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Looking Ahead to 2019

+9 HS
Crumb's picture
February 12, 2019 at 9:04pm
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            We lose the greatest of all time, Dwayne Haskins, receivers like Parris Campbell, Terry McLaurin, and Johnnie Dixon. Losing stalwarts like Knox, Prince, and Jordan on the offensive line, along with Mike Weber in the backfield, will have us seeing some new faces in the running game. The defense of course loses Nick Bosa (too bad he doesn’t have any more brothers) and Dre’Mont Jones and Kendall Sheffield, the much-maligned Silver Bullets will return a lot of talent that will have a huge opportunity to be a rock-solid foundation instead of a question mark for the 2019 season. We get some legends in the making back in the likes of Hill, Dobbins, Olave, Munford, Bowen, Fuller, and White, with some guys who have loads of potential and a big chance to shine like Fields, Myers, Olave, Harrison and Okudah. It’s a great time to be a Buckeye.

Next year’s starting lineup

Offense:

QB Justin Fields – Sophomore Justin Fields is the clear favorite to start in 2019 and with good cause. The number one quarterback in the class of 2018, and a five-star rated player, Fields looks like a taller, faster, bigger armed version of J.T. Barrett. He looks to be a unique talent among Buckeye quarterbacks in all of program history and given the blessings of our recent guys like Haskins, Barrett, Jones, and Miller; that is saying a lot. The guy right behind him isn’t exactly a scrub. Matthew Baldwin is a redshirt freshman who was a consensus four-star recruit out of high school, playing for a program and a coach that gave college football Charlie Brewer (Baylor), Michael Brewer (Virginia Tech), Todd Reesing (Kansas) and Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma). Baldwin enrolled early last season and has worked with Ryan Day for over a year, and with four years of eligibility left, we’ll probably see him start at some point and he won’t be a step back from our high standards of quarterback play established during the Meyer-Day era.

RB J.K. Dobbins – The junior running back from La Grange, Texas has had 2,491 yards rushing in his first two seasons at Ohio State with 17 rushing touchdowns. Dobbins contributions in the passing game have added three more touchdowns and make his total yards 2,876. Being that he’ll no longer be alternating possessions with Mike Weber and will be breaking in a quarterback who will be new to Ohio State as well as to starting, it’s likely that Dobbins will be the focal point of the offense in what could be his last year at Ohio State. Averaging 102.7 total yards per game and a great 5.8 yards per carry, J.K. Dobbins will be one of the best running backs in the country and a Heisman candidate.

HB Demario McCall – The senior (although he may be a redshirt junior as far as eligibility goes) from North Ridgeville, Ohio is poised to make the biggest splash on the team in 2019 outside of the quarterback. With Weber gone McCall looks to be the next most likely to get carries outside of the aforementioned Dobbins, and that will be when he’s not replicating the speedy spark of Parris Campbell, Curtis Samuel, Jalin Marshall, and Dontre Wilson. McCall had a big kick return that helped the Buckeyes answer Maryland late and take that game into over time and he had a big catch out of the backfield against that team up north that set up a score that answered two straight touchdowns by them. I see him having a season similar to Curtis Samuel’s in 2016, but not quite as eye popping statistically. I’ll go out on a limb and say around 500 and 500 (rushing and receiving) instead of Samuel’s over 700 and 700. McCall can and will be that good.

WR Austin Mack – The senior from Fort Wayne, Indiana doesn’t have the career stats one would think of someone who they’ve seen and heard around this program as long as Mack has been. Mack has 52 receptions for 689 yards and three touchdowns. We all remember the big play he had catching a huge third and long pass from Dwayne Haskins in Ann Arbor in 2017 and remember his highs and lows from the game in Arlington, Texas against TCU. Mack seems to catch anything that comes near him and that will be a big asset for a young quarterback being thrown into the fire this coming season.

WR K.J. Hill – I’ll say this a lot during 2019 about the senior from Little Rock, Arkansas but I feel like getting him back for his senior year was like getting a five-star proven grad transfer. Hill’s sure hands had him be a go to guy for Haskins last year and a go to guy for the special teams to rely on to field a kick cleanly. Hill has 141 catches for 1,667 yards and ten touchdowns, including 67 catches for 856 yards and six touchdowns last year. If you are going to have a slot receiver be a big weapon in your offense, Hill is your prototype. He runs great routes, makes insane catches with good hands, and is deceptively quick. If the quarterback play is even in the same ball park as it has been the last two years, Hill could become the sixth Buckeye receiver to get 1,000 yards in a season.

