Skull Session: Caleb Downs and Denzel Burke Are Elite Defensive Backs, Meechie Johnson is Back Home and Valparaiso Hires Michael Brewster As Its Offensive Line Coach

By Chase Brown on April 5, 2024 at 5:00 am
Caleb Downs
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Welcome to the Skull Session.

Jaloni Cambridge is the future of Ohio State women’s basketball.

Have a good Friday.

 THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS. With Denzel Burke, Davison Igbinosun, Jordan Hancock, Lathan Ransom and Caleb Downs, Ohio State has the best defensive backfield in America.

Individually, how do those five Buckeyes stack up with other cornerbacks and safeties across the nation?

ESPN attempted to answer that question this week, ranking the top 10 defensive backs in college football. Two Ohio State players – Downs and Burke – appeared on the list with Malaki Starks (Georgia), Travis Hunter (Colorado), Will Johnson (Michigan), Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame), Xavier Watts (Notre Dame), Sebastian Castro (Iowa), Andrew Mukuba (Texas) and Jabbar Muhammad (Oregon).

Here is where The Worldwide Leader in Sports ranked them:

No. 4 - Caleb Downs

No. 1 - Malaki Starks, Georgia

No. 2 - Travis Hunter, Colorado

No. 3 - Will Johnson, Michigan

No. 4 - Caleb Downs, Ohio State

2023 stats: 2 interceptions, 3 passes defended, 107 tackles

Points: 53 (two first-place votes)

There is a reason Downs received more than 100 phone calls after he announced he was going to transfer from Alabama. Downs was the best freshman safety in the country a year ago, a five-star recruit in the Class of 2023 who lived up to the advance billing in his only season with the Tide. Downs became the first freshman to lead the team in tackles, tallying 107, and added two interceptions en route to freshman All-America honors. He chose to transfer after Nick Saban retired and said he chose Ohio State over Georgia because it was the "best decision for me." Downs joins a veteran defense that includes returning starters Jack Sawyer, JT Tuimoloau, Denzel Burke and Lathan Ransom. Ohio State already ranked in the top 10 in the nation in pass defense without him. His arrival only strengthens an already stout group. — Andrea Adelson

No. 6 - Denzel Burke

No. 5 - Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame

No. 6 - Denzel Burke, Ohio State

2023 stats: 1 interception, 8 passes defended, 24 tackles

Points: 37

Burke was a freshman All-American in 2021 before stepping in as Ohio State's full-time starter a year later. He has started 24 straight games at corner for the Buckeyes and has been exceptional at the job. As a junior in 2023, he finished seventh in the Big Ten in completion percentage allowed (38.5%), surrendered just .88 yards per snap in coverage, allowed only one touchdown throw and broke up nine passes to go with one interception. -- David Hale

Obviously, Downs and Burke have to improve to be the best defensive backs in America...

How would each of them do that?

They provided answers during spring practices.

Caleb Downs

“I can grow in what I did well last year and increase the qualities that I was not as elite at during the season. It’s being better in coverage, being better in the post, being better in tackling, being a better communicator with my teammates — all that I think I can offer to the team. … I can only do my part. I can only do my one-eleventh, and do my job every play. I can’t try to do more than that. If every other player does their job, we’ll do what we need to do.”

Denzel Burke

“I want to be recognized as the number one corner in the country, the number one corner taken in the 2025 draft and win the Jim Thorpe. I have a lot of personal goals this year that I’m striving daily to reach and get one percent better every day. Team goals, I want to continue to bring leadership skills to the team and continue to push guys, especially the young guys. Because young guys, they’re always one injury away and continuing to work hard and try to win it all. … There are a lot of areas (I can improve). Bring a consistent tackler, being better in run support, upping my press game — there’s always areas you can get better at, and I’m trying to do that.”

Do you ever catch yourself thinking about how good Ohio State's defense will be this season? I do from time to time. The Buckeyes will be elite in 2024, and both Downs and Burke will be huge reasons why.

 HE’S BACK! Meechie Johnson is back.

This week, Johnson announced he will return to Columbus next season. The former Ohio State guard, who suited up for the Buckeyes in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, spent the previous two years in Columbia after transferring from Ohio State to South Carolina in 2022.

Now that Johnson has returned, many have wondered: Why did he leave in the first place? 

** Insert Holtmann GIF **

Jokes aside, we will probably never know the answer to that question – not officially, at least. When Adam Jardy of The Columbus Dispatch asked Johnson’s father, Demetrius, about the departure, he declined to comment on the matter.

“I don’t want to get into all of that,” he said. “When you grow up, your dream is to get to Ohio State and play for Ohio State. Then when you have to make a decision to leave, that was one of the hardest things to do. Very emotional, but at the same time, we felt like it was the best decision for him to (make). But it was tough.”

In one-and-a-half seasons with the Buckeyes, Johnson appeared in 43 games and averaged 3.2 points and 0.8 assists per contest. He shot 31.9% from the floor and 34.4% from the 3-point line. At South Carolina, head coach Lamont Paris helped Johnson tap into his potential, and he averaged 13.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game, earning second-team All-SEC honors this season.

Demetrius said he feels grateful to have watched his son perform well at the college level.

“A lot of people when left Ohio State felt, ‘Why would he go to the SEC? He couldn’t do it at Ohio State. He couldn’t do it at this level,’” he said. “He got back to who he was, just being free to make plays. He was able to find who he was in some of his younger days and gain that confidence back.”

