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2025 tOSU Defense Discussion

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11W

Defensive Tackles​

Kayden McDonald: 33
Tywone Malone Jr.: 31
Eddrick Houston: 11
Will Smith Jr.: 9

Snap Tracker: Defense
Pos Player TEXAS GSU OU UW TOTAL
DE CADEN CURRY 59 25 30 47 161
DE KENYATTA JACKSON JR. 34 26 32 44 136
DE BEAU ATKINSON 35 11 22 18 86
DE C.J. HICKS 19 8 18 5 50
DE JOSHUA MICKENS 0 17 3 0 20
DE ZION GRADY 0 9 6 0 15
DE DOMINIC KIRKS 0 11 3 0 14
DE EPI SITANILEI 0 9 4 0 13
DE LOGAN GEORGE 0 0 8 0 8
DT KAYDEN McDONALD 38 18 18 33 107
DT EDDRICK HOUSTON 39 10 18 11 78
DT TYWONE MALONE JR. 14 13 18 31 76
DT WILL SMITH JR. 16 18 22 9 65
DT JARQUEZ CARTER 3 19 9 0 31
DT ERIC MENSAH 0 12 0 0 12
DT TRAJEN ODOM 0 7 0 0 7
LB ARVELL REESE 64 22 41 52 179
LB SONNY STYLES 57 20 48 52 177
LB PAYTON PIERCE 15 25 20 7 67
LB RILEY PETTIJOHN 0 15 13 0 28
LB TARVOS ALFORD 0 13 6 0 19
LB GARRETT STOVER 0 17 2 0 19
LB ELI LEE 0 6 0 0 6
LB JOEY VELAZQUEZ 0 3 0 0 3
CB DAVISON IGBINOSUN 67 32 43 52 194
CB JERMAINE MATHEWS JR. 67 32 43 52 194
CB DEVIN SANCHEZ 11 23 27 11 72
CB AARON SCOTT JR. 0 23 13 0 36
CB BRYCE WEST 0 17 7 0 24
CB MILES LOCKHART 0 1 0 0 1
S JAYLEN McCLAIN 67 32 48 52 199
S CALEB DOWNS 67 31 46 51 195
S LORENZO STYLES JR. 65 28 24 45 162
S MALIK HARTFORD 0 22 16 0 38
S FAHEEM DELANE 0 23 8 0 31
S LEROY ROKER III 0 7 0 0 7
Malone made his second consecutive start over Houston at 3-technique and played a career-high 31 snaps, recording three tackles.

McDonald played his second-highest snap count of the season at nose tackle and had a hugely productive game, recording seven total tackles with three tackles for loss and two sacks.

Ohio State used only four defensive tackles for the first time this season as freshman Jarquez Carter saw no action as the Buckeyes’ No. 5 DT after playing in all three of their non-conference games.

Linebackers​

Arvell Reese: 52
Sonny Styles: 52
Payton Pierce: 7
Riley Pettijohn: Special teams only
Garrett Stover: Special teams only
Joey Velazquez: Special teams only

Reese and Styles both played every defensive snap against Washington, with Pierce joining them on the field for seven snaps as a third linebacker. Styles recorded six tackles while Reese made five.

Cornerbacks​

Davison Igbinosun: 52
Jermaine Mathews Jr.: 52
Devin Sanchez: 11
Aaron Scott Jr.: Special teams only
Bryce West: Special teams only

Igbinosun and Mathews also played every defensive snap for Ohio State against Washington as the Buckeyes’ two primary cornerbacks. Sanchez joined them on the field for 11 plays as a sixth defensive back in dime packages.

Safeties​

Jaylen McClain: 52
Caleb Downs: 51
Lorenzo Styles Jr.: 45
Faheem Delane: Special teams only
Malik Hartford: Special teams only
Leroy Roker III: Special teams only
Ryan Rudzinski: Special teams only

McClain played all of Ohio State’s defensive snaps against Washington, while Downs played every snap except one. Each of the Buckeyes’ primary safeties recorded two tackles against the Huskies.

Despite leaving Ohio State’s previous game against Ohio with an upper-body injury, Styles played every snap on which the Buckeyes had at least five defensive backs on the field against Washington. The Buckeyes’ starting nickelback recorded four tackles.

www.elevenwarriors.com

Snap Counts: Bo Jackson Leads Running Backs in Playing Time, Ohio State Otherwise Leans Heavily on Starters in 24-6 Win at Washington

Bo Jackson led all running backs in playing time off the bench but Ohio State otherwise leaned heavily on its starters in its 24-6 win at Washington.
www.elevenwarriors.com www.elevenwarriors.com
 
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Can someone please explain to me how current year's D is better than last year's? I get statistics, but with all the high priced beef from last year, all four starters drafted, how can these 'no names' be so much more effective than the other guys. Am astonished, but very pleased, and keep holding my breath. This in no way besmirches last year's guys, who won a Natty. Is the new D coordinator a magician? Don't know, but do not believe he put in a brand new defensive scheme, but has tweaked what was in place already. Or maybe I'm naive? Dunno. Obviously, Buckeye Nation is very happy, and hopefully, the D sets will befuddle the rest of the schedule (excepting for Texas, nothing very special). Did see the DL guys, pushing the OL around and saw that their heads were up, and watching the QB. PS, heartily agree that Sonny and Arvell are the two best LBs in the nation, and look forward to working in the two newest LBs into the mix. Go Bucks!
 
