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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- There is no nickname for the best secondary in the nation, so a mission statement will have to do.Ohio States talented defensive backs have been barking it out in huddles before and after every practice since the spring, long before most of their names had been spoken around the nation.It serves many purposes for the Buckeyes: a challenge to their teammates, a personal motivator, a mantra to recite during rough patches. But perhaps the most important benefit was unintended when a group of young defenders started the routine on the practice field in March. Because without their three favorite letters, the no-name secondary wouldnt have a handy identifier.B.I.A. -- it means Best in America, safety Damon Webb said. Every day we say it since we came together, and its definitely a mindset that we have.But maybe we do need to think of a name. I mean, B.I.A. is a phrase. Well think of something.Until then, those letters will have to suffice.In a way, perhaps its fitting that the Buckeyes never bothered to come up with a catchy handle for their unit. After all, they spent most of the offseason as the greatest unknown in Ohio States bid to reload instead of rebuild while trying to replace three starters who skipped off early to the NFL, the inexperience of the next wave constantly questioned for months while the focus stayed on the well-known stars who walked out the door.But the young Buckeyes are anonymous no longer. And every single member of that vaunted secondary is worthy of a personal introduction.The Freak?Malik Hooker could just as easily be on the hardwood instead of in a helmet.Now a game-changing safety with four interceptions and a touchdown already to his credit in the first five starts of his career, from a seat in the Ohio State locker room, the sophomore admits that basketball was his first love.Ive been playing basketball since I can remember, Hooker said. I started shooting on the little Nerf hoop when I was 2. Growing up, my siblings, my older cousins played, and it was like, I just fell in love with it because it was all I saw growing up.It was definitely a difficult decision for me, because football is a hard, physical sport and not a lot of guys have fun with constantly being physical and feeling a lot of pain and stuff like that afterward. I could play basketball all day and never get tired of it.Hooker could thrive doing it, too. He capped his decorated prep career at New Castle High School in Pennsylvania by averaging nearly 22 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 blocks per game -- while helping lead the team to an undefeated record.His mind had already been made up to focus full-time on football with the Buckeyes, despite receiving recruiting interest elsewhere to stick with hoops. But his heart was already being pulled another direction as well.Even before I came here, I started changing my mindset and stuff like that, started falling in love with football, Hooker said. Especially when I got here and saw the changes my body was doing, studying the film, making plays out there on the field.It caused me to fall in love with the game.The VeteranThere was only one holdover left in the starting secondary after the NFL exodus, and Gareon Conley didnt need anybody to tell him what job now belonged to him.There was never any doubt he would continue to be counted on as a lockdown cornerback. And there was no arguing with the standard he had to meet with a program that has churned out draft picks at his position like clockwork each year.His personal development was a given. What the junior had to do now was take up the leadership role and pass down that wisdom to the newcomers in the lineup as suddenly the most experienced guy in the meeting room.It wasnt weird -- more surprising, Conley said with a laugh. Time flies, and knowing Im the only guy back, it was like, Man, those dudes left.But these dudes that are here, Ive still kind of been around them, and I love playing with them. I love being around them all the time.You want to hold up to that standard, you want to hold the throne and make sure you pass it down to the next generation. Its like family, thats what it is.Conley was no longer the little brother, though. And while he had already proved what he could do by nabbing a couple of interceptions last year along with 49 tackles, as the leader of the unit, this season he wasnt solely going to be evaluated by his own play.But even that appears to have been improved during the early stages of his junior campaign, with an interception and four passes broken up already -- which in turn might be a reflection of the work hes done with the collective group.Honestly, its putting them before me, Conley said. I already played, and obviously I want to get better, but I feel like being a leader is about making the whole unit better. In the end, if I help make them better, theyll make me better.?We all work together as one.The MotivatorThe boundless energy is all natural.Sure, Kerry Coombs might have a cup of coffee during his work day, but its not because hes looking for a caffeine boost.It wouldnt matter to me if it was decaf, the cornerbacks coach said. Its just because I like it, and I just really enjoy the taste.But I dont ever feel like I need to do anything to generate energy. I dont spend a lot of time doing that artificially.Given the way he bounds around the practice field, the hopped-up way he zips through conversations, the manic intensity he can put on display after a big play on Saturdays or the seemingly endless supply of affection he showers on those close to him, it might be scary to think what Coombs might look like after an energy drink.But since arriving in 2012 after a successful 16-year coaching career at Cincinnatis Colerain High School and five seasons with the Cincinnati Bearcats, Coombs has channeled his enthusiasm into arguably the best finishing school for cornerbacks in the country at Ohio State. And after initially thinking his unique approach might not translate at the collegiate level and trying to switch gears, it turns out his way works just fine.On my first day of coaching college football, I really thought I was supposed to be something different, Coombs said. I tried to be that way, and I was miserable. I