COLUMBUS — The opinions about Ohio State’s defensive backfield have gone from worry to wonderment.
With the Buckeyes having to replace three defensive backs who made it onto NFL rosters, including a first-rounder and a second-rounder, there was great concern about that area in the preseason.
Twelve games later, it is being called one of the best defensive backfields in the country, and not just by casual observers.
“I’ve never coached a secondary as talented as this one, and I’ve been doing this for 30 years,” Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Greg Schiano said.
Cornerbacks Marshon Lattimore, Gareon Conley and Denzel Ward, along with safeties Malik Hooker and Damon Webb, have exceeded the preseason expectations. They’ve probably also exceeded all or almost all of the secondaries who played at Ohio State before them.
Conley was the only returning starter. OSU had to replace cornerback Eli Apple (first-round draft choice) and safeties Vonn Bell (second round) and Tyvis Powell (undrafted free agent).
Hooker sent notice the worries were overdone in the season opener, when he intercepted two passes against Bowling Green, including one on which he tipped the ball into the air and pulled it in as he was falling to the ground.
Ohio State’s 19 interceptions rank fourth nationally as a team, and Hooker’s six picks are tied for fifth in the country.
The Buckeyes have returned seven interceptions for touchdowns, which crushed the school record of four. Hooker has taken the ball to the end zone three times. Lattimore, who has four interceptions, Jerome Baker, Rodjay Burns and Webb also have defensive scores.
Conley, a junior, and redshirt sophomores Hooker and Lattimore are expected to be first- or second-round picks whenever they choose to enter the NFL draft.
Lattimore arrived at Ohio State in 2014 as one of the top cornerback recruits in the country. But hamstring issues had limited him until this season.
Hooker, whose first sports love was basketball, didn’t focus on football until late in his high school career and considered leaving Ohio State during his first year in Columbus.
Lattimore said he “showed people that I can play football” this season. “I was just trying to make plays for my team. That, I guess, wowed them,” he said, referring to his NFL draft projections.
Schiano has compared Hooker to former NFL star Ed Reed, who he coached while he was an assistant at Miami.
“I said that early last spring when I saw some of the things he could do in our winter conditioning and in spring practice,” he said. “When I arrived at Miami, Ed was a really young, talented player who learned how to prepare. Malik was in the same jumping off point.”
Ohio State’s defense will face one of its toughest challenges against Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl. The Tigers’ quarterback, Deshaun Watson, has thrown for 3,914 yards and 37 touchdowns and has run for 526 yards and six TDs.
Watson has thrown 15 interceptions, though, which could mean danger awaits him against OSU’s defensive backfield.
“He’s a quarterback that can throw it almost 65 yards, but he’s built like a running back,” Hooker said. “He’s just capable of doing many things at his position.”
Ohio State’s seven interceptions for touchdowns leads the country. With both teams in the Fiesta Bowl scoring more than 40 points a game, a defensive score could be important.
“We’re looking at it like good defenses create takeaways and great defenses score. That’s been our mindset throughout the season and I feel like it definitely paid off,” Hooker said.
“I feel like anytime we get a turnover everybody feels like it’s almost obligated for us to score. So everybody turns into a lineman. If somebody gets an interception or a fumble, everybody grabs a man and does the best they can to block.”
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