Tag: Jim Knowles

Brian Hartline and Jim Knowles provide Ohio State spring football updates

A little of what both coordinators said after spring practice on Tuesday for Ohio State. #GoBucks

The sixth of fifteen spring practices for the Ohio State football team is now complete as we work towards the annual LiFEsports Spring Game on April 15.

Throughout some of the practices and observations, some of the coaches and players have been made available to answer questions from the local media in Columbus. After the latest practice, assistant coaches Brian Hartline and Jim Knowles were on hand to provide some updates and field some inquiries from reporters.

Ohio State has been a little more tight-lipped this time around during the spring, so it’s always nice to hear directly from some of the coaches when we get the chance after observing a little bit of the action on the field in the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.

Here’s some of what offensive coordinator, Brian Hartline, and defensive coordinator, Jim Knowles, had to say after spring practice on Tuesday.

FIRST … Offensive Coordinator Brian Hartline

This clip from Ohio State’s spring practice gives hope for defensive back improvement

This group has to be better this fall, doesn’t it? #GoBucks

This past season the Ohio State cornerbacks did not fare well at all. The group totaled no interceptions and had plenty of costly penalties called on them as they rarely looked for the ball while it was in the air.

It seems like Buckeye defensive coordinator [autotag]Jim Knowles[/autotag] and secondary coach [autotag]Tim Walton[/autotag] are trying to fix that. In this clip shared on Twitter by Dan Hope, it looks like the group is making a much more concerted effort to look for the ball while it’s in the air.

The Ohio State secondary will have plenty of different names roaming the backend of the defense, some new (Davison Igbinosun and Ja’Had Carter) and some old ([autotag]Sonny Styles[/autotag] and [autotag]Denzel Burke[/autotag]). The hope is that this mix of new and old in the 2023 season will have much better results.

If Ohio State can figure things out on the back end of the defense and limit some of those big plays we saw the last couple of years, there could be a lot of memorable moments playing for some pretty special things this coming season.

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Report: Ohio State hosting 5-star Georgia safety in June

Great news for the star safety and the Buckeyes #GoBucks

In [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] defensive coordinator [autotag]Jim Knowles[/autotag] scheme, safeties are a very important piece of the puzzle. That group for the Buckeyes played well overall, but had hiccups, especially in the final two games.

The best way to fix this issue is through recruiting and Georgia safety KJ Bolden is at the top of the list for the 2024 cycle. There is an easy connection for Bolden and the Buckeyes, his uncle, [autotag]Perry Eliano[/autotag], is Ohio State’s safeties coach.

That relationship has put the Buckeyes in high consideration. According to the report by 247Sports Blair Angulo, Bolden has scheduled an official visit to Columbus for the weekend of June 16.

Bolden is also considering Alabama, Georgia, USC and Oregon, and could visit those schools as well. Angulo also notes the star safety is looking to make his decision later in the summer. He is the No. 4 overall player and top safety in the country according to the 247Sports composite.

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Ohio State trending to add SEC defensive back in transfer portal

This would be a huge transfer portal win for the Buckeyes #GoBucks

As we outlined in our recruiting weekend recap, former Ole Miss cornerback [autotag]Davison Igbinosun[/autotag] visited Ohio State this past weekend. What we didn’t know was where the freshman All-American was leaning after his visits.

There was some very good news on that today. 247Sports transfer portal specialist Chris Hummer put in a crystal ball for Igbinosun to end up at Ohio State.

This is huge news for [autotag]Ryan Day[/autotag] and defensive coordinator [autotag]Jim Knowles[/autotag] for multiple reasons. First, the cornerback depth is lacking. There are just six scholarship players at the position, including the incoming freshman.

Experience is also needed. Even though he was just a true freshman, Igbinosun made a big impact this past season, registering 36 tackles with 5 passes broken up. He’s a longer cornerback, too. At 6 feet, 2 inches and 185 pounds, he’d be the biggest on the roster.

If the crystal ball turns out to be accurate, Igbinosun would fill a big need for the Buckeyes and would be a start toward quieting the chatter that this staff can’t recruit transfers.

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WATCH: Five-star Georgia safety spotted wearing Ohio State gear

The gear looks good on him #GoBucks

Although it may seem like a small gesture, when a recruit wears a team’s gear, in this case for [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag], you can definitely read into the situation.

This has gone both ways for the Buckeyes recently. We saw former commit [autotag]Kayin Lee[/autotag] wearing Auburn attire during his state championship game only to see him flip to the Tigers during the early signing period. Not what Ohio State wanted to see.

What the Buckeyes should be happy seeing is Georgia five-star safety [autotag]KJ Bolden[/autotag] and his choice of gloves. It’s not easy to see that he’s wearing the Buckeye version, but we will take On3’s Sam Spiegelman’s word as he was up-close and personal with the star defender.

This is a good sign for [autotag]Ryan Day[/autotag] and defensive coordinator [autotag]Jim Knowles[/autotag]. The safeties in a Knowles defense are the focal point and if the Buckeyes are able to sign Bolden, it would be a massive win.

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What to expect from Ohio State’s newest transfer, safety Ja’Had Carter

The Buckeyes picked up a good one from the portal #GoBucks

The Ohio State football programed gained its first big win of the 2022-23 transfer cycle when it received a commitment from former [autotag]Syracuse[/autotag] safety, [autotag]Ja’Had Carter[/autotag]. The rising fourth-year player has two years of eligibility remaining. He has been terrific for the Orange, making the freshman All-American teams in his first year, followed by a solid sophomore year and a better junior year.

