Questions have abounded about Ohio State’s football team’s defensive unit ever since defensive backs Ashton Youboty and Donte Whitner declared themselves eligible for this past April’s NFL Draft shortly after the Buckeyes’ Fiesta Bowl victory over Notre Dame. 

Even before Youboty’s and Whitener’s draft declaration, almost every OSU football fan wrung their hands as they imagined how OSU’s defense would respond to the loss of arguably its top trio of linebackers in school history and top defensive lineman, Mike Kudla, who had become a force off the edge at defensive end. 

After their decision to leave school a year early, hand wringing became near panic.  

“OSU only returns two starters on defense!” “How will they be able to compete?” 

The Buckeyes have topped every major preseason voter’s poll and open up this weekend against North Illinois at home as the No. 1 team in the country. Most pundits have explained the Buckeyes’ No. 1 selection by claiming that OSU’s potentially potent  offense will compensate for what they think still certainly is going to be an inexperienced and potentially porous defense.

 The Hog completely disagrees. 

The Hog thinks OSU’s defense is going to be just fine for several reasons. 

* OSU returns just two starters, but they are defensive tackles Quinn Pitcock and David Patterson. Just like in baseball, it pays dividends to be strong up the middle defensively in football. This duo will create problems for opposing offenses in two ways: 1) They will make their fair share of plays, especially Patterson who will benefit from Pitcock being double teamed. 2) They will attract the center and both guards, which will translate in an open path to the ball carrier for linebackers James Laurinaitis, Marcus Freeman and John Kerr. Neither Pitcock nor Patterson are over 300 pounds, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing in an era where DTs can exceed 320. Pitcock’s and Pattersons’ style of play revolves around a quick first step, leverage and surprising quick pursuit. These guys can motor. 

 * The Hog heard Jason Lloyd of The Lorain Morning Journal on WKNR, 850-AM in northeast Ohio questioning whether OSU had any impact players at defensive end this season. He questioned if there was a Will Smith or even a Mike Kudla at defensive end this season.

 *The Hog was a bit worried about the defensive end positions heading into spring practice, and then The Hog had a chance to watch the annual OSU Spring Game. Let’s just say that not only are Vernon Gholston (6-foot-4, 260 pounds), Lawrence Wilson (6-5, 270) and Jay Richardson (6-6, 280) first-off-the-bus-type of players just based on their impressive and intimidating physiques, but The Hog predicts that this trio, plus freshman Robert Rose will be first-in-the-backfield-type of players this fall. Gholston ran circles around offensive tackle Alex Boone in the spring game, while Richardson and Wilson did most of their damage against walk-on tackles, but they did plenty of damage.

 Gholston is a star in the Will Smith mold. He’s fast and incredibly strong, and he’s a high-energy player. Richardson has always shown flashes of greatness, but he’s had troubles maintaining his intensity from play to play and series to series. Supposedly, the word out of Columbus is that he is putting everything together for one final last push toward greatness for his senior season.

 The Hog predicts that the front four’s pass rush will be so relentless this season that defensive coordinator Jim Heacock doesn’t nearly call as many blitzes this season compared to last season.

 The linebackers behind this potential great defensive front has the potential to be a very good unit.   

 Freeman will start at strong-side, James Laurinaitis will start in the middle and Kerr is slated to replace OSU legend A.J. Hawk at weak-side linebacker. One of the most interesting battles at linebacker involves JUCO transfer Larry Grant, who is pushing Laurinaitis for playing time.

 Something tells The Hog don’t be surprised if Grant cracks the starting lineup this season.

 But be extremely surprised if it happens at Laurinaitis’ expense. Even though no one has mentioned it at all, The Hog foresees Grant pushing Kerr for playing time and eventually becoming the weak-side starting linebacker. It’s just a hunch. 

This group of linebackers has the potential to be outstanding, but not legendary. 

The defensive secondary is almost completely raw, but sophomore Malcolm Jenkins started in a handful of games last season, and safety Brandon Mitchell has played quite a bit over the last few season. Jenkins is a budding superstar and plays with a chip on his shoulder and a pinch of attitude. He will shut an opposing receiver down and let them know about it in the process.

 Nick Patterson has stepped up during the off season to beat out the much more heralded Jamario O’Neal and Anderson Russell.

The defensive secondary is rounded out by fifth-year senior and former walk-on Antonio Smith. This kid’s a great story, His made his name covering kicks for the Buckeyes, and he did it well enough to eventually earn a scholarship and starting nod at cornerback. Smith is a sure tackler as displayed his ability with his play on the punt and kick coverage teams the past few seasons.

 The other thing that makes Smith so easy to root for is that he is truly a student-athlete. He’s as much a scholar as he is an athlete.

 When you think of everything that Smith brings to the table, it’s very easy to root for him, but do not be surprised to see Donald Washington, an incredible athlete who won the long jump championship at the IHSAA State Finals Meet his junior and senior seasons, push past Smith and into the starting lineup.

 Heacock has been on record stating that he likes the amazing speed and the youthful exuberance of the defensive unit as a whole this season.

 Will we see a return of The Silver Bullets; flying across the field and wreaking havoc?

 The Hog says, “Heck yes!”

 This is a defense that will keep OSU close enough in all of its games this season for the offense to squeak out some victories..