Ohio State Defensive Line Coach Larry Johnson Praises Alabama Transfers Qua Russaw, James Smith

After having the best defense in the country last season, Ohio State has plenty of production to replace for the 2026 season. The Buckeyes had seven defenders selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, including defensive end Caden Curry and linebacker Arvell Reese, who finished first and tied second on the team respectively in sacks last season.

The Buckeyes will undoubtedly look for senior defensive end Kenyatta Jackson to increase his production as a pass-rusher, but defensive line coach Larry Johnson also went to the transfer portal to add talent. Senior defensive tackle James Smith and junior defensive end Qua Russaw were two of the more prominent portal additions on the defensive line. Each player came from Alabama and was viewed as a four-star transfer portal prospect, according to 247Sports’ rankings.

Smith seems to be better positioned than Russaw to make an immediate impact. Smith, who made 28 total tackles, including 6.5 for loss and 2.5 sacks at Alabama last year, has made strides getting used to Ohio State’s culture, according to Johnson.

“I think he’s making a jump,” Johnson said. “It’s a work in progress in the sense that there’s a different culture here than there is at Alabama. He’s coming here, he’s learning new things, learning a new technique. It takes a while to learn that, because you have to lose the old habits and gain the new habits. Right now, he’s trying to learn how to play our way of doing things. Sometimes that takes time, but he’s making progress, and that’s the key.”

Smith’s progress was displayed during practices made open to the media. The Montgomery, Ala.-native was a consistent force as a pass-rusher and routinely got into the backfield, often working against Ohio State’s first-team offensive line.

In a crowded defensive end room, Russaw has an uphill battle to become a starter alongside Jackson, but the former top-50 recruit out of high school, has the potential to be a difference-maker on the edge. In the spring game, Russaw had two tackles, a quarterback hurry and half a sack, according to 247Sports. 

Johnson said Russaw brings a unique combination of strength and speed to the table, especially considering his 6-2, 245-pound frame.

“He is very physically strong,” Johnson said. “He’s strong at the point of attack with his hands and body. It’s just amazing that a guy at 245 pounds can set the edge, and he brings great speed to the table…. I think the thing that jumps off the videotape is how hard he plays. And he really has the physical strength, and I think that’s the key to it.”

Smith and Russaw may well be the next two great Buckeye defensive linemen, but in order for either of them to get on the field, they will have to demonstrate a high level of work ethic that has become standard within Johnson’s room.

“There’s a standard here,” Johnson said. “There’s a standard for the rushmen, and that standard is that we have to be able to play hard every play. We’re going to run to the football, and that doesn’t take any talent.”

“Sometimes guys think they’re running hard. They think they’re running to the ball, and they’re not, until you show them the videotape. That’s who we are, and that’s never going to change.”