Carter was a menace with takeaways this season, grabbing three interceptions to go along with a fumble recovery that he took to the house. He played his best football in a three-game stretch against [autotag]Pittsburgh[/autotag], Notre Dame, and Clemson. Carter had 20 tackles, 3 picks, and a fumble recovery during that run.

It wasn’t easy finding highlights for Carter, but from what I did find, Buckeye nation should be pretty excited about the potential of the 6-foot-2-inch, 198-pound transfer.

Carter is always around the ball, even if he’s not making plays. His instincts are great, which is why he picked off multiple passes this fall. Carter has the speed to make up ground and that translates when he comes up to play the run.

The versatility that Carter has is just so impressive. One play he can read the run and come up to make the stop. The next, as the single-high safety, make the right read, keep his proper depth and come away with a pick.

There is a reason Carter was viewed as the best safety in the transfer portal this cycle. [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] head coach [autotag]Ryan Day[/autotag] knew that he was losing at least one of his starting safeties in [autotag]Ronnie Hickman[/autotag] and found a replacement that should be plug-and-play for [autotag]Jim Knowles'[/autotag] defense next fall.

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The day after: Thoughts on Ohio State’s crushing loss to Georgia

So many thoughts but these stuck out in my mind the most. How about yours Buckeye fans? #GoBucks

If you were like me, it was hard to sleep Saturday night.

For more than three quarters of the [autotag]Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl[/autotag], it looked like [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] would face [autotag]TCU[/autotag] with a national championship on the line. Georgia had different plans. It mounted a massive comeback during the fourth quarter and sent the Buckeyes back to Columbus with a disappointing loss.

Since the game ended, many thoughts have passed through my head, some good, some bad and a great many pondering what the future for [autotag]Ryan Day[/autotag] and his program will look like. Here are my thoughts the day after Ohio State’s 42-41 loss to Georgia in the College Football Playoff semifinal. (Also, happy New Year’s everyone, even if it wasn’t what many of us wanted).

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Keys for Ohio State to defeat Georgia in the Peach Bowl

What are your keys for the Buckeyes? #GoBucks

The Buckeyes are underdogs and aren’t projected by many to have a chance against Georgia, last year’s [autotag]College Football Playoff[/autotag] champion.

To say the Bulldogs are unbeatable, however, is false, even though they have not yet lost this season. They bring a 15-game winning streak and a 27-1 record over the last two seasons into this game.

It is not an easy task for [autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] and [autotag]Ryan Day[/autotag], but that is why they play the game. For the Buckeyes to come away with a win and play for a national championship, they are going to have to play one of their most complete games of the year. There will be plenty of keys to getting a victory against Georgia and here are a few that stick out.

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Ohio State offers fast-rising 2024 Maryland safety

The Buckeyes put their hat into the ring #GoBucks

The Buckeyes have a need in the secondary and those aren’t just filled with one recruiting class but many. Head coach [autotag]Ryan Day[/autotag] knows that and with the new scheme that [autotag]Jim Knowles[/autotag] brought in, there were bound to be a few players that didn’t fit what the new Ohio State defensive coordinator wanted to do.

It looks like Knowles has found an East coast prospect that fits what he is looking to accomplish in the secondary, Maryland’s [autotag]Edrees Farooq[/autotag]. The Buckeyes offered a scholarship to the 2024 safety joining other schools like [autotag]USC[/autotag], [autotag]Michigan[/autotag], [autotag]Tennessee[/autotag], [autotag]Penn State[/autotag], [autotag]Ole Miss[/autotag] and others.

The safety stands six-feet tall and weighs 185-pounds. Even though Farooq isn’t rated very high, his list of offers shows you the quality of recruit he is and should be rated higher when outlets re-evaluate his class.

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Oklahoma’s Jeff Lebby among highest paid assistants in college football

Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby is among highest paid coordinators from 2022.

For the most part, the Oklahoma Sooners offense had a really good season. Jeff Lebby’s first season as offensive coordinator wasn’t perfect, but the offense was productive, had moments of explosiveness, and produced a 1,000-yard wide receiver, Marvin Mims, and a 1,000-yard rusher, Eric Gray.

The Sooners ranked 35th in the country in points per game, 32.9. Take away the 49-0 shutout, and the Sooners averaged 35.89 points per game, which would have moved them into the top 20 in the nation.

The Sooners were 18th in yards per game, ninth in plays per game and 24th in first downs per game.

Sure, there were moments the offense didn’t rise to the occasion. Specifically, third and fourth down were a struggle for the Sooners. Oklahoma converted on third down just 39.9% of the time and was worse on fourth down.

Heading into the offseason, the Sooners have to figure out their money-down offense. Their inability to convert on third and fourth down crushed this team, especially late in the season.

Because the offense had a lot of good moments, the Sooners could have won a few more games had the defense held up its end. Perhaps the biggest issue was not having a reasonable plan at quarterback when Dillon Gabriel went down.

Lebby didn’t trust Davis Beville to throw the ball and didn’t give him the chance in the second half of the TCU game or much in the Texas game. When it was clear Beville wasn’t the answer, they could have given Nick Evers some snaps to see if his athleticism could have provided a spark. Instead, Evers didn’t come in the game until the final few minutes and ran one series.

The Sooners have to find a better option at backup quarterback this offseason unless they believe that Jackson Arnold is the answer should something happen to Dillon Gabriel.

Lebby was among the highest-paid coordinators from the 2022 season, according to USA TODAY Sports. Here are the top 10.