One year ago, Chris Ash was hired to fix the back end of the Ohio State defense, patching the leaks in pass coverage that seemed to show up far too often for the 2013 Buckeyes. Many fans (and analysts alike) expected the former Arkansas and Wisconsin defensive coordinator to focus his repair job on installing aggressive, press coverage on the outside.
While starting cornerbacks Doran Grant and Eli Apple certainly benefited from Ash's presence, the biggest change in the OSU secondary however came from the play of his safeties. Though Ash had to replace two departed seniors at the position in Christian Bryant and C.