WR Binjimen Victor – The senior from Pompano Beach, Florida has had an up and down, feast or famine career. Though different in build and style of play his career has reminded me of Johnnie Dixon. Dixon had an up and down career until breaking out against PSU in 2017 and building from there. Victor had his greatest play of his career against PSU with a great catch and run that he’ll be remembered for forever. Shortly thereafter he had a great catch against Indiana in which he got a step on a defender and used his great size to reach out and pull in the touchdown that put the Hoosiers away. Victor has 48 catches for 767 yards and 12 touchdowns for his career. He will make good on his last year and make those go up exponentially.

WR Chris Olave – The sophomore from San Marcos, California burst onto the scene last year in The Game and in the B1G Championship. Olave finished the season with 12 catches for 197 yards and three touchdowns. He had two touchdown grabs against that team up north and blocked a punt that was returned for a touchdown against them as well. He also had a big touchdown catch against Northwestern to stifle their comeback attempt. The last receiver I can think of that contributed this much their freshman season was Devin Smith or Jalin Marshall (another guy who wore 17) and that’s some good company. Olave will have to keep up the good play with guys like Wilson poised to be the Olave of 2019. Olave will be of big help to Fields and Baldwin.

TE Luke Ferrell or Rashod Berry – Berry, a senior from Lorain, Ohio and Ferrell a junior from Perry, Ohio were the best tight end tandem Ohio State has seen since Jeff Heuerman and Nick Vannett. Last season they combined for 29 catches for 283 yards and three touchdowns. They were solid change ups from the receivers and running backs and would make good catches and big plays when opposing defenses weren’t being honest and treating them as a threat. Berry had big catches against Maryland and in the Rose Bowl, and both made key contributions in helping a spotty offensive line. Expect more of the same from them, but if the offensive line plays better and with more consistently, expect to see both have an increase of production in the passing game.

LT Thayer Munford – Munford is a true junior from Cincinnati, Ohio who played at LaSalle before finishing his career at Massillon Washington High School. He saw early playing time in 12 games in 2017 including throwing a key block on Dwayne Haskins scramble that broke the back of that team up north in The Game. He started all of 2018 except the Rose Bowl as he battles through injuries late in the year. Wearing the number 75, Munford seems to live up to its legacy, and will be a solid anchor point when he’s 100% in the fall.

LG Brandon Bowen – Bowen, the junior from Draper, Utah, started immediately as a true freshman in 2017. He then suffered a bad injury in breaking his leg against Maryland. It was such a rough injury, Bowen didn’t even suit up for Ohio State until over a year later against Nebraska. The team then prudently didn’t play him in 2018 since they were not forced to, meaning Bowen will be 100% to start the 2019 campaign. Bowen will bring experience and toughness to the line as they strive return the Slobs to glory once again.

C Josh Myers – The redshirt sophomore from Miamisburg, Ohio made such an impression on his coaches that the plan was to have him be the center this year even if Michael Jordan, a 2018 All-American, had returned for his senior year (Jordan would have moved back to guard). If you’re good enough to unseat a three-year starter and all-American, you must be pretty good. Here’s hoping he lives up to the tradition of Linsley, Boren, Elflein, Price, and Jordan.

RG Wyatt Davis – The redshirt sophomore from Bellflower, California worked his way into playing time in 2018. Davis saw action against Nebraska as a sixth offensive lineman in the red zone in an effort to help the Buckeyes scoring, the running game in particular, in that part of the offense. It worked well, and when Meechy Knox went down late in The Game, Davis took over and played very well in Indianapolis and Pasadena. Expect the big things from Davis to continue this Fall.

RT Josh Alabi – The fifth-year senior from Detroit came to Ohio State as a defensive line project and midway through his time here in Ohio, he switched to the offensive side of the trenches. Spelling Thayer Munford at left tackle when injured last season, Alabi seemed to be a natural and will be the first guy not named Prince to start at right tackle since 2015.

Defense:

DE Chase Young – Thanks to a guy who just won a Super Bowl, and the brothers Bosa, every year of the Urban Meyer era when you looked at the Silver Bullets you looked at the defensive line. This year that continues thanks to a junior from Upper Marlboro, Maryland who hails from nationally renowned Dematha Catholic High School. Despite having Tyquan Lewis, Sam Hubbard, Jalyn Holmes, Nick Bosa, and Dre’Mont Jones ahead of him, Chase Young saw time as a true freshman in 2017 and had 3.5 sacks. His numbers took a slight hit when Bosa went down and all the opposing teams blocking schemes went to toward stopping him. Still, he finished the 2018 season with around ten sacks, including two against Penn State and three against Northwestern. In what will likely be his final year, Young will show that he’s as good as any Bosa.

DT Robert Landers – The senior for Dayton, Ohio by way of Huber Heights Wayne will look to lead a talented but yet untested group of interior defensive lineman. Landers has seen solid time on the field his first three seasons and will look to build on that and lead a young and talented group in this his senior year. With a career 17.5 tackles for a loss, BB Landers already does a great job as a defensive tackle.

