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2023 tOSU Defense

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ScriptOhio said:

QUICK HITS: OHIO STATE'S DEFENSIVE COACHES DISCUSS TRANSFER ADDITIONS AT DT AND CB, GIVE INJURY UPDATES AND EXPECTATIONS AHEAD OF THE 2023 SEASON​

Ohio State's defense is preparing for its second season under defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.

Nearly a month and a half after the conclusion of spring football, all four of Ohio State's defensive assistant coaches met with reporters on Tuesday at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center to provide updates on how their individual position groups were developing. Coaches that spoke include defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, cornerbacks coach Tim Walton, defensive line coach Larry Johnson and safeties coach Perry Eliano.
Questions ranged from inquiring about the new transfer portal additions in Tywone Malone and Lorenzo Styles Jr., to the development of certain payers, to expectations for the upcoming 2023 season.

JIM KNOWLES​


  • Knowles says Sonny Styles is "more adept at playing a high safety position than you would think for a bigger guy. … "He'll be able to compete at a high safety position, because I think we're gonna need him there." Knowles says there will still be a package where Styles plays closer to the line of scrimmage, too.
  • Tommy Eicheberg and Steele Chambers are “both 100% now” health-wise after dealing with injuries in the spring.
  • Knowles says C.J. Hicks and Gabe Powers “made a lot of progress” in the spring and predicts “some time this season we’re gonna see (Hicks) really unleash.” Knowles says Hicks won’t be “pressed into service” because of the veterans in front of him, but says “he’s on the cusp of breaking out.”
  • Knowles mentions Hicks and Mitchell Melton as the two players he’s looking at as Jack linebackers in the 2023 season.
  • Knowles says the defensive breakdowns at the end of the 2022 season “has haunted me, but just haunting me, that doesn’t do anybody any good.” Knowles says “if it’s a problem, you have to fix it. You have to take accountability.”
  • Knowles says Ja’Had Carter is a “versatile guy” who “increased the competition at all the safety spots.” Knowles says Carter is “fine” health-wise after having his spring cut short with an injury.
Just sayin': See the article for what the other defensive coaches said.
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Seems like Hicks is going to force his way on the field even with a great tandem in Chambers and Eich, we will find ways to get him out there and thrive.

Lorenzo Styles Jr. to me seems like he understands that the transition to CB will not be overnight. If he can just keep improving, I think he will find his way on the field but in the meantime we need Burke and Hancock in a big way....both have the talent, rubber just needs to meet the road. Burke will return to form, confident in saying that, but Hancock I hope makes a big leap because he is crazy talented and is a smart kid. Also hoping Jyaire Brown, Turner and Davison are ready to play as well. At safety you have to think some combination of Ransom, Proctor, Styles, Stokes, Carter and Martinez will be a very good unit.

I think the DL is going to be a force, combining JT, Sawyer, Curry, Jackson and Abor at DE should be about as good of depth and talent that you can have at DE. DT is more wait and see in terms of depth...Hall and Tyleik are great if healthy. After that, the only somewhat proven commodity is Hamilton. Going to need Kanu and McKenzie to step up this year.
 
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Players to Watch: J.T. Tuimoloau, Jack Sawyer are the key to Ohio State’s defense​


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Ohio State’s defense has been much improved under Jim Knowles, but going into year two there will be no room for mistakes. For the Buckeyes to take their improvements a step further, the defense will need their edge rushing gems of the 2021 class in J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer.

This offseason, the Buckeyes have already made additional moves to bolster the defensive side of the ball. The first was making the decision that Jack Sawyer would only be a hand-in-the-ground defensive end — no more Jack linebacker in his future. With that decision made, the Buckeyes bolstered the remaining needs on defense through the transfer portal with Ja’Had Carter, Davison Igbinosun, and Tyrone Malone after spring practice.

With the depth bolstered elsewhere and the players who excelled last season in the likes of Tommy Eichenberg, Lathan Ransom, and Steele Chambers, among others, the defense has everything they need to be great. To be truly elite though, it will come down to Tuimoloau and Sawyer becoming the best defensive end tandem in the country.

The most important players to watch are the two most obvious. If they play up to the level their recruiting rankings set, Ohio State will have a national championship defense.

Just sayin': The 5 star DEs are Juniors now, it's time for them to step up bigtime and reach their full potential.
 
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Tanner said:
I rewatched the Georgia game this morning. The defense was just bad in that game. It didn't do anything well. Didn't pressure the QB, didn't stop the run, didn't prevent big passing plays. Really hard to watch. Has to be better this year.
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I think it was something like 20 plays of 10 yards or more or maybe the inverse — can’t remember. It was just bad in literally every single facet that game and for the offense to drop 40 on UGA’s defense and still lose was maddening beyond words.

I was almost kicked out of my hotel room which is embarrassing in and of itself but fuck man, all we had to do was hold them to fucking 30 and it’s us smoking TCU like a blunt which would have numbed the ttun Loss a bit — instead it was more amplified for me.
 
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dragurd said:
Well pressure rate and time to pressure which usually are correlated but not always.
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Have to get there early for sure, there were times our defensive front didn't help our secondary very much. But overall I think we got pretty consistent pressure that didn't show up in the stats. But a healthy rotation of JT, Sawyer, Hall, Tyleik, Curry, Jackson, Abor and Hamilton (among others) with another year of experience and conditioning should be tough to slow down.
 
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Believe that the coaches have got to balance getting the DL to 'gel', with geting the young 'uns some meaningful experience. Easy to kibbitz, hard to put into play. Pretty certain that JT and Jack know this is their money year, so would expect an all-out effort. Same thing for the interior. Get a kick of Lindy's best position groups, and try to envision how the Best OL going against the Best DL would play out. Kinda negates a 5-sack performance against a Sad Sack OL. Finally, for these youngsters to have a 'break-out' season, they have to get the minutes they need to show their stuff. Putting them in on plays that actually mean something (to me) is key to their development. How to do that I'll leave to the coaches. Go Bucks!
 
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