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2010 tOSU Defensive Line Discussion

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Could well be true. Cameron Heyward has shown he is unblockable when his motor is running. All he has needed is consistency; and he knows it; and he's said that is what he will bring. So, it will take two blockers to occupy him. Reports out of camp are that John Simon is unblockable; that he may be our next All-American. His motor is always running. So, it will take two more blockers to occupy him. More quietly, perhaps, but just as importantly, Dexter Larimore has already been occupying two blockers on the inside. There are only so many blockers to go around. Either one of these guys will be coming free, or Nathan Williams will be coming free, or the Linebackers will have a field day cleaning up.

First three off the bus - Heyward, Simon, and Larimore (any order).
:osu:
 
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What will be interesting to see is who emerges as the #5 guy overall on the defensive line. Will it be an end (Thomas, Wells, Fellows), or a tackle (Goebel)? Whoever steps up has a great shot to see a lot of playing time, especially in passing situations. Because of Heyward's versatility, the Bucks have a lot of flexibility. For that matter, because of the depth at LB, I wouldn't be surprised to see a package bringing a LB off of the edge.

I think it's critical for Larimore to stay healthy this year. He's the kind of guy that allows Rolle and Homan to remain free and play to their strengths. I mentioned Goebel earlier, but it would be nice if Bellamy can get some quality reps as well.

The way the college game has evolved, you have to have quality depth up front. The more pass rushing threats you have, the less likely your opponent get scheme you protection wise. The Bucks have most of the pieces in place, and it's going to be fun to see who else develops.
 
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What will be interesting to see is who emerges as the #5 guy overall on the defensive line.
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What is always interesting - and largely under the radar - is the degree to which these guys play hurt. They play through breaks and tears and pulls that impact their effectiveness but don't keep them on the bench. IMO that as much as anything determines who gets the most reps and is the most effective.

Same is true of the OL.
 
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Bill Lucas;1711879; said:
Did you miss Newsome or is he not on the DL? It seems all reports about him in the spring were great.
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Good call on Newsome. He's got a huge upside and could see significant PT. At the very least, he will see a lot of special teams duty.
 
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Ohio State's defensive line offers talent, but also some questions
Published: Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Doug Lesmerises, The Plain Dealer

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Nathan Williams walked toward his teammates during Ohio State's practice Tuesday, limping with his left knee wrapped in ice, his action limited to rehab work on the side after injuring his knee Saturday.

The junior is ticketed to replace Thaddeus Gibson as Ohio State's Leo defensive end, where he'll rush the passer, stop the run and drop into coverage.

"He's definitely matured a lot from last year and I think he's ready to take that next step," OSU senior defensive lineman Cameron Heyward said of Williams before his injury Saturday. "Thad did some great things for us, but I'm expecting even more out of Nate.

"He definitely has to keep growing as a person and a player. He always had a knack for getting to the quarterback, so we're going to see what he can do against the run now."

With what Williams has shown, playing important passing downs during his first two seasons at Ohio State, it's reasonable to expect he's ready for more. His teammates believe his knee won't keep him from doing that, with the season just over two weeks away.

"Obviously, it's not good to have a guy go down," senior defensive tackle Dexter Larimore said. "I don't think we're too concerned about how long he'll be out. I think he'll be back a lot sooner than a lot of people think."

While Larimore, as he should as a senior leader, expressed faith in Ohio State's depth on the defensive line, frankly, it's just not there, at least compared to a year ago. Junior Solomon Thomas steps in for Williams, and while he's been a standout in off-season scrimmages, he hasn't had the chance to show much when it matters.

Though the Buckeyes' lineup on both sides of the ball is stacked with seniors and experienced juniors, Williams' injury, even if it's minor, is a reminder of the Buckeyes' inexperience on parts of their second unit, especially the defensive line.
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Ohio State's defensive line offers talent, but also some questions | cleveland.com
 
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I have to say my nerves have been calmed by the recent updates with Nate. I think he is almost as important to this D line as Heyward is.
That said, I like that Sol Thomas is getting some looks with the first team now and it would be nice for him to break out this year.
 
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Still a little concerned about the depth. Not that we don't have talented young players, but every time you lose three talented backups due to graduation you are going to see a drop off. And those three would've been a lot more than just backups had they stayed free of injuries.
 
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WaitingforKickoff;1749417; said:
Still a little concerned about the depth. Not that we don't have talented young players, but every time you lose three talented backups due to graduation you are going to see a drop off. And those three would've been a lot more than just backups had they stayed free of injuries.
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I think we're in great shape, just need to see it on the field.

Solomon Thomas was unlockable last spring in practice, and he provides a great pass rush off the bench (it's going to be great to see him off the edge paired with Nathan Williams on third down when Cam slides down on passing situations).

Hankins sound slike he can provde short spurts on run downs which is a great bonus b/c I don't think many seriously thought he could contribute this early. We already know we can count on Goebel, so 2 subs at DT. I'm not sure what to expect from Melvin Fellows, but his pedigree and size seem to say it's his turn to show us his potential.

I think the wild-card nobody is really talking about is Solomon Thomas though. He's going to gave us talking about him like we've been talking about Nathan Williams this off-season. He'll be a great third down specialist.
 
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MililaniBuckeye;1749421; said:
Just as "Location, location, location" is vital in real estate, "Rotation, rotation, rotation" is critical on the DL.
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Tell that to Nebraska.
And Alabama, for that matter.

I agree that it's an advantage to be able to rotate a bunch of guys in there who are effective, but i want to see Heyward on the field alot more this year, as well as Simon. Let the other guys rotate more often than those two.
 
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