Texas' pursuit of key Ohio State assistant will force Ryan Day to make tough staff decisions
The Ohio State Buckeyes are already fighting back against losing defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to a host of blue blood programs, but their staff changes could sprawl deeper. So goes the life of being a national champion. But there's a combination of potential moves that would ravage the Buckeyes' defensive staff. Chip Brown of 247Sports […]
The Ohio State Buckeyes are already fighting back against losing defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to a host of blue blood programs, but their staff changes could sprawl deeper. So goes the life of being a national champion. But there's a combination of potential moves that would ravage the Buckeyes' defensive staff.
Chip Brown of 247Sports reported that Texas is looking to poach defensive assistant LaAllen Clark. Clark joined the Buckeyes last year from Southern University as a graduate assistant. He has deep ties to NFL talent as a trainer. Texas already has Kenny Baker in place, but it's possible Steve Sarkisian will create a new role for Clark on his staff.
The domino effect of the rumored fracture between Knowles and defensive line coach Larry Johnson could be playing out with real consequences. Johnson, turning 73 this year, reportedly had more say in how Knowles ran his defense than what is normal for a defensive line coach. It's possible that Johnson's return could push Knowles out the door.
Clark, who played as a defensive end at both Grambling State and Northwestern State, started his coaching journey as a graduate assistant at Prairie View A&M in 2019.
Beyond his college coaching experience, Clark specializes in training professional football players as a pass rush expert. He has collaborated with over 50 defenders who were active in the NFL last season, including notable defensive linemen like Jeffery Simmons, Danielle Hunter, and Ed Oliver.
Ohio State must think about whether it's wiser to usher Johnson into retirement and promote Clark and retain Knowles. Or, they could be confident in their ability to lure top talent and completely refresh their defensive staff at a lower rate.
With guys like Caleb Downs and a host of high-end youngsters set to enter the lineup in 2025, it's hard to imagine the Buckeyes have a hard time recruiting bright minds to its staff. However, we've seen what happens when the Buckeyes lack a high-end defensive staff, and Knowles helped fix that.
The stakes are high right now as predators are hoping to bring in Carnell Tate and other talent from within the building.