The biggest loss to the OSU Buckeyes this year came on the Defensive Line when, to the relief of so many, that freakish monster of so may QB’s nightmares, Vernon Gholston, left early for the pro ranks.  We lost a great one there, but he was not supposed to be the best Defensive Lineman last year.  But more about that shortly.

I always start the analysis of the Defensive Line by looking at the big guys in the middle, the Defensive Tackles.  At one DT, we have Todd Denlinger, a 6’2 295 lb Junior who started at the position last year.  He is backed up by Dexter Larimore, a 6’3 312 lb. Sophomore who played quite a bit last year in important games in important situations.  Denlinger and Larimore have consistently improved over the last two seasons, and if they continue this route, they are going to be formidable this year.

The other DT position is questionable in that last year’s starter Doug Worthington, a 6’7 276 lb. Junior was stopped for driving while intoxicated in July 2008.  Coach Tressel’s usual penalty for a conviction for that offense is a two game suspension.  But Worthington plead not guilty, and Tressel won’t play you or start the suspension until the court case is resolved.  This means that Worthington needs to get this situation behind him by the start of the season.  We can afford to lose him for the YSU and Ohio U. games, but we are going to need him against USC, the third game. 

HIs legal problems aside, Worthington does not have the prototypical DT body.  He is very tall and a bit light for the position.  While this is an asset on passing downs when he can get his hands up and knock down balls at the line, as a run stopper he is not at his best. 

He is backed up by Nader Abdallah, a 6’4 300 lb. Senior who, while not a starter last year, got significant playing time and experience.  Abdallah has come in to camp heavy the past few years, but not this year.  He is much more at home stopping the run due to his size and power.  This explains a lot of the time that Abdallah got last year, and if he can improve his pass rush technique such that he his getting decent pressure up the middle sufficient to alter the opposing QB’s or RB’s plans, he may just take Worthington’s spot.  Defensive Coordinator Jim Heacock has said that Abdallah is much improved this year.

At Defensive End, we have Lawrence Wilson, a 6’4 263 lb. Redshirt Jr.  Wilson was described coming out of high school as unblockable.  He has that rare combination of size, speed, and power that allows him to get past blockers, even when double teamed, and disrupt what the offense is trying to do.  So why did he only have one sack last year?   That would be because he only played one half of the first game before he broke his leg.  But the leg is back 100 percent now, and he is looking to pick up where he left off.  He has also lost just over 10 pounds from his playing weight at the start of last year.  He reports that he feels lighter and faster and that this has improved his ability to play without getting tired.  Had we Gholston and Wilson coming at QBs and RBs from both Ends, there would have been a great wailing, keening, and gnashing of teeth throughout the land.  But one Lawrence Wilson is enough.  In fact, to have two would not be fair.

Wilson is backed up by Thaddeus Gibson, a 255 6’2 240 sophomore.  That’s light for a DE.  Gibson played linebacker last year, but OSU is so loaded at that position that there just wasn’t enough playing time for him there.  So he has moved to DE and will look this fall to add about ten to fifteen pounds of muscle to his frame.  If he can do that and maintain his speed off the corner, he may do very well indeed.

At the other DE position, we have Cameron Heyward, a 6-6, 287 lb. Sophomore.  You may recognize the name.  His father was Craig “Ironhead” Heyward, RB for the New Orleans Saints for many years.  Heyward was pressed into service last year because of the injury to Lawrence Wilson.  He shared a great deal of time as a true freshman with Robert Rose.  His youth showed through in the LSU game wherein he committed a personal foul after losing his composure.  But as a sophomore, he will have learned how to deal with people trying to get under his skin and to let his play be his answer rather than a forearm after the whistle.  He will also be year bigger, stronger, faster, and smarter as a player.  You give a guy like that a few good techniques to go along with his obvious phyiscal tools and it isn’t looking good for opposing offenses.

I would say that normally Heyward would be backed up by Robert Rose, but the summer media guide has that two deep position listed as belonging to Tom Ingram, a 6-1, 243 lb, Junior without much playing time.  Rose underwent two shoulder surgeries, but is said to be back at full strength now.  If he truly is fit, he will see a great deal of playing time this year.  It is anticipated that Rose, now 300 lbs will also rotate in among the DTs, and may start out at DE on a play, but them move inside to try to get a mismatch.

The player of the future is Garett Goebel, a true freshman and a high school state champion wrestler.  He is turning heads in practice with his speed and intensity.  Nader Abdallah has some good things to say about him, especially his technique.  As a Defensive Lineman, you want to play as low to the ground as you can.  That’s exhausting, but that is where the power advantages are.  If someone on a Jim Tressel team says of a lineman that he is playing low, that is a compliment of the highest form.  Goebel plays low.

So there is your defensive line this year.  It is the most important part of the defense.  They usually don’t get much press.  But if you hear about a school that has a great linebacking corps, it’s usually because what they really have is a great defensive line.  If I had to rank them last year, I would give them a 7 out of 10 due to their inexperience and lack of depth.  But this year, I am looking for at least an 8 out of them.  If Wilson is as promised and Heyward continues to improve, and if we can avoid injuries this year, 9 is within their grasp.

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