New coach Jim Knowles knows how to build a defense

It seems like each college football head coach likes to put his own touch on the spring game. This year was no different. 

Ohio State coach Ryan Day chose to have his first team offense play against the first team defense. Theoretically, that means the best 22 players go at it head to head. However, the quarterbacks were rotated and obviously, always on offense. 

This arrangement made it difficult to fairly award team points appropriately to determine a winner, but no one counts points in the spring game anymore — at least not in the traditional manner.

The offense scored points in the typical fashion, but a hybrid system was created for the defense. Essentially, the defense got seven points for a touchdown, three for a takeaway or three downs and out. A sack was worth two points and a forced punt one point. 

The defense never had the opportunity to throw a pass or kick a field gold. The final score? Offense 34, Defense 26, which means the defense had to walk back to their facilities and have hot dogs while the offense rode the bus and had a steak dinner. This has been a long time tradition after the spring game, and that remained the same.

To honor the late Dwayne Haskins, a recent record setting Ohio State quarterback, who died in an accident in Florida, 6-foot-3, 218 pound sophomore quarterback J.T. Stroud wore a jersey with Dwayne Haskins’ name and number on it for the first series of downs. 

Stroud said it would give Haskins one last chance to take the field in The Shoe. As if helped from above, on the first drive of the game, Stroud threw a 29-yard TD pass to 6-0, 198-pound junior Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The team also had the initials DH on their helmets to honor Haskins.

Last year Ohio State had the best college offense in the nation. The defense was 49th. The change of defensive coaches early last year did not make much of an improvement so in January the Buckeyes hired Oklahoma States assistant coach Jim Knowles, who coached the No. 1 defense in the nation last year. 

Knowles will be paid $1.9 million (plus bonuses) per year, for four years. Only three other college assistant coaches make more and two of them are at Clemson. It took Knowles four years to reach the top at Oklahoma State. I doubt if he will be given that much time in Columbus to make some major improvements. 

The game was interesting, but it still left many unanswered questions. The defense was never allowed to touch the quarterback and the other players did not seem to be hitting very hard. No point in risking injury to the “best 22 players” on the team, I guess. 

As the game progressed, quarterbacks, receivers and running backs were rotated. Also, Knowles has only been in Columbus since January, and it takes time to make major changes to the defense and no reason to show the world what may be in store next fall. 

It was noticeable, however, that the defensive backs were more aggressive and tighter in their coverage. That was one of Knowles’ goals. He had commented that the pass rushers seemed to be a bit slow getting to the quarterback in the past and he wanted to use multiple defensive sets to confuse the quarterback so he has less time to plan his moves. With aggressive pass rushers, it could lead to more sacks and turnovers. 

Some of this could be seen in the spring game. The defensive backs were aggressive confirming Day’s comments that they have had a very good spring. Knowles has four first team senior linemen and two junior linebackers all with a ton of experience. Expect a meaner, faster, and more skillful 4-2-5 defense with the new coach’s guidance this fall.

(Harold Hamilton is a freelance photographer from Northwood)