Marshon Lattimore and Gareon Conley may well go down as the most talented duo of cornerbacks Ohio State has ever seen.
Rarely does a pair of teammates cap all-conference performances with selections in the first round of the NFL draft just a few months later. But while the duo showed great balance, incredible hip fluidity, and excellent closing skills as they shut down opposing receivers in coordinator Greg Schiano’s aggressive man-to-man coverage structure, they had an angel watching over them the whole time.
Though Schiano had to find new starters at both safety spots last summer following the early departures of Vonn Bell and Tyvis Powell, the cupboard was by no means bare. Instead, Malik Hooker would emerge as a household name in the Buckeye state virtually overnight.
In what must be considered one of the most impressive starting debuts from a Buckeye safety in 126 seasons of playing the game, Hooker picked off Bowling Green twice, including an acrobatic play on the ball in which he seemingly came from nowhere to take away a deep bomb down the opposite sideline.
As the 2016 campaign progressed, Hooker proved that his initial performance was no fluke, tallying a team-high seven interceptions and taking three of them back to the house, all the while becoming one of the Silver Bullets’ most critical playmakers.
While the Buckeyes had played an increasing amount of man coverage in 2015 under Schiano’s predecessor, Chris Ash, it had often only done so against pro-style teams lining up with two backs or tight ends. The scheme stymied opponents like Rutgers and Michigan that season, forcing their offenses to run the ball into eight-man fronts.
Many believed Schiano’s reliance on the tactic against spread formations with three or four receivers spoke to the talents of his corners in 2016. But while Conley, Lattimore, and backups Denzel Ward and Damon Arnette certainly deserved the high grades placed upon them by NFL scouts, Hooker’s presence in center field played no small part in their success.
Not only were the Buckeyes able to take away the best outside receivers with Conley and Lattimore funneling them inside, knowing Hooker would be there over the top, strong safety Damon Webb was able to line up closer to the line and add an extra body to stop spread-to-run games like that of Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Indiana.
Hooker, of course, would go on to be selected 15th overall by the Indianapolis Colts this past spring, leaving Schiano with the task of once again replacing that critical role in the secondary. But while Ward, Arnette, and junior college transfer Kendall Sheffield all appear ready to step right into the voids left by Conley and Lattimore, Hooker leaves far bigger shoes to fill.
While Schiano and Ash both deserve credit for developing the New Castle, Pennsylvania native into the player he’s become, what separated Hooker from other Buckeye safeties was largely instinctual. Few players at the professional level are even able to read and act upon the offense’s action as quickly as Hooker, as his skill set is truly unique.
While there were few highlights to take away from the Buckeyes’ 31-0 loss to Clemson that ended their season, Hooker reminded everyone why he is such a special player and earned a tree in the Buckeye All-American Grove. By the second quarter, the Tiger coaching staff had diagnosed Ohio State’s reliance on man coverage against their 3x1 formations and dialed up what should’ve been a big play down the sideline.
Though Conley had lined up over the slot to try and take away any underneath throws to Deshaun Watson’s safety blanket, Hunter Renfrow, the shifty receiver would get help from the outside receiver. A natural pick was set on Conley with a snag route, delaying him just enough to free up Renfrow on his wheel route outside. Route combinations like these are the perfect antidotes for press-man coverage, and after watching the Buckeyes blanket receivers all season long, the Tigers clearly prepared for it during bowl practice.
What they weren’t ready for, however, was the rare marriage of mental and physical ability that Hooker possesses.
As we all know, Hooker’s ball skills are truly elite as he’s able to control his body in the air as well as some top receivers. However, that’s really the icing on the cake. The instant he recognizes that Watson is rolling out to his right, Hooker knows that half the field is immediately taken away, as the QB won’t throw back across his body.
That turns Hooker’s deep-middle zone into a deep-half, so he immediately opens his hips toward the sideline but still continues to gain depth with his drop. But despite a distance of thirty yards, Hooker never takes his eyes off Watson, recognizing that he’s looking down the sideline, meaning the safety must hit high gear to get to the intended receiver. This continued focus on the QB also allows him to properly track the ball once it’s airborne, giving him an edge on the intended receiver who has to find it midway through its flight.
This spatial awareness to recognize the natural boundaries of the field and the movement of the players around him despite never focusing on them individually is truly rare and was on display even when the defense wasn’t in the Cover-1 scheme that made him famous.
As OSU looked to put away the Indiana Hoosiers late in the fourth quarter last fall, the defense checked to a ‘Quarters’ (Cover-4) look against a 2x2 formation. Though Hooker should’ve been taken out of the play to his side by the #2 receiver, a tight end that was an unlikely downfield target, Schiano’s star pupil once again found a way to make a play.
The instant the tight end made contact with the defensive end, Hooker’s responsibility changed to that of bracketing the outside (#1) receiver with the corner, so Hooker began his drop toward the sideline. Again, he never takes his focus off the quarterback, sighting the receiver only out his peripheral vision.
More impressively, though, was the way in which he dropped here, as instead of simply opening up in a dead sprint to make up as much ground as possible, Hooker stayed low with a constant knee bend to keep his center of gravity low. Then, as the quarterback worked through his progression with what appeared to be an open, deep crossing route, Hooker was in position to easily plant and change direction without losing balance.
Many players described as ‘instinctual’ often find themselves in trouble thanks to poor technique, as their bodies can’t catch up with their eyes. While Hooker did experience some of this when forced to defend the run, his fundamentals against the pass were nearly perfect, allowing him to take advantage of his elite vision to track the ball from the passer’s hand.
Unfortunately for Erick Smith, Jordan Fuller, and anyone else tasked with playing free safety for the Buckeyes in the future, the bar has been raised to new heights at the position. While there are countless drills out there to train eye discipline, few players will ever be able to convert what they see into what they do as quickly and naturally as Hooker.
The nature of college football is such that fans are used to seeing players move on almost as quickly as the appeared. But Hooker’s brief, yet impactful, career in Columbus may not be fully appreciated until long after he left.
