Ohio State football player Caleb Downs is like a line from Ted Lasso

If you’re familiar with Ted Lasso, the wildly popular show about an American college football coach hired to manage a British soccer team, you know that every time the gruff but likable character Roy Kent entered a game, fans would chant, “He’s here, he’s there, he’s every…” I’ll let you figure out the rest if you don’t already know. That chant could easily be used for safety Caleb Downs, who seemingly lined up just about everywhere for the Buckeye defense against Akron.

In an article published on Bucknuts, Patrick Murphy points out that Pro Football Focus had Downs lining up in four different places. They credited him 25 snaps at his usual free safety spot, 20 in the box, six at slot corner, and four down along the line of scrimmage. “He’s here, he’s there” definitely applies.

So, what does all of that mean? Downs’ versatility allows OSU defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to keep the offense guessing. If he wants to put an extra defender in the box or near the line of scrimmage, Knowles doesn’t have to tip his hand by bringing in a substitute.

It will force the offense to take the time to change their blocking scheme at the line of scrimmage. In passing situations, is he blitzing or dropping into coverage? Moving Downs around is going to create a nightmare for an offense trying to prepare for the Buckeyes.

As a 5-star recruit coming out of high school, Downs nearly chose Ohio State but settled on Alabama. As a true freshman, he won the starting job in preseason camp and ended the season as the Tide’s leading tackler with 40 more stops than his nearest teammate.

He was considered the top player in the portal when he decided to transfer. Against Akron, he had only two stops and missed a couple of tackles, but he also had a half of a sack. Don’t overreact to those somewhat pedestrian stats, Downs is a gem who just might be the best player in the country regardless of position- he’s a playmaker and a game-changer.

Ever since Jordan Fuller’s time with the Buckeyes ended, it’s been a long four-year wait for a safety who can make an impact. And I expect Caleb Downs to make an enormous impact. He’s here, he’s there…