OSU 2020 Defensive Tackles preview
08-03-2020, 02:20 AM
Ohio State Defensive Tackle Preview — The Department of the Interior
by Tony Gerdeman
Losing both starting defensive tackles is never an ideal situation, but replacing defensive linemen isnâ€t normally an area where Ohio State struggles. There are former blue-chip prospects who are now entering their third and fourth seasons with the Scarlet and Gray, and they will be called upon to set the tone for this entire OSU defense.
This is not as deep of a group as it has been in the past, but the Buckeyes†depth the last couple of years was probably bordering on extravagant.
[b]Snapshot[/b]
More than finding two new starters, the Buckeyes will also need to find two more options behind the starters in order to have the bare minimum of a 4-man rotation. The top four guys are all former Top 100 recruits, so itâ€s not like defensive line coach Larry Johnson is going to be cobbling together something that works. There is talent here and they have all played. Whatâ€s behind the top four is the bigger mystery.
[b]Depth Chart[/b]
[b]Three Tech[/b]
92 Haskell Garrett (6-2 299), Sr
Garrett was in the rotation with starter Jashon Cornell last year, so he has seen plenty of action. May not be the pass rusher Larry Johnson likes in this role, but heâ€s a veteran who understands the job.
OR
6 Taron Vincent (6-2 295), rSoph
There were expectations for Vincent to come out of fall camp and challenge as the starter last year, but a shoulder injury ended his season before it ever began. Vincent is the kind of quick penetrator the position desires, but is he back to his best yet?
90 Jaden McKenzie (6-2 290), rFr
McKenzie could probably end up at either defensive tackle position. He played in just two games last year. Theyâ€ll need more out of him this year.
83 Cormontae Hamilton (6-2 265), rFr
Hamilton has moved over from tight end. Larry Johnson has liked him as a defensive lineman all along, which is encouraging. Heâ€s athletic, but how soon will he be big enough?
[b]NA Ty Hamilton (6-3 250), Fr[/b]
Hamilton is listed as a defensive tackle here because he was one of three ‘tweeners signed by Ohio State in 2020 and it didnâ€t look like either Darrion Henry-Young or Jacolbe Cowan would be suiting up on the inside any time soon. Hamilton also has the defensive tackle bloodlines, being the younger brother of former OSU nose tackle DaVon Hamilton. Doubt a Hamilton at your own risk.
[b]Nose Tackle[/b]
72 Tommy Togiai (6-2 300), Jr
Togiai has been good enough to find time in a rotation with Robert Landers and DaVon Hamilton. Now heâ€ll be at the tip of that spear and should be very, very good.
52 Antwuan Jackson (6-2 295), Grad
Jackson has been the unfortunate fourth wheel on the nose tackle bicycle. But now he should see regular snaps, provided he can handle them. Heâ€s played both defensive tackle spots at OSU, so heâ€s athletic and versatile.
55 Jerron Cage (6-2 299), rJr
Even bikes with training wheels donâ€t have room for a fifth wheel. Cage hasnâ€t had much opportunity in his time at OSU, but as Tommy Togiai has shown, you can make your own opportunity and force the coaches to put you on the field.
[b]2019 Stats[/b]
![[Image: 2019_DT_Stats.png]](https://general-cdn.drund.com/c531915e-d417-11ea-8faa-0242ac1100034f5b9d4aedfef78c8e7ddfbe/2019_DT_Stats.png)
[b]What To Like[/b]
Tommy Togiai is big, strong, fast, and quick, which also describes the guy he is replacing. The ceiling is quite high for Togiai this year. He'll still share reps, but he'll get more than his fill. He could also pick up some of the slack in terms of backfield disruption. He is expected to be a nose tackle who penetrates and doesn't just occupy blockers. Like last year with DaVon Hamilton, Togiai could help offset a three tech that isn't quite the penetrator that Larry Johnson would like.
[b]Expectations[/b]
The top of the line here should be pretty good. Tommy Togiai, Antwuan Jackson, Taron Vincent, and Haskell Garrett could have gone anywhere to play ball, and they'd all have a pretty good shot at starting at most places. Still, the four of them have a total of 11 career tackles for loss, which is just one-half more than DaVon Hamilton managed on his own last year.
