Tywone Malone
COLUMBUS — Ohio State football defensive line coach Larry Johnson once made the same dual-sport pitch to Tywone Malone as assistants from across the country.
Malone, at the time one of the nation’s defensive tackle prospects, set his heart on also playing baseball. He met with then-Buckeyes baseball coach Greg Beals. Johnson worked on a plan by which Malone could try a rare two-sport career.
Malone chose the warm weather and brighter baseball prospects of the Southeastern Conference and Ole Miss. Two years in, after sparse time on the diamond and potential gridiron regression, he entered the transfer portal.
This time around, Malone delivered a different pitch. He wanted to fully commit to football. So Johnson pursued him again, as a boost to the defensive line’s depth and potentially something greater.
“I think we see a different athlete,” said Johnson, who spoke to the media Tuesday for the first time since Malone’s commitment. “He didn’t do spring ball his first year there. He played baseball. So that had a lot to do with his development and where he’s at right now.
“Certainly, he’s got great upside.”
Johnson kept using the word “depth” to describe the benefit of adding Malone. Ohio State came out of the spring with some concern not about interior defensive line talent, but about sheer numbers. Of the eight scholarship tackles, four were redshirt or true freshmen.
Yet Johnson also clearly envisions the potential for much more from Malone. Some of that optimism stems from the fact that the former top-100 prospect out of New Jersey’s Bergen Catholic is fully committing to football for the first time.
Malone collected 10 tackles, one sack and two pass deflections in 97 reserve snaps last season. He played in a couple of different schemes at Ole Miss and often lined up as a five technique — essentially a defensive end in a 3-4 front.
For the Buckeyes he will play three technique, where Johnson believes his pass rush abilities can thrive along with Mike Hall Jr. and Tyleik Williams.
Other Ohio State players, even defensive linemen, have flirted with the idea of playing multiple sports. Two years ago, J.T. Tuimoloau was widely considered a Power 5 basketball prospect in addition to his edge rushing abilities.
Johnson said a winter sport is much tougher to pull off for football players. One season leads directly into the other — especially considering how late the Buckeyes expect to play into January. The physical wear and tear alone could be an issue.
Malone gave baseball a shot at Ole Miss, with 22 plate appearances over 13 games. Three of his five hits went for home runs.
Johnson, though, said conversations with Malone and his family told him him the player enrolling at Ohio State is all in on what he can be in the middle of a defensive line, not the middle of a batting order. The hours they spent together on Malone’s transfer official visit convinced Johnson he was sincere about his new direction.
“At the end of the day when we finished, I kind of liked what he said — the way he wants to do it and the new start for him,” Johnson said. “He said it himself: ‘A fresh start.’”
Even if Malone and Johnson are not starting from scratch.
