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As Ohio State begins spring practice on Tuesday, a look at the top storylines, most intriguing players, position battle to watch, freshman to follow and breakout candidate on defense and special teams. (Editor’s note: A preview of the offense can be found here.)
Top storylines
Linebacker C.J. Hicks was the No. 7 overall prospect in the 2022 recruiting class.
Are there enough options at linebacker at Ohio State?
The Buckeyes are thin on experience at linebacker, as Steele Chambers and Tommy Eichenberg left for the NFL.
Cody Simon is the exception, having made 14 starts over the past three seasons and rotating as part of three-linebacker packages.
But the other seven scholarship linebackers have combined for only 96 career snaps at the position, as tallied by Pro Football Focus. All of Kourt Williams’ 225 defensive snaps came before he switched positions from safety to linebacker last year.
The following weeks should leave the Buckeyes with opportunities to develop potential replacements, a group of underclassmen that is talented despite its youth, led by C.J. Hicks, who was the No. 7 overall prospect in the 2022 recruiting class.
If not enough contributors emerge, a move by Sonny Styles to the second level of the defense might be more critical.
Mitchell Melton is a candidate to fill the Buckeyes’ “jack” position on defense.
Could the ‘jack’ return to the Ohio State defense?
Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles scaled back the use of the hybrid defensive end and linebacker position known as the “jack” last year.
The limited usage was a result of an effort to simplify the scheme and a change in the available personnel with Jack Sawyer returning to the defensive line on a full-time basis after he fit the role in 2022.
Will it change this year? It’s possible. The position was a staple of Knowles’ defenses in previous…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/ohio-state-spring-practice-preview-110320244.html
Author : The Columbus Dispatch
Publish date : 2024-03-05 11:03:20
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