Ohio State football: And then there were six

With Mitchell Melton already out for the year, the Ohio State football team entered the 2021 regular season with only eight scholarship linebackers. And then Dallas Gant entered the transfer portal. And then K’Vaughan Pope had a meltdown during a game and was dismissed from the team. And then there were six.

Like the classic Agatha Christie novel that kept losing characters, the Ohio State football team keeps losing linebackers. We’re just one-third of the way through the regular season and the depth at this position is very much a concern. A bigger concern is the quality of that depth.

The middle is certainly a concern. Cody Simon and Tommy Eichenberg have split time at the MIKE position in three of the first four games (Simon started at WILL for an injured Teradja Mitchell against Tulsa). Although he had an interception against Akron, Simon has been just ok to this point. Expectations were very high for him after he had such an excellent spring.

Eichenberg has not been good. That’s putting it nicely. These two have combined for exactly two assisted tackles in the last two games playing in the middle. This defense, ANY defense, needs more than this from their middle linebacker. The answer may be in the form of a former offensive player.

Steele Chambers had five tackles against Akron. After making the switch from running back there has been the normal adjustment period for him, but he has been making strides each week. He looks to be the group’s best athlete and is becoming more and more active as his comfort level rises.

Here is an eye-popping stat: Eichenberg has been on the field for 181 plays (according to Eleven Warriors snap counts) while Chambers has just 67, but both have ten tackles. That’s a telling stat. I’m at the point where I don’t care if Chambers is always in the right place or not, at least he’s getting to the ball. Last week, he was on the field more than either Simon or Eichenberg. That has to continue.

Teradja Mitchell seems to have locked down the WILL position. He’s had his ups and downs but is still the team’s second-leading tackler despite missing the Tulsa game. USC transfer Palaie Gaoteote has been used at SAM (strongside) at times when the Buckeyes have gone to a three-linebacker look.

As evidenced by the fourteen starts he made at his former school, he has a lot of ability. At times he has looked aggressive and sure of himself, while other times he has looked very unsure. This unit needs him to get comfortable in a hurry and use that starter ability.

True freshman Reid Carrico made his debut against Akron and came up with his first career tackle. My guess is the plan was to redshirt him, but I’m not sure if that is going to be possible now. If someone goes down with an injury, the coaching staff may not have a choice but to play him.

If injuries occur and help is needed, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Craig Young, the backup at Bullet, get moved to a true linebacker. At 223 pounds, Young is big enough to handle the move.

In the aforementioned Agatha Christie novel, the mysterious U.N. Owen was responsible for the demise of the other characters. There is nothing unknown (ah, now you see what the legendary author did) about what is causing the demise of the Ohio State football team’s linebackers.

An injury and transfers are the culprits. Unfortunately, Scotland Yard can’t help solve OSU’s problem as they did in the story. We’re going to have to hope our favorite college football team doesn’t lose any other linebackers.