DE Zach Harrison (All B1G, Atlanta Falcons)

[RB07OSU]

I think you could argue he's the key to the defense this year. The back 7 has question marks at basically every position. If he breaks out and plays like a 5 star it would be huge, especially for the corners.

Agreed. I think there's some really good DEs coming back like Ty Smith, Friday, JJB, etc., but I don't see anyone with immediate star potential at DE except Harrison. Obviously I think Sawyer and JTT are going to flash some this year and will eventually be stars, but typically you're not going to have a DL be immediately dominant in their true freshman year. In any event, Zach is most definitely going to have to be the 5 star prospect we recruited this year if our defense is going to improve. Good news is that I don't think he was really that far off last year, his pressure numbers were very good and I got the sense he was just about to turn the corner at the end of last year.

 

[LovelandBuckeye]

Ty Smith, Friday, JJB, etc., but I don't see anyone with immediate star potential at DE except Harrison. Obviously I think Sawyer and JTT

I cannot wait to see that Rushmen package.

 

[pnuts34]

Agreed. I think there's some really good DEs coming back like Ty Smith, Friday, JJB, etc., but I don't see anyone with immediate star potential at DE except Harrison. Obviously I think Sawyer and JTT are going to flash some this year and will eventually be stars, but typically you're not going to have a DL be immediately dominant in their true freshman year. In any event, Zach is most definitely going to have to be the 5 star prospect we recruited this year if our defense is going to improve. Good news is that I don't think he was really that far off last year, his pressure numbers were very good and I got the sense he was just about to turn the corner at the end of last year.

We're going to see this season, but I keep saying over and over, that 2020 was such an outlier and is hard to truly compare or judge as far as progression. Imagine, in the middle of your camp you get some home. Not to your dorm, not to your campus apartment, but home with your parents/parent! Idk how any of you all grew up, but I sure as heck didn't have a nutritionist, a position coach, a film room, S&C coach, and 24 access to food at my parents. We had a budget, and I was 5'10 190lbs, can you imagine your son who is 6'5 265lbs coming home and now you have to feed him until school comes back in session(and who knew then when that would be), he needs to still weight train, but gyms weren't open, and still try and work on his technique but he has no equipment(and if he does, its 2nd hand or make shift).
I really don't think fans understand how amazing of a job OSU coaches did last year. We got to the NC, when our commissioner didn't even want us to play football. And we did it, with our players essentially not progressing, or progressing very little due to the limits on them that I listed. Harrison is going to be a beast this year, and I hope it makes him a 1st round pick so it further motivates guys like Sawyer and JTT. But we need Smith to hold up his end too

I cannot wait to see that Rushmen package.

If Rushmen is:
Harrison
Garrett
Friday/JTT
Smith

Then I'd be very happy!

 

[bukIpower]

We're going to see this season, but I keep saying over and over, that 2020 was such an outlier and is hard to truly compare or judge as far as progression. Imagine, in the middle of your camp you get some home. Not to your dorm, not to your campus apartment, but home with your parents/parent! Idk how any of you all grew up, but I sure as heck didn't have a nutritionist, a position coach, a film room, S&C coach, and 24 access to food at my parents. We had a budget, and I was 5'10 190lbs, can you imagine your son who is 6'5 265lbs coming home and now you have to feed him until school comes back in session(and who knew then when that would be), he needs to still weight train, but gyms weren't open, and still try and work on his technique but he has no equipment(and if he does, its 2nd hand or make shift).
I really don't think fans understand how amazing of a job OSU coaches did last year. We got to the NC, when our commissioner didn't even want us to play football. And we did it, with our players essentially not progressing, or progressing very little due to the limits on them that I listed. Harrison is going to be a beast this year, and I hope it makes him a 1st round pick so it further motivates guys like Sawyer and JTT. But we need Smith to hold up his end too


If Rushmen is:
Harrison
Garrett
Friday/JTT
Smith

Then I'd be very happy!

IMO there's no way Sawyer is sitting behind Friday on passing downs. I could also see Garrett coming off the field too on very obvious passing situations (3rd and 10 or more). Would not be shocked if the Rushman package is Harrison-Smith-JTT-Sawyer from time to time.

JTTs quickness inside would be rare at 275 pounds and then Sawyer might have the best burst we have at DE which is saying something.

 

[pnuts34]

IMO there's no way Sawyer is sitting behind Friday on passing downs. I could also see Garrett coming off the field too on very obvious passing situations (3rd and 10 or more). Would not be shocked if the Rushman package is Harrison-Smith-JTT-Sawyer from time to time.

JTTs quickness inside would be rare at 275 pounds and then Sawyer might have the best burst we have at DE which is saying something.

So the lineup you provided, is that where they will be lining up? Because it'd be interesting to see Smith inside, because I didn't think he'd have the size. But I can see the Rushmen package changing by the end of the season and including Sawyer, but Idk if they remove Garrett. He was a very good pass rusher last season.

 

[bukIpower]

So the lineup you provided, is that where they will be lining up? Because it'd be interesting to see Smith inside, because I didn't think he'd have the size. But I can see the Rushmen package changing by the end of the season and including Sawyer, but Idk if they remove Garrett. He was a very good pass rusher last season.

I was trying to think... I can't think of any DE that's lined up inside currently? I landed on Smith because he seemed the heaviest lol...

Shit wouldn't it be something if JTT and Sawyer lined up inside on pass downs?

 

[pnuts34]

I was trying to think... I can't think of any DE that's lined up inside currently? I landed on Smith because he seemed the heaviest lol...

Shit wouldn't it be something if JTT and Sawyer lined up inside on pass downs?

I just can't wait to see them lined up anywhere on the DL at the same time

 

[bukIpower]

I just can't wait to see them lined up anywhere on the DL at the same time

Exactly.... anywhere

 

[ShowMeBuck]

Wreak
Fucking
Havoc.

That’s what I want to see.

 

[ScriptOhio]

 

[ScriptOhio]

Ohio State junior defensive end Zach Harrison has quickly transformed from a young player on the roster to one of the Buckeyes’ veteran leaders. The 6-foot-6, 270-pound Harrison was one of OSU’s three player reps at Big Ten Media Days on Friday and he spoke about his newfound leadership role and much more.

“It’s something I take a lot of pride in,” Harrison said. “It’s something that is a great honor and comes with a lot of responsibility that the players on the team look to me as a guy they can rely on and a guy that is going to be honest with them 100 percent and someone they can rely on during tough situations.”

Ohio State’s coaches said often during the spring that Harrison turned a corner in terms of his mentality during the offseason. He was always a hard worker, but he took his commitment to football to the next level following the 2020 season. Harrison was asked what has changed about him from last year and why things have seemingly clicked for him.

“It’s not something tangible,” he said. “It’s not something I can really put a finger on. One day after last season, I was like, ‘This is your third year. Potentially you could leave after this year. Why don’t you give everything to the program?’ That’s what (strength coach Mickey Marotti) always says is If you buy in 100 percent, the program will do great things for you. So, I was like, ‘Why not buy-in and go 100 percent?’ And so far, it’s been nothing but blessings.”

 

[ScriptOhio]

 

[pnuts34]

It reminds of the kid who tried to guard Zion Williamson in HS

 

[ScriptOhio]

 

[ScriptOhio]

Here's the defensive play of the game:



And it was made by Zach Harrison on the pass rush/strip sack, not Haskell Garrett's fumble recovery & TD run (although that was good too). And we could have used more pass rushes like that one (in the game) too.