Page 1 Thursday, April 7, 2022
Ohio House introduces bill similar to Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law, student activists react OLIVIA ALBERT Managing Editor for Content albert.228@osu.edu The Ohio House introduced legislation similar to Florida’s controversial “Don’t Say Gay” law, which restricts how educators discuss sexual orientation and gender identity in schools, Monday. Under Ohio’s House Bill 616, kindergarten through third grade teachers would be banned from teaching or providing instructional materials on sexual orientation or gender identity. As for grades four through 12, the ban applies to instruction “in any manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards,” according to the proposed bill. The bill does not clarify the boundaries of “age-appropriate” or “developmentally appropriate” materials. The legislation would apply to public, community and private schools that accept state scholarship vouchers, according to the bill. Depending on the severity of the offense, educators found violating the proposed law could face a warning, suspension or teaching license revocation. Schools found in violation could lose state funds. The bill also looks to ban teaching of “divisive or inherently racist concepts.” It states these concepts include critical race theory, intersectional theory, the 1619 Project — a historical recount through the lens of slavery. It also looks to ban diversity, equity and inclusion outcomes. Introduced by Rep. Mike Loychik (R-Bazetta) and Jean Schmidt (R-Loveland), Loychik said in a statement that H.B. 616 encourages “free and fair discussion.” Schmidt said it “makes clear
Pride Parade participants march along High Street in Columbus June 16, 2018.
that all people are equal regardless of skin color, race, sex, religion, or national origin.” “The classroom is a place that seeks answers for our children without political activism,” Schmidt said in the statement. “Parents deserve and should be provided a say in what is taught to their children in schools. The intent of this bill is to provide them with the tools to be able to see what their child is being taught.” Loychik and Schmidt did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Jas Jackson-Winston, a fourth-year in biochemistry, said when they first came out as queer in high school, their parents were not there for them, and they found support in their teachers instead. “When mom and dad didn’t accept me, I talked to my teachers, and teachers always helped. They always accepted me for who I was,” Jackson-Winston said. “And so if this passes, that means queer kids aren’t going
to be able to have that safe space at school.” Jackson-Winston is the president of SHADES at Ohio State, which they said promotes inclusivity and acts as a safe space for queer people of color. They said not only would H.B. 616 eliminate a safe space for queer youth and people of color, but it would also prevent children from learning how to respect people from different backgrounds. “How can we, you know, understand and accept all of us as one people if we can’t even celebrate our differences? We can’t even celebrate different cultures, different gender identities, different sexualities,” Jackson-Winston said. “Ignoring who we are isn’t going to make everybody the same. It’s only going to make it easier to be ostracized and easier for people to stay marginalized.” Jessica Fulton, president of the Sexual Health and Reproductive Education Organization at Ohio State, said the bill
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is damaging to the emotional and physical healths of LGBTQ+ youth and their family and friends. “It sends a message that kids are to be ashamed of gender expression and identity, rather than embracing it,” Fulton, a medical student, said. Fulton said her organization advocates for and promotes comprehensive, inclusive and medically accurate sexual health education in grades K-12 in Ohio. She said under this legislation, society would take a step backward in terms of sexual health education. “We want critically thinking, emotionally intelligent kids, and we’re taking a step backwards, and in sexual and reproductive health with this bill, by shutting down conversations, shutting down discussions that need to be had and that these kids are capable of having from some form of fear,” Fulton said.
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Thursday, April 7, 2022
CAMPUS
Activist Kyle Richard will speak about sexual assault awareness on campus Thursday ON PAGE 3
Former Ohio State employee files sexual harassment lawsuit against university LANTERN FILE PHOTO
A former Ohio State employee filed a lawsuit against the university March 28, claiming it failed to address complaints that his department director sexually harassed him after learning of his sexual orientation.
