Tywone Malone might have earned a bigger role in Ohio State’s defensive tackle rotation with his performance on Saturday against Marshall, but Ohio State’s coaches still have concerns about their overall depth at the position.
The Buckeyes turned to a trio of defensive tackles to fill in at 3-technique against Marshall with Williams out. Hero Kanu started the game while Jason Moore was the second player in at the position, yet it was Tywone Malone who ended up playing the second-most snaps among defensive tackles behind only starting nose tackle Ty Hamilton.
Malone earned more playing time over the course of the game because of how he performed when called upon. He was the Buckeyes’ most productive defensive tackle against Marshall, recording three tackles with a tackle for loss. He actually should have had two tackles for loss, as he also blew up a 4th-and-1 run attempt by Marshall quarterback Stone Earle but didn’t get credit for the tackle because Earle slipped on his own before Malone would have hit him.
This 4th & 1 conversion attempt did not go according to plan pic.twitter.com/pZKd1bdvMA
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 21, 2024
That play was one of multiple from Malone against Marshall that stood out to Ohio State coach Ryan Day.
“The fourth-down stop by Tywone Malone was a really good play. He took an adjustment that happened in game that happened on the sideline and he made it on the field and made that play,” Day said. “I thought he had a really good play on a screen; put his foot in the ground, redirected and made a play.”
Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles was also impressed with Malone, singling him out when asked how he thought the defensive tackles performed against Marshall.
“I thought Tywone showed up, definitely,” Knowles said. “Kind of flashed a couple times in terms of being athletic and running to the ball. So I thought he made some good strides for himself and the team.”
Malone hasn’t played much since transferring to Ohio State from Ole Miss last season. While the initial expectation was that Malone would earn a spot in Ohio State’s two-deep last year, he ended up playing only 49 total defensive snaps, sixth-most among Buckeye DTs. Until Saturday, it didn’t look like Malone would have much of a role in this year’s defense either, as he played just nine total snaps in the first two games of the season.
His performance against Marshall, though, may have been enough to earn him a spot on the two-deep – or potentially even start this week against Michigan State if Williams, who is considered “day-to-day” even though he was expected to practice this week, is unable to return against the Spartans.
“We haven't really discussed that yet because we're hopeful on Tyleik, but I think there's a chance,” Knowles said when asked if Malone would start if Williams can’t play.
Knowles said Malone has at least earned more playing time at defensive tackle based on his performance against Marshall, though he qualified that statement.
“It's only one performance, but he did a good job,” Knowles said.
“I thought Tywone showed up, definitely.”– Jim Knowles on Tywone Malone vs. Marshall
Day said “there's also some clips of film that we got to be better” after highlighting two of Malone’s most impressive plays, but his concerns about inconsistent play extended to Ohio State’s entire defensive tackle group against Marshall. While the Buckeyes ultimately held the Thundering Herd to only 2.9 yards per carry (125 yards on 43 attempts), it was apparent that Ohio State missed Williams particularly early in the game. OSU allowed more productive runs up the middle than they did in their first two games of the season and didn’t generate a lot of pressure with their pass-rush, recording only one sack.
“I think when you watch the film, there was good play, but there needs to be more consistent play. And so, there's a lot to learn from there and a lot to grow from, and this is an opportunity to build depth in that room,” Day said of the defensive tackle play against Marshall. “I think everybody in that room would tell you that there was some good plays, but there needs to be more consistent play.”
While Williams and Hamilton are firmly established as Ohio State’s starting defensive tackles, Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson said in August that he hoped to be able to rotate as many as six DTs. That kind of rotation seems unlikely as the Buckeyes begin Big Ten play, especially once Williams returns to action, as the Buckeyes have expressed much more confidence in their top two defensive tackles than their backups on the interior defensive line.
The one backup defensive tackle who has played double-digit snaps in every game is Kayden McDonald, Ohio State’s No. 2 nose tackle, though Knowles expressed that he still expects more from McDonald in terms of play-to-play reliability.
“He's very talented, plays hard. I think it's a matter of consistency with him, and predictability, I would say,” Knowles said. “So if you flash outside your gap and you make a play, great. And the next time you flash outside your gap and don't make a play, then we have to be disciplined in our approach. But I think he's certainly shown the ability to mess things up in there.”
If Williams is able to play in East Lansing, it seems probable Williams and Hamilton will play a majority of the snaps at defensive tackle with Malone and McDonald rotating in as their top backups. If Williams can’t play, however, Day hopes the other defensive tackles take advantage of the opportunity to play more and prove that they belong on the field, much like Austin Siereveld did while filling in for Donovan Jackson at left guard in Ohio State’s first two games of the year.
“Just like when we lost Donovan there for those couple weeks, it was an opportunity. And so you learn about that when you have to step into that role. It's different than when you're playing 10 to 15 snaps in a backup capacity to when you're the guy,” Day said. “I think about when Austin got put into that role in the first couple of weeks here in preseason camp, it wasn't very good, because you have to almost recalibrate yourself to like, ‘This is what I got to bring every single play ... It's not just 10 or 15 plays and I got to bring it every single play.’ So, you know, we'll see where that goes (with the defensive tackles) this week. We'll see where Tyleik's at. But when those guys do get in there, we're counting on an adjustment to be made and some progress to be made there.”
