Malik Harrison was Ohio State’s first-team strongside linebacker and Keandre Jones was Ohio State’s first-team weakside linebacker when the Buckeyes opened spring practice last month. Recently, however, Harrison has spent much of his time practicing at weakside linebacker while Jones has spent much of his time practicing at strongside linebacker. That’s a reflection on how Ohio State linebackers coach Bill Davis views those two positions within the Buckeyes’ defense. Davis sees the two outside linebacker positions in Ohio State’s defense as interchangeable, and he wants all of his outside linebackers – including his potential starters – to be able to play both spots. “They need to know both,” Davis said earlier this week. “There’s just so much carryover in both positions.” In Ohio State’s defense, Davis and his players say the strongside linebacker – or “SAM” linebacker – takes on greater responsibility in pass coverage and tends to play more in space,…
Continue Reading: Bill Davis Expects Strongside, Weakside Linebackers To Be Interchangeable In Ohio State's Defense
