Three Overreactions on Defense After Two Days of Camp

After two days of Ohio State fall camp, it’s time for some defensive overreactions. Tony Gerdeman and Tom Orr take an early look at what the Buckeyes are showing on defense and ask whether Christian Alliegro could be headed for a massive role at linebacker, whether Jermaine Mathews might be Ohio State’s starting nickel, and whether freshman Jay Timmons could force his way into the starting conversation sooner than expected. They also discuss Riley Pettijohn’s cross-training, T.J. Alford’s role, the possibility of a deeper linebacker rotation, how Ohio State is searching for its best five defensive backs, and what Matt Patricia may be trying to build in the secondary. 0:00 — Welcome to the Buckeye Weekly Podcast 0:32 — Three defensive overreactions after two days of camp 0:52 — Overreaction No. 1: Christian Alliegro may never leave the field 2:07 — Why Alliegro’s versatility matters 3:09 — Riley Pettijohn and T.J. Alford in the linebacker rotation 4:26 — How many linebackers could realistically play? 5:37 — Is a four-man linebacker rotation too much? 6:44 — Overreaction No. 2: Jermaine Mathews could be the starting nickel 8:42 — Finding Ohio State’s best five defensive backs 10:37 — Overreaction 2.5: Could Jay Timmons actually start at nickel? 11:33 — Why Timmons is one of the most intriguing freshmen in camp 12:44 — The Antoine Winfield comparison 13:14 — More realistic freshman nickel comparisons 14:24 — Final thoughts and Buckeye Insiders Which defensive overreaction are you buying the most after two days of camp? Subscribe to the Buckeye Weekly Podcast, give the video a thumbs up, and turn on notifications so you don’t miss the latest from Ohio State fall camp. For more Buckeye football coverage and discussion, join us at BuckeyeInsiders.com.