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Captain Buckeye
Assistant Coach
I was very surprised he didn’t have a bigger impact last year.
I made an error with my line up posting.
If we don’t deploy the LB hybrid role I think Grady/Atkinson can no doubt start.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Defense: Stronger in 2026 Post-Portal?
Yesterday, Doug and Bill assessed whether each room was better or worse due to the portal. With the portal winding down, and in light of the initial panic, now is a good opportunity to take a clearer look and see if we took all that much damage, or if, dare I say it, we actually look even better...
Defense: Stronger in 2026 Post-Portal?
Bold denotes 2025 starters and others with significant playing time.Red highlights are exits due to eligibility or early draft entrants.
Yellow highlights are transfer portal additions/losses.
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Captain Buckeye
Assistant Coach
Can’t see the tweet but that can’t be right. Curry had 11 sacks and Reese had 6.
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Captain Buckeye
Assistant Coach
There’s no doubt we are downgrading tremendously at LB. There will be a downgrade from Downs to Moore (but not to the extent we probably think). But I do think the DL will be fine and that’s what matters.
I also think we will upgrade at CB (Matthews 25 to Matthews 26), Sanchez over IGB, and Little over Styles.
The secondary should be tremendous, the DL should be versatile and strong, but it all depends what the LBs do. With who we have coaching them?
I know we will be a top 5 defense.
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With the dust mostly settled, I also think we shouldn't see much of a drop-off on defense. Replacing Reese and Downs isn't happening, but we lessened the blow as much as possible. Excited to see this defense on the field after they gel in camp.
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osuvictory1
Just a schlub from Y-town
I think they mean portal losses, compared to the guys coming in.
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Captain Buckeye
Assistant Coach
But if you compare with the starters that’s not bad either.
That’s where the comparison is btw
That’s where the comparison is btw
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jakenick06
Hall of Fame
Sanchez over IGB is a wild take. Sanchez will need an all-time leap in year 2 for that to happen. He was basically the fish of the secondary all year…just brutal (which in his defense could be expected as a true freshman).
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DL I think the ceiling is going to be a little lower but the floor is higher. We wont have the visible dropoff from first 4 to second 4 as we had this year and as long as we rotate freely, which is questionable with this whole staff except the LB and DB's for this team we'll be in really good shape by mid season.
LB is the biggest dropoff on the entire roster. You can't replace 2 high first rounders 1 for 1. This is also the youngest room on the roster so we dont have much experience outside of Pierce and he's a baby himself. If they develop as well as we hope the athleticism is certainly there and JL has proven himself.
Corners are going to be better and deeper in my opinion. Another year of Sanchez is better than Iggy though his tenacity is going to be missed his penchant for penalties wont. The guys coming in are miles ahead of the guys that left so CB is an upgrade in my opnion.
Safety is a dropoff but we're trying to replace Downs with 2 guys because he's a one of a kind player that no one could replace. If we use more Safety this year as the Nickel we'll be ok. And we have good depth to add a Corner when needed. We just wont have that field general back there so this one hurts and you just have to suck it up.
McGuire has to get better overall and evidently both kickers better stay healthy. I emplore them to use Yoga as much as possible and less free weights to the chagrin of Coach Moratti I'm sure.
Overall though, I still think we'll be Top 3 to 5 on Defense in the country and if LBs come up fast, back on top.
LB is the biggest dropoff on the entire roster. You can't replace 2 high first rounders 1 for 1. This is also the youngest room on the roster so we dont have much experience outside of Pierce and he's a baby himself. If they develop as well as we hope the athleticism is certainly there and JL has proven himself.
Corners are going to be better and deeper in my opinion. Another year of Sanchez is better than Iggy though his tenacity is going to be missed his penchant for penalties wont. The guys coming in are miles ahead of the guys that left so CB is an upgrade in my opnion.
Safety is a dropoff but we're trying to replace Downs with 2 guys because he's a one of a kind player that no one could replace. If we use more Safety this year as the Nickel we'll be ok. And we have good depth to add a Corner when needed. We just wont have that field general back there so this one hurts and you just have to suck it up.
McGuire has to get better overall and evidently both kickers better stay healthy. I emplore them to use Yoga as much as possible and less free weights to the chagrin of Coach Moratti I'm sure.
Overall though, I still think we'll be Top 3 to 5 on Defense in the country and if LBs come up fast, back on top.
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By the end he was a lot better and wasn't prone to getting penalized. Iggy made tremendous strides for sure but Sanchez has Thorpe ability in him once his experience catches up.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Just sayin': Yeah, besides Bo and Ja'Kobi in the offensive backfield; we got the Smith Brothers in the interior of the defensive line; Will Jr and James.
They should be able to "cough up" quite a few sacks....
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