By: Tim Bielik (BleacherReport.com) -
One of the oldest adages in football is that defenses win championships.
And when it comes to the Ohio State football program, their collection of defensive stars is a reason why the program has been so good for so long.
With seven national championships in their history, the Buckeyes have had a large collection of talent on both sides of the football.
Here is a look at the best 25 players on defense in the illustrious history of Ohio State football.
25. Matt Wilhelm: LB, 1999-2002
Jim Tressel’s national championship defense in 2002 featured quite a stud LB in Matt Wilhelm in the middle.
A three-year starter at MLB, Wilhelm started his career with a pick-six in his first start against Fresno State QB David Carr, and Wilhelm never looked back.
In his senior year, Wilhelm had 121 tackles and is tied for No. 6 in career tackles for loss in Buckeye history.
But he put his dominant stamp on the national championship game, registering 11 tackles as the leader of the unit that shut down Miami to win OSU’s seventh national championship.
24. Vernon Gholston: DE, 2004-2007
Vernon Gholston was not only one of the better defensive linemen in the Tressel era, but he may be one of the more important ones as he started a trend of dominant pass rushers in recent memory.
Gholston was a two-year starter where his team lost only three times, twice in BCS National Championships, and was an incredible force off the edge.
He registered 7.5 sacks in 2006, but put up an impressive 14.5 sacks in 2007, becoming the school’s single-season sack leader, passing Mike Vrabel’s 13 set back in 1995.
Although his starting career lasted only two seasons, Gholston was a dominant force and a reason why the Buckeyes went to back-to-back national championship games.
23. Mike Sensibaugh: DB, 1968-1970
Of all of the players in the “Super Sophs” class of 1968 that led Woody Hayes to two national championships in three seasons, Mike Sensibaugh might be the most overlooked.
A member of the OSU All-Century Team, Sensibaugh is the career leader in picks with 22 and in a season with nine, and was a force in the secondary.
He was one of the better defensive players that most Buckeye fans don’t remember too well, but he was just as good as any of the other big names in the Woody Hayes era.
22. Chris Gamble: DB, 2001-2003
Chris Gamble was one of the few modern players in college football to play both offense and defense, but his living right now is in the secondary.
In his three-year career as a Buckeye, Gamble registered 63 tackles including three for loss, 21 pass breakups, and seven interceptions.
Although he did have some offensive success as well, Gamble’s play in the secondary was essential for the Buckeyes to win the 2003 and 2004 Fiesta Bowls.
Now he is one of the highest-paid DBs in the NFL and having a very good career with the Carolina Panthers.
21. Ahmed Plummer: DB, 1996-1999
One thing that Ohio State has done well in the past 20 years is churn out top-flight defensive back prospects.
Like Gamble, Ahmed Plummer was a very talented corner selected high in the NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers.
He was named MVP of the 1999 squad despite just a 6-6 season after making the Sugar Bowl the year before.
Plummer was a very talented, physical corner for John Cooper, but injuries derailed a shot at a pro career.
20. Chimdi Chekwa: DB, 2006-2010
This may seem high right now, but Chimdi Chekwa may be one of the more underappreciated and underrated defenders in recent memory.
Chekwa was an integral player in the Buckeye secondary from 2007 until his senior season in 2010 and was one of the better tacklers from the corner position.
While his interception numbers weren’t very high, what he did was simply take a large chunk of the field away from other teams, making him a valuable asset in man-to-man coverage.
Unfortunately, Chekwa suffered an injury in the first series of the Sugar Bowl against Arkansas and couldn’t boost his draft stock and end his career with a bang.
However, Chekwa was named an All-American his senior season by the FWAA and College Football News, bringing him some worthy accolades…….
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