Dave Thurman (6:43 pm)
Gimme back my bullets,
Put 'em back where they belong.
-Lynard Skynard, 1976
As a long, painful year comes to a close and we look ahead to 2012, most fans are talking about offense. Not me. I think the Buckeye offense is in good hands. Urban Meyer and boy wonder, Tom Herman, will employ the spread and move the ball up and down the field in a fashion few of us will recongnize. Sure, I'm concerned about the offensive line which may need to be held together with duct tape. But Braxton Miller and a young stable of talented skill players have the potential to light up the scoreboard. Just watch how many catches Jake Stoneburner winds up with, and how much the backs , like Jordan Hall, are employed swinging out of the backfield. It should be fun.
No, I am more concerned with the Buckeye defense which was gashed far too often in 2011. Truth is, The Silver Bullets had become a source of pride for me the past decade. Whenever idiot fans of teams that played "basketball on grass" would taunt me and make fun of Tressel's conservative ways I would answer, "Yeah, but have you seen our D?" When they took the field I saw swagger, bone-rattling tackling, and firece pride. Year after year they were ranked among the elite defensive units in America. Then came 2011, and there were games when it appeared the only way to keep a team from moving right down the field was to force a turnover. I began praying for inerceptions and fumbles each time an opponent had the ball. Even third and long brought no comfort or confidence as teams converted as if they were facing a Mountain West defense. And so my plea going into 2012 is simple:Gimme back my Bullets!
Is there any credible reason for optimism? Let's take a brief look at our prospects.
Gimme back my bullets,
Put 'em back where they belong.
-Lynard Skynard, 1976
As a long, painful year comes to a close and we look ahead to 2012, most fans are talking about offense. Not me. I think the Buckeye offense is in good hands. Urban Meyer and boy wonder, Tom Herman, will employ the spread and move the ball up and down the field in a fashion few of us will recongnize. Sure, I'm concerned about the offensive line which may need to be held together with duct tape. But Braxton Miller and a young stable of talented skill players have the potential to light up the scoreboard. Just watch how many catches Jake Stoneburner winds up with, and how much the backs , like Jordan Hall, are employed swinging out of the backfield. It should be fun.
No, I am more concerned with the Buckeye defense which was gashed far too often in 2011. Truth is, The Silver Bullets had become a source of pride for me the past decade. Whenever idiot fans of teams that played "basketball on grass" would taunt me and make fun of Tressel's conservative ways I would answer, "Yeah, but have you seen our D?" When they took the field I saw swagger, bone-rattling tackling, and firece pride. Year after year they were ranked among the elite defensive units in America. Then came 2011, and there were games when it appeared the only way to keep a team from moving right down the field was to force a turnover. I began praying for inerceptions and fumbles each time an opponent had the ball. Even third and long brought no comfort or confidence as teams converted as if they were facing a Mountain West defense. And so my plea going into 2012 is simple:Gimme back my Bullets!
Is there any credible reason for optimism? Let's take a brief look at our prospects.
Defensive Line: Hope for the future starts right here. To begin with, Ohio State can build around two young men who played with excellence in 2011 in John Simon (named a 3rd team All-American) and big Johnathan Hankins. Simon was forced to play out of position a great deal this past season, but should be able to stick with his strength at strongside defensive end next year. He is a beast, and through 12 games this season has racked up 50 tackles, including 15 for loss, with 7 sacks. At times he is unblockable, and will be the anchor to the defense in 2012. As for Hankins, he became an every down player this year, and responded with 64 tackles, including 11 for loss. Having him in the middle of the line offers reason to believe that the defense can stop the run, if the linebackers improve.
However, the news will get even better if Nathan Williams is able to return to the lineup next year at weakside end. He is a good pass rusher, and his absence was felt this season when the Buckeyes struggled to get to the quarterback. A healthy Williams elevates this D-line to the top of the conference, in my opinion.
The other starter on the line will probably be senior Garrett Goebel, who is a solid, experienced player. However, the real excitement is the sheer number of bodies that Fickell and company can throw out there. At defensive tackle are Michael Bennett (a potential star in the making); steady Adam Bellamy, Joel Hale, Darryl Baldwin and incoming freshman Tommy Schutt. At end there is J.T. Moore, Steve Miller, Kenny Hayes, redshirt Chase Farris (who could move to the middle), and incoming frosh Se'Von Pittman and Adolphus Washington. That is a whole lot of bodies, and it would seem probable that the Buckeyes will roll out two units and play at least eight guys on the line. Having fresh players late in the game is a huge bonus, and for that reason I look for this to be one of the Buckeyes best defensive lines in years. No doubt, they will do a better job of getting to the quarterback, and that alone, is reason for renewed hope.
