Don't expect Raekwon McMillan to advertise the fact he knows exactly how many tackles he or another Ohio State player would need to top former linebacker and current Pittsburgh Steeler Ryan Shazier's career-best mark. McMillan knows that isn't the most stops a Buckeye defender has ever had in one game, but Shazier's performance sticks out, as he often did as a star linebacker.
“He had 21, right?” McMillan said on Monday. “I’d rather have two tackles and them not score a touchdown. I’m that type of guy, man. I’m not really worried about breaking records or anything like that. As long as we’re up on the scoreboard and they have less points than us I’ll be OK.”
Shazier actually recorded 20 tackles in Ohio State's 42-14 victory against Indiana at Ohio Stadium in November 2013. It marked the first time a Buckeye hit the 20-tackle plateau in 10 years and put Shazier in rare air with names like A.J. Hawk, Chris Spielman, Randy Gradishar, Tom Cousineau and others. Spielman's 29 tackles against Michigan in 1986 is tied with Cousineau for the program's all-time single-game record. Cousineau had 29 stops against Penn State in 1978.
“My freshman year, when our offense got a turnover, I used to go out there stressing like, ‘Oh, man, we’re about to give up a touchdown. But this year, every time I go out there I feel like it’s another opportunity for us to show why we’re the best defense in the nation.”– Raekwon McMillan
Still, the point is clear: McMillan knows the great tradition of Ohio State linebackers. And even though his tackles per game number is down slightly from a year ago, the former five-star prospect is as important as anyone to what the Buckeyes do defensively.
“He’s the heart and soul of our defense,” co-defensive coordinator Greg Schiano said. “He makes all the checks. I think he’s playing really well too–just a critical part of what we do.”
Through five games this season, McMillan has 33 total tackles or 6.6 per game. He averaged 9.1 stops per outing in 2015 when his 119 total tackles in 13 games turned him into a Butkus Award finalist.
McMillan took more of a leadership role this season than in 2015, the lone returning starter at his position and one of three guys back in the lineup from a unit that had six players drafted and another (Tyvis Powell) make an NFL roster. Urban Meyer named him, Pat Elflein and J.T. Barrett team captains way back in January.
McMillan heads a defense ranked fourth in the nation in total defense and leads the Buckeyes with 33 tackles through five games, 21 fewer than he had at the same point a year ago. If there is a play to be made, he usually makes it—or as Schiano said, gets his teammates in position to do the same.
“For us, Raekwon, he sets the front and basically calls out where everything is going, how things are operated, how things are dictated. He's the heart of the defense,” defensive end Tyquan Lewis said. “He's the ideal MIKE linebacker.”
The Buckeyes are the only team in the country to not allow a rushing touchdown so far in the 2016 season. Through five games, McMillan and the defense have two goal-line stands, as much a nod to coaching and McMillan's leadership presence as the rise of a budding star in Jerome Baker and excellent development by the defensive line. The first stand came against Tulsa, while the most recent one happened last Saturday against Indiana.
Ashon Riggins returned an interception to the Ohio State 13-yard line, where McMillan and the defense had to stand tall and preserve a two-touchdown advantage with the clock dipping below the 11-minute mark in the fourth quarter. McMillan barked out signals on each of the four plays to get his guys where they needed to be and even helped Nick Bosa, Michael Hill and Co. stuff Devine Redding on the pivotal 4th down play.
“My freshman year, when our offense got a turnover, I used to go out there stressing like, ‘Oh, man, we’re about to give up a touchdown,’” McMillan said. “But this year, every time I go out there I feel like it’s another opportunity for us to show why we’re the best defense in the nation.”
Ohio State is close to that mark, at least statistically, set to face a stiff test Saturday night at Camp Randall Stadium at 8 p.m. against No. 8 Wisconsin. The Badgers aren't running the ball particularly well compared to what we're used to (161.6 yards per game, eighth in the Big Ten) but have two extremely talented running backs in Corey Clement and Dare Ogunbowale. Not to mention an offensive line that averages 6-foot-5 and 321 pounds.
“It’s fun to see teams like this. They try to out physical you, they try to dominate you at the line of scrimmage,” McMillan said. “It’s our job to not let that happen.”
Plenty will fall on the broad and more than capable shoulders of McMillan, who is approaching the midway point of likely the final season of his college career. Last season, he had multiple double-digit tackle performances—16 against Western Michigan and 14 each at Indiana and Illinois. Saturday might bring another opportunity for a big outing with Wisconsin's downhill running game on tap.
Playing alongside new starters Chris Worley, Dante Booker and Baker, McMillan is seen as the most senior player on that side of the ball despite being only a true junior because of his in-game experience and number of starts. On Tuesday's Big Ten teleconference, Meyer gave credit to McMillan, Tyquan Lewis and Gareon Conley and how they lead allows Ohio State to mask the fact it doesn't have a senior starter on defense. McMillan is the ring leader.
He still has more work to do in order to be mentioned among the greats at Ohio State like Shazier but knows full well what it takes. Fickell informs all him and his teammates every day.
“There’s a lot of things all three of us—me, Chris Worley and Jerome Baker—don’t do on the field that he wants because he wants all of us to be All-Americans and be like those guys back there on the wall as national award winners list,” McMillan said. “James Laurinaitis, A.J. Hawk and some of those guys up there. He has high expectations and we want to live up to those expectations.”
And while he doesn't always make the most splash plays that get played over and over on SportsCenter, McMillan's steady hand, intelligence and experience are what make him so vital.
“Last year, I was getting 16, 17 tackles a game because we were just giving up runs down the middle of the defense,” McMillan said. “It’s not happening this year, and teams aren’t trying it this year. As long as we’re at the top of the Big Ten and the top of the nation in run defense, not giving up any rushing touchdowns, and just playing great defense overall, winning the field position battle on special teams, letting the offense do their thing, I have no complaints.”
