Chimdi Chekwa joins The Tim May Show to break down Buckeyes defense

COLUMBUS — One of the great names in Ohio State football history — seriously, Chimdi Chekwa is about as unique as it gets — believes the Buckeyes’ beleaguered defense from a year ago is about to bounce back toward Silver Bullets status … if.

As in if the 2023 Ohio State defenders come together and become “11 guys working as one. It’s an important piece,” Chekwa said. “I’m just hoping that our guys get there, and I’m believing that they will.”

Chekwa was speaking during another appearance on the Tim May Show on Lettermen Row. As for knowing what it means to be part of a stalwart Ohio State defense, he was a senior cornerback on the Buckeyes’ 2010 unit which wound up No. 4 in total defense nationally on a team that went 12-1 including a win over Arkansas and the late Ryan Mallett in the Sugar Bowl. 

That defense was Silver Bullets-worthy, and as Chekwa noted, he thinks the 2023 Ohio State unit, in the second year under coordinator Jim Knowles and his 4-2-5 scheme, can bounce back to that level. And if he had one word of advice to push that along as he Buckeyes head into the start of preseason camp Aug.3, it would “finishing.”

“I think a big thing is, really, finishing plays,” Chekwa said from the jump.

It’s been a few years since the defense was outstanding, all the way back to 2019, and of the last two, “One year (2021) there was a lot of bad, in my opinion,” Chekwa said. “Then this (past) year they took a step forward but they still weren’t what we expect from an Ohio State Silver Bullet-type defense. What I think they lacked a lot of this past year is finishing plays … and protecting (against) the deep, explosive play.”

Take three or four explosive plays out of the loss to Michigan and/or the loss to Georgia and “you’d get a completely different outcome,” he said. 

Headed into the second year of the Knowles system, the familiarity plus the experience of should pay some dividends toward the “11 playing as 1” approach.

“There’s a lot of nuance in defense,” Chekwa said. For example, “You can play cover 3, but that cover 3 can change based on what the offense is giving you.

“One thing I remember playing under coach (Luke) Fickell is we changed a lot of things based on what our strength was. Like, ‘Yeah, Chim, I know we’re supposed to have a guy underneath there for you, but he’s probably not gonna get there. So play it like man.’ “

The coaches’ enhanced knowledge of the personnel, and the personnel’s deeper understanding of the scheme should help the Buckeyes fill some of the cracks that appeared outrageously at times in those last two games of 2022. 

He also thinks head coach Ryan Day stepping back from playcaller and ipso facto offensive coordinator to take more of a classic head coach’s posture also should contribute to the cause.

“I think there’s value in a head coach really locking in on, ‘OK, where is the weakness on the team,’ “ Chekwa said. “And if there are weaknesses in giving up explosive plays – a great offensive mind like Ryan Day, ‘How can I figure out how we can solve these issues? How can I figure out what a Jim Harbaugh or a whoever, how they’re going to try to attack us and we can make sure we are solvent for these issues?’ ”

The defense wants to be offensive whenever possible, but at the same time “we need to make sure we keep the top on this defense,” Chekwa said, to make sure the explosive plays for touchdowns are curbed.

As he has watched the Buckeyes the past several seasons, some of those teams “are more talented” than some he was on at OSU, but the difference for the 2010 unit especially was “connectivity,” Chekwa said, the ability to adjust on the fly with just a word or a look or a nod.

“That came with us being together for a few years, being in the same defense for a couple of years,” Chekwa said. “But it also from us really coming together and doing this,” he said thumbing back over his shoulder toward the poster on the wall whose gist was “We will execute not only as 1/11h, but 11 working as 1. … That’s very important for defense to be great.”

Chekwa will be keeping a close eye on the Buckeyes, with him and 2010 teammate Bryant Browning sharing a podcast, and with him and NBC4 sports caster Jerod Smalley have a regular segment during the season. He’s also heavily involved in KLOUTMachine, a company that has emerged in this NIL era to help gain the best value for athletes and companies looking to glean the most from their relationships.

And remember, The Tim May Show can be found on Youtube.com/LettermenRow as well as your favorite podcast sources.