Al Washington didn’t want to give any secrets away.
Standing at the podium in the football meeting room at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on Feb. 6, the linebackers coach remained mum about schematics. Instead, Washington offered a broad expectation. He said the linebackers will play fast and aggressive with the coaches simplifying the defense when necessary to maximize production.
A month and a half later, the Buckeyes have stayed relatively quiet in regard to their defensive tactics, only confirming their experiment of implementing a hybrid linebacker/safety position at times called a Bullet. Washington’s promise to bring speed and simplicity has persisted, as well.