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Tanner said:
This team is going to be hard to beat. I have a hard time seeing them giving up a lot of points in any game defensively and if they only need to score like 24 worst case to win...

This team is like Tressel Ball but with a 5 star QB and receivers. If they could only clean up special teams :lol:
Click to expand...

My number in modern CFB is still 30+ but yes.
 
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calibuck said:
Can someone please explain to me how current year's D is better than last year's? I get statistics, but with all the high priced beef from last year, all four starters drafted, how can these 'no names' be so much more effective than the other guys. Am astonished, but very pleased, and keep holding my breath. This in no way besmirches last year's guys, who won a Natty. Is the new D coordinator a magician? Don't know, but do not believe he put in a brand new defensive scheme, but has tweaked what was in place already. Or maybe I'm naive? Dunno. Obviously, Buckeye Nation is very happy, and hopefully, the D sets will befuddle the rest of the schedule (excepting for Texas, nothing very special). Did see the DL guys, pushing the OL around and saw that their heads were up, and watching the QB. PS, heartily agree that Sonny and Arvell are the two best LBs in the nation, and look forward to working in the two newest LBs into the mix. Go Bucks!
Click to expand...
I'd say that the improvement, so far, is a combination of the following factors, not necessarily in order of importance beyond # 1 seeming to me to be the most important, although it's enabled by the other factors:

1. More schematic versatility and deception resulting in offensive confusion and hesitation. They're dictating rather than just reacting.

2. Superior unit and individual teaching and coaching behind the scenes leading to tremendous buy-in and discipline regarding 1. E.g., the front 6 (generally a 5-man front plus Arvell spying) discipline on pass rush and QB spying versus Washington was, I thought, extraordinary.

3. Downs and Sonny Styles are football IQ freaks that can orchestrate the on-field coordination to do all the things they're doing without busts.

4. James Laurinaitis is recruiting and developing freakish LBs like Hartline does WRs.

5. More freakish athleticism across the board than I've seen in the past. Reese is the most obvious example, but Styles and McDonald are right up there IMO and Matthews is, I think, an athletic upgrade over Burke. Where's the weak link athletically?

6. Freed by the natty, Ryan Day is fully confident and in command of the program and its culture of hard work, perseverance, accountability, and "we" before "I" and now has the proof of concept to get buy-in from everyone on all of that. I don't know how many caught the Downs podcast where Caleb said Day told him when they won the natty that "this is my birthright", but the rest of college football should be terrified by that.

7. These dudes are just dogs.
 
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www.elevenwarriors.com

Skull Session: Ohio State’s Defense is Historically Good (Through Four Games), Joel Klatt Compares the Buckeyes to Usain Bolt and Oregon Looks Like a Legitimate Title Contender

Ohio State's defense is historically good through four games, Joel Klatt compares the Buckeyes to Usain Bolt and Oregon looks like a legitimate national title contender.
www.elevenwarriors.com www.elevenwarriors.com

A HISTORICALLY GOOD DEFENSE. During Ryan Day’s postgame press conference on Saturday, a reporter said Ohio State’s defense has been historically good this season. Ryan Day laughed. He didn’t want to hear it.

“Well, we’re only four games in,” Day said. “We got a lot of work to do.”

The reporter reiterated that the Buckeyes’ defense has been historically good. Day smiled.

“I’d rather have it this way than any other way,” he said.

Same, Coach. Same.

This is the way.

Through four games, here’s where Ohio State’s defense ranks among the nation’s best statistically (H/T Brian Walton):
  • No. 1 in scoring defense (5.5 points per game)
  • No. 1 in total touchdowns allowed (2)
  • No. 1 in touchdowns allowed per game (0.5)
  • No. 1 in opponent red zone scoring percentage (28.57%)
  • No. 1 in opponent red zone touchdown percentage (0%)
  • No. 1 in rushing touchdowns allowed (0)
  • No. 3 in opponent long scrimmage plays over 10+ yards
  • No. 3 in opponent rushing plays over 20+ yards
  • No. 4 in opponent total first downs
  • No. 4 in opponent third-down conversion percentage
  • No. 5 in opponent passing plays over 10+ yards
  • No. 5 in total yards allowed
  • No. 6 in opponent first downs per game
  • No. 7 in passing touchdowns allowed
  • No. 8 in total defense
  • No. 8 in total yards allowed per play
  • No. 8 in total plays
  • No. 8 in passing defense
  • No. 12 in sacks per game
None of those numbers surprise Day.

“It doesn’t surprise me with the coaches that we have; it doesn’t surprise me with the players that we have,” he said. “With that being said, we got a long season ahead of us, and I think there’s confidence right now, and that’s the most important thing.”

Just sayin': And in at least 2 of the games Ohio State played pretty good offensive teams (i.e. Texas and Washington).
 
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