Spring Recap: Buckeye Linebackers Got Younger, Deeper

With spring football now in the rearview mirror for Ohio State, it’s time to look back at what happened with each position group and where things currently stand for the Buckeyes. We continue our series with the linebackers.

Quick Position Overview

New defensive coordinator Matt Patricia will have a say in how many linebackers play at a time this season, but the Buckeyes return one of the top duos in the conference in senior Sonny Styles and junior Arvell Reese. Behind them are five very young, but very talented players.

Expectations Going In

The expectation going into spring practice was that Sonny Styles would spend more time on the sideline than on the practice field. Arvell Reese, on the other hand, would need more snaps because he’s going to be a first-time starter. Sophomore Payton Pierce was expected to be among the young standouts. True freshmen Riley Pettijohn, TJ Alford, and Eli Lee were all going to have their ups and downs in the first spring camp.

Reality Coming Out

The reality coming out was the Arvell Reese was one of the raves of camp at middle linebacker. Linebackers coach James Laurinaitis and Matt Patricia spoke about his potential and how his size and length could lead to some different ways to use him. Sonny Styles still got some work so that Patricia could get an up-close look at everybody and get a better idea of what they can and cannot do. Payton Pierce lived up to expectations and the true freshmen didn’t look overwhelmed.

Any Surprises?

Payton Pierce wasn’t a surprise to his coaches and teammates, but the way they talked about him may have been. James Laurinaitis called him a natural. Last year’s starting middle linebacker Cody Simon has been effusive in his praise for Pierce, and Pierce didn’t make Simon look like a liar this spring. Pierce was always around the ball — even in the passing game. He looked comfortable all camp long and is presumably the true backup at both linebacker spots.

Unanswered Question

What will Matt Patricia’s input be regarding the position and its usage? The Buckeyes are going to stick with a base defense featuring two starting linebackers, but will Patricia want different players doing different things? He has always excelled at finding effective roles for players and there’s no reason to expect that to stop now with a much larger roster than he’s ever had before.

So Now What?

Garrett Stover was unable to fully participate due to injury, which was unfortunate because he’s now a bigger player and capable of being a more physical presence. He didn’t get to show that in the spring — not that there’s a ton of hitting, but there was some. Stover could have used this spring to not only improve his game, but also avoid losing ground to a talented freshmen class.

One Concern

Arvell Reese has never been a starting middle linebacker before, so there is still some mystery to what it will look like this season. Yes, he played a bunch last year — and in key moments, but he always had Sonny Styles or Cody Simon by his side to help him through. There is no reason he shouldn’t be stellar, but until he shows it consistently from start to finish, there has to be some concern. This is his defense now. That’s a lot to put on somebody’s shoulders.

Are We Sure?

Are we sure that one or two or three of these freshmen aren’t going to be immediate contributors on special teams? That’s usually the first stop for most first-year players. The more they show on special teams, the more playing time they’ll earn on defense.

Quotable

“Payton’s awesome. Tough. Just like an absolute natural. Absolute natural. His feel in the box and his ability to maneuver and feel blocking schemes. He’s got that wrestling background, so his striking ability and the way he snags and then runs his feet on contact, it’s just a throwback, man. I love Payton. I expect Payton to have a lot of playing time.” — James Laurinaitis on Payton Pierce.