DT Tommy Togiai – I’ve seen just about every defensive tackled on the roster penciled into this second spot after Robert Landers on projected depth charts. So, I went with the sophomore from Pocatello, Idaho. Togiai has a high level of intensity that I’ll look forward to seeing just how up there it can get after a year at Ohio State under the good coaching of Larry Johnson. If you want to go with someone more experienced here, Davon Hamilton is your guy. He’s a senior and hometown hero for the scarlet and gray. Ryan Day will keep Urban’s philosophy of keeping defensive linemen fresh and have a lot of them play, giving Togiai, Hamilton, and all the Rushmen a chance to shine.

DE Jonathan Cooper – Another hometown hero and someone to expect a big year from is the senior from Gahanna, Ohio by way of Lincoln High. Cooper did an admirable job going from reliever to starter early in the season last year and now after a full year of being on the opposite end of Chase Young, he’ll have the chance to have a big year to close out his time in Columbus with. Like the second defensive tackle spot, expect to see plenty of rotation here, with Tyreke Smith and impact freshman Zach Harrison looking to see the field and make the most of their opportunities.

WLB Malik Harrison – Another hometown hero, Harrison is from Columbus and was Ohio State’s co-leader in tackles in the 2018 season. Harrison had 81 tackles, 8.5 for a loss, 2.5 sacks, an interception, four pass break ups, three QB hurries and a fumble recovery. If Harrison, who turned down the NFL for his senior season, is poised for perhaps his own tree in Buckeye Grove if he improves upon the 2018 season. I for one would be happy with an encore, and everything beyond that is just icing on the cake.  

MLB Tuf Borland – The junior from Bolingbrook, Illinois was part of the much maligned back seven for Ohio State last year. When Borland saw time as a freshman, he looked like he was on his way to being a good, old fashioned, run stuffing middle linebacker. The unit took a step back in his sophomore year, but with a new infusion of coaching on defense, Borland looks to turn himself into a star. Borland did have 67 tackles, nine for a loss, three sacks, a pass break up, a quarterback hurry, and two forced fumbles. He has the ability, and he’ll get it done.

SLB Baron Browning – A junior from Fort Worth, Texas, Browning looks to unseat Peter Werner who start at this position most of the 2018 season. Werner struggled, often looking like a good safety trying his best to play linebacker. Expect Browning, Werner, or whoever is playing this position to be pulled quickly if not up to the task. Harrison is the only truly proven player in this position group, and Borland has a lot of experience, after that, I’d expect new coach Al Washington to have everyone else’s names in place in very light pencil.

CB Jeff Okudah – Another Texas Buckeye, by way of Grand Prairie, the junior finished 2018 as well as anyone on the roster. Okudah was in shutdown mode during the Rose Bowl. It’s not often you get excited about a guy being a shut down corner after a season with zero interceptions but when you smother receivers like Okudah did last year, leading the team with eight pass break-ups, it’s difficult to not get psyched about a guy who will be in his first year as a full-time starter.

CB Damon Arnette – A fifth-year senior from Fort Lauderdale, Florida by way of powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas, Arnette surprised Buckeyes everywhere when he decided to return for his senior season. Arnette seemed to draw the most pass interference penalties last season and struggled to look for the ball in his coverage. He did have six pass break ups which were good enough for third on the team. Add this with Arnette’s speed (he never seemed to be just outran) and the team emphasizing playing the ball more this off season, and he very well could be the next first round draft pick from defensive back university.

NB Shaun Wade – It’s not often that a nickel back leads the team in interceptions and is second in pass break ups but that’s exactly what the sophomore from Jacksonville, Florida did in 2018. If Damon Arnette had gone pro, Wade would be the next man up in a defensive backfield that took a step back with the departure of Kerry Coombs. Even with a guy who made an impact on special teams like Sevyn Banks on his heels, Wade would have been a starting corner and likely will be in 2020. He had three interceptions last year, was second on the team with seven pass break ups, a forced fumble, and a blocked kick. He made the most of his time and is a rising star.

S Brendon White – It’s ridiculous that while only playing in six games that Brendon White, the junior from Powell, Ohio, finished fifth on the team in 2018 in tackles with 46. The safety position opposite of Jordan Fuller had been a revolving door until Brendon White kicked the door to pieces, grabbed the spot, and made the defense and the team better. White played and plays his position with high intelligence and underrated athleticism much like Buckeye great Mike Doss.

S Jordan Fuller – Speaking of someone like Mike, this senior from Norwood, New Jersey could have gone pro and been drafted no later than the third round, easily. Jordan Fuller however said he came back to Ohio State to win a national championship. While things like all-B1G and all-American, being a Thorpe candidate are on the table, Fuller explicitly state he was after the ultimate team goal of a national championship. He tied Malik Harrison last year in leading the team in tackles with 81, he had 2.5 tackles for a loss, an interception in The Game, four pass break ups and two fumble recoveries. Fuller, White, and Wade look to be the most dominant Buckeye safeties and nickel back trio since Doss, Allen, and Nickey. What was a frustrating spot last year will be, with the leadership of Fuller, a reliable asset in 2019.

