COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State football made progress defensively in 2022. © Joshua Gunter/cleveland.com/TNS Sonny Styles in as strong contender to lock down a starting job as a sophomore this fall. Essentially every important metric says so, from yards allowed per play to points allowed per game to Football Outsiders’ defensive efficiency metrics. For at least the first 10 games of the season, that claim of improvement passed the eye test, too. The results against Michigan and Georgia to close the season, though, proved that progress insufficient. The Buckeyes remained too vulnerable to big touchdowns, and too removed from their own momentum-changing plays. No OSU defense had given up more yards per plan than that one did in The Game — until Georgia topped that performance in the Peach Bowl. © Joshua Gunter/cleveland.com/TNS Ohio State never truly saw what cornerback Jordan Hancock was capable of in 2022 due to a…
Continue Reading: Projecting Ohio State football’s defensive depth chart for opening day 2023
