• New here? Register here now for access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Plus, stay connected and follow BP on Instagram @buckeyeplanet and Facebook.

2026 tOSU Defense Discussion

Jump to latest Follow Reply
plum diamonds buckeye planet
Sort by date Sort by votes

Ohio State true freshmen corners Jay Timmons, Jordan Thomas made strong impression during spring​


"They're very mature," OSU co-defensive coordinator/secondary coach Tim Walton said. "They love to compete. They pay close attention to detail. They're very coachable. They can process the game. You know what I mean?"

"So, they've got a lot of great qualities. And football is important to them. So, they're serious. It matters to them; it's important to them. So, those things are great qualities. And they don't get flustered by situations or hard coaching."
 
Upvote 0
Always a good news, bad news thing. Great recruiting means alot of talent for the team. That's the good news. The bad news is that everyone can't get the amount of reps they want (or deserve in their eyes), for whatever reason. If I had a nickel for everytime I read "he'd be a starter for any other team", could probably fund some NIL money. When a guy works his tail off, takes coaching, pumps the iron, does the work, and still doesn't get minutes (someone better, portal transfers etc), then they get discouraged and look elsewhere.
 
Upvote 0
scarletandgame.com

Ohio State may be able to replicate Carnell Tate with a freshman. OSU needs 3 players to replace Caleb Downs

Ohio State may need several defensive backs to replace what Caleb Downs brought to Columbus over the last two years.
scarletandgame.com scarletandgame.com

Ohio State may be able to replicate Carnell Tate with a freshman. OSU needs 3 players to replace Caleb Downs​

Replacing Caleb Downs will be nearly impossible. While a great player like Carnell Tate will be able to be replaced by a generational freshman recruit like Chris Henry Jr. (since even that is not a guarantee, considering how seamlessly Tate and Jeremiah Smith's games intertwined), a generational performer like Caleb Downs can't be replaced by one player.

"On the other side of the ball, the Buckeyes are pretty well-equipped at linebacker (especially with the new addition of Christian Alliegro via the portal), but safety Caleb Downs is so difficult to replace that they’re turning to three different players to do so. Read that again: Caleb Downs was singlehandedly accomplishing something the coaches are turning to three players collectively for in the future."

Downs was a freak who would blitz past opponents' interior offensive lines, perform spy duties, defend slots in man-coverage, and even act as a fourth linebacker on the outside at times. He did everything. And he did it convincingly enough to be the eighth-highest drafted safety in NFL draft history. Downs was selected No. 11 overall by the Dallas Cowboys in April. Safeties don't get taken that high unless they are special.

Downs is special enough to keep the Buckeyes' coaching staff up at night trying to figure out how to replace him.

Who is replacing Caleb Downs at safety?
The three-man committee that will be replacing Downs will consist of junior safety Jaylen McClain, Florida State Seminoles transfer Earl Little Jr., and Duke Blue Devils transfer Terry Moore. Each will have a portion of the responsibilities Downs is leaving behind.

McClain will be the center fielder who calls out defensive shifts to opposing offensive audibles. Little will be a functional nickel. Moore could find himself in the box defending against the run or blitzing through the A gap like Downs once did. Of course, all of them will be used in more roles than just that, especially McClain. But that's the working idea to replicate what Downs brought to Columbus over the past two years.

Three highly regarded players. One man's responsibilities for a multiple-season span. It cannot be overstated how tough it'll be on Matt Patricia, Matt Guerrieri, and Co. to oversee a defense as dominant without Downs. That's why they get paid the big bucks, though.
 
Upvote 1
www.landgrantholyland.com

Burning Questions: Will the Buckeyes’ defense still be the force it’s been the last two seasons?

This question will hopefully be validated in spades this season.
www.landgrantholyland.com www.landgrantholyland.com

Burning Questions: Will the Buckeyes’ defense still be the force it’s been the last two seasons?​

This question will hopefully be validated in spades this season.

If there’s one man to be confident in going into the 2026 Season, it’s the Buckeyes’ defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. Admittedly, I didn’t think I would feel this way about him when he was hired in the Winter of 2025. But after what Patricia did last year with the Buckeyes’ defense, following tremendous turnover from that great 2024 National Championship defense, Patricia and the Buckeyes’ defense are poised to answer the question of whether they will be the force they’ve been for the last two seasons.

There’s still talent on this defense. Much like last year, it’s going to be about guys from the previous season stepping into larger roles. We saw those guys last year step into those larger roles and thrive. It’s a confidence boost that can happen again this season.

Kenyatta Jackson Jr., Beau Atkinson, Eddrick Houston, Payton Pierce, Jermaine Mathews Jr., and Devin Sanchez; those are household names. That’s a good place to start in keeping this defense atop the college football ranks.

The one question within this burning question is: Who is that star player the Buckeyes’ defense can build around? For the last two seasons, that was Caleb Downs. But it wasn’t just him. Heck, Downs wasn’t even the first Buckeye defensive player drafted this past April. He was the third. That tells you how great the whole Buckeyes’ defense was and how deep they were.

This season, it’s going to be a developmental feel for this new-look Buckeyes’ defense. New players, new roles for guys on last year’s defense, a tougher schedule, dynamic offenses in the Big Ten and in Texas; it may take time for this defense to gel.

Again, though, given what we know about Matt Patricia’s DNA, I’m confident this Buckeyes’ defense will still be the force it’s been the last two seasons. Patricia has that championship DNA. So too does the Buckeyes’ defense.
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top