How good are the Ohio State football units compared to other national teams? Here again we dig a little deeper and uncover info on the linebackers (LB).
The Top 5 LB units are considered to be, in alphabetical order: Alabama, Miami, Michigan, USC and Wisconsin.
Ohio State is not considered to be in the Top 5 or Top 12 or Top 25. But that's very understandable given the LB play last season and the lack of experience for this coming season. Can the new trio of Peter Werner, Baron Browning and Malik Harrison become the latest grads of LBU?
Who knows at this point. But let's see who are the top competitors that OSU might face for the Big Ten championship and in national playoffs.
Alabama's LB corps fought through injuries last year and still performed very well as a group. If they avoid injury and stay healthy, they will be formidable. However, none of their LBs are projected to be make All America first, second or third teams, and they place only one LB on the All SEC watch lists for first, second or third teams. That one is Mack Wilson (All SEC1), who is at the very end of the Top 50 player compilation.
The trio of Miami (Fla.) LBs performed very well last year. The top star of the group is Shaq Quarterman, an experienced junior, a Top 50 player and projected to be a third team All American (AA3). His less heralded counterparts are no slouches– Zach McCloud and Michael Pinckney, second team All ACC. There is little depth behind these three starters, so injuries could be hurtful to the rest of the team, too.
Arch rival Michigan has a pair of very talented and experienced LBs that have been devastating on defense. Junior Khaleke Hudson (AA3) has 82 tackles, 18 for a loss, 8 QB sacks, 9 pass break-ups and 2 forced fumbles. And junior Devin Bush (Top 50, AA2) has 102 tackles, 9 for a loss, 5 sacks and one interception. They are, however, undersized with Hudson at 6'0" and 205 lbs, and Bush at 5'11" and 220 lbs.
USC, like Alabama, does not have two LBs that stand out nationally as at Michigan. Nevertheless, the USC pass rush recorded 84 tackles for a loss and 46 sacks last year, which tied Clemson with the most in the nation. LB John Houston had 84 tackles in 2017; and yet senior LB Cameron Smith (AA1) was the leading tackler the past two years. And starter Porter Gustin will be back from an injury in the fourth game of last season.
Wisconsin must replace two starters from last year's deep LB corps, which was a national leader in rushing defense. Yet the Badgers are highly regarded because of the remaining inside LBs: Ryan Connelly (All B1G3), Chris Orr and especially TJ Edwards (Top 50, AA2). Given the departure of their star defensive end, developing the new outside LBs on the edge will be critical.
Based on college football evaluations, both the linebackers of Michigan and Wisconsin in the Big Ten will make it difficult on the Buckeyes to get to the playoffs.
Also the last couple of years there have been no magna cum laude graduates of LBU. Is this drop off related to the departure of Luke Fickell?