With Johnson’s confidence reinstated, and his relationship with new Ohio State head coach Jake Diebler still active from his earlier years with the Buckeyes, Johnson believed it was time to come home.

“He has complete trust in him,” Demetrius said of Johnson’s relationship with Diebler. “He was able to sit down, talk some things out.”

Demetrius said he is excited about how Diebler will use Johnson at Ohio State, potentially placing him in three-guard lineups with Bruce Thornton and Evan Maffahey  — or another player… like Bronny James. I kid. I kid. Or do I?

“He doesn’t really want to change him,” Demetrius said. “He wants to help him. He wants to tweak some stuff, have him fit into his system. He’s going back mature and seasoned, and he knows how to make it happen. Whatever that means, he knows how to come in as a veteran and fit into the system and win. He wants to win.”

 A JIM TRESSEL DISCIPLE? Michael Brewster is continuing his climb up the coaching ladder.

Last month, the former Ohio State All-American center became the offensive line coach at Valparaiso. Brewster joined the Crusaders’ staff after serving as a graduate assistant at Western Michigan (2018) and Bowling Green (2019), a quality control coach at Cincinnati (2020-21) and a tight ends coach at Tennesee State (2022-23).

“We’re excited to have Coach Brewster on our staff,” Valparaiso head coach Landon Fox said in a press release. “He has experience at a variety of levels and played at a high level collegiately at Ohio State and in the NFL… He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from a coaching standpoint.”

An Orlando, Florida, native, Brewster graduated from Edgewater High School, where he earned USA TODAY All-American honors as a standout performer for the Eagles. According to the 247Sports composite, Brewster was the No. 1 center and No. 15 overall prospect in the 2008 class. As one of Jim Tressel’s first commits that year, Ohio State’s 2008 class became known as the “Brew Crew” because of Brewster’s crucial role as a peer recruiter, helping the Buckeyes land Terrelle Pryor and DeVier Posey, among others.

Brewster started 49 consecutive games for the Buckeyes, the third-longest streak in program history behind Luke Fickell (50) and Billy Price (51). He earned Freshman All-American honors in 2008 and later received first-team All-Big Ten and first-team All-American honors in 2010. Brewster was also a finalist for the Rimington Trophy in 2011.

After his college career ended, Brewster signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2012. He spent the next two years in Jacksonville before brief stints with the Miami Dolphins (2014) and New Orleans Saints (2015).

“I’m extremely excited and grateful to be joining Coach Fox’s staff at Valparaiso,” Brewster said. “Coach Fox has built an impressive culture and mindset within the team, and I feel confident I can execute his vision of the style of play and physicality he expects to see from the guys up front. I was born in the trenches, played at the highest levels and played for some incredible teachers and people, guys who have won national championships and Super Bowls.

“My passion is not only to develop guys from a blocking and striking perspective, but to develop them as young men, make sure they earn a meaningful degree and to teach them how discipline and accountability will spill over into all areas of their lives.”

Brewster sounds a lot like Tressel.

I like that about him.

If there’s a person to emulate, it’s Tressel. He was an excellent football coach and is an even better person. And that says a lot about who Tressel is, because he is one of the best to ever do it at the college level.

 SOME WELL-DESERVED HARDWARE. Dennis Hopson is now an award-winning college basketball coach.

On Thursday, the former Ohio State All-American and No. 3 overall pick in the 1987 NBA draft received the Jack Bennett Man of the Year award, an honor presented to a non-Division I coach who “wins with integrity on and off the court.”

In 2023-24, Hopson led Lourdes University (Sylvania, Ohio) to one of its best seasons ever. The Gray Wolves finished 22-7 overall and second in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference, earning an at-large bid to the NAIA Tournament. 

Since arriving at Lourdes in 2019, Hopson has started a “complete culture change at Lourdes,” a program press release stated. In his first five seasons, Hopson has made the Gray Wolves a perennial contender to win the WHAC and reach the NAIA Tournament, collecting a 97-41 overall record and top-five finishes in the conference each year.

"Coach Hopson has turned the Lourdes University men's basketball program into one of the top NAIA programs in the Midwest," Toledo St. Francis de Sales athletic director Jamie Kachmarik said. “Dennis Hopson is an exceptional coach and great leader within his community.  Dennis has brought pride to his hometown of Toledo, Ohio, guiding the Lourdes Gray Wolves to so much success."

Hopson’s success on the basketball court should not surprise Ohio State fans.

From 1983-1987, Hopson was a standout scorer and shooter for the Buckeyes, averaging 16.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game across 125 appearances. As a senior, Hopson averaged 29 points (!), 8.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.2 steals per contest, earning Big Ten Player of the Year and first-team All-American honors.

After Hopson’s college career ended, the New Jersey Nets selected him with a first-round pick in 1987. He would play professional basketball for the next 13 years, going on to play for the Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings and several overseas teams.

Hopson’s coaching career started in 2007 as an assistant at Northwood (Midland, Michigan). He has also spent time as an assistant at Bowling Green (2009-14) and as a high school head coach at Bedford (Bedford, Ohio).

By all accounts, Hopson wakes up in the morning and pisses excellence.

Cheers to him for winning the well-deserved honor.

 SONG OF THE DAY. “It’s a Beautiful Day” - Michael Buble.​

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