i.e. sacks, TFLs, hurries, and deflected passes), etc.
 
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Projected Ohio State starters
Tommy Eichenberg: As he enters his third season with Ohio State, Tommy Eichenberg is beginning to emerge as a true tone-setting leader of the Buckeyes linebackers unit. He took control of a starting position last fall and never let it go. Don’t expect him to this season, either. Eichenberg had the most tackles of any Ohio State linebacker last year, including 17 against Utah in the Rose Bowl. He’ll be a stalwart for the Buckeyes defense as training camp approaches.

Steele Chambers: A breakout star from a season ago, Steele Chambers ends this summer with massive expectations for Year Two as an Ohio State linebacker. Chambers was fifth on the defense last year with 47 total tackles, and he can only add to that total with another strong fall. He is athletic enough to do everything Jim Knowles wants from him, and he can add a physical nature to the linebacker spots, as well. He is pencilled in as a starter alongside Eichenberg because of those factors.

In the mix for Buckeyes
Cody Simon: After entering last season with high expectations, Cody Simon had an up-and-down year full of promise — despite battling through injury for most of it. Simon worked his way back and can still be a factor in the linebacker room this season, although he is unlikely to be in the starting lineup again this fall. Simon was fourth on the defense last year with 54 tackles, giving him a nice springboard to an even bigger season ahead.

Teradja Mitchell: After waiting patiently for his turn to be the leader of the Ohio State linebackers, Teradja Mitchell still didn’t see the breakout he wanted to last fall. He was part of the rotation, but he fell out of the starting lineup and into a situational role. He has one more season to break out with the Buckeyes. In a new defense, don’t discount his experience and knowledge.

Chip Trayanum: A former Arizona State running back, Chip Trayanum returns to his home state with a flip over to the defensive side of the ball. Steele Chambers was able to make that transition last year, and he became a starter by the middle of the year. Trayanum’s rise up the depth chart might not be as pronounced, but he is athletic enough to have an impact for Jim Knowles and the Buckeyes.

Palaie Gaoteote: Ohio State made a big splash in the transfer portal last summer when it landed former USC linebacker Palaie Gaoteote, who was a five-star prospect coming out of high school. Gaoteote didn’t have a big impact last fall. This year has a chance to be different with the new coaching staff.

Reid Carrico: One of the breakout stars of spring camp, Reid Carrico enters his second season with the Buckeyes as a prime candidate to be a surprising playmaker this fall. Carrico’s hard-nosed style and ability to take coaching well will give him opportunities to be a factor as early as September.
 
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https://247sports.com/college/ohio-...enderson-Miyan-Williams-Evan-Pryor-191032560/

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Ohio State football had its second day of fall camp on Friday in preparation for the 2022 season.

Here’s everything we saw on defense on Day 2:

Defensive line: Jack Sawyer, Ty Hamilton, Tyleik Williams and J.T. Tuimoloau

• Sawyer and Tuimoloau are five-star recruits entering their second year with all the hype and potential in the world to be the next great Ohio State edge rushers. Zach Harrison and Tyler Friday followed as two guys — along with Javontae Jean-Baptiste — expected to be contributors as well. But putting the two younger guys on the field means that both might be ready to take that next step in their development. More importantly, Larry Johnson may be ready to push them to the forefront to do so.

• Johnson will rotate interior guys, but starting Hamilton and Williams over Jeron Cage and Taron Vincent means as much as starting Sawyer and Tuimoloau on the edge. They mixed and matched guys during drills with Mike Hall and Jaden McKenzie also getting in the mix.

• For the most part, Ohio State’s starting 11 matched up with what we discussed on our “Mark it Down Monday” podcast in the back seven. But the front four provided some surprises:

The Buckeyes’ second practice provided a glimpse at what the starting group could look like when Notre Dame comes to Columbus on Sept. 3. That sneak peek holds the answer to a question that pops up at every OSU fall camp: will the coaching staff lean toward experienced guys or the young and talented players who might have the higher ceiling?

Caden Curry was the only true freshman who seemed to be getting reps with any group outside of the twos, which isn’t surprising given he’s the only one who early enrolled. He, Sawyer, Kenyatta Jackson and Omari Abor also had moments where they were standing up.

Linebacker: Steele Chambers and Tommy Eichenberg

• While the starting linebackers aren’t surprising, how they operated during practice may have opened the door to what Jim Knowles prioritizes. Linebackers were split into two groups: the Wills (Chambers, Chip Trayanum and C.J. Hicks) and everyone else.

• The Will group did drills that catered to a player preparing to be more of a playmaker on Saturdays. Drills required them to quickly react, play in space and attack a ball carrier.

• The other group consisted of the Mikes (Tommy Eichenberg, Cody Simon and Gabe Powers) and the Sams (Teradja Mitchell, Gaoteote and Reid Carrico), spending most of their time doing more traditional linebacker drills.
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Entire article: https://www.cleveland.com/osu/2022/...all-camp-what-we-saw-on-defense-on-day-2.html

The defense appears to be a very deep and talented group. They just have to put up better numbers than the last couple of years.
 
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Abenaki said:
Am I reading that right? Sawyer, Hamilton, Williams, and JTT are the 1's right now?

I LOVE it.
Click to expand...

