Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Ohio State heroes. Whether they are the biggest names in Buckeye athletic history, or underappreciated icons; perhaps even players who made major impacts off the field. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our ”Buckeye Heroes” articles here.
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
Today’s Question: Who will be the surprise hero for Ohio State’s 2025-26 football season?
Jami’s Take: C.J. Hicks
In C.J. Hicks’ three seasons at linebacker, his contributions to the Buckeye defense remained inconsistent at best. Now, as he prepares to enter his senior season, his shift to defensive end could be just the move Hicks needs to realize his full potential and become the Buckeyes’ surprise hero this season.
A lack of talent has never been the issue for Hicks, but in the No. 4 linebacker role behind Sonny Styles, Cody Simon, and Arvell Reese, Hicks was seemingly always a second banana. His five-star talents seemed to simmer just below the surface. Having played in 20 games since coming to Ohio State, he hasn’t seen consistent playing time and certainly hasn’t had the collegiate career he expected to have as a recruit.
Now, that could be about to change. As he enters his final year of college eligibility, the clock is running out for him to make an impact, and the shift to an edge-rushing role should play to his strengths in a way that allows him to do just that.
Hicks has been preparing for the role since last season under then-defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, as Knowles explored options with a hybrid Jack role. New defensive coordinator Matt Patricia has been entirely aligned with Hicks’ move, one that could allow him to make the most of his explosiveness on the field and fill some needed gaps left by last year’s seniors.
After Jack Sawyer and J.T. Tuimoloau departed for the NFL after last year, the Buckeyes anticipated the need for some talented pass rushing. Shifting Hicks helps to add some depth for the team there.
Coming off the edge, that explosiveness should position him to get to opposing quarterbacks quickly and aggressively, something the Buckeyes will need if they are going to replicate the defensive success of last year’s National Championship team.
Patricia is envisioning Hicks in a hybrid linebacker/edge rushing role, one that should play to Hicks’ strengths — athleticism, aggression, power. It should also give Hicks more of a chance to shine than we’ve seen in the past.
To prepare for the role, Hicks has been bulking up. He intends to be around 245 pounds—compared to 233 pounds in 2024—by the time the season starts.
With the departure of so many senior leaders on the defense at the end of last season, this year’s Buckeyes are going to need some new faces to step up to fill those shoes. While Hicks has perhaps not seen the consistent playing time of some of his teammates, he’s not brand new either, and the dedication he’s shown in the offseason might allow him to surprise some folks come fall.
While he’s still developing in the role, he’s proven he’s eager to learn, spending extra time with his coaches to continue pushing toward his goals. Even if there is work to do between now and the fall, he’s not lacking for drive, which could help him meet his goals by fall.
If he does, expect him to surprise some opposing offenses.
Patricia has called Hicks’ talents “unique,” something he has mentioned can confuse opposing offenses. The more versatile Hicks is, the harder it is for opponents to anticipate how he will be used.
And while there are still many unknowns about how big a role he will play next season, the dedication Hicks has shown to the new role could be enough to help him finally break out. For a defense that saw so many departures last year, that kind of potential is enough for me to bet on him as a surprise hero next season.
Matt’s Take: Eddrick Houston
Like Jami, I’m going to stick on the defensive side of the ball, but instead of going with a veteran who is still trying to work up to his long-established potential, I am going to go with someone who, if everything goes according to plan, will be one of the youngest starters on the team, defensive tackle, Eddrick Houston.
The former five-star prospect didn’t get a ton of playing time during the Buckeyes’ national title season, but when he did play, he showed moments of brilliance and more than enough pop to get Ohio State fans (and probably coaches) excited for what could be coming down the road.
Houston earned a 75 overall defensive score from Pro Football Focus during his true freshman season, which rose to 79.9 during the final three games of the College Football Playoff against Oregon, Texas, and Notre Dame.
With all four starters from last year’s d-line now in the NFL, Larry Johnson is going to need the next crop of Rushmen to step up. While the rest of the presumed starters (Caden Curry, Kayden McDonald, and Kenyatta Jackson) come with far more experience than Houston does, I just get the feeling that the sophomore will end up being an incredibly important part of the OSU defense this season.
Currently listed at 6-foot-3 and 270 pounds, Houston has the athleticism to eat up blocks and close up holes to allow his teammates to get to the ball-carrier. However, I also think that the pop and explosion that we saw during his rookie campaign prove that he can also disrupt the quarterback as well.
The Buckeyes’ two defensive tackles last season Ty Hamilton (3.5) and Tyleik Williams (2.5) only combined for a total of six sacks, and while I am certainly not calling for Houston to eclipse that total on his own, I do think that he has more athleticism than those two guys, especially Hamilton, who he will be replacing.
So, while guys like Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese, Davison Igbinosun, Jermaine Mathews Jr., and the other three defensive linemen might get a bit more preseason pub, don’t be surprised if at the end of the year, Eddrick Houston is a guy that has had a far bigger impact than anyone anticipated.