Linebacker: My optimism ends right here. For years I have argued that OSU is the real Linebacker U. but that was not the case in 2011, when a group that lacked depth also lacked the ability to get off blocks. It was not only a poor tackling unit but struggled to make big plays. Andrew Sweat was the most solid of the linebacking corp and his eligibility is completed unless he gets a surprise judgment from the NCAA awarding him a medical redshirt.
So who does that leave? Well it will all start with Ryan Shazier who was the one linebacker that showed the ability to make the big play during his freshman season. Shazier totaled 48 tackles, most of which came in the last three games, including 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and a blocked punt. Pencil him in as a starter for sure.
Two other experienced players return in Etienne Sabino (58 tackles in '11) and Storm Klein (45 tackles and 1 interception). Although both started in 2011, neither was impressive, and Sabino, in particular, has failed to harness his immense talent, mostly due to taking bad angles and being out of position. Both players whiffed on far too many tackles, as well. Hopefully this duo will improve as they move into their senior season.
Two other players who should see the field are Curtis Grant and Connor Crowell. Huge things were expected from Grant who was the peach of the 2011 recruiting class. However he was slow to catch on to the defensive schemes, and didn't see the field much at all. If the light goes on for Curtis he could help this unit immensely. Crowell redshirted while nursing an injury incurred in high school, but also has vast potential.
Outside of those five players there are nothing but question marks, as other potential linebackers have been plagued by injuries that are probably career-ending in nature. For that reason Urban Meyer and his staff are looking to sign a couple of linebackers late in the process, and the top names we are hearing are Camren Williams, Jamal Marcus, and David Perkins.
Secondary: Another area of huge disappointment in 2011, the defensive backs were not proficient at tackling or pass coverage. The safeties were especially notorious for grasping at air, allowing opponents to gash the defense for big plays. Most everyone returns for the 2012 season which could be looked at as good news or bad news depending on your perspective.
At safety three players with vast starting experience lead the way in C.J. Barnett, Christian Bryant, and Orhian Johnson. Of the three, Barnett is the most reliable and logged a team-leading 69 tackles along with a couple of interceptions. Bryant is a head hunter who played some at the Star position, which may disappear under a new head coach. Regardless he has talent and will play a key role, but must become more consistent. Johnson has been fodder for Buckeye blogs, as he seems to be out of position more than any other player on the team. He did tie for the team lead with three picks, however. Behind those three players are Zach Domicone (solid on special teams), Jamie Wood, Jeremy Cash, and Ron Tanner, plus incoming freshmen De'Van Bogard and Najee Murray. There are plenty of bodies to choose from and hopefully a few will rise to the top and establish themselves as hard-hitting Buckeye safties.
Corner play was a bit of a surprise this past year as Travis Howard under-performed, but Bradley Roby proved to be a pleasant surprise. Roby, who had 41 tackles and 3 interceptions, should be the next great one at a position where the Buckeyes have churned out stars over the past two decades. Howard, who talked of going pro, needs to return and prove that he is a reliable player, utilizing his vast ability. Behind the two returning starters is Dominic Clarke, who has had some positive moments in his career, and Doran Grant, who saw the field a little as a true freshman, and also has a ton of talent. If OSU needs to go deeper than that due to injuries it will either be a redshirt freshman (DerJuan Gambrell) or an incoming frosh.
My guess is that a combination of experience and better coaching will help this group improve, but what they could really use is a consistent pass rush, which was lacking this season.
Final Summary: Although there are some question marks going into next season there is no reason the defense should struggle like it did in 2011. There are plenty of bodies to pick from, many of which have logged a lot of minutes on the field already. What should also help this unit is a more aggressive strategy, and I look for a new coaching staff to blitz more, while also employing more man to man and bump and run coverage. With better scheming, I believe we will see the Silver Bullets return to form.
However, the news will get even better if Nathan Williams is able to return to the lineup next year at weakside end. He is a good pass rusher, and his absence was felt this season when the Buckeyes struggled to get to the quarterback. A healthy Williams elevates this D-line to the top of the conference, in my opinion.
