The Ohio State Buckeyes are anticipated to have an outstanding defense this season. Ryan Day has effectively recruited defensive talent over recent years, with defensive back Jordan Hancock being a notable addition.
Hancock has set ambitious goals for the upcoming 2024 college football season and holds a high opinion of his team’s overall defensive capabilities.
Individually, Hancock aims to achieve at least five interceptions this year.
“The goal is to get… at least five interceptions. I need five,” he stated.
The standout defensive back also issued a bold statement about the team’s defense, expressing confidence in their ability to make significant plays this season, especially after a lackluster performance in that regard last year.
“We’re going to make some big-time plays this year. We didn’t have too many last year. We need some more turnovers. That’s really the point of emphasis – whether that’s getting punch-outs on the ball or making interceptions.”
Clearly, Hancock is focused on his defense creating turnovers.
During the 2023 season, Hancock was a key player for the Buckeyes as a junior, recording 38 total tackles, one sack, two forced fumbles, two interceptions, a defensive touchdown, and four defended passes.
While those statistics were impressive, he is aiming for an even more significant season.
Ohio State is also expected to have a strong offense. If Will Howard meets expectations, they should score plenty of points.
If the defense performs as anticipated, it could set the stage for a potential National Championship run.
It will be intriguing to see if Hancock’s aspirations come to fruition. At the very least, he exudes confidence.
Ohio State Buckeyes Are Given Huge Chances To Make The College Football Playoffs.
Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes are preparing for the 2024 college football season, which kicks off on August 31st against Akron. Fans are eagerly anticipating the return of live Ohio State football on their screens.
The Buckeyes are also viewed as one of the leading contenders for the National Championship this year. To underscore this, FanDuel has given Ohio State the best odds to qualify for the College Football Playoff, placing them at -650. They are followed closely by the Georgia Bulldogs at -600 and the Oregon Ducks at -300.
Such odds come with high expectations, and Ohio State will need to stay focused to meet their potential. On paper, there are no significant reasons to doubt their playoff chances, but there is one key question that could affect their championship aspirations.
Will Howard is expected to be named the starting quarterback. While he is a talented player, there are concerns about whether he can perform at a level necessary for a National Championship run. He will have the opportunity to dispel those doubts on the field, but he will face a tougher challenge than he did at Kansas State.
Despite this, Day has done an excellent job of assembling a highly skilled roster, with elite talent across all positions. His recruiting abilities have been evident in recent years.
Fans should expect the Buckeyes to come out strong, eager to prove any doubters wrong. Howard will need to elevate his performance compared to his past, but he will also benefit from a more talented offense than he has ever had.
The start of the season can’t come soon enough, as speculation is growing tiresome. It’s time for actual football to begin and to see if Ohio State can secure a playoff spot and contend for a championship.
One edge rusher for Ohio State Buckeyes makes the College Football Top 50.
The Ohio State Buckeyes have two of the most talented defensive ends in college football in 2024 with J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer. Both players have received significant preseason recognition and are expected to cause major problems for opposing offenses this season.
One of these experienced edge rushers was ranked in Pro Football Focus’s Top 50 college football players for 2024. Specifically, Jack Sawyer was ranked in the 21-30 range, making him one of the top 30 players in the country heading into the season.
PFF praised Sawyer’s abilities, highlighting why he was selected so highly in their rankings. The Buckeyes are poised to have an elite pass rush with Sawyer and Tuimoloau terrorizing quarterbacks from both sides of the defensive line. Their combination of talent, production and potential makes Ohio State’s defensive end duo one of the best in the nation this year.
PFF's Top 50 Players in College Football:
Players 30-21🔥 pic.twitter.com/YpfSSIUxDZ
— PFF College (@PFF_College) August 14, 2024
Sawyer was arguably the most versatile edge defender in college football last season, being the only FBS player at his position to achieve grades above 85.0 in both pass rushing and run defense. Among returning edge defenders in the Power Five conferences, only James Pearce Jr. was deemed more valuable in 2023 based on PFF’s wins above average metric.
Last year, Sawyer had a strong performance in his first season as a regular starter. The 6’5″, 260-pound defensive end recorded 48 total tackles, 6.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles.
