Which Position Group Stands to Benefit Most from Jim Knowles’ New 4-2-5 Scheme

With a new face at defensive coordinator in Jim Knowles comes a new-look scheme that will take shape in 2018. The former Duke DC enjoyed great success deploying the 4-2-5 with the Blue Devils. He will get the opportunity to succeed similarly at OSU, but has a tough task of getting new personnel up to speed this offseason.

But for a team that has consistently had its defense as a weak-link in its chain, his track record in coaching up lesser-heralded prospects by out-scheming opponents will be welcomed with open arms.

Knowles has a fresh slate to work with at OSU in succeeding Glenn Spencer. He has plenty of talent, both experienced and green, to make an improvement off of last season’s unit that ranked 70th in S&P+ ratings that factor in efficiency, explosiveness, field position, finishing drives, and turnovers.

But the biggest question is how the unit as a whole will improve.

To answer that question, we must first learn who stands to gain the most from the scheme change. I brought on resident expert Adam Lunt, who gave me the answer I was hoping I’d find: The cornerbacks.

“It will be more sink or swim with the defensive back group as a whole, but even more so for the cornerback group,” Lunt explained of Knowles’ system. “Based off what Knowles has done in the past, his CBs play aggressive. Will be good opportunity for AJ Green/ Rodarius Williams to show out in more press opportunities.”

I’m here for it. Hearing that the cornerbacks will be featured in a sink or swim scheme does give me some painful Ramon Richards freshman year flashbacks, but Knowles’ new tactic comes at a good time with entrenched starters at both cornerback spots. Green and Williams have both shown they can cover on an island in spurts. Now they’ll be asked to do more of the same with little secondary help over the top.

There’s a decent chance they’ll be burned early and, maybe, often. But as the system becomes more familiar, it will ultimately benefit the position the most. Good corners want to be on an island to showcase their talents. Which means players with NFL hopes of being a cover corner in college will see OSU as a fascinating landing spot to prove themselves.

Cornerbacks aren’t the only ones who could see a new look in the system change this season; the linebackers won’t be as plentiful on the field as they were in Glenn Spencer’s scheme, but Lunt says they’ll have a chance to star with a more simplistic game plan.

“It’s going to be more basic for them,” said Lunt of Bundage, Phillips and the rest of the returning linebackers on the second line of defense. “I think the idea is, simplicity let’s them just read and react. Both [Bundage and Phillips] are very athletic, so hope is it will let them just go play fast. Same goes for the DL — a more basic scheme.”

In the Big 12, getting a pass rush to hurry quarterbacks is key. As we saw in Emmanuel Ogbah’s prime, pressure off the edge is the catalyst for forcing turnovers, errant passes and, ultimately, keeping the defense paced. But with no elite pass-rusher for OSU in 2018 the caliber of an Ogbah, the cornerbacks will be the most important line of defense in 2018 under a new system.

Sink or swim, we’re about to find out how effective it will be.