Jim Knowles' defense allowed big plays at an alarming rate in 2022. Solving that problem in 2023 is crucial to Ohio State remaining a CFP contender.
Reducing the timeframe to reach point of arrival calls for a meshing of improved playcalling and personnel starting with spring ball in just a few months.
Most fans are happy to see Ohio State's defense actually try to dictate what the offense can do but there were indeed times Knowles' playcalling was not just aggressive but arguably reckless, particularly against the backdrop of where the defense had personnel shortcomings. Those moments have overshadowed the large portions of games when the defense was clicking.
Putting guys on an island who shouldn't be on an island - at least not consistently - proved reckless a handful of times over the last two games. Sometimes it wasn't just tough to process due to what was being asked of the personnel but also game situations. We saw it versus Michigan, we heard Knowles say he was looking at it.
On the personnel side, Knowles has made it known his defense is"safety driven" and with losing Tanner McCalister and Ronnie Hickman, at minimum, there will be some new blood anchoring the secondary. Lathan Ransom will likely return and play a major role, after having some positive moments in 2022. After that, many fans are excited to see what Sonny Styles can do after a year in the program, among others.
Developing these existing pieces who by the way now have a year of seasoning in Knowles' complex system, bringing in more high-end talent, and finding a more effective balance in aggressive playcalling must merge to give Ohio State's 2023 defense a shot of limiting big plays in its most important games.
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