Ohio State plans to win the fight on the interior with its dynamite defensive tackle duo this fall.
Neither of the Buckeyes’ power-load combo, Tyleik Williams and Ty Hamilton, has heard AC/DC’s 1975 smash hit “TNT,” but with two fitting first names and violent reputations along the defensive line, they’ve found it to be the perfect nickname.
“We're out there, we call each other TNT. It's like an explosion every time we're on the field,” Hamilton said.
There’s even a secret handshake that goes with it.
“We act like a bomb is on the ground and we jump,” Williams said. “It’s tough though, you’ve gotta see it.”
Hamilton and Williams returned as Ohio State’s starting nose guard and three-technique defensive tackles from 2023, respectively, though Hamilton rotated with Mike Hall at the nose guard position. Each had a breakout campaign.
Much like his older brother DaVon, who played in Columbus from 2015 through 2019, Ty Hamilton has been a late bloomer in his Buckeye career. He earned some playing time with his stout run-defending in 2021 and 2022, but last year he took off to the tune of 38 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.
“He's strong. He's powerful,” defensive line coach Larry Johnson said. “He's just coming into his toolbox, what makes him more effective rushing the passer at nose guard. It's a tough position to rush the passer at nose guard, because you're going to get slide (protection) and you're going to get double(-team blocks) a lot. So you get lost in the midst of rushing the passer. If you leave him one-on-one, he's got a chance to change the game.”
Pass rush has been a main focal point for Hamilton and Ohio State’s defensive line as a whole this offseason. While he and Williams both noted that offenses will often get the ball out quickly against the Buckeyes to limit the effectiveness of their rush, OSU finished tied for 60th nationally with 28 sacks last year.
“I think it's improved a lot,” Hamilton said. “Just being with Coach J, it's one of the things that we've worked on a lot every single day. Pass rush drills, any type of things that work on (that) from the outside to the inside. So, I think just doing that every single day, repetition, it really makes us better on the inside.”
Sometimes it’s nearly impossible to get a quarterback on the ground if the ball is thrown immediately after a three- or five-step drop, but that’s where one of Williams’ biggest strengths comes into play. He had five pass breakups last year, all by batting down passes at the line of scrimmage.
“He's got a knack for it, but we do train that,” Johnson said. “We call it matching the hand. We do drills every Tuesday, and takeaway drills. That's part of our drill sequence. But he's got a good sense of eye-hand coordination, find where the ball is coming out. And sometimes that's the best route. To me, those are sacks. When you deflect the ball and turn it into an interception, that's pretty cool.”
On top of those deflections, Williams racked up a defensive line-leading 53 tackles with 10 tackles for loss and three sacks. He earned second-team All-Big Ten honors from the media and was a second-team Walter Camp All-American.
Entering his senior season, the 327-pound behemoth feels he’s improved in each facet of his game.
“I think I'm better everywhere,” Williams said. “I'm not trying to be big-headed, but I think I've taken a big step since last year, and I think the whole D-line has, and I'm just ready to show it next Saturday.”
Johnson is overjoyed to have his explosive combo back at defensive tackle, even if he prefers his iconic “Rushmen” nickname to “TNT.”
“You have to appreciate what Tyleik and Ty did last season in the middle,” Johnson said. “If you go back and watch the videotape, those guys did a great job of managing the mountain. They really played really well on the inside. What you want to get out of that guy, you want to get pass rushers too. You don't want to take those guys off the field. Like, Tyleik can rush the passer. We’re gonna get Ty to rush the passer. That's the thing I think is important, if you can find a guy who can rush the passer, play the run, you've got a bonus on third down.”
“It's like an explosion every time we're on the field.”– Ty Hamilton on his “TNT” nickname with Tyleik Williams
Hamilton added that there’s “no better feeling” than being back alongside such a veteran group that started together last year on the defensive line, with he and Williams joining senior defensive ends Jack Sawyer and JT Tuimoloau. Hamilton said that they play for each other “every step of the down.”
There’s only room for two Ts in TNT, though.
“I'm not part of it,” Tuimoloau said with a laugh. “I wish I was, but I guess that's how the cookie crumbles. I feel like I could be a part of that. I have a T, but it's just not my first name. But I do have a T, so I guess I'm just the cousin of the whole thing. Right now they just have me on the side.”
With their veteran teammates around them, Hamilton and Williams are eager to blow up opposing backfields and help Ohio State achieve its grand ambitions for 2024.
“Those are my guys,” Williams said. “I came in with them, I want to leave with them, and I want to win something together with them. So I'm glad we all made the decision to come back. I think it'll help this team greatly and help us greatly in the future.”
