Ohio State's newly-coined "Bullet" position has drawn a lot of intrigue from Buckeye fans this spring, but despite the fun name, there's not much fundamentally new about the position.
According to co-defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, the Bullet position is essentially just a strong safety.
“As far as the Bullet position goes, I think everybody kind of gets a little bit carried away because we call it the Bullet position," Hafley said on the Ohio State Camp Tour on SiriusXM’s Big Ten Radio on Thursday. "It’s basically a strong safety as you know it."
“It's Basically a Strong Safety As You Know It.”– Jeff Hafley on the Bullet Position
Hafley's simplified definition of the new position should add some clarity to Buckeye fans wondering what to expect from it. The players lining up in the Bullet position will have the same skillsets and assignments of a traditional strong safety.
"Guy has the ability to get in the box, guy has the ability to play deep, guy has the ability to play man, blitz – it’s really just a strong safety, right?" Hafley said. "That’s really what you’re looking for, just a good athlete, a good safety who’s got a little bit more size to him rather than a smaller guy.”
With safeties Brendon White and Jahsen Wint getting the first cracks at the new position, the Buckeyes are utilizing two players who already had the body types and skillsets required. And from how Hafley describes the position, they're likely familiar with the concepts as well.
