Taking a Deeper Look at Ohio State's Defensive Changes

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The Ohio State defense has been heavily criticized at times this season. The unit was under the most scrutiny after the 32-31 loss to No. 1 Oregon (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten Conference) on Oct. 12. The No. 2 Buckeyes (8-1, 5-1) gave up multiple explosive plays that lead to the disappointing loss. Since then, the unit has made small, yet significant changes. Those adjustments have resulted in them currently being ranked first in the country in total defense.

What Happened vs. Oregon?

Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles struggled in yet another top-5 matchup loss at the helm of the Buckeyes' defense. At its core, defense is tied together at all three levels. A poor defensive line will perform better if the secondary can hold up in coverage longer. A poor secondary can hold on just long enough if the pass rush can get home quickly. Linebackers can contribute to both of these phases. The marriage of the defensive front and the defensive backfield was the story against the Ducks.

The Buckeyes were unable to make quarterback Dillon Gabriel uncomfortable on even a single snap. The Buckeyes only hit Gabriel twice all night, neither being a sack. The four-down defensive linemen were completely incapable of pressuring him. He sat in the pocket and cleanly delivered the ball to his playmakers. The lack of pressure became an even bigger issue once it became clear that cornerback Denzel Burke was having an off night. Burke was targeted eight times and gave up eight catches, two for touchdowns. He was on an island, and was stranded as the Buckeyes were unable to disrupt Gabriel.

What's Changed on Defense?

The defense hasn't so much changed as it has just made various adjustments. In his weekly press conference on Nov. 5, head coach Ryan Day explained that since the Oregon loss, they had "reengineered the defense." He made it clear that the coaching staff banded together to make sure they were putting their players in the best positions to be successful. The adjustments the staff seemingly made have paid off in dividends in the three games since.

The Buckeyes have also began to use much more of what Knowles was known for at Oklahoma State. They were previously playing a very basic structure of defense. It was easily dissected presnap as they did little to hide their coverages. Up front, they rarely blitzed and used a straight, four-man pass rush. Oregon was able to pick it apart. After that loss, Knowles seems to be reverting to what gave him his reputation as a top coordinator in the first place.

One example is using three-high safety looks. The Buckeyes have two incredible safeties in Caleb Downs and Lathan Ransom. They have used nickel cornerback Jordan Hancock as their third due to what they want to do in the look. Knowles loves to let his defensive backs play from the top-down. Downs and Ransom are maybe the best in the country when moving downhill to take space away quickly. The three-safety look allows them to disguise coverage, which they rarely did before. It also allows them to trade off coverage responsibilities. They struggled when Oregon and other teams used motions before or at the snap. Communication is important there and the staff is clearly trusting them with this now. No. 4 Penn State's (8-1, 5-1) offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki loves to use motion and tested the Buckeyes with them often. The defensive backfield did a tremendous job of handling those looks and not letting any receivers run open with missed assignments.

The biggest and most glaring issue of the defense was an inability to generate pressure. The basic four-down pass rush was not effective at all against the Ducks. Since then, Knowles has began to mix in much more of his favorite methods of generating pressure. The Buckeyes are now using stunts and loops much more often. They have mostly done this by using a linebacker to blitz up the middle and bring attention to himself. Following that, a defensive end fills in behind him in a now wide open lane to the QB.

Knowles also loves to use what are called "creeper blitzes." These are a simulated pressure, meaning that the defense still is only rushing four defenders, but not in the expected method. Instead of blitzing five defenders, Knowles will drop one of his defensive linemen into coverage and bring a defensive back to rush the passer. Ohio State has mainly done this in what is called "trap two coverage." They will often still bring a fifth defender to rush as well, making it an official blitz.

They did this against Purdue (1-8, 0-6) when they dropped defensive end JT Tuimoloau to cover the flat. They then brought Hancock from the slot and linebacker Cody Simon through the middle. It resulted in an immediate pressure and the coverage downfield allowed Hancock and Sawyer to get home for the sack.

The 'Jack' Position

Knowles brought a lot of excitement to Columbus, Ohio with the position he became known for using with his defenses at Oklahmoa State. Previously called the "Leo" position, the "Jack" is a DL/LB hyrbrid position that he would use to move around the trenches to take away specific areas for opposing offenses. Knowles would use a three-down front and then patrol the "Jack" where he found fit. He used DL Jack Sawyer in the position in his first year at the helm in 2022. He found some success at the new position, even recording a sack from it against Wisconsin. The Buckeyes quickly abandoned the look, likely due to DL coach Larry Johnson's preference of using a more traditional front.

The "Jack" position suddenly appeared again on Nov. 11 against Purdue. DL Mitchell Melton entered into the role early in the first quarter, shocking Ohio State fans who had assumed they would never see the position again. Purdue did move the ball against the look as it was clear the Buckeyes need many more game reps with the scheme. They left both offensive guards uncovered and the Boilermakers ran directly at LB CJ Hicks and gashed the defense. There is something to be said about the personnel they used for the look. Hicks has not played any meaningful snaps at that spot since early this year as he has struggled in the traditional LB role. They also did not use either of their starting defensive ends or tackles. It was as if Knowles was given the okay to experiment, but not with the best options at his disposal. Regardless, this now opens the exciting possibility of another wrinkle fans have been clamoring for since Knowles' arrival.

Moving Forward for Ohio State

The numerous little changes have produced huge results for the Buckeyes on defense. Knowles seems to be much more comfortable using his past staples in recent weeks. The talent and experience Ohio State has at each position allows them to experiment and utilize various calls. They could very well get a rematch with the Ducks and a chance at redemption. In the meantime, the Buckeyes will simply continue shaping up the adjusted scheme as they prepare for a possible College Football Playoff run.