JESSICA LANGER Campus LTV Producer langer.42@osu.edu A former Ohio State employee filed a lawsuit against the university March 28, claiming it failed to address complaints that his department director sexually harassed him after learning he was gay. According to the complaint, Stephen Kuntz — former Buckeye Link counselor in Student Academic Services — resigned from his job in January 2020 after he claimed Ohio State did not remedy the hostile work environment he experienced from Student Services Associate Director Sam Falcone. After Kuntz revealed his sexual orientation to coworkers, he claimed Falcone — who is also openly gay, according to the lawsuit — made unwelcome advances upon him, including making suggestive verbal remarks and touching Kuntz without his consent. “[Ohio State] knew or should have
known of the harassment and hostile work environment yet did not take immediate or corrective action,” the lawsuit stated. The lawsuit stated Ohio State’s actions violated Title VII, which prohibits unlawful discrimation against someone based on their race, color, national origin, sex — including sexual orientation — or religion. Elizabeth Tuck, Kuntz’s trial attorney, said in an email it is unfortunate that Kuntz had to file a lawsuit for “the University to take the situation seriously.” Kuntz looks to be reinstated to his job, awarded damages and awarded present, past and future lost compensation and benefits, according to the lawsuit. University spokesperson Chris Booker said in an email the allegations stated in the complaint were not reported to the university until Kuntz’s exit interview on the last day of his employment. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Ohio State’s Office of Institutional Equity both reviewed the allegations and found no evidence of a
violation. According to the lawsuit, Kuntz revealed his sexual orientation to coworkers, including Falcone, in March 2019. After that, the lawsuit stated Falcone began harassing Kuntz. The lawsuit stated Falcone told Kuntz that he had a sexual dream about him, made comments about Kuntz’s legs and called him a “stud,” among other things. It also claimed Falcone would go out of his way to be near Kuntz, at times nonconsensually touching him. The lawsuit claimed Falcone did not behave this way with heterosexual employees. Falcone did not respond to a request for comment. Kuntz was afraid to report his harassment, according to the lawsuit, because of what he said was Falcone’s history of “terminating, promoting, or demoting employees at whim.” The lawsuit stated Kuntz feared he would be fired or blocked from promotion if he stopped personal communication with
Falcone. The lawsuit claimed other employees reported Kuntz’s behavior to management, but it does not specify which employees or when. The lawsuit claimed Kuntz told human resources about the sexual harassment during his exit interview, but Ohio State endorsed the resignation, allowing Falcone to work for the university for eight months while the case was investigated. The lawsuit argued Ohio State concluded that Falcone “may have engaged in unwelcome sexual conduct,” but no action was taken or needed. Tuck said Kuntz hopes the complaint can inspire others to stand up to hostile work environments. “He hopes that taking a stand will encourage others to speak out when managers or others abuse their power for self-gratification,” Tuck said.
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Football player-turned-activist to raise awareness about sexual assault in keynote address SARAH SZILAGY | PATRICIA B. MILLER SPECIAL REPORTER
Ohio State will host athlete and sexual assault prevention advocate Kyle Richard Thursday from 7-8:15 pm in the Blackwell Ballroom as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
AVA HUELSKAMP Lantern reporter huelskamp.35@osu.edu Ohio State will host athlete and sexual assault prevention advocate Kyle Richard for a keynote address Thursday from 7-8:15 p.m. in the Blackwell Inn Grand Ballroom as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Running from Monday to April 22, SAAM is a university initiative hosted by the Student Wellness Center to raise awareness about sexual violence and prevention. The keynote address has 300 seats available on a first-come, first-served basis and is one of many events happening on campus throughout the month. Blake Marble, director of the Student Wellness Center, said everyone at the university can play a part in raising awareness on sexual violence, and SAAM events, including Richard’s speech, aim to
educate Buckeyes. “We all contribute to a safe and healthy campus culture,” Marble said. “We want to educate folks on that, regardless of your knowledge base or your experience or the role that you have.” Richard is a sports activist and speaker who has devoted his life to raising awareness about sexual, domestic and gun violence, according to the Student Wellness Center website. He said he was inspired to begin his activism after one pivotal night in college. Richard, a former football player for the State University of New York, said he was at a party during his junior year in 2017 when a friend noticed a man taking advantage of a girl who was inebriated in the bathroom. After attempting to confront the man, Richard said the man pulled out a gun and fired several shots. “He ended up hitting me twice. One went
through my right leg and the other through my left leg,” Richard said. “We went back inside trying to find cover. He let more shots off and ended up hurting my friend Mike, who survived, but he got hit in the shoulder. It was a crazy, traumatic night.” Despite the injuries, Richard said he was able to finish out his junior football season two weeks later. He dedicated the rest of his football career to his friend who was shot while he healed. ESPN picked up Richard’s story, and by the time he was a senior at SUNY, he had hundreds of survivors and victims of sexual violence reaching out to him to tell their stories. Richard said received the Next Generation Leadership Award from Kristin’s Fund — a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and preventing sexual assault and domestic violence — entering his senior year in 2018, according to the nonprofit’s website. Since then, Richard has spoken to numerous colleges, athletic
teams, Greek life organizations and high schools. Additional events during SAAM include Empowerment Yoga Monday from 10:2011:20 a.m., a wellness walk Tuesday from 2-3 p.m. and a presentation on building healthy relationships on April 22, according to the Student Wellness Center’s website. “One of the primary goals of [SAAM] is to raise awareness of the resources and work being done on Ohio State’s campus to support violence prevention holistically and to support those individuals who may be survivors and victims of sexual violence,” Marble said. Additional information about SAAM events at Ohio State and the keynote address can be found on the Student Wellness Center’s website.
