Will Jim Knowles And Ohio State Field An Elite Defense In 2023? | Ohio State Football 2023

Ohio State's defense by points allowed per game ranked No.38 in 2021 and No.24 in 2022. The defensive backs have overall been lackluster and while the defensive line and linebackers have serious talent amongst their ranks, they have struggled when it matters most. Despite this, I am very high on Jim Knowle's defense entering 2023 and I think they will be an elite defense, not just good or great. I predict the Buckeyes will rank No.4 in points allowed per game and No.3 in overall defense. Why?! Well, there are many reasons to support my claim, most notably the fact that Ohio State returns 77% of its defensive production from 2022, which ranks 20th in the country. The Buckeyes currently have 4 5-stars on defense, most notably defensive ends JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer. The other 2, linebacker CJ Hicks and safety Sonny Styles, should receive adequate playing time and potential play in the starting lineup. Jim Knowles has also tweaked the scheme to fit the Buckeyes' needs and maximize their strong development on the defensive line. Finally, Ryan Day and his staff have not only utilized the transfer portal to assist the offensive line but they have brought in 3 defensive backs and 1 defensive tackle to sure up the defense. The secondary should be Top 20 in passer efficiency and I expect it to be playing at a Top 10 level by season's end. The defensive line and linebacker corps should be among the best in the country. Leave a like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more of the best College Football content! My Merchandise Store: https://cfbwithsam.threadless.com/ Spotify Link: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/A9u1hWG8nyb NCAA 2022 Defensive Passer Efficiency Ratings: https://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/40 Ohio State Football 2022 Team Stats: https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/stats/_/id/194/season/2022/table//sort/sacks/dir/desc Ohio State Football 2023 Depth Chart: https://www.ourlads.com/ncaa-football-depth-charts/depth-chart/ohio-state/91533#ohiostatefootball #ohiostatebuckeyes #ryanday #kylemcord #michiganfootball #michiganwolverines #bigtenfootball #collegefootball #collegefootballplayoff #football