Ohio State Buckeyes: New face emerges to potentially boost defense

The sophomore linebacker was spotted playing safety Monday during a part of practice that was open to some reporters, and head coach Ryan Day confirmed afterward he could be a big part of future plans.

“Craig has had a really good spring so far,” Day said. “He is finding a role he is more comfortable with.”

Young is listed at 223 pounds, a weight he carries efficiently on his 6-foot-3 frame.

Wearing No. 15, he could have passed for a full-time defensive back (or even former standout running back Ezekiel Elliott), but Young has been considered a linebacker — or perhaps even a future defensive end — since signing with Ohio State as a three-star “athlete” prospect out of Fort Wayne, Ind., in the class of 2019.

Seeing him drop not just into short zones a linebacker typically must be able to handle but the deep third of the field — the last line of defense generally reserved for safeties or backside cornerbacks — brought back memories of the way Ohio State used Pete Werner in 2019.

Werner — who went 6-3, 242 and coincidentally is also from Indiana — had already started at linebacker for a season before trying that new role, so his versatility came as a bit of a surprise.

With Young, the slate is clean and the possibilities seem endless.

“He has an ability to come into the box but then also line up at safety,” Day said. “He can do multiple things there. That is exciting for us. He can cover, play in the box, be physical and he can blitz.”

Last year, Werner shifted inside and the outside linebacker role he played went to Baron Browning.

That might have fit each of their strengths better, but it also limited the defensive scheme to a certain extent because Browning was more comfortable rushing the passer than defending the pass.

Third-year linebackers coach Al Washington said whoever fills that role will need to be used to the best of his ability.

“Pete was a guy that had some coverage skill and was able to really impact the defense in that way, then you got Baron, who was really dynamic rusher this past year, so that position is whatever skill set that guy has play to that,” Washington said earlier this spring. “So that’s one that we kind of mold around the player, so as things go into spring we’ll have a better idea of that.”

Day identified not just Young but also Ronnie Hickman, Kourt Williams and Ryan Batsch as players who have similar versatility.

Hickman and Williams were recruited as defensive backs while Batsch is a walk-on from Loveland who played football, volleyball and basketball at Loveland High School near Cincinnati.

The options at the position indicate a greater emphasis in versatility for the defense after it allowed 5.85 yards per play and 25.8 points per game, both school records, and predictability was among the issues opponents exploited.

“We can line up in nickel or we can line up in base,” Day said. “We will continue to look at that and figure out what gives us the best chance based on what the offense is giving us.”

That means being able to defend teams that like to operate with one tight end and three receivers on the field or two tight ends and two receivers.

“We will try and put the best guys on the field who can do the most,” Day said. “We want to have flexibility there and be able to adjust to what we’re seeing.”

Melton Out

On the downside, another young linebacker has suffered a setback.

Day said Monday redshirt freshman Mitchell Melton is out with what he termed as a “long-term” leg injury.

Melton graduated from Good Counsel High School in Silver Spring, Md., but he has local roots.

His father, Jeff, is a Cedarville High School graduate.