I do as well. I hope Harrison finally breaks through and he will play, but if JTT and Sawyer are the best options, then they will be the ones to play more snaps. I still think Harrison will be an important part of the defense, but the objective third-party that Knowles is going to be appears to have those 2 ahead of Harrison and I will roll with that. Tyleik I am not surprised on, he was probably our most talented DT last year and just didn't have the conditioning and Coach Mic time yet. Hamilton I will say surprises me over Vincent and Cage, but glad to hear he is coming along it seems.

At LB, we should have excellent talent/experience to choose from. It is pretty interesting how they broke out the two LB groups. Chambers to me should rarely come off the field, he was an obvious playmaker. I am hoping Trayanum makes a similar jump from RB to athletic LB in his move back home. Eichenberg seemed to come along and hopefully a clear scheme will allow him to do his job out there. Hicks is so damn good I would not be surprised if he earns some real minutes and the staff has sung his praise quite a bit already. Powers is going to be good but needs a development year imo. If we can't turn our LB corp into a force this year (might not be Week 1 but at some point), then we have issues that are not talent or recruiting.

DB should also be capable of playing great. Burke is maybe the best CB in CFB, Brown is solid when healthy, and Hancock and JK Johnson are getting high marks in camp. There are some other young Bucks that may surprise us like Burke did last year, but those 4 should put us in a good spot. At safety, seriously we have to come up with 2-3 guys that can play at a high level with McCallister coming in, Proctor (if at full health), Hickman, Ransom, Stokes, Martinez and Kourt Williams...how on earth can you not get 2-3 guys on that list to cover center field for us and make plays? I am being cautiously optimistic on that front like the other positions, but the talent is there to make it work.

Probably doesn't need to be said, but still a lot of August left for players to jockey for positions. Always fun to read the updates though.
 
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Ohio State endured the second day of fall camp on Friday, with the Buckeyes’ season opener against Notre Dame fast approaching. While defensive coordinator Jim Knowles spends this time installing his 4-2-5 defense in time for their clash with the Irish, the Buckeyes’ defense continues to get acclimated to the new-look defense.

One of the most notable changes from previous defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs and Knowles’ defense is the addition of the ‘Jack’ position, which serves as a defensive end/linebacker hybrid. Several Buckeyes have vaulted themselves as prime candidates for the position, but only one has worked with both the linebacker and defensive line units: freshman Caden Curry.

Curry, who shed his black stripe on April 11, practiced with Knowles and the linebackers on Thursday before shifting over to the defensive line on Friday. He was one of five defensive ends who played from a stand-up position rather than from a three-point stance and mixed in some pass coverage work on Friday.

Freshmen Kenyatta Jackson and Omari Abor, sophomore Jack Sawyer and graduate Javontae Jean-Baptiste also lined up from stand-up positions on Friday.
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No message has been parroted more this offseason from Ohio State than a need for more toughness, discipline and skill within the program, and that onus mostly falls on the defensive side of the ball where the Buckeyes had clear deficiencies last season.

Most know what to expect from Ohio State’s offense, with a healthy dose of quarterback C.J. Stroud, running back TreVeyon Henderson and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba set for the Buckeyes, but the defense remains largely an unknown quantity – not in terms of players, of which Ohio State returns the majority of its contributors from last season – due to the new scheme of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.

An early look at the defense has already been provided throughout the first two fall camp practices for the Buckeyes, but head coach Ryan Day said Thursday that the team will have a better feel once the pads get put on this weekend.

“The understanding of the defense and where guys are at — how quickly they are fitting things the right way, how fast they are reacting,” he said. “You can tell by their confidence, too. When they are anticipating instead of reacting. The technique and fundamentals are still critically important, and that’s our base foundation for everything. If we don’t have that, nothing works.”

“The days in helmets are good to see organizationally,” he continued. “We have guys flying around and giving good effort, but we will have a better idea once the pads are on and we get to blocking and tackling and scrimmaging.”

The defense was installed in the spring by Knowles and company and will be fine tuned over the next month, where Ohio State will participate in 25 preseason practices. Each one of these practices will be of the utmost importance considering the quality of the Buckeyes’ season-opening opponent in Notre Dame.

It’s a challenging opening outing for a team looking to find a new identity centered on toughness, which means this preseason will have to replace any potential warmup game that would normally exist early on Ohio State’s schedule.

“There will be times when we will need to work with each other,” Day said. “The offense will give the defense something they need, and the defense gives the offense something they need. There are times when the offense and defense will go up against each other. It’s not really schematically because Jim does a great job with that, and I think we’ve done a good job of that over the years. It’s more about the fundamentals of lining up and finding out who has a better pad level and finish and who is tougher.

“That’s where the competitiveness happens,” he continued. “That’s where you learn. The scheme is very important but effort and pad level and toughness — those types of things — are more important.”
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“Tommy and Steele have been really solidifying things at linebacker,” Knowles said. “I like Cody and Teradja mixing in and Chip and C.J. And EA’s been kind of a float-around guy for us. I feel like we have potential there for depth, but still developing.”

Asked about how Eichenberg and Chambers have solidified themselves as linebackers he can trust, Ohio State’s new defensive coordinator and linebackers coach cited Eichenberg’s consistency and Chambers’ confidence.

“Tommy is the quiet leader of the defense. He studies, and he shows up like he knows what to do. He rarely makes mistakes,” Knowles said. “And Steele, I think just has a confidence, a little bit more than the other guys in confidence, because he's played. You can see that he's played, he's kind of battle-tested.”

 
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