In each of Kerry Coombs’ final two seasons as Ohio State’s cornerbacks coach, the Buckeyes had three cornerbacks who they considered to be starters, with all three seeing regular playing time in the base defense.
New cornerbacks coach Taver Johnson would like to continue with a rotation of three cornerbacks or more this season, but he says that ultimately depends on whether the Buckeyes have that many cornerbacks who are ready to play.
"If we have three guys that can do that, yes, you would like to for sure," Johnson said while meeting with the media Wednesday. "And I think we do. I know that’s definitely helped us and benefitted us, and that’s something especially at that position, which is big, because all of the running and things that go into playing that spot. And the nickel comes out of the cornerback room as well. So to answer your question, yes I do. When? I’m not sure. We just have to make sure we get to that."
The Buckeyes have actually been rotating four cornerbacks with their first-team defense this spring, Johnson said, because of the pace with which they practice. While Kendall Sheffield and Damon Arnette have run primarily with the first-team defense, while Shaun Wade and Marcus Williamson have run primarily with the second-team defense, those cornerbacks have ended up mixing and matching – and as a result, Johnson hasn’t set a rotation at his position yet.
“When we go base at the corner spot, what’s happened because we go so fast, we actually started rotating four and five guys,” Johnson said. “Sometimes our ones and twos become ones and twos on the run, because we’re going so fast in the tempo. So there’s no set three rotation now, if that’s the question. We’re not set in stone with that yet.”
The cornerbacks who are expected to ultimately lead the rotation are Sheffield and Arnette, both fourth-year juniors, given that they were both in the three-man rotation last year (with Denzel Ward, who is now on his way to the NFL) and are the most veteran cornerbacks on the team.
Johnson likes what he has seen this spring in the development of Sheffield, who brings elite speed to the field – having moonlighted in track this winter – and is going into his second year at Ohio State after stops at Alabama and Blinn College.
"He’s done a really nice job really concentrating on playing his position," Johnson said of Sheffield. "He’s gotten settled in, he understands the expectations and that’s everything, for sure."
Arnette, meanwhile, is the only cornerback on the roster with two years of game experience playing for the Buckeyes, and Johnson says that experience makes Arnette a crucial player for his position group.
"He’s a guy we’re counting on big time," Johnson said of Arnette. "And not just because he has game experience. He has some talent, he has all those other attributes that we need him to definitely have a really, really good season."
Damon Arnette's two seasons of game experience makes him a crucial player for Ohio State's cornerback unit this season.
The cornerback who was expected to push Sheffield and Arnette for a starting cornerback spot this spring is Jeffrey Okudah, who entered the rotation in stints as a true freshman last year when one of the top three cornerbacks was unavailable to play. Okudah has been unable to practice this spring, however, as he recovers from surgery to repair a lingering labrum injury in his shoulder. That said, Johnson is still excited about Okudah’s potential to be an impact player for his position group this season once he is back to being fully healthy.
"We’re excited and ready for Jeff to come back," Johnson said. "I’m excited watching him from last year, some things that he did. He’s such a smart young man. He’s tough. He’s a guy again that had some game experience. He’s long. He can do a lot of good things. So I’m definitely excited."
| Player | Total Snaps |
|---|---|
| KENDALL SHEFFIELD | 626 |
| DAMON ARNETTE | 611 |
| JEFFREY OKUDAH | 218 |
| MARCUS WILLIAMSON | 77 |
| SHAUN WADE | DNP |
Fellow second-year cornerbacks Wade and Williamson are also pushing for a spot in the rotation. Wade, who was a five-star recruit in the class of 2017 like Okudah, was forced to redshirt last season due to an abdomen injury but has impressed Johnson with his performance so far this spring.
"Shaun has done a really good job," Johnson said of Wade. "He’s healthy now. He’s progressed every practice that we’ve had. He’s made some plays. He’s a smart individual. He studies the game. And I think every practice, he’s taking a step more and more. And I know he’s coming back from an injury and things like that, but he doesn’t allow that to be a crutch whatsoever. He’s coachable, and I think that’s what’s helped him big-time."
Williamson, who played mostly only in games in which the outcome had already been decided last season, has spent a lot of time practicing at the slot cornerback position – where Arnette could also continue to play in the nickel defense this season – and has also impressed Johnson this spring.
“He’s done a good job,” Johnson said of Williamson. “Marcus probably has the quickest feet in our room, which is something that’s a big attribute. And he’s tough. He’s a tough individual. So he’s done a nice job, and he has been rotating as well.”
The Buckeyes also have two early enrollee freshmen competing at cornerback this spring in Sevyn Banks and Tyreke Johnson. But while Taver Johnson likes what he has seen from the early enrollees so far, it’s less likely that they will crack the starting cornerback rotation this season because of the learning curve that comes with playing the position at the collegiate level.
"This is a tough place, it’s a tough position. You have to be mature, and that’s a daily process," Taver Johnson said. "Those guys should be in English class right now. We kind of lose sight of that, but like we talked about, they decided to come here, and the expectation is put on you right away, and I think they’re getting a sense of that."
With Okudah sidelined this spring and so many young players at the position, the competition to make the starting cornerback rotation will likely continue into fall camp. But Johnson is pleased with the overall progress his position group has made through its first 10 practices of the spring.
"They’re really working hard," Johnson said. "They’re really trying to do exactly what we ask them to do. It’s not pretty whatsoever, but they know, we’re a group that’s young, we just have to understand and learn how to fight through some things when we’re not comfortable. That’s the biggest thing right now that we’re working through, and we’re still getting to know one another as well. They have different personalities than what I was around last year, but the one thing is we’re open and willing to do that, and we’re excited about it."
Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer said Monday that he likes what he has seen from his cornerbacks so far this spring, too.
"We have very good rotation at corner right now," Meyer said.
