Ohio State DC Discusses Changes Coming In 2021

Ohio State played for another national championship this past season -- and lost, to Alabama. So its no big surprise that they would make an effort to get even better in 2021.

That is especially the case on the defensive side of the ball, despite the fact that the Buckeyes had the top-ranked defense in all of college football.

But again, they didn't win the whole thing. They also looked incredibly overmatched against Alabama in the title game, so it's only fitting that Buckeyes defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs has focused on what the team can do to improve.

"Well, it was incredibly painful," Coombs told the media of the loss to Alabama. "I think the thing that ... I don't know how to say it. The journey that our kids were on to get to that game was phenomenal. For people to reflect on that, for people who were in this building and you had Thanksgiving dinner in the indoor.

"And you had Christmas Day in the indoor. And you showed up every day not being sure who was going to be able to practice or coach. Everything was being shuffled all the time and games were getting canceled. All the uncertainty. The season was canceled. Then it was on. Guys opt out. Guys opt back in. So, just the entirety of the season and being able to get to that last game was truly remarkable.

With vaccine becoming more widely available and things opening back up, this year should be different for college football. Like everyone, Coombs and the Buckeyes should get a chance to be even better in 2021.

 "I feel very responsible that we didn't play our best in that environment," he said, still focusing on the title-game loss. "And as you guys know -- and I want to make sure I say it -- when I say we didn't play our best, that's on me. That's my job. And so, it was very painful. It was awful. And it hadn't happened to us very much here. It just doesn't And you try and work so hard and you pour everything you have into it. The kids poured everything they had into getting to that point, and you want to be at your best and obviously we weren't. So, yeah, that was very hard. Anybody who says it wasn't hard doesn't care.

"And then, yes, it does make you rethink how you do things. And there's no question that this entire offseason has been a great process of exactly that. Re-thinking how we do things and how we're going to do things in the future."