Jim Knowles sat down with the Columbus Dispatch recently, and the Ohio Sate football defensive coordinator heaped praise on his side of the ball, suggesting there is no ceiling.
He has high expectations for his side of the ball as the former Cornell defensive end enters his third season with the Buckeyes.
“There’s no limits to how good we can be. We can do anything. Last year in Year 2, we moved into what I would say would be considered a top-five defense,” Knowles said via Columbus Dispatch’s Bill Rabinowitz. “Not in all categories, but in a significant number of categories. That’s what we say means to be a Silver Bullet defense, to be a top-five defense. Ultimately, you’d like to be top five in every single category. That’s not impossible. It’s really not.”
Building on last season won’t be easy. The Buckeyes allowed 145.9 passing yards per game, the fewest in the nation. They also allowed just a 52.7% completion rate.
Ohio State defense chasing 'perfection' and more observations from football training camp day 2 https://t.co/hQ7gEN1pfy
— Columbus Dispatch (@DispatchAlerts) August 2, 2024
With many starters back and numerous players getting more experience, Knowles is right, and the ceiling might not have a roof. That said, while it sounds impossible, top five in every category might be doable for this unit.