[b]Whereâ€s The Concern?[/b]
The depth and the lack of recruiting on the interior could be an issue. Behind the top four are two redshirt freshmen Jaden McKenzie and Cormontae Hamilton, and a fourth-year junior in Jerron Cage. Cage played about as many snaps last year as DaVon Hamilton did in the Buckeyes' final two games. If things go crazy well for the Ohio State defensive tackles, they could lose each of their top four and then go into 2021 with the three guys listed here, possibly Ty Hamilton, and possibly three true freshmen. If you're a Buckeye fan, you should be rooting for everything to go great, but maybe not so great for Tommy Togiai and Taron Vincent that they decide to leave early for the NFL.
[b]Best Battle[/b]
The battle for the starting spot at the three tech is interesting, but it may not actually mean much. Taron Vincent and Haskell Garrett are the top two here and if all goes as planned, theyâ€ll split the reps pretty evenly. However, a year ago, Jashon Cornell finished with almost twice as many reps as Garrett, who was the No. 2 at the position. His role diminished as the season went on and that possibility remains this year as well. Being a senior he should be fine, but production is still mandatory. Together, the competition between Garrett and Vincent should bring more out of each of them.
[b]Breakout Candidate[/b]
Tommy Togiai is going to be a name everyone in the Big Ten knows this season. It may not lead to any All-Big Ten accolades (last year, the coaches didn't have any defensive tackles on the first or second All-B1G team), but running backs won't soon forget. Honestly, you can put Taron Vincent here as well. He came to OSU as the No. 1 defensive tackle in the 2018 class and he started to show why late in the year. After missing 2019, people may have forgotten about him. They shouldn't have.
[b]A Dilemma[/b]
If Taron Vincent regains the pass-rushing ability he showed as a true freshman — and Larry Johnson said this spring that he was starting to — then he may be in the discussion to be part of the Rushmen Package, which would further crowd the lineup that Johnson would choose from. But if the biggest dilemma here is that there is just too much darn talent to choose from, this would qualify as a “first world problem.â€
[b]One Bold Prediction[/b]
This will be Tommy Togiaiâ€s last season in Columbus.
by Tony Gerdeman
Larry Johnson will keep a close eye on his defensive tackles this year.
Ohio State loses three key cogs from the interior of last yearâ€s defensive line, as DaVon Hamilton, Robert Landers, and Jashon Cornell all said goodbye after five years with the Buckeyes.Losing both starting defensive tackles is never an ideal situation, but replacing defensive linemen isnâ€t normally an area where Ohio State struggles. There are former blue-chip prospects who are now entering their third and fourth seasons with the Scarlet and Gray, and they will be called upon to set the tone for this entire OSU defense.
This is not as deep of a group as it has been in the past, but the Buckeyes†depth the last couple of years was probably bordering on extravagant.
[b]Snapshot[/b]
More than finding two new starters, the Buckeyes will also need to find two more options behind the starters in order to have the bare minimum of a 4-man rotation. The top four guys are all former Top 100 recruits, so itâ€s not like defensive line coach Larry Johnson is going to be cobbling together something that works. There is talent here and they have all played. Whatâ€s behind the top four is the bigger mystery.
[b]Depth Chart[/b]
[b]Three Tech[/b]
92 Haskell Garrett (6-2 299), Sr
Garrett was in the rotation with starter Jashon Cornell last year, so he has seen plenty of action. May not be the pass rusher Larry Johnson likes in this role, but heâ€s a veteran who understands the job.
OR
6 Taron Vincent (6-2 295), rSoph
There were expectations for Vincent to come out of fall camp and challenge as the starter last year, but a shoulder injury ended his season before it ever began. Vincent is the kind of quick penetrator the position desires, but is he back to his best yet?
90 Jaden McKenzie (6-2 290), rFr
McKenzie could probably end up at either defensive tackle position. He played in just two games last year. Theyâ€ll need more out of him this year.
83 Cormontae Hamilton (6-2 265), rFr
Hamilton has moved over from tight end. Larry Johnson has liked him as a defensive lineman all along, which is encouraging. Heâ€s athletic, but how soon will he be big enough?
