Luke Fickell, the Ohio State linebackers coach, is looking for enough quality players at the position to be able to fill two units that can rotate in and out of games.

How’s the search going so far?

“I don’t know if we have three starters yet, let alone depth,” he said.

Those wanting to impress Fickell will need more than just talent. His