Ohio State announced that starting junior linebackers Dante Booker and Jerome Baker will not play in today’s game against Michigan State due to injury.
Baker is second on the team with 44 tackles, while Booker is sixth with 31 stops.
In their place, the Buckeyes could choose to move Chris Worley to Baker’s vacated Will spot and start redshirt freshman Tuf Borland in the middle. Booker would then be replaced at Sam by sophomore Malik Harrison, who plays in front of Booker on nickel downs anyway.
The Will and Sam linebackers are interchangeable for Ohio State, the only difference is that the Sam plays on the wide side of the field. Worley played the Sam linebacker spot last year, so sliding to the Will side shouldn’t be too much of an adjustment.
The larger problem for the Ohio State linebackers of late has simply been executing what is being asked of them. Will that change this week with new personnel on the field? Stay tuned.
Is anybody buying this “ injury” story?
The timing is a bit odd, isn’t it?