Ohio State Buckeyes Coach Criticized for Latest Recruiting Misses
Fans of the Ohio State Buckeyes are growing frustrated with the team’s repeated failures in recruiting under their defensive line coach. While Ohio State is typically strong in recruiting, they’ve been struggling in one area for the past few years: defensive line.
Defensive line coach Larry Johnson has been unable to secure top defensive end recruits, most recently losing out on Carter Meadows to Michigan and Landon Barnes to Ole Miss.
These two recruits are just the latest in a string of recruiting setbacks under Johnson, leaving Ohio State in a precarious position for future defensive end talent.
Ryan Stano of Scarlet & Game voiced his frustration with Johnson’s declining recruiting efforts, particularly after the two recent losses.
“Johnson hasn’t been getting it done this year,” Stano wrote. “He won two national championships, and it might have been better if he had retired after last season. Instead, he’s continued to rack up recruiting losses at a crucial position.” He added that Ohio State fans are growing increasingly disappointed with Johnson’s diminishing recruiting abilities. “It’s clear that Johnson is past his prime as a coach.”
At 73 years old, Johnson has been Ohio State’s defensive line coach since 2014. In the earlier years of his tenure, he was instrumental in developing some of the nation’s top defenses. However, his more recent years have seen a decline, with not only defensive end recruits failing to commit, but also defensive tackle becoming a growing concern for the team.
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