Some people say that Penn State is Linebacker U. For the past couple of seasons, Buckeye fans have had the pleasure of disagreeing with them. From Spielman, to Hawk, to Laurinatis, and now to Homan and co. The Buckeyes have been graced with some great linebackers over the years, and have produced with them to. Linebackers are mainly focused on the rushing game, as they have to attack that running back and make the big play. Sometimes they drop back, and can steal a couple from you though. Just look at Homan's pick in the Rose Bowl. That was 1 of the very many key moments of the game. This year's core consists of speed, power, and just overall good playing. It may not be the Schlegel-Hawk-Carpenter trio, but they will get the job done this year. We also have some good players coming in from this class that could make an impact right away.
Depth Chart Prediction
Ross Homan - He's back for his senior season. He's one of many linebackers to come back to try and win a national championship. This season, whether the final destination is the White House or at home with a PB&J in his hand, you know Homan is going to go all out. Passing up his chance at the NFL he will look to hone his already great skills. The BBC had a chart awhile back showing Homan's stats compared to the Little Animal. Homan's was just a little better. How about that?
Brian Rolle - Talk about bursting onto the scene. Not much was known about Brian until the game against Navy last year when he had a Pick 2, that led to the Buckeyes avoid having an early upset. Now after a fantastic season Rolle is looking to continue on and go to the NFL. Only thing missing is that trophy.
Klien/Sabino/Sweat - One of the hardest decisions to make for the coaches in this area will no doubt be the fight between Storm and his teammates. I personally think that Storm will win it out, but many Buckeye Bloggers out there tend to disagree, going with Sabino. Don't get me wrong, I like Sabino, but Storm is the typical OSU linebacker, and he will go after you, hard. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.
How They Did
Ross Homan: Ross Homan has done what he needs to do to continue in his starting role. He is certainly on his way to becoming one of the defensive captains, along with Heyward. His spring went pretty well, making plays here and there. He is keeping his eye's on the prize, is what my guess is. He has good ball instincts if you couldn't tell from his 5 INT's this year. On 2 of those he had 20+ yards returning it.
Brian Rolle: Consistency was Brian's forte in 2009, as he played outstanding and seemed to come out of nowhere. Surprisingly, he only had 2 picks the entire year, but he did manage 93 tackles. At times he seemed to struggle with wrapping up, but that is what the spring is for. He should be able to shake it off and come out with an even better year then before.
Klien/Sabino/Sweat: Klien had a great spring impressing coaches left and right with his improvement. I seriously think he will come out victorious. Sabino also impressed, though, and he's looking for his first actual starting job. Andrew Sweat has waited patiently, but he is in deep depth at the linebacking spot, and it's going to be hard to compete with both Klien and Sabino.
Overall Depth: B
Although you have 2 starters coming back, you have to understand that one of the new boys is going to have issues with getting it together. Other than that, this is a dangerous group with good depth. One or 2 go down, you still have the stud freshman Dorian Bell who has earned much praise from the coaching staff. This group has to be one of the solid groups for this defense in case of injuries. I think they can do it, they know their goal, and are ready for some action.