The other starter on the line will probably be senior Garrett Goebel, who is a solid, experienced player. However, the real excitement is the sheer number of bodies that Fickell and company can throw out there. At defensive tackle are Michael Bennett (a potential star in the making); steady Adam Bellamy, Joel Hale, Darryl Baldwin and incoming freshman Tommy Schutt. At end there is J.T. Moore, Steve Miller, Kenny Hayes, redshirt Chase Farris (who could move to the middle), and incoming frosh Se'Von Pittman and Adolphus Washington. That is a whole lot of bodies, and it would seem probable that the Buckeyes will roll out two units and play at least eight guys on the line. Having fresh players late in the game is a huge bonus, and for that reason I look for this to be one of the Buckeyes best defensive lines in years. No doubt, they will do a better job of getting to the quarterback, and that alone, is reason for renewed hope.
Linebacker: My optimism ends right here. For years I have argued that OSU is the real Linebacker U. but that was not the case in 2011, when a group that lacked depth also lacked the ability to get off blocks. It was not only a poor tackling unit but struggled to make big plays. Andrew Sweat was the most solid of the linebacking corp and his eligibility is completed unless he gets a surprise judgment from the NCAA awarding him a medical redshirt.
So who does that leave? Well it will all start with Ryan Shazier who was the one linebacker that showed the ability to make the big play during his freshman season. Shazier totaled 48 tackles, most of which came in the last three games, including 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and a blocked punt. Pencil him in as a starter for sure.
Two other experienced players return in Etienne Sabino (58 tackles in '11) and Storm Klein (45 tackles and 1 interception). Although both started in 2011, neither was impressive, and Sabino, in particular, has failed to harness his immense talent, mostly due to taking bad angles and being out of position. Both players whiffed on far too many tackles, as well. Hopefully this duo will improve as they move into their senior season.
Two other players who should see the field are Curtis Grant and Connor Crowell. Huge things were expected from Grant who was the peach of the 2011 recruiting class. However he was slow to catch on to the defensive schemes, and didn't see the field much at all. If the light goes on for Curtis he could help this unit immensely. Crowell redshirted while nursing an injury incurred in high school, but also has vast potential.
Outside of those five players there are nothing but question marks, as other potential linebackers have been plagued by injuries that are probably career-ending in nature. For that reason Urban Meyer and his staff are looking to sign a couple of linebackers late in the process, and the top names we are hearing are Camren Williams, Jamal Marcus, and David Perkins.
Secondary: Another area of huge disappointment in 2011, the defensive backs were not proficient at tackling or pass coverage. The safeties were especially notorious for grasping at air, allowing opponents to gash the defense for big plays. Most everyone returns for the 2012 season which could be looked at as good news or bad news depending on your perspective.
At safety three players with vast starting experience lead the way in C.J. Barnett, Christian Bryant, and Orhian Johnson. Of the three, Barnett is the most reliable and logged a team-leading 69 tackles along with a couple of interceptions. Bryant is a head hunter who played some at the Star position, which may disappear under a new head coach. Regardless he has talent and will play a key role, but must become more consistent. Johnson has been fodder for Buckeye blogs, as he seems to be out of position more than any other player on the team. He did tie for the team lead with three picks, however. Behind those three players are Zach Domicone (solid on special teams), Jamie Wood, Jeremy Cash, and Ron Tanner, plus incoming freshmen De'Van Bogard and Najee Murray. There are plenty of bodies to choose from and hopefully a few will rise to the top and establish themselves as hard-hitting Buckeye safties.
Corner play was a bit of a surprise this past year as Travis Howard under-performed, but Bradley Roby proved to be a pleasant surprise. Roby, who had 41 tackles and 3 interceptions, should be the next great one at a position where the Buckeyes have churned out stars over the past two decades. Howard, who talked of going pro, needs to return and prove that he is a reliable player, utilizing his vast ability. Behind the two returning starters is Dominic Clarke, who has had some positive moments in his career, and Doran Grant, who saw the field a little as a true freshman, and also has a ton of talent. If OSU needs to go deeper than that due to injuries it will either be a redshirt freshman (DerJuan Gambrell) or an incoming frosh.
My guess is that a combination of experience and better coaching will help this group improve, but what they could really use is a consistent pass rush, which was lacking this season.
Final Summary: Although there are some question marks going into next season there is no reason the defense should struggle like it did in 2011. There are plenty of bodies to pick from, many of which have logged a lot of minutes on the field already. What should also help this unit is a more aggressive strategy, and I look for a new coaching staff to blitz more, while also employing more man to man and bump and run coverage. With better scheming, I believe we will see the Silver Bullets return to form.
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