In his career, Sawyer leads the current roster with 14 total sacks and has accumulated 84 total tackles.
As the season approaches, Sawyer represented the Ohio State Buckeyes at Big Ten Media Day in Indianapolis and was named to the Bednarik Award watchlist on Monday. If he can dominate on the edge, he could be a strong candidate for defensive player of the year and may even be a top 15 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Ohio State will rely on him to be a leader on defense this season to achieve their ultimate goals.
Two Buckeyes from Ohio State are on the Butkus Award Watchlist.
The Ohio State Buckeyes are poised to have one of the best defensive lines and secondaries in the country this season. However, the linebacker unit is the area of the defense with the most questions heading into 2024.
Cody Simon is the most experienced linebacker on the roster. Meanwhile, Sonny Styles, who is transitioning from safety, and C.J. Hicks are currently competing for the starting Will linebacker position.
Two of these three linebackers, C.J. Hicks and Sonny Styles, were named to the preseason Butkus Award watchlist on Tuesday. The Butkus Award is presented annually to the nation’s top college football linebacker.
While the defensive line and secondary are expected to be elite, the linebacker corps will need to step up for Ohio State to field a truly dominant defense in 2024. The Butkus Award recognition for Hicks and Styles highlights their individual talent, but they will need to translate that into strong on-field performance to solidify the middle level of the Buckeyes’ defense.
Hicks is currently listed at 6’3″ and 233 pounds, aiming to excel in his junior season. Although he has had limited defensive playing time in previous years, he has contributed significantly on kick coverage. The former five-star recruit and top linebacker in the 2022 class has recorded 14 total tackles during his career at Ohio State. Recently, he has received recognition for his impressive blitzing skills showcased in fall camp.
Styles, on the other hand, stands at 6’4″ and weighs 235 pounds, which is notable for someone transitioning from safety. In 2023, while playing in the secondary, Styles accumulated 53 total tackles and two sacks. The junior from Pickerington is eager to make a significant impact in the linebacker position this season. His athleticism is expected to be a valuable asset for the defense once again.
Cody Simon, the experienced middle linebacker for Ohio State, was surprisingly omitted from the Butkus Award preseason watchlist. However, the Buckeyes still received deserved recognition with C.J. Hicks and Sonny Styles being named as candidates for the award, which honors the nation’s top college football linebacker each year.
The Butkus Award watchlist was the final major preseason college football award list to be announced before the start of the 2024 season.
While Simon’s exclusion from the list is unexpected given his leadership and talent, the inclusion of Hicks and Styles highlights the depth and potential of Ohio State’s linebacker corps, despite being a relatively new-look unit.
Former Ohio State Buckeyes player anticipated to be taken into custody.
Michael Hall Jr. was an important contributor to the Ohio State defense in recent seasons. The defensive tackle played a key role on the Buckeyes’ defensive line, making significant impacts in both the run game and pass rush.
Over his three-year career at Ohio State, Hall played in 28 games, starting 11. He totaled 45 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 6 sacks. His best season came in 2022 when he recorded 19 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks despite playing through some injuries.
Hall was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the 2nd round (54th overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he will look to earn playing time on the Browns’ defensive line and continue his strong play at the professional level.
The 6’2″, 290 lb defensive tackle possesses an impressive combination of size, strength, and quickness off the ball. His ability to penetrate gaps and disrupt the backfield will be valuable assets for the Browns.
While Hall has already achieved success at the college level, he now faces the challenge of transitioning to the NFL. Earning a starting role or significant rotational snaps as a rookie will require him to quickly adapt to the speed and physicality of the pro game.
However, Hall’s track record of production and potential suggests he has the tools to develop into an impact player for the Browns. Cleveland will look for him to build on his strong college career and help solidify their defensive front in the coming years.
Source: Browns rookie DT Michael Hall is expected to be arrested following a domestic dispute Monday night.
— Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson) August 13, 2024
The absence of Cody Simon from the watchlist comes as a surprise, but the Buckeyes are still receiving well-deserved recognition in a talented yet revamped linebacker group.
The Butkus Award watchlist was the last of the major preseason college football lists to be released ahead of the 2024 season.
Leave a Reply