[b]NA Ty Hamilton (6-3 250), Fr[/b]
Hamilton is listed as a defensive tackle here because he was one of three ‘tweeners signed by Ohio State in 2020 and it didnâ€t look like either Darrion Henry-Young or Jacolbe Cowan would be suiting up on the inside any time soon. Hamilton also has the defensive tackle bloodlines, being the younger brother of former OSU nose tackle DaVon Hamilton. Doubt a Hamilton at your own risk.
[b]Nose Tackle[/b]
72 Tommy Togiai (6-2 300), Jr
Togiai has been good enough to find time in a rotation with Robert Landers and DaVon Hamilton. Now heâ€ll be at the tip of that spear and should be very, very good.
52 Antwuan Jackson (6-2 295), Grad
Jackson has been the unfortunate fourth wheel on the nose tackle bicycle. But now he should see regular snaps, provided he can handle them. Heâ€s played both defensive tackle spots at OSU, so heâ€s athletic and versatile.
55 Jerron Cage (6-2 299), rJr
Even bikes with training wheels donâ€t have room for a fifth wheel. Cage hasnâ€t had much opportunity in his time at OSU, but as Tommy Togiai has shown, you can make your own opportunity and force the coaches to put you on the field.
[b]2019 Stats[/b]
[b]What To Like[/b]
Tommy Togiai is big, strong, fast, and quick, which also describes the guy he is replacing. The ceiling is quite high for Togiai this year. He'll still share reps, but he'll get more than his fill. He could also pick up some of the slack in terms of backfield disruption. He is expected to be a nose tackle who penetrates and doesn't just occupy blockers. Like last year with DaVon Hamilton, Togiai could help offset a three tech that isn't quite the penetrator that Larry Johnson would like.
[b]Expectations[/b]
The top of the line here should be pretty good. Tommy Togiai, Antwuan Jackson, Taron Vincent, and Haskell Garrett could have gone anywhere to play ball, and they'd all have a pretty good shot at starting at most places. Still, the four of them have a total of 11 career tackles for loss, which is just one-half more than DaVon Hamilton managed on his own last year.
[b]Whereâ€s The Concern?[/b]
The depth and the lack of recruiting on the interior could be an issue. Behind the top four are two redshirt freshmen Jaden McKenzie and Cormontae Hamilton, and a fourth-year junior in Jerron Cage. Cage played about as many snaps last year as DaVon Hamilton did in the Buckeyes' final two games. If things go crazy well for the Ohio State defensive tackles, they could lose each of their top four and then go into 2021 with the three guys listed here, possibly Ty Hamilton, and possibly three true freshmen. If you're a Buckeye fan, you should be rooting for everything to go great, but maybe not so great for Tommy Togiai and Taron Vincent that they decide to leave early for the NFL.
[b]Best Battle[/b]
The battle for the starting spot at the three tech is interesting, but it may not actually mean much. Taron Vincent and Haskell Garrett are the top two here and if all goes as planned, theyâ€ll split the reps pretty evenly. However, a year ago, Jashon Cornell finished with almost twice as many reps as Garrett, who was the No. 2 at the position. His role diminished as the season went on and that possibility remains this year as well. Being a senior he should be fine, but production is still mandatory. Together, the competition between Garrett and Vincent should bring more out of each of them.
[b]Breakout Candidate[/b]
Tommy Togiai is going to be a name everyone in the Big Ten knows this season. It may not lead to any All-Big Ten accolades (last year, the coaches didn't have any defensive tackles on the first or second All-B1G team), but running backs won't soon forget. Honestly, you can put Taron Vincent here as well. He came to OSU as the No. 1 defensive tackle in the 2018 class and he started to show why late in the year. After missing 2019, people may have forgotten about him. They shouldn't have.
[b]A Dilemma[/b]
If Taron Vincent regains the pass-rushing ability he showed as a true freshman — and Larry Johnson said this spring that he was starting to — then he may be in the discussion to be part of the Rushmen Package, which would further crowd the lineup that Johnson would choose from. But if the biggest dilemma here is that there is just too much darn talent to choose from, this would qualify as a “first world problem.â€
[b]One Bold Prediction[/b]
This will be Tommy Togiaiâ€s last season in Columbus.
