The Opening Drive 12/22: One Player, Multiple Positions, Championship Advantage
How Caleb Downs’ versatility, instincts, and leadership anchor Ohio State’s defense.
We have to spend some time on the elite this week. When we break down how the Buckeyes’ defense is the separator for the team, you could go in several different directions. But the player who makes it all come together is Caleb Downs. His ability to play a multifaceted role in the deep and intermediate portions of the field changes everything. Last week he was awarded his second Unanimous First-Team All-American award and he will be vital for the Buckeyes run at a repeat title. He deserves our attention.
This breakdown focuses on three ways Downs directly impacts games at the highest level. Whether he’s fitting the run with discipline and violence, triggering downhill to erase the screen game, or forcing quarterbacks off their first read with late movement and range, Downs affects the offense at every level. His versatility allows Ohio State to stay aggressive and connected while taking away what offenses want most — easy yards, quick answers, and clean reads.
Let’s dig into the film.
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Run Fits: The Extra Hat That Changes The Math
Safeties who can fit the run are more than just tacklers — they’re the plus one that allows linebackers to play faster and more decisively. In Ohio State’s case, Caleb Downs’ understanding of where he fits based on the front and coverage gives Coach Patricia another tool in the toolbox. In the first clip below (Tennessee, 2024), Downs is effectively playing the “Mike” in a Tampa 2 look. His depth keeps him clean and patient, but what stands out is his relentlessness attacking the H in the hole, shutting down the run before it can develop. That’s advanced run-fit discipline — and it shows why he’s trusted to handle multiple jobs within the same structure.
In the second clip (Illinois, 2025), the Buckeyes rotate into Cover 3, and Caleb Downs becomes the insert safety. He does a great job triggering downhill immediately — no hesitation, no false steps. As the ball spills outside, Downs scrapes over the top with proper leverage and puts himself in a one-on-one situation, then finishes the play. That’s textbook insert safety play: fast eyes, decisive trigger, and clean tackle in space. It’s also exactly what we should expect to see in the immediate future against Miami and Mark Fletcher, where downhill safeties will be critical to controlling the run game.
