Tyvis Powell is expected to play a major role on Ohio State's defense next season, but he'll have to get healthy first.
The sophomore starting safety had surgery to repair a sports hernia in early June, sources told Eleven Warriors.
It’s unclear how or when Powell suffered the injury and whether the procedure will sideline him in any way for August's fall camp or the upcoming season.
An Ohio State spokesman did not confirm the surgery, but Powell tweeted this June 16:
Rehabbed, Lifted, Watched Film. I'm planning on taking this season by storm. Keep sleeping on me, you'll soon have nightmares about me
— David Copperfield (@1Tyvis) June 16, 2014
And this:
Felt good to finally be lifting again. Recovery going well. BIG WEEK!!!!
— David Copperfield (@1Tyvis) June 16, 2014
And this June 28:
Groin feeling good today! The competition is in trouble
— David Copperfield (@1Tyvis) June 28, 2014
A sports hernia is defined as any strain or tear in the groin or lower abdomen and can vary in severity. Surgery is often needed to repair the damage and recovery can take six-12 weeks, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Based on Powell's above tweets, though, he seems to be making progress in rehab.
Powell, a Bedford, Ohio, native, should be a key cog on a new-look pass defense that finished 112th nationally last season.
"When you come to Ohio State, we wanna be considered the best. As far as last year goes, we were not the best defense,” Powell said after the team’s annual Spring Game April 12.
"I knew we had to make a drastic improvement in the pass defense. I feel like a lot of people just had this fear that they didn't wanna get beat deep and it didn't allow them to be aggressive on the short throws which was killing us. This year, we just said forget it: we're just gonna be aggressive and with our effort just make up for it.”
Powell totaled 48 tackles last year and made the game-clinching interception against Michigan Nov. 30 in Ann Arbor, Mich., to seal back-to-back undefeated regular seasons under coach Urban Meyer.
The Buckeyes open their 2014 campaign against Navy Aug. 30 in Baltimore, Md., at M&T Bank Stadium.