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Thursday, April 7, 2022
ARTS&LIFE
Columbus Arts Festival makes comeback after two-year hiatus ON PAGE 5
New fried chicken destination coming to Columbus in May TYRIK HUTCHINSON-JUNIOR Lantern reporter hutchinson-junior.1@osu.edu Raising Cane’s fans might find themselves flocking to Columbus’ newest fried chicken restaurant, Just Chicken. D’Andre Martin, owner and founder of the restaurant, said he has ownership in multiple businesses, including coownership of popular restaurant The Pit BBQ Grille with Mike Johnson and former Ohio State football players Chimdi Chekwa and Bryant Browning. Martin said opening a restaurant with Just Chicken’s concept has always been his plan. “I’ve always wanted to do something a little different, something simpler that is still really good,” Martin said. “I always thought about, ‘What is the next best thing that I could do,’ and chicken was always one of my top restaurant ideas.” Martin, who attended Ohio State in 2007, said his time at the university helped prepare him for the world of business. He said he learned a lot from the community and the city of Columbus as a whole. “Coming from Cleveland, it was a major experience in dealing with different people and just learning,” he said. “Being in Columbus with all of these different restaurants kind of inspired me. I was told if you could make it in Columbus as a restaurant, then you can make it anywhere.” Martin said Just Chicken will offer fresh chicken and fries, as well as coleslaw and signature sauces made in-house. “[Customers] can expect great, fresh, quality food. I promise they won’t be disappointed,” Martin said. “The restaurant I would compare ourselves to is Cane’s, but with a twist to it. So if you love Cane’s, you’ll love us.” With multiple business ventures, Martin said it can be difficult to balance everything else in his life. He said he credits his wife, A’Leah Martin, and two children for allowing him
COURTESY OF D’ANDRE MARTIN
Just Chicken, started by D’Andre Martin, will be located in the East Market at 1600 Oak St. in Columbus and is set to open in May.
breaks away from the business world via family game nights and dates every Thursday. “My wife is also an entrepreneur, so she gets it,” he said. “We try to make time for each other and for our kids. Having a good support system is key, and balancing it out is key.” A’Leah Martin, a 2010 Ohio State alumna and owner of clothing boutique Jane’s Beauty Clothing, said it is her husband working long days can be challenging, but she and their kids try to support him in any way they can. “One way is understanding and making time for each other,” she said. “He works countless hours, but we understand that because this is something he is really
passionate about. We let him know that we are here for him every step of the way.” A’Leah Martin said she loved the idea of Just Chicken when her husband first mentioned it and is happy to see him take advantage of the opportunity. “He’s been doing this cooking thing for a really long time, so when the opportunity came, he thought this would be dope, and I agreed,” she said. When it comes to owning and operating his own restaurant, A’Leah Martin said she wants her husband to remember all of the little things that come with it. “Some important things that I would tell him is to always remember why he started,” she said. “Despite the ups and downs, he should stay true to his core, which is his
love for food and his love for creating a community.” D’Andre Martin said he is excited to continue to pursue his passion in the restaurant industry and hopes to continue to change lives with his business. “My biggest joy is that I have provided jobs and careers for people that changed their lives, and that’s really important to me,” he said. Just Chicken is set to open in the East Market at 1600 Oak St. in May, but D’Andre Martin said a specific opening day has yet to be chosen. However, as the opening day approaches, more information will become available on the East Market website.
