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Ohio State Football: Big Ten coaches and fans agree about the Buckeyes?

By Charlie Lockhart

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 31: Head coach Urban Meyer of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks on against the Clemson Tigers during the 2016 PlayStation Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium on December 31, 2016 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 31: Head coach Urban Meyer of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks on against the Clemson Tigers during the 2016 PlayStation Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium on December 31, 2016 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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It’s interesting to hear what Big Ten coaches have to say when their names aren’t attached to their comments.

Athlon Sports reported what Big Ten coaches had to say about other teams in the conference. Since no names were attached to their comments, the coaches were free to speak their minds and the article is an interesting read.

Most of the comments made by the Big Ten coaches I’m sure Buckeye fans would agree with. See, it was obvious to the coaches that Ohio State missed having Tom Herman as the offensive coordinator. And the Buckeye defense is loaded.

Here is one of the quotes from a coach as reported in the Athlon article: 

"“They’ve missed Tom Herman and it showed. (New offensive coordinator) Kevin Wilson will give them an edge, an earned cockiness they looked like they were missing since Herman left. Wilson is smart, but he’s also aggressive.”"

Here is another:

"“The biggest problem they have on defense is finding playing time for everyone. (Defensive coordinator) Greg Schiano is close to Urban, him already being around last season means he’s going to be familiar with what worked and what didn’t.”"

There are other things coaches had to say about Ohio State and the other teams in the conference. It is a cool article and I suggest you check it out.

Anyway, let’s take each of these quotes one at a time. Doesn’t every Buckeye fan lament the fact that Tom Herman moved on to bigger and better things?

Why did he have to be so selfish and take the head coaching job at Houston?  If coach Herman was the offensive coordinator for Ohio State during the 2015 season, the Buckeyes would have run through the Big Ten on their way to a second straight national title.

As far as coach Wilson is concerned, these coaches had to try to stop his Indiana offenses loaded with two and three star athletes. Think they aren’t nervous now that he has four star players to work with, and a bunch of them?

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Now about the defense. Urban Meyer is known as an offensive guru but always seems to put an emphasis on defensive players in his recruiting classes.

Going into the season there are seven returning starters, but basically cornerback Denzel Ward was part of the ‘Big Three’ last year so make that eight.

The defensive end positions are as loaded as I have ever seen in my 50 years of following Ohio State football. There are plenty of tackles as well.

Two starting linebackers return with at least three players vying for the open position or to back up one of the others. And don’t worry that three defensive backs were first round draft picks in April.

The Buckeyes lost three DBs to the NFL following the 2015 season and last year’s group did just fine. The defensive backfield unit this year is quite simply loaded with talent.

Next: 10 bold predictions for the 2017 college football season

Big Ten coaches seem to be high on the Buckeyes heading into the 2017 season. I’m pretty sure Buckeye fans are too.

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