A reporter tossed the question out like a fishing line, trying to bait Greg Schiano into an answer that would be considered a hefty catch.
If Ohio State had a game the next day, who would Schiano nod as starters at safety?
But the fish wasn't biting.
"Well we don’t have one tomorrow, so I don’t have to do that," Schiano said on April 20, a smile spreading wide across his face.
He isn't wrong — the Buckeyes don't play the first game of their 2016 slate until Sept. 3, when Bowling Green visits Ohio Stadium. Still, four days after the spring game, Schiano knows who leads in the running to replace two-year starters Tyvis Powell and Vonn Bell.
“I think in the secondary there’s a lot of unknowns, and I think that overall both at safety and corner some guys have stepped up. Really all that does is put them in position to have a chance. Had they not had good springs then you’d sit there and be really concerned.”– Greg Schiano
"I think when you look at it, Malik (Hooker) and Damon (Webb) had probably the most productive springs," Schiano said. "But we still have a lot of work to do."
Hooker made one of biggest splashes in the spring game April 16, when he picked off J.T. Barrett and raced 82 yards to the end zone. Hooker recorded another interception later that day and led all players with 10 total tackles. The Gray won, 28-17.
Webb's only statistic from the game was a pass breakup, but he is one of the elder statesmen in the secondary. He worked at safety this spring after playing corner and special teams in his first two seasons, the latter of which he was suspended and had an ankle injury. Eric Glover-Williams also worked at safety this spring as junior Erick Smith and senior Cam Burrows worked their way back from injuries.
Due to the lack of bodies and Schiano being knee deep in the process of getting familiar with his personnel, he wouldn't name a starter at either spot. That could be the case for a while.
"I think it is always a fluid situation back there," Schiano said. "We try to cross train guys as much as we can so there is flexibility. I thought Damon did a very good job so I think he has got a chance to be really good at that position. He is new to it, but he showed a lot of promise."
Webb missed six games in 2015, but is very much a part of the crew tasked with replacing not only Powell and Bell, but corner Eli Apple. That's three NFL-caliber players, as much a reason as any as to why Ohio State's pass defense finished ranked 16th in the country. Chris Ash is onto Rutgers, taking the head coaching job after two terrific years as Urban Meyer's safeties coach.
The holes to fill are sizable. That's why Schiano is keeping all options open, though he did say Webb made the most progress this spring among the safeties because he had not played the position before.
"I think in the secondary there’s a lot of unknowns, and I think that overall both at safety and corner some guys have stepped up," Schiano said. "Really all that does is put them in position to have a chance. Had they not had good springs then you’d sit there and be really concerned. They had good springs, that’s not the season, so we’ll see."
Fall camp is a different animal, with practice every day and sore bodies growing into the norm. That's when coaches see how players react to pressure both mentally and physically. The spring game provided a different type of opportunity to do that as well, with the more than 100,000 people in the stands.
Based on his stat line and the highlights from the game, Hooker thrived in that theatre.
"He looked very natural, he did nothing too big for him," Schiano said of Hooker. "I know he has played on special teams in similar settings, but to do it, I think he played 50-something plays and made a lot of plays, that's promising. It is certainly not the regular season and is certainly not another team but you have to go step-by-step and he is doing that right now."
Meyer called the way Hooker prepared and performed "routine." It needed to look like he'd been making plays for a while. It did, which is why both he and Webb have the edge in Schiano's eyes over the others at safety.
But that does not mean they are starters just yet. After all, Smith and Burrows basically sat out the entirety of spring with foot and knee injuries. Glover-Williams is improving. Schiano wants to see who can compete day in and day out this fall before he definitively awards a job.
"I don’t know if coaches are ever comfortable," Schiano said. "I’m encouraged. I don’t know if that’s a better word to say. I’m encouraged that we have a chance. When you come out of spring, you hope you have a chance. You train all summer and you work with your guys and then you get to training camp.
"I think training camp is very critical because it’s every day. It’s back to back to back. That’s really where I think you make your biggest strides because of pure repetition and focus, that’s all you’re doing. There’s no school. It’s football – all football. It’s the only time during the year that a college football player can say that. I think it has to be a critical time. Having a good spring, you give yourself a chance to go out and have a great training camp."
