Ready to defend Michigan’s powerful run-heavy offense, J.T. Tuimoloau (44), Tommy Eichenberg (35), Sonny Styles (6) and Ty Hamilton (58) are lined up in the trenches. The Buckeyes fell to the Wolverines 30-24 Saturday at the Big House. Credit: Caleb Blake | Photo Editor
In year two under defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, the Ohio State defense improved from No. 6 in the Big Ten to No. 2 in this season’s final conference statistics.
The highly improved on-field performance began with graduate linebacker Tommy Eichenberg, who is the 2023 Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year — an honor given out each year to the nation’s “most outstanding linebacker.”
Eichenberg has 82 total tackles on the season, good enough for seventh overall in the Big Ten, and leads the Buckeyes. In their season finale against Michigan Saturday, he recorded seven tackles, tying for second on the team with Sonny Styles.
He is now only the third Ohio State linebacker to earn the accolade, previously won by James Laurinaitis in 2008 and Andy Katzenmoyer in 1997.
Eichenberg also made First-Team All-Big Ten, along with others.
Here is the full list of the 2023 All-Big Ten Ohio State defensive selections:
First-Team All-Big Ten
Tommy Eichenberg LB
J.T. Tuimoloau DE
Denzel Burke CB
Second-Team All-Big Ten
Jack Sawyer DE
Tyleik Williams DT
Jayden Fielding K
Third-Team All-Big Ten
Steele Chambers LB
Josh Proctor S
Michael Hall Jr. DT
Honorable Mention All-Big Ten
Davison Igbinosun CB
Lathan Ransom S
Sonny Styles S
Ty Hamilton DT
The 2023 All-Big Ten offensive honorees will be announced Wednesday.
