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LB C.J. Hicks (Official Thread)

They have been using cool names for rolled up corners and stand up defensive ends since the dawn of football time.

It's fine to have a "Jack" position. The key is to have a true athlete in the role that can do both things and isn't some out of position guy who is a good athlete or, worse, a true tweener that can do nothing well like a certain defensive Heisman finalist from up north.

Jack = big enough to play run, fast/fluid enough to play pass... well...well is the key.

"I stood my elite pass rusher up and had him drop into the flat to cover some grass. Fooled you!!" is about as dumb of a fucking idea as someone can come up with.
 
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Despite being the No. 1-ranked linebacker and No. 7 overall prospect in the recruiting class of 2022, C.J. Hicks didn’t play a single defensive snap for Ohio State as a true freshman.

Such was life for a linebacker outside the two-deep on Ohio State’s depth chart in Jim Knowles’ first season as defensive coordinator. Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers played the vast majority of snaps as Ohio State’s starting linebackers, and the Buckeyes never played more than four linebackers in any game, except Teradja Mitchell playing one snap in a four-linebacker package against Northwestern.

That said, Hicks still found a way to contribute as a true freshman by establishing himself as a regular on special teams. Except for Ohio State’s season opener against Notre Dame, Hicks played on special teams in every other game this past season, totaling 161 snaps – tied for the fifth-most on the entire team – between the kickoff coverage, kickoff return and punt return units......

Hicks also says he’s learned a lot from Ohio State’s veteran linebackers, starting with Eichenberg. Even though Eichenberg isn’t overly talkative, Hicks says he built a close bond with Eichenberg over his first year as a Buckeye and that Eichenberg has helped him become a more confident player.

“Tommy’s been through a lot, and he's one of the main guys that I go to talk to about anything,” Hicks said. “It’s crazy, because when I first got here, I thought he didn't like me … he was my lifting partner when we first got here, and I was trying to like be talking to him, get to know him and he was shutting it down because he doesn't really talk. But the more we were around each other, the more we opened up. I'm happy he’s in my life, and I'm happy to have him as a teammate.”


https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...pportunity-to-play-bigger-role-for-ohio-state
 
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He will play, Knowles has said that much. Not sure how much with Eich and Chambers out there, but Hicks has earned his playing time.

Has he? Not asking in a rhetorical manner. Was just asking because I saw an episode of the podcast (I think) wherein they said they asked him if it was likely if guys like CJ were bound for more playing time in 2023 and I thought it was Landis that said he gave a horseshit answer along the lines of “no not necessarily.”
 
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Has he? Not asking in a rhetorical manner. Was just asking because I saw an episode of the podcast (I think) wherein they said they asked him if it was likely if guys like CJ were bound for more playing time in 2023 and I thought it was Landis that said he gave a horseshit answer along the lines of “no not necessarily.”
There was an article or video about a month ago where Knowles unequivocally said he would play this year. Probably would take me a minute to dig it up.
 
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There was an article or video about a month ago where Knowles unequivocally said he would play this year. Probably would take me a minute to dig it up.

Ohio State Buckeyes: How C.J. Hicks could have breakout season​

Jim Knowles expects C.J. Hicks to blossom for Ohio State football this fall — one way or another.

“You see it in everything,” the Buckeyes defensive coordinator said of the Dayton native’s development in the spring. “I mean, you just see it in how he learns, how he’s able to articulate the defense and his assignment and how he does across the board in the classroom. You talk about being on time and not just being present for the workouts but being a leader. So he’s had a really good offseason.”

Hicks has been one of the most-talked about players this offseason despite seeing very little time with the Ohio State defense as a true freshman last fall.

When a player has Hicks’ recruiting pedigree — five-star, No. 1 in the state and No. 1 in the recruiting class — that is not unusual whether he plays much or not.

In fact, not playing tends to increase the chatter about a player, especially in a day and age when transferring has become much easier and more common.

Hicks has never expressed any interest in that and said he is satisfied with his status after a year in Columbus, but of course he hopes to see more than special teams work this fall.

So does Knowles.

