Security Caleb Downs — the No. 8 participant within the Class of 2023 and No. 1 participant within the switch portal — has determined to switch to Ohio State, after a standout freshman season at Alabama, his father, Gary Downs, advised 247Sports. Caleb Downs entered the switch portal after the Crimson Tide employed former Washington coach Kalen DeBoer to interchange Nick Saban, who introduced his retirement final week.
It was believed that Georgia can be the favourite to land Downs given he is a Peach State native; nonetheless, the SEC Freshman of the 12 months as a substitute determined to affix a Buckeyes crew that has been loading up on expertise and coaches this offseason. Downs had an incredible freshman season as a key a part of Alabama’s turnaround and eventual run to the Faculty Soccer Playoff.
“Clearly we’re not ranging from sq. one in all recruiting,” his father advised 247Sports when Downs entered the portal. “We all know so many of those coaches already. We have been a variety of locations. There are particular parameters of issues he is in search of.”
Although the portal had already closed for the winter, Saban’s retirement triggered a 30-day window for Alabama gamers to make themselves eligible. Quite a lot of standout Tide gamers have determined to make strikes relatively than play underneath DeBoer.
Rated a five-star prospect by 247Sports, Downs began within the season opener for Alabama and delivered on the hype he generated as a highschool prospect. He completed the season with 107 tackles and two interceptions, incomes CBS Sports activities Freshman of the 12 months honors together with All-SEC second crew and SEC All-Freshman accolades.
Downs’ protection grade of 88.9 from Professional Soccer Focus registered as the very best amongst all safeties within the SEC, and he was the primary Alabama freshman in program historical past to guide the crew in tackles. Downs additionally flashed his promise as a punt returner with an 85-yard return landing towards Chattanooga on Nov. 18.
Recruiting win for Ohio State
From the second Downs entered the switch portal earlier this week, Georgia was seen as the favourite to land the No. 1 total switch obtainable and for good purpose. Former Alabama cornerback coach Travaris Robinson simply accepted a job with the Bulldogs to be their co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach, however nonetheless, the Buckeyes pulled off the recruiting upset.
Another excuse why Georgia was seen as the favourite: Downs performed for Mill Creek Excessive College in Hoschton, Georgia, which is lower than an hour’s drive from the Georgia campus in Athens. He thought of the Bulldogs and Ohio State out of highschool, however finally elected to enroll at Alabama. Downs is Ohio State’s fifth switch this cycle and he joins Ole Miss working again Quinshon Judkins, Alabama offensive lineman Seth McLaughlin, Ohio tight finish Will Kacmarek and Kansas State quarterback Will Howard.
Ohio State’s protection simply obtained stronger
As a real freshman, Downs was top-of-the-line gamers within the nation at his place. He earned second-team All-American honors. Downs will now anchor an Ohio State secondary that has seen a number of key gamers return for one more season.
The gamers who elected to run it again on protection embody defensive linemen J.T. Tuimoloau, Jack Sawyer and Tyleik Williams. The secondary was one of many solely holes to fill on the Ohio State roster and now they’ve arguably the highest returning participant on the place filling the void. On the opposite aspect of the ball, Day simply employed former Alabama offensive coordinator Invoice O’Brien for a similar place at Ohio State. Day will hand over his play-calling duties to O’Brien, signaling a philosophical shift throughout the program because the Buckeyes look to get again to the highest of the Large Ten in 2024.
Affect on Alabama
Downs is not the one high-profile member of Alabama’s secondary that has left after Saban’s retirement. Former five-star cornerback Dezz Ricks transferred to Texas A&M, whereas CBs Trey Amos (Ole Miss) and Antonio Kite (Auburn) additionally left for SEC rivals, leaving Alabama’s 2024 secondary in flux as DeBoer will get his first-year workers so as.
DeBoer employed South Alabama coach Kane Wommack to be Alabama’s co-defensive coordinator after the 2 labored collectively at Indiana in 2019. Wommack posted a 22-16 document in three seasons with the Jaguars and simply led this system to back-to-back bowl video games for the primary time in class historical past. Buffalo coach Maurice Linguist was employed as the opposite co-defensive coordinator, and he can even work with the secondary.
The duo provides the offensive-minded DeBoer a pair comparatively splashy names on the defensive aspect of the ball. Nevertheless, Linguist final labored within the SEC in 2019 as cornerbacks coach at Texas A&M, and Wommack hasn’t labored within the convention since he was a graduate assistant at Ole Miss in 2013. Thus, neither is prone to have prior relationships with present Crimson Tide gamers from the highschool recruiting course of.
