COLUMBUS, Ohio –– Ohio State linebackers coach Al Washington has had his eye on Steele Chambers for quite some time.

Like many coaches across the country, Washington was impressed by the Roswell, Georgia, native’s high school tape at the linebacker position for Blessed Trinity Catholic when the four-star 2019 recruit was making his way up the ranks.

It might have taken longer than he had hoped, but Washington now has Chambers in his position room after spending two years at running back for Ohio State.

“I’ve been recruiting Steele for a long time,” Washington said Thursday. “I remember Steele when he was in high school. He’s a great addition, just a great kid. Works his tail off, is learning –– bright kid –– he’s learning the playbook and doing his thing. He’s a really good player, he’s always been athletic, and I’m real excited about Steele.”

But the transition hasn’t been completely seamless for Chambers thus far.

Chambers said the position switch has come with its fair share of frustrations, even if he does think the move from running back was ultimately the best decision for his future, and his fastest track onto the field at Ohio State.

“It’s hard. Yeah, it’s hard,” Chambers said. “I have a little experience from high school, but college defense is just a whole new ballgame. But I’m getting it.”

At running back the past couple years, Chambers showed bright flashes on more than one occasion, racking up 221 yards and a touchdown on just 28 attempts for his career through 2020.

With heralded recruits like true freshmen TreVeyon Henderson and Evan Pryor joining the room this season though –– a group that already had an emerging talent in redshirt freshman Miyan Williams, a vet in redshirt junior Master Teague and another four-star talent in Chambers’ 2019 classmate Marcus Crowley –– Day and company thought it best that Chambers look to start anew on the other side of the ball.

“The conversation started in the spring with coach (Tony) Alford and coach (Ryan) Day,” Chambers said. “They recommended the switch, they said it was still my decision. I had the opportunity to switch back if I really wanted to –– I didn’t take it.”

All it took was one more conversation after April’s spring game, and this time with Washington, for Chambers to entertain the option more seriously.

“We talked about switching and I decided I would do it,” Chambers said. “I was doing both, I was doing running back and linebacker, and then once we got into fall camp I decided to just really focus on linebacker, get all the plays down and stuff so I could be ready for the season.”

Switching back to a position he hasn’t played in a number of years –– and at a much higher level –– hasn’t always been like riding a bike for Chambers, though.

“High school I was just bigger and faster than everyone and I was able to just go off athleticism, didn’t need to know much technique, even though my coaches taught it to me,” Chambers said. “Now I’ve gotta be sound on my technique because our running backs are big, strong, fast. You got to have every tool in the toolbox to get the job done.”

Chambers said he’s leaned on roommates Cody Simon and Tommy Eichenberg, who are second and third-year linebackers in their own right, to help him with the transition.

Still, Chambers has experienced brief moments of internal discouragement thus far, with one stemming from the fact that his muscle memory at the position simply isn’t what it used to be.

“Insanely frustrating,” Chambers said. “It sucks. But I’m chipping away at it right now, it’s been about a week of camp, I feel like I’m doing a pretty good job getting used to it.”

Chambers said he loved playing running back, but if there is one relief in the move to linebacker, it’s that the somewhat fumble-pone Buckeye no longer has to worry about coughing up the ball.

“It’s less stressful, I don’t have to worry about carrying the ball, but it’s still hard,” Chambers said. Very hard.”