aaand some applewood smoked badger...

We've got some high 4-star and 5-star guys behind them too. Banks (who returned the blocked punt for a TD and stood out in the spring game), Williamson (who I think would've got more PT if not for injuries this year), Johnson (5*), and really those guys would be next up in the rotation.

Riep moved to safety, but even there, we're solid with Fuller and White... 5* Josh Proctor is waiting in the wings and there's a good shot that Coach Hafley's tutelage will show us some improvement in the overall secondary as well. 

Wells, whatever the situation I'm sure he'll reCooperate from it, if it hasn't Meyered him. He'll Just(in) have to Field(s) other opportunities that come his way, Chase them while he's still Young, and grin and Barrett... 

I'm calling it now... OSU will have a top 5 defense next year under Mattison and lead the B1G in takeaways. 

All Gray...

RUN DMC!!! It's your time kid! GO GET IT!!!

DA is a dog. He's fiesty and and quick. People will say he's awful, but playing way they are asked to play, he's been as consistent as anyone, is a fairly sure tackler, and if I'm not mistaken, I believe he quietly lead the team in pass breakups. I think he's much better as a nickel guy, but I would definitely prefer to see Okudah and Wade as CBs 1 & 2, then let DA and Williamson/Banks get in on the dime package. Under Hafley, I feel like we'll see a swift return of the BIA.

Well that's an understandable take, but Hafley cut his teeth in college first and is a solid recruiter by all means... and fwiw, he coached up Revis and Ryan in college too and was responsible for recruiting some of Pitt's better players to their cause ala Dion Lewis and few others!

Did you take the time to read up on Hafley? Darrelle Revis, Richard Sherman, Logan Ryan - all have cosigned his preparation and ability to coach DBs. When he was the secondary coach in Cleveland with Haden, Skrine, Gipson, and Whitner, they ALL went to the Pro Bowl and Cleveland had one of the better pass defenses and overall defenses in the league that year. I'm confident that this secondary will return to their BIA status under his guidance.

I think Sheffield would've been better served as a safety before White emerged. The dude has good size and great speed, and you'd think letting him play center field with that kind of speed and range where he just has to observe his deep zone and plays the ball instead of a WR ala Malik Hooker, that he would've excelled much more in that position. 

If I recall correctly, that was the year before he came to OSU...that he had gotten a little soft around the edges and didn't maintain elite conditioning or workout habits... I'm sure that wasn't and hasn't been the case being a part of Coach Mick's dojo and with the way he's looked on Special Teams... give me Harrison, Mitchell, and Browning with some Gant and Jones sprinkled in... I'm definitely over Werner and Tuf...

I agree, and I don't think you should've been down voted. I just think it will take better effort of identifying that competitive talent within the state. I mean we complained about some of our major losses in the defensive secondary and 3 of those 1st round caliber corners were from Ohio (Conley, Lattimore, Ward) and we'd take that trio back in a heartbeat and of the 2018 defense, 5 of our starters are from Ohio and were pretty big late in the season (Harrison, White, Jones, Landers, Cooper).

I'd definitely love to have some more Darren Lee specials in the future, because it just shows that if guys who really want it get access to this level of development, then they can elevate to become something special.  

Nothing I said was hypothetical...it was a direct question; Does anyone know who the remaining targets are to fill out the defensive staff as far position coaches, but never mind that there's a discussion going on in the recruiting forum that I found just now that is answering those questions, but thanks for your non-contribution.

MODS you can shut this down if need be, thanks.

Venables seems like more of a Bud Foster type... but I LOVED the energy of Clemson's staff on the sideline...those dudes were expressive and having FUN... and I love the idea of competition pushing the team, but man when you're having fun playing the game you LOVE and you get to play loose and aggressive it makes it that much easier... especially when you're mixing up schemes, blitzing from wherever, and you've got guys up front who are just relentless...

Yea some rotation this year of Browning and Pope outside, Mitchell and Hilliard in the middle, and Harrison and Gant on the other end... we've got the horses with size and speed... I'm sure Washington will evaluate better than Davis when he sees the dogs he has to work with.

Isn't Victor from Florida though???

The same Surtain who was getting abused by Georgia and Oklahoma??? I don't know what you've been watching, but you definitely lost credibility with that assessment. 

I thought Kelly Bryant went to Mizzou?

Honestly, I think he should stay and switch to FS...Jordan Fuller is likely to go, imho with his consistency on the back end of the defense and especially in run support...but looking at Sheffield's game, he's a pretty sure tackler and has the size to help in run support and the speed to close...but his range with that kinda speed if he were allowed to roam as a center-fielder ala Malik Hooker would probably be a better fit... I couldn't imagine the D getting beat deep or even the long runs they've given up with not too many guys who would be able to outrun him.

I wonder what the rest of Ryan Day's staff will look like....and it makes me wonder if this was in the cards even prior to all the McDouchebag stuff earlier this season. With Davis, Wilson (to a lesser extent), and Schiano being "Urban's Guys"  I wonder if they'll be out as well?

Are there any position coaches anyone knows of that could replace those guys should that be the case?

The issue is all the circular reasoning that the committee tries to skate with. Honestly, it would be better at this point to go back to the BCS formula with just 4 teams. All this talk is too subjective about the "eye test" and all that trash. At some point you've got to prove it on the field that you deserve to prove you're the best. The metrics they used to separate the teams, but then placing Georgia at 5 was flat out disrespectful and ignores the growth of a younger, inconsistent, but talented team.

I hope we blow the doors off of the Huskies, but I also hope Haskins comes back one more year and next years team with another year in the dojo, time to implement more of Grinch's scheme, and an added emphasis on nastiness and finishing off blocks in the run game on the OL and 2019 OSU comes out motivate to smash everyone...

I don't know if that's necessarily fair...I mean those were big games for Iowa and Purdue...our Defenses got torched no doubt, but our Offenses didn't exactly perform either...

Wasn’t a joke in 2014 now was it? We didn’t even win our conference. 

You got your dates mixed up there bud...we won our conference in 2014. Didn't win it in 2016. Still had stronger OOC record with a win over OU at Norman...and 1 loss which many viewed as a fluke to Penn St.