With an older brother who finished his Ohio State career as one of the best defensive players in school history, the expectations for Nick Bosa, from Day 1, were sky high. Fair or unfair, the Nick-to-Joey Bosa comparisons were always going to be there.
Neither Nick nor Buckeyes defensive line coach Larry Johnson see it that way, however.
“That is a comparison from the outside,” Johnson said at the conclusion of spring practice. “From the inside, he does not walk on the field like, ‘I have to go do this because Joey did it.’ I am telling you he does not think that way. He wants to be the best. He wants to be Nick Bosa so bad.”
“I think that he knows his big brother is watching. They are really close. But I think that at the end of the day, if he can notch himself, he can say, ‘This is me, this is who I am, this is my legacy.’ I think that is what he wants.”
And after a spectacular true freshman season, Nick Bosa is well on his way to accomplishing just that.
“If he can improve his game as a sophomore, that’s all you can ask. I don’t think he is looking to compare himself to Joey, what Joey did his sophomore year. He just wants to be a great player and whatever it takes to do it, he is all ears. That is what I like about him.”– Ohio State DL Coach Larry Johnson on Nick Bosa
Nick Bosa’s five sacks in 2016 trailed only Tyquan Lewis among Ohio State defenders. He recorded 29 total tackles — seven of which were for a loss. By comparison, Joey Bosa registered 7.5 sacks as a true freshman in 2013 and had 13.5 tackles for loss. Joey became a starter that season; Nick spent plenty of time rotating with Lewis, Sam Hubbard and Jalyn Holmes.
And with his first spring in the books, Nick Bosa expects an even bigger sophomore season.
“I feel like I’ve gotten much better this spring,” he said. “I think our team has gotten better. … Think we’re just coming together as a team really well.”
We’ve discussed at length the potential of the Buckeyes’ defensive line for the 2017 season. With four defensive ends who feel they can play anywhere in the country alongside a solid rotation of interior players, it’d be disappointing if Ohio State has anything less than one of the best defensive lines in the country.
Bosa will certainly play a large role in that. And he’ll do so from the get-go this time around.
The Buckeyes eased him into his freshman year as a torn ACL caused Bosa to miss part of his senior high school season. He played in all 13 games for Ohio State last year but it was clear the staff monitored his reps in the early going. By season’s end, however, Bosa rotated in just as much as the other three ends.
He’s full-go now and is developing quite rapidly.
“The reins are off,” Johnson said. “We are going to let him go.”
Joey Bosa exploded as a sophomore at Ohio State. Because the two are always compared, many expect Nick Bosa to do the same.
That’s not necessarily what Bosa nor Johnson hope to accomplish, though. It's all about steady improvement.
“I just want to get better at everything,” Nick Bosa said. “There is not one thing that I feel like I’m weak at so I feel like I need to up everything I do and I think I have so far a lot.”
Added Johnson: “If he can improve his game as a sophomore, that’s all you can ask. I don’t think he is looking to compare himself to Joey, what Joey did his sophomore year. He just wants to be a great player and whatever it takes to do it, he is all ears. That is what I like about him.”
