Jim Knowles wants Ohio State’s defense to “create indecision for the offense,” and the Buckeyes will do that by playing aggressively and trying to make opponents react to them.
Tanner McCalister said exactly what many Ohio State fans wanted to hear when he was asked to describe Jim Knowles’ defense during his first interview session as a Buckeye last week.
Oklahoma State finished fifth in the Football Bowl Subdivision in yards allowed per game and ninth in points allowed per game in 2021. In three specific areas of emphasis, the Cowboys tied for the national lead in sacks and ranked second nationally in tackles for loss and fourth nationally in opposing third-down conversion percentage – a category in which Oklahoma State had the nation’s best percentage in 2020.
Based on what has been said about Knowles’ defensive philosophy by both Knowles himself and by McCalister – who knows Knowles’ defense well after playing for him at Oklahoma State for the last four years before following him to Ohio State – Buckeye fans should expect to see a defense that tries to create havoc and disrupt opposing game plans rather than one that sits back on its heels and reacts to what the offense does.
“For being tenacious, for overwhelming the offense, for being always in the right place,” Knowles said of what he wants his defense to be known for a year from now. “When you watch it, you can say it’s always in the right place. Not giving up anything easy, and then attacking with tackles for losses and the sacks. And third-down domination.”
“We want to be able to create indecision for the offense, and particularly for the offensive coordinator. I think in college, offensive coordinators even have more hand on things that happen than in the NFL, so we want to be able to create multiple defenses out of simple looks and to be creative in a way that the players can understand,” Knowles said.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Call Records Reportedly Show Rep. Jim Jordan Spoke To Trump Before Jan. 6 Riot—Despite Earlier DenialLawmakers investigating the Capitol riot have received records showing Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and President Donald Trump spoke for 10 minutes on the morning of the Capitol riot, reports state.
Read more »
The Weekender: Michigan's Second Honeymoon with Jim Harbaugh is a Disaster, SEC NIL Drama, and Buckeyes in the Winter OlympicsAfter fumbling away an NFL return and weeks of anxiety in Ann Arbor, it is now clear Michigan is nothing more than a safety school to Jim Harbaugh.
Read more »
Skull Session: Michigan Football is in Trouble, Ohio State's 2021 Offense Was Unreal, and Buckeye Men's Tennis Sweeps Two Top-6 TeamsSkull Session: Trouble is brewing up at Michigan, the Buckeye offense was unrealistically good in 2021, Ohio State men's tennis had an absurdly dominant weekend, and more.
Read more »
Basketball Preview: Ohio State Matches Up With Maryland As Terrapins Try to Avoid Three-Game SkidOhio State will try to hand Maryland its third straight loss as the Buckeyes and Terps tip off at 1 p.m. at the Schottenstein Center.
Read more »
Video: Ohio State Assistant Coach Jake Diebler Previews Ohio State's Matchup with MarylandJake Diebler says it's been 'hard to get into a rhythm as a team' amid schedule disruptions, but the Buckeyes must do so nonetheless as Maryland comes to town Sunday.
Read more »