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Columbus Arts Festival to return this summer for 60th anniversary PHOEBE HELMS Lantern reporter helms.121@osu.edu The Columbus Arts Festival — known for showstopping live performances, various vendors and delicious food — will return to the city June 10-12 after a twoyear hiatus due to the pandemic. The festival began 60 years ago on the Ohio Statehouse lawn as a smaller art fair and has since grown into a large-scale arts festival put on by the Greater Columbus Arts Council at the Scioto Mile riverfront. This year, the festival will partner with various organizations such as American Electric Power, Rhinegeist Brewery and Gateway Film Center. “We’ve got over 200 artists this year from around the country,” Sean Kessler, director of the festival and a 2002 Ohio State alumnus, said. “I think it’s 34 or 35 states and Canada being represented by all those artists, and a bunch of them are
local.” Kessler said the festival is known for its appreciation of local artists but will also include art and performances from artists around the country. This year, there will be three different stages and a variety of live performances for audience members to engage with at the festival, he said. “We’ll have kind of a main stage in Bicentennial Park that’ll be music and dance and theater,” Kessler said. “We have a ‘Big Local’ stage that plays only local music all day, every day of the festival. And then we have a spoken word and acoustic lounge that we’re really excited about.” Canceling the festival during the 2020 and 2021 seasons was a difficult decision, but Kessler and Jenica Richards, the festival and special events coordinator for the arts council, said they decided it was in everyone’s best interests to do so. “She and I just really had to pivot and do our best to start planning for 2022 — when we knew we could do it,” Kessler said. “We
were really lucky with a lot of our sponsors that stuck by us, and we didn’t have to cut anybody because of that.” Kessler and Richards are the only two full-time staff members for the Columbus Arts Festival, and Kessler said the festival is heavily dependent on volunteers. “We kind of build a city in a few days and tear it down in a couple of days,” he said. “And that can’t happen without the volunteer committee and all the volunteers that come down for the weekend.” Donna Estep, a local artist and one of the leaders of Cap City Creatives, said she has been a volunteer for the festival’s “Big Local” tent for nine years. Her experience volunteering for the festival has given her more exposure to the local arts community, she said. “It’s kind of a great way to get right there on the pulse of what happens in Columbus,” Estep said. “GCAC does so much for the artists themselves.” Aside from gaining exposure to new and
upcoming local artists, Estep said she also finds great joy in the work she does. “Volunteering to do the arts for me, it’s not work, it’s my heart,” Estep said. “That’s one of the big reasons I want to volunteer, because I want to see the art scene, you know, continue to grow.” Estep is excited to see local artists gain more exposure through the Columbus Arts Festival once again and said patrons should expect great things from this year’s event. “There’s a lot of booths for local arts groups. I believe usually BalletMet and some of the other really wonderful organizations that are here in Columbus are all represented, as well as the arts,” she said. “So I think part of this, you know, the size and the location, you just can’t beat.” More information about the Columbus Arts Festival can be found on the website, and those interested in volunteering for the festival can register through Experience Columbus’ website.
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BalletMet to present re-imagined version of ‘Cinderella’
BalletMet will present “Cinderella” at the Ohio Theatre Friday through Sunday. Pictured: Caitlin Valentine and David Ward.
ALEXIS SCHUPBACH Lantern reporter schupbach.10@osu.edu A classic fairy tale will soon come to life when BalletMet presents “Cinderella” at the Ohio Theatre. BalletMet will present the recently re-imagined fairy tale and ballet Friday through Sunday on the Ohio Theatre stage. Caitlin Valentine, a company dancer performing the role of Cinderella, said the ballet follows along with the age-old fairy tale, but with some new twists and added elements. Edwaard Liang, the artistic director of the BalletMet, has added his own take on the story by re-imagining specific scenes within the show to add more depth, include more dancers and add a sense of humor, Valentine said. “I think Edwaard has really tried to, like, root ‘Cinderella’ in real human emotions,” Valentine said. “It’s really fulfilling as an artist to play Cinderella in Edwaard’s version.” In the ballet, Liang said he aims to give Cinderella more emotional depth