K Blake Haubeil – The junior from Buffalo, New York started off his sophomore year as the kickoff specialist and after Sean Nuernberger went down with injury, Haubeil took over all of the kicking duties. He went 37 for 37 on extra point tries, and 10 for 13 on field goals. Haubeil looks to be a solid and reliable weapon for the Buckeyes heading into 2019.

P Drue Chrisman – The redshirt junior from the Queen City has been a bottle flipping weapon since he took his first snap in 2017. Last year, Chrisman had 61 punts for 2,636 yards, a whopping 43.2-yard average per punt. 25 of which were fair caught and 29 were caught inside the 20. I’ve heard some argue that Chrisman was the best defensive player on the team for the whole 2018 season. When you look at these numbers, they have a point, and the guy is only going to keep getting better.

LS Liam McCullough – The final hometown hero on the roster will enter his senior year as the team’s long snapper again and will end his career at Ohio State as a four-year starter at the position. This might be the position that embodies the philosophy of ‘if we don’t know your name, you’re doing your job,’ more than any other. And if you’re worried about life after him, look no further than his little brother Roen who is his back up and heir to a quietly important position.

PR K.J. Hill – Mr. Sure Hands himself will likely continue to field punts and for that very reason. Holding onto the football on special teams has always been a premium. It’ll be interesting to see if Ryan Day looks to the return game to get his best players the ball more often and if that will include already reliable seniors like Hill or young players like Wilson.

KR Demario McCall – The shifty McCall has this job as his to lose. A lot is going to be expected of him in the coming season. I’m a big fan and hope McCall makes the most of it and has an all-B1G season.

Key Reserves:

Master Teague will look to be the first running back coming on the field behind Dobbins and McCall. Our Buckeyes are particularly loaded at wide receiver. When C.J. Saunders, Garrett Wilson, Jaelen Gill, and more are coming off the bench, you know you’re absolutely stacked. With seniors like Hill, Mack, and Victor to go with underclassmen like Olave and Wilson, Brian Hartline must be just loving his job. I’m hearing we’re thin again at offensive line but our sixth man, Nicholas Petit-Frere, looks to be the rare guy that unseats a starter, and Harry Miller adds some much-needed young depth.

As far as our defensive line goes, there is an embarrassment of riches here too. Larry Johnson and Brian Hartline may be the two luckiest position coaches in college football. The only questions are who takes over for the legendary Dre’Mont Jones and how much of Zach Harrison are we going to see? To answer the latter, it looks like Harrison will be the first guy in to spell Young and while he’ll push Cooper, I don’t see him unseating him, Cooper just finished that strong in the 2018 campaign. However, Larry Johnson won’t hesitate to put in the best guys and give young stars like Harrison and Smith chances to spell Young and Cooper. While Hamilton is probably the favorite, I don’t feel like there is a wrong answer for any of the guys who could step into Jones shoes. You got Vincent, Hamilton, Garrett, and Jackson. I just penciled in Togiai because he is my favorite. At linebacker, Baron Browning unseats Pete Werner as a starter, but expect to see plenty of Werner and Hilliard in relief. I’m sad to see Keandre Jones go but it will be fun to see the group progress under Al Washington. The defensive backs are pretty cut and dry but expect to see plenty of rising and special teams star Sevyn Banks. No questions about our amazing safeties and special teams is set too but watch out for Jaelen Gill if a spark is needed in the return game. This is a very talented roster with lots to love and look forward to.

And how about this new coaching staff.

Ryan Day: Head Coach

Offense:

Mike Yurcich: Quarterbacks Coach and Passing Game Coordinator

Tony Alford: Running Backs Coach and Assistant Head Coach for Offense

Brian Hartline: Wide Receivers Coach

Kevin Wilson: Tight Ends Coach and Offensive Coordinator

Greg Studrawa: Offensive Line Coach

Defense:

Larry Johnson: Defensive Line Coach and Associate Head Coach

Jeff Hafley: Co-Defensive Coordinator and Secondary Coach

Greg Mattison: Co-Defensive Coordinator

Al Washington: Linebackers Coach

Matt Barnes: Special Teams Coordinator and Assistant Secondary Coach

            The staff is a lot like the players, plenty of old dogs who know how it’s done, leading a bunch of hungry young dogs who are howling for success. I liked who Ryan Day kept, and I’m optimistic about who he brought in, even if they are all very unproven. So was Day himself when he came to Ohio. The coaches and Ryan Day are another topic for another time. One thing about all of this is for sure, it’s a great and exciting time to be an Ohio State Buckeye!

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