“C.J. is a guy who I’m predicting sometime this season we’re going to see really unleash,” Knowles said. “The good thing is he’s not pressed into service because of the veterans in front of him. I think that’s helped him to be able to play more relaxed, but at some point this year, we will be able to see C.J.’s athletic ability. I think he’s just on the cusp of breaking out.”
That would be easier to do if Hicks weren’t behind returning starters Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers at linebacker, but there could be another avenue to playing time.

At the beginning of spring practice, Knowles mentioned he could see Hicks filling a hybrid role in the defense called the “Jack,” something that remains on the table as the Buckeyes head into summer.

“It’s up to me to find some things that he can do in the Jack-type of game, and also in those situations, where we have the opportunity for him to play (at linebacker),” Knowles said. “Whether that’s through a rotation with me just saying, ‘Hey, I’m going to get him in every so often.’ Because to move along a guy’s progression, he’s got to get plays.

“So it’s either me defining a role for him within the game plan, creating a substitution where I know I’m going to put him in no matter what the score is or it’s in those situations where it’s a second half (blowout) situation and he can really do a lot.”

Of course, coaches often talk about using many different players this time of year, and that talk does not always become reality.

That is something Knowles wants to avoid.

“Now that I’m back off the road (from recruiting), until the season starts I’m constantly tinkering and looking at things like, ‘OK, how much could he handle that’s outside of a normal Will linebacker position?’ And then it’s in my thought process and then forcing myself to actually write down on paper, ‘OK, in the first half of the season, I want to make sure he gets X amount of plays.’ "

Although Knowles likes to let his linebackers stay on the field to get into the flow of the game, he said lessening the load on Eichenberg and Chambers would not be a bad thing after both came out of last season banged up.

“The more that C.J. can play, the more it helps us over the long haul,” Knowles said.
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continued

JIM KNOWLES PREDICTS C.J. HICKS WILL “REALLY UNLEASH” AS A SOPHOMORE: “HE’S JUST ON THE CUSP OF BREAKING OUT”​

 
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Ohio State Buckeyes: How C.J. Hicks could have breakout season​

Jim Knowles expects C.J. Hicks to blossom for Ohio State football this fall — one way or another.

“You see it in everything,” the Buckeyes defensive coordinator said of the Dayton native’s development in the spring. “I mean, you just see it in how he learns, how he’s able to articulate the defense and his assignment and how he does across the board in the classroom. You talk about being on time and not just being present for the workouts but being a leader. So he’s had a really good offseason.”

Hicks has been one of the most-talked about players this offseason despite seeing very little time with the Ohio State defense as a true freshman last fall.

When a player has Hicks’ recruiting pedigree — five-star, No. 1 in the state and No. 1 in the recruiting class — that is not unusual whether he plays much or not.

In fact, not playing tends to increase the chatter about a player, especially in a day and age when transferring has become much easier and more common.

Hicks has never expressed any interest in that and said he is satisfied with his status after a year in Columbus, but of course he hopes to see more than special teams work this fall.

So does Knowles.

“C.J. is a guy who I’m predicting sometime this season we’re going to see really unleash,” Knowles said. “The good thing is he’s not pressed into service because of the veterans in front of him. I think that’s helped him to be able to play more relaxed, but at some point this year, we will be able to see C.J.’s athletic ability. I think he’s just on the cusp of breaking out.”
That would be easier to do if Hicks weren’t behind returning starters Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers at linebacker, but there could be another avenue to playing time.

At the beginning of spring practice, Knowles mentioned he could see Hicks filling a hybrid role in the defense called the “Jack,” something that remains on the table as the Buckeyes head into summer.

“It’s up to me to find some things that he can do in the Jack-type of game, and also in those situations, where we have the opportunity for him to play (at linebacker),” Knowles said. “Whether that’s through a rotation with me just saying, ‘Hey, I’m going to get him in every so often.’ Because to move along a guy’s progression, he’s got to get plays.

“So it’s either me defining a role for him within the game plan, creating a substitution where I know I’m going to put him in no matter what the score is or it’s in those situations where it’s a second half (blowout) situation and he can really do a lot.”

