Grinch: Ohio State has ‘big speed backed up by big speed’

Grinch joined Urban Meyer's staff in January as the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach, replacing Kerry Coombs, who joined Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel's staff.

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Grinch spent the last three seasons at Washington State and coached at Missouri from 2012-14. He has the experience to compare Ohio State’s speed to what he has seen around the nation. He said his new group of safeties, which includes returning starter Jordan Fuller, has been fun to watch on film. The speed gives Ohio State options in play-calling.

“I think you can always default to it’s a get out of jail free card because the kid will go make a play, regardless of the call,” Grinch said. “There’s an element of that to all sports and ours in particular. If a guy can make a tackle, he can find a way to make a bad play good for you or make a five-yard gain stay a five-yard gain or one that would otherwise break for 20 you’re tackling for 10. It gives you some tools in the tool box without question, as long as you’re sound and put in the right position to be successful.”

Fuller started 13 games last season as a sophomore opposite senior Damon Webb, who started every game the past two seasons and was named MVP of the Cotton Bowl in January. Fuller ranked second on the team with 70 tackles and had two interceptions.

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Isaiah Pryor, who appeared in 12 games last fall as a freshman, is among the candidates to move into the starting lineup next to Fuller. Jahsen Wint and Wayne Davis, who will be redshirt sophomores, and two other true sophomores, Amir Riep and Brendon White, are also earning snaps at safety this spring.

Pryor, who had 12 tackles last season, has the most experience of the players in the group of potential first-time starters.

“He’s a worker,” Grinch said of Pryor. “He has big speed. He’s long. He can run. He certainly has a good knowledge base about our defense that’s noticeable. There’s a lot of positives when you mention Isaiah Pryor. He’s in a position to compete for a spot. There’s not a lot settled at the safety spot in terms of guys with significant game experience, so he’s one of those guys competing every day for an opportunity to play on Saturdays.”