In what will be a theme in 2016 Ohio State spring practice, new faces are set to start at most major positions. That fact also holds true at the back end of the defense, where two-year starters at safety Tyvis Powell and Vonn Bell are gone to the next level.
Bell and his status as a 2015 All-American joined Powell's million-dollar smile in Indianapolis over the weekend at the NFL Combine. They both left the program with one year of eligibility remaining, but with Big Ten and national championship rings in their pocket felt their time at Ohio State was complete.
A year ago, Chris Ash and Urban Meyer knew Powell and Bell were due back for their second season as starters. The only source of interest at the position became who could back them up in case of an injury. No one wondered who would start — it was Powell and Bell's show.
“You got Erick Smith, Cam Burrows and Malik Hooker. Malik Hooker was dominant in the kicking game for us.”– Urban Meyer
Now? Not so much.
Not only are Powell and Bell gone, but Ash is too. He is now the head coach at Rutgers, replaced by Greg Schiano, an old friend of Meyer. The former Rutgers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach is never short on intensity and he'll need that and more in spring practice. That's what happens when there is no clear line on who in his room will separate themselves to replace Bell and Powell.
There are plenty of candidates: Malik Hooker, Cam Burrows and Erick Smith are the main names returning. All played significantly on special teams last season, but Smith and Burrows went down with injuries midseason and are working their way back. Smith suffered an ACL injury, while Burrows re-aggravated a problem with his foot that required surgery.
"You got Erick Smith, Cam Burrows and Malik Hooker," Meyer said Jan. 7. "Malik Hooker was dominant in the kicking game for us."
Though Meyer sounded confident in January on Smith and Burrows contributing this fall, is remains unclear of their availability for spring practice. Burrows, however, was seen doing the tug-of-war during a workout with his new position coach last month.
Behind those three, things are a bit murkier.
Walk-on and Louisville transfer Jarrod Barnes became Bell's backup by season's end due to the injuries to Smith and Burrows, while Hooker sat behind Powell on the depth chart. Knowing full well the lack of depth coming at the position following 2015, Meyer and his staff hit the recruiting trail and brought in some fresh blood for the secondary in the form of Jahsen Wint, Jordan Fuller, Kareem Felder and Rodjay Burns. Fuller, Felder and Burns will probably start at corner, but don't rule out a shift to safety if it is needed.
The same could be said for current Ohio State corners Damon Webb, Marshon Lattimore and Damon Arnette (if healthy). With two significant holes sitting at safety, Meyer and his staff are going to what is needed to have the best talent on the field at all times.
Will Smith be healthy to help replace Bell in 2016?
"Try and find a way to get our best 11, best three guys out there," defensive coordinator Luke Fickell said. "Move guys around."
Dec. 17 is the only time Schiano will speak to the media ahead of spring drills, a part in the calendar that saw Ohio State preparing for the Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame. Schiano helped recruit and lend a hand as best he could, but couldn't fully sink his teeth in with Ash hanging around through the end of the season.
"I don't know what the future holds, I really don't," Schiano said that day. "I know that I'm all about Ohio State right now and trying to coach — or when I get to coach, but trying to help recruit right now. And then when I get into the coaching staff, trying to coach and doing everything that I can to help Ohio State and help Coach Meyer."
Ash is officially gone. Schiano is ready to dive headfirst into on-field workouts with the youth in his room and finally gets his chance Tuesday when spring practice opens.
The inexperienced players are eager — that's what happens when you watch the same two guys start for two years. Ash was instrumental in revamping Ohio State's defense with Fickell in his two years in Columbus, implementing the rugby-style tackling that proved essential to the title run.
Schiano said he's here to keep the same ideals in place and hopefully add a boost to what Ash left behind.
First, he must identify the two guys worthy of filling the shoes of Bell and Powell.
"I know to a great deal what this program is about and I think (Meyer) knows what my programs were about," Schiano said. "And I'm going to come in and be a part of something bigger than myself, part of the staff that certainly has great tradition and history and has won a lot of games and a lot of games under Coach Meyer as well. So just try to in any way, come in an and enhance what they have already done."