Of course, coaches often talk about using many different players this time of year, and that talk does not always become reality.

That is something Knowles wants to avoid.

“Now that I’m back off the road (from recruiting), until the season starts I’m constantly tinkering and looking at things like, ‘OK, how much could he handle that’s outside of a normal Will linebacker position?’ And then it’s in my thought process and then forcing myself to actually write down on paper, ‘OK, in the first half of the season, I want to make sure he gets X amount of plays.’ "

Although Knowles likes to let his linebackers stay on the field to get into the flow of the game, he said lessening the load on Eichenberg and Chambers would not be a bad thing after both came out of last season banged up.

“The more that C.J. can play, the more it helps us over the long haul,” Knowles said.
.
.
.
continued

JIM KNOWLES PREDICTS C.J. HICKS WILL “REALLY UNLEASH” AS A SOPHOMORE: “HE’S JUST ON THE CUSP OF BREAKING OUT”​


That's the one, big thanks for digging that up. I stand corrected in saying he unequivocally said CJ would play.

However, he did all but say that in essentially saying he has to get him on the field and figure out ways to do it, whether in the rotation to give Eich and Chambers a break or to carve out a specific role. And that he needs to play a significant amount of time to advance. To me that means he's going to be on the field plenty and in meaningful situations, not just blowouts, which I think is absolutely the right call. Kid has to be on the field early and often. Good news is with our opponents in the first 3 games, I have no doubt he will get a ton of snaps.
 
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That's the one, big thanks for digging that up. I stand corrected in saying he unequivocally said CJ would play.

However, he did all but say that in essentially saying he has to get him on the field and figure out ways to do it, whether in the rotation to give Eich and Chambers a break or to carve out a specific role. And that he needs to play a significant amount of time to advance. To me that means he's going to be on the field plenty and in meaningful situations, not just blowouts, which I think is absolutely the right call. Kid has to be on the field early and often. Good news is with our opponents in the first 3 games, I have no doubt he will get a ton of snaps.

Who knows what is said behind closed doors and/or in the locker room. However, (as far as I know) Ryan Day (or any of his assistants) never have gone public with guaranteeing that a player (or recruit for that matter) will start and/or even get playing time. They always said that competition makes everyone better and they want competition at every position. In addition, they have said every player must earn his playing time every day in practice.
 
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VERSATILITY, POTENTIAL, RECRUITING CLASS AND STATE AFFILIATION TIE C.J. HICKS AND SONNY STYLES TOGETHER​

Hicks offered a similar refrain. “You don't see many 6-foot-4, 230-pound linebackers, well, not linebackers – he can play linebacker – but free safeties who can play as many positions as he can. We put him at nickel, we put him at strong, put him at free, at Sam, and probably could play Jack so he's very versatile. He's grown (mentally) a lot since last year."

So while Styles lining up at the starting nickel safety spot might have raised an eyebrow or two, it seems that's his home for now, though Knowles could of course bounce him around the field based on the opponent's scheme and roster to best utilize his vast skill set. Either way, Sonny looks destined for starter’s reps this fall.

For his part, Hicks is trying to showcase his own versatility, though his path to starter snaps is muddy for the time being. His natural position is Will linebacker and you have to believe that will be his starting job once Chambers moves on but for now, Hicks is targeting reserve snaps there and hopefully some time in the Jack position.

"Jack can show how versatile I am," Hicks noted earlier this week. "Show that I can come off the edge but also drop in coverage. I like the Jack. If you turn on my high school tape, it's similar to what I did in high school."

Hicks is also encouraged by the feeling Knowles expects more from him than he did last year.

“He’s starting to expect more out of me. I can tell. He and I have that relationship now that we can talk business but also talk about stuff outside of football and how it correlates to football and the Jack and Will and things like that,” Hicks said.

And while Chambers has a handle on the starting Will spot, he's encouraged by Hicks' potential.

“Unlimited. He can do whatever he wants, honestly. He's really stacking up right now,” Chambers said.

 
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