How star safety Caleb Downs' role is evolving in Ohio State football defense

How star safety Caleb Downs’ role is evolving in Ohio State football defense

Posted by Admin January 7, 2025 Football

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Caleb Downs snuffed out a handoff.

It was early in the second quarter of Ohio State’s rout of Oregon in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl last week when Downs bolted toward running back Jordan James.

As the Ducks began a first down moving toward midfield, James dashed to his right, but had little room to run. Downs and linebacker Sonny Styles smothered him at the 43-yard line. James gained only 2 yards.

The stop offered a glimpse into how the Buckeyes’ use of Downs, the All-American safety, has evolved over this season.

Before the snap, Downs lined up only a few yards behind Styles, close enough to the line of scrimmage that he looked like a middle linebacker.

With increasing frequency, the Buckeyes have put Downs closer to the line.

Over the first half of the regular season, Downs was in the box on 32% of his snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. Between the second half and playoff, Downs has lined up in the box on 40% of his snaps.

“It allows me to be able to read the line and the quarterback and be able to get in the run game,” Downs said, “and play the pass.”

While Downs provides more run support from the box, he is versatile enough to be at any spot in the secondary.

As a free safety, he’s also operated in the deep part of the field and the slot to cover receivers, as he did last season at Alabama before transferring to Ohio State.

“If you have me in the post, I can make plays,” Downs said. “If you have me in man, I can make plays. If you have me in the box, I can make plays. To me, it doesn’t really matter.”

The idea to expand his role in the box came from defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who sought to make him more of a focal point for their top-ranked unit.

“When you have a guy like Caleb Downs, you don’t want to get him removed from a position to make plays,” Knowles said. “Caleb is a guy who can track the run and play the pass. In that kind of setup, you keep him closer to the action. He’s a guy that we need to make plays in the run and the pass.”

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The results are easy enough to see. Downs averaged four tackles in his first six regular-season games. He’s averaged six over the past eight.

His presence helped the Buckeyes hold Oregon to minus-23 rushing yards. He’s combined for 10 tackles in OSU’s playoff games.

Few defenders clean up as much.

“He can make a lot of people right,” Knowles said.

With Downs’ range, he can manage his responsibilities in the back end. The Buckeyes have also dropped nickel back Jordan Hancock deeper into coverage to account for Downs moving into the box.

Styles praised Downs, along with safety Lathan Ransom, for coming down to help the linebackers defend the run.

“If you’re dropping a safety in, usually those are 4 yard-runs, 5-yard runs,” Styles said, “and they’re stopping them for 2-yard runs or no-yard runs. It’s super impressive.

Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @joeyrkaufman or email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com.