Insider Gets Brutally Honest on Embattled Ohio State Buckeyes Coach

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive line coach Larry Johnson has been with the program since 2014, and he has certainly experienced considerable success with the school.

Since joining Ohio State, Johnson has been part of pair of national championship victories, most recently this past season when he developed a defensive line core that featured Jack Sawyer, Tyleik Williams, Ty Hamitlon and JT Tuimoloau.

All four of those players were selected in the NFL Draft this past April, a testament to the job that Johnson did in bringing them along. However, the 74-year-old has fallen on hard times lately, as he has been unable to land top recruits at either defensive end or defensive tackles.

As a result, Buckeyes fans have become increasingly frustrated with Johnson, who may be losing his touch as an elite coach.

Cameron Teague Robinson of The Athletic credited Johnson for all of the work he has done since taking the job in Columbus, but he also mentioned that we can't ignore his recent spotty track record.

"Johnson is one of the best defensive line coaches in the country, and his development of JT Tuimoloau, Jack Sawyer, Ty Hamilton and Tyleik Williams played a big role in Ohio State’s national championship run," Teague Robinson wrote. "His on-field resume can’t be debated, so he deserves a little bit of leeway here. But at some point, Ohio State has to close on these edge targets."

The Buckeyes watched as three of their top defensive end targets committed elsewhere over the last week, and while they did land a pair of defensive tackles, they are still lacking in elite talent at that position, as well.

Perhaps Johnson is just in a bit of a slump, but there's no shaking the fact that things have gotten pretty hairy for Ohio State in the trenches.

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