convinced myself to either coach like a high school coach or go back to high school ball, and it turned out it worked OK with college kids, too.Im being really honest, I love it. Its really just because Im having fun. If you had a job like mine and were not enjoying it and being enthusiastic, I would wonder what in the world was wrong with you, I really would.The JokerIf the perception is that its all business, all of the time at Ohio State, Damon Webb would like a word.In fact, there arent many situations where Webb wouldnt like to add his two cents or try to get his teammates to crack a smile, including in the middle of a game in front of more than 100,000 screaming fans.Sometimes, it might be any situation going on, and lets say I spot something in the crowd, I might just say something to Malik to be silly, Webb said. I just have a sarcastic mindset, and I guess Im saying silly stuff all the time.Its like, it could be something serious going on, but Im always laughing and joking around and stuff like that.The rest of the secondary, of course, is well aware of his tendency to lighten the mood. And when polled informally, Webb was the unanimous pick as the funniest member of the secondary.But he, too, can handle the serious side when its time to focus. And with 18 tackles and a couple of passes broken up already this season, he has played a key role in making the joke on opponents so far.Were all about our business, and when its time to be serious, we all lock in, Webb said. But I feel like our culture gives us the freedom to have fun also.We all have different personalities in our secondary, and I feel like Im the one that can bring some joy to things.The FlashDenzel Ward claims not to know the number that had Ohio States coaching staff raving about his potential.The sophomore cornerback also jokes that he hasnt run the 40-yard dash in a while and cant remember his time, and he also smiles when asked whether he knows what he used to be clocked at when he ran track in high school.Just simply knowing hes blazing fast appears to be good enough for Ward.I forget [the numbers], Ward said with a grin. They told me I was going fast, though. I still feel like I run pretty fast, so I might be able to run a pretty good time.Kidding aside, Ward made his impression on the program not just by checking in at 22 mph, according to the monitoring chip all of the Buckeyes wear in their shoulder pads, but by using that speed to make big plays on special teams.At Ohio State, contributing in the kicking game is a crucial mile-marker on the road to a regular role on defense. And Ward flashed his best asset there a year ago with seven tackles covering punts and kickoffs, which might seem like a relatively modest total but was actually quite valuable in helping him develop and stand out as the Buckeyes looked for a third cornerback to fill out their starting rotation.Speed is obviously a big factor in my game, but Ive been working on being more physical with my game, using my hands more, Ward said. I definitely enjoyed playing special teams, getting out there on kickoff and punt.I still enjoy it when they put me in on kickoff, and I get another rep at that and a chance to go make a play, make a tackle.The ResearcherGreg Schiano starts with the film. There are plenty of answers for the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach and current Ohio State co-defensive coordinator on there.But thats just where the work begins for Schiano, who is hungry for every bit of information he can possibly find as he helps formulate a game plan. Does the opposing head coach call the plays? What does the statistical breakdown reveal about tendencies? Did he spend enough time preparing the Buckeyes in case a left-handed quarterback takes the field?I use it because its there, Schiano said. You have video, and you take the information off the video. And then I think youre foolish if you dont use the power of computers to sort through this stuff for you. It gives you information and you can draw conclusions.I feel like if I dont take advantage of all the information thats produced, then were not really doing our job for the players and for the team.The trick from there, though, is sifting through the mountain of data and nuggets of insight to boil it down to a workable amount for the players on the field.Schiano doesnt want any stones unturned during preparation for a game. But when it arrives, he cant have the secondary bogged down by trying to think instead of play.That to me is the secret of coaching, Schiano said. Take all this information and shrink it down to what a player can process in about 14 seconds. Thats about how much time they have from when we signal the personnel group the offense is in and they get the defensive call.And then within that defensive call each player has a job.Each opponent gives you certain tells, but its only good if you can use that tell in 14 seconds. Theres not a lot of time to think through it. If we can help them with a little hint, good.The Glenville KidThe traditions are intertwined, and there at least exists the possibility that they can combine to create too much pressure for Marshon Lattimore.The sophomore cornerback not only has to meet the high bar to continue Ohio States rich tradition in the secondary; ?hes also doing so while helping take up the torch as the latest product of a Glenville High School program that has sent a pipeline of talent down the interstate from Cleveland to Columbus.Living up to the Glenville standard, thats something I personally want to do, Lattimore said. But theres no outside pressure on me to do that -- I hold myself to that.I want to be one of the best Glenville players to come through here.Thats a lofty goal to be sure, particularly given the legacy and achievements a few of the 22 Glenville players who have signed with at Ohio State since 2002 left behind.Troy Smith won a Heisman Trophy. Cardale Jones won a national championship. Donte Whitner and Ted Ginn, Jr. both parlayed their success at Ohio State into decorated NFL careers.Lattimore certainly has work to do if hes going to catch some of those fellow Tarblooders-turned-Buckeyes. But already with 3 interceptions, a touchdown and 6 passes broken up this season, he appears to be well on his way.Ted [Ginn] told me just recently, keep doing what Im doing, bringing that Glen