Jim Knowles reveals how Ohio State will attack defending Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer
To start the season, Ohio State welcomes Notre Dame to Columbus. That means that the new Buckeyes defense, playing under defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, will immediately be challenged by one of college football’s best tight ends in Michael Mayer.
Jim Knowles met with the media and discussed how Ohio State is going to approach defending Michael Mayer.
“You have to have someone who has size, so he just doesn’t get bodies out,” Jim Knowles said. “And you need to have someone who is able to play the run, because, typically, he’s around the ball and going out at the same time.”
“So, you really need to have a bigger player,” Jim Knowles reiterated. “Someone that can get his hands on him early because you just don’t want to let him run free. I mean, everybody needs to know where he is and including the linebackers. You know, even if you’re not covering him, you need to know where he is. So, you can be a factor in defending him.”
When asked a follow-up question about what players on Ohio State’s roster fit the description that Jim Knowles gave, he said that there were. That included all of the team’s safeties because they’re physical players, even if they’re shorter than him.
In Jim Knowles’ last game as the Oklahoma State defensive coordinator before taking the Ohio State job, he faced off against Michael Mayer and Notre Dame. It was a come-from-behind win for the Cowboys. However, Mayer did run wild all over the defense, with seven receptions, 72 yards receiving, and two touchdowns.
Michael Mayer was a consensus four-star recruit in the Class of 2020. The only two tight ends ahead of Mayer were Arik Gilbert and Darnell Washington. He made an immediate impact for Notre Dame, quickly earning the nickname “Baby Gronk” in reference to his play looking like Rob Gronkowski. Now a junior, Mayer enters the 2022 season as a Second Team All-American.