One of the few known quantities on the Ohio State defense entering the 2016 season, linebacker Raekwon McMillan is often out of sight and out of mind for Buckeye fans. His 6.4 tackles per game is well down from 9.5 last year and he was the target of much criticism in close games in the month of October.
But the Monday before facing Nebraska in the first prime-time matchup at Ohio Stadium of the year, the junior, along with Jerome Baker, was named one of 12 finalists for the Dick Butkus award, given annually to the best linebacker in the nation in the eyes of the foundation of the same name.
Ask the Buckeyes, and it’s what the junior does before the ball is snapped that makes him an integral part of defense.
“He puts us in the right position,”said defensive lineman Jalyn Holmes. “He's always been a really levelheaded guy and a team-first dude."
McMillan wasn’t always the backbone of the defense that he is now. In his second full year as a starter he has responsibilities that sound more like a coach than what is expected of a rotational player who, in his words, just has to go make a play.
“When I was a freshman I couldn’t look at eyes,” McMillan said. “I was just trying to look at the sideline to get the call and play. As a mature player and a guy who’s been exposed to a lot of things I had the ability been blessed with the ability to see plays before they happen.”
It is McMillan's job to receive instructions from the sideline and repeat them across the line of scrimmage, with more freedom to audible than in previous weeks. It’s his responsibility to orient the defensive line pre-snap, a job which earned him the title of “the J.T. Barrett of the defense” by his head coach earlier this year.
“Get the call from [defensive coordinator Luke Fickell], relay the message to the guys in front me and behind me,” said McMillan. “Then based on the formation I have to align the d-lineman and make sure they’re set up right, then have to communicate with the back-end, usually the sam linebacker and the backside safety, Damon Webb, on the coverage we’re running.”
After that laundry list of responsibilities, it’s then McMillan can apply his experience to give the defense the best opportunity to make a stop.
“That’s when I usually go through the eyes, feet and the body position and see if I can get some keys on the play they’re about to run,” McMillan said.
With McMillan shouldering the load, it frees up the rest of his teammates to prepare to make a play.
“What do I do pre-snap?” Holmes asked. “Wait for Raekwon to tell me what to do.”
When asked if he thinks he has an abnormal load, McMillan shrugged off the concern.
“Everybody has different things going on,” I’m just taking you through the process of me on the play,” McMillan said. “Not always making a play at middle linebacker, trying to get everyone situated and right,” not always being the flashy guy who gets the most accolades.”
McMillan certainly won’t be mistaken for someone who fills up the statsheet, entering the game against Nebraska with no sacks so far in 2016 after accumulating four in his first two years, which he lightheartedly acknowledged.
“When Wisconsin ran jet sweep and everybody was saying ‘I had misreads,’” McMillan said with a grin. “I clearly had the A-gap and then I run to the jet sweep; I’m not doing my job.”
With the potential to win a regarded postseason award and an assumed high-round draft pick once he declares for the NFL, McMillan said he could ‘care less’ about the hardware.
“If I ask you all, I’m having the worst season in the world,” McMillan said.