by showing her mother’s death and the emotional trauma she deals with after the fact. “Every year she goes to this gravesite, and during this time, she sees this young girl in the woods, and it looks like her and she doesn’t understand,” Liang said. “So it’s kind of like a fantasy flashback where she meets her young self and she relives what has happened in the past.” BalletMet also features an accompanying academy where young dancers are occasionally given chances to perform in the company’s productions, Liang said. In this production of “Cinderella,” there are several scenes incorporating the young dancers, which Valentine said adds something special for the company dancers as well. “There’s just a ton of kids too, which is really fun,” Valentine said. “To have the story ballet, but have involved children too, I think it just makes it more, like, special for the company dancers too.” Despite an emotional backstory and portrayals of bullying in “Cinderella,” Valentine said the ballet also includes a good amount of humor within the
choreography. “I just think Edwaard’s choreography and the way that the dancers play the stepsisters is absolutely hilarious,” Valentine said. “The audience just really loves it too. So it’s a really fun element, even though they’re evil stepsisters, they are quite funny.” Although there have been several iterations of the “Cinderella” ballet over the years, Liang said he was easily able to make this ballet feel like his own due to the moldability of the score. “Some create their own characters, some follow Disney,” he said. “It’s really what’s great about the Prokofiev score. It really lends to creating your own version of ‘Cinderella.’ ” However, Liang said putting on a fullscale production such as “Cinderella” in the midst of a pandemic is far from easy, especially when involving kids. “We haven’t done a big-scale, fulllength like this since ‘Nutcracker,’ so it’s physically and mentally taxing for the artists,” Liang said. “We’ve had a very intense four weeks of rehearsal.” Pandemic-related restrictions do have
COURTESY OF LYDIA WEYRICH
a silver lining, Valentine said, as wearing masks during rehearsals has improved the dancers’ staminas and increased expressiveness in their movement. “For the shows, we unmask, but I think it allows for more expressive movements because you’re really trying to still tell the story, even with half of your face covered,” Valentine said. “And then, when you take your mask off, it’s like there’s even more, sort of, movement to your emotions.” Valentine said “Cinderella” utilizes several elements — including humor and the inclusion of young academy dancers — to make the show accessible and enjoyable to people of all ages and level of exposure to ballet. “This is such a fun, family-friendly ballet, I think. Edwaard’s version brings together so many different elements of, like, kids from the academy and beautiful company dancing and comedy and sadness,” Valentine said. “It really brings everything together.” Tickets to “Cinderella” start at $37 and can be purchased on BalletMet’s website.
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STORY FROM 8
season, highlighting sophomore linebacker Mitchell Melton as someone who’s jumped out to him. Melton has played just one game since arriving at Ohio State as a four-star recruit from Silver Spring, Maryland, in 2020 but dealt with an injury that sidelined him for all of last season. Knowles also pointed out defensive ends senior Javontae Jean-Baptiste and freshman Caden Curry as possible candidates in addition to linebackers senior Palaie Gaoteote IV and redshirt freshman Reid Carrico, noting the latter may get involved as a Sam linebacker. Freshman defensive end Jack Sawyer
Thursday, April 7, 2022 | The Lantern | 7
was among the first Buckeyes to take part in “Leo” drills, and while much of the position hasn’t been implemented yet, he said the way Knowles teaches his idea of the defense has intrigued him. “He wants us to play real fast and not be out there thinking this year. I feel like that fits the guys we have,” Sawyer said. “We got a bunch of real athletic, real physical guys that just want to play ball and not be out there thinking and just react, and so I think that’s kind of what he’s been trying to instill in us.” Head coach Ryan Day said he’s enjoyed sitting in on defensive meetings, noting Knowles is “very efficient” with his
teaching style. He added the defensive scheme with the “Leo” position involved is strategic, but how much it will be in use is “yet to be determined,” although he is interested in the effects it presents to opposition. “While you have the ability to line up with four-down spacing, now you can change to more than three-down with that position,” Day said. “Then you can kind of change the angles of the blocking and the double teams. Anytime you do that, now the offensive line is unsure of themselves, but we’re keeping it consistent for the other guys on the field, which is great.” The Buckeyes hope to gain improvement
in their defense that finished ninth in total defense last season, allowing 372.9 passing yards and 126.8 rushing yards per game. The Cowboys finished with the ninth-best scoring defense a season ago, allowing just 18.1 points per game. Now under Knowles as defensive coordinator, Ohio State’s defense could be in line for adjustments — with the “Leo” as a potential catalyst. “I’m really looking for guys that can be disruptive, sometimes fit yourself into small spaces, looking for those hips,” Knowles said. “You’re looking for the guy who can turn the corner, real fluid in his hips, and can make plays really between the tackles. You got to be tough.”
Men’s Hockey: Freshmen Dobeš, Lohrei earn conference awards CALEB SPINNER Lantern reporter spinner.26@osu.edu
Ohio State freshmen goaltender Jakub Dobeš and defenseman Mason Lohrei received recognition for their impressive rookie seasons in the form of two Big Ten conference awards. Dobeš was named Big Ten Freshman Goaltender of the Year and Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Year, while Lohrei made the All-Big Ten Freshman Team and was an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention. Ohio State head coach Steve Rohlik said he is proud of what the two rookies have accomplished, but the success goes back to the team as a whole. “First and foremost, it’s a credit to what they’ve done,” Rohlik said. “Secondly, they’d be the first to tell you they would never have gotten these awards if it wasn’t for the other guys in that room. I think that sometimes goes unnoticed.” Freshman forward Georgii Merkulov also picked up conference honors, landing on the All-Big Ten First Team. Dobeš echoed his coach’s sentiment about his teammates’ role in winning his individual awards, saying the award would
have been presented to someone else if it hadn’t been for their support on the ice. “I’m happy to win it and it’s an honor and I’d like to thank my teammates to help me allow me to win it,” Dobeš said. “Without them, I wouldn’t be the winner this year.” The Ostrava, Czech Republic, native finished the year with a .934 save percentage despite the Buckeyes losing six of their last seven games to end the season, including a 2-1 series loss to Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. Dobeš said he knows all eyes will be on him next season having been named the conference’s top goaltender but the pressure doesn’t worry him. “I need to play hard, even harder than this year,” Dobeš said. “Expectations are high for me, I know that. I just need to do my best job, and hopefully I will have a good season next year.” Lohrei was drafted in the second round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins and, therefore, could sign an entry-level contract this offseason rather than return to Ohio State. While that decision has not yet been made as to whether or not Lohrei’s No. 6 jersey will
MACKENZIE SHANKLIN | PHOTO EDITOR
Ohio State freshman goalie Jakub Dobes (44) prepares for a Minnesota shot during the Ohio StateMinnesota game Feb. 11. Ohio State lost 3-2.
GABE HAFERMAN | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
Freshman defenseman Mason Lohrei (6) looks to make a pass during the Ohio State-Wisconsin game Feb. 5. Ohio State won 6-2.
be scarlet and gray or black and yellow, the defenseman said winning these awards would not influence his play in any major way. “Obviously coming back for a second year, I’ll have more confidence, but I don’t think the
awards have too much to do with that,” Lohrei said. “I don’t focus on that stuff too much.” Lohrei said winning individual postseason awards serves as no consolation to losing their shot at the 2022 title, but he and the team remain committed to their
mission of national recognition. “The reason we play is to win a national championship, to win a Big Ten championship, to win the regular season, stuff like that,” Lohrei said. “All of us are pretty focused on trying to win a national championship.”
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Thursday, April 7, 2022
SPORTS
Dobeš, Lohrei earn conference honors as freshmen ON PAGE 7
Knowles looking for ‘a guy who makes plays’ at unique ‘Leo’ defensive position
JACOB BENGE | ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles speaks to the media Jan. 31.
JACOB BENGE Assistant Sports Editor benge.30@osu.edu “Leo.” “Jack.” Hybrid linebacker. What exactly does new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles mean by these different positions on defense? With over a decade of experience as a defensive coordinator, Knowles has
implemented a “Leo” position with a defensive lineman, moving that player around in position from play to play. The “Leo” could line up as a weak side defensive end or move inside and closer to the offensive guards or even bounce back into coverage as a linebacker. The Buckeyes could likely install Knowles’ idea of a hybrid linebacker, and he said they
began introducing it March 29. However, the new concept is still in its beginning stages. “I told them we’re not going to call it a ‘Leo,’ ” Knowles said. “We’re going to call it a ‘Jack’ for now because the ‘Leo’ is the king of the jungle, so when you become the ‘Leo,’ that’s a big deal because you can do what a D-end does and you can do what a linebacker does.”
The hybrid linebacker serves a critical role in pass rushing and run stopping, bringing an emphasis to their combination of physical size and mobility. Knowles joined Ohio State Jan. 2, and he said he’s used a push-and-back-off approach when introducing new defensive concepts and schemes early. That hasn’t stopped him from gaining impressions of which Buckeyes
could fit in the hybrid position, and he said he wants to find someone who can be productive and agile. “Once you got the guy moving around, you got him in different places; now you see how the offense adjusts to that and their schemes and you can come back with other things and counter in the passing game,” Knowles said. “That player is productive and in terms of the pass rush because I think they develop a mentality. They develop a mentality of being kind of a wildcard, being a guy who makes plays.” The “Leo” began with former defensive lineman Jason Babin when Knowles coached at Western Michigan from 19972002. Babin originally played running back in high school but suffered a leg injury before entering the college ranks. Knowles then carried the hybrid linebacker scheme to Oklahoma State from 2018-21. “We had some great examples from Oklahoma State with guys that would go in there and tackle both the running back and the quarterback and just be real, real disruptive, so there’s a lot of film,” Knowles said. “[Babin] wasn’t your typical defensive lineman and it just started to occur to me that I should try some different things with him, and he just kind of grew from there.” Knowles has already identified several Buckeyes who could play the “Leo” position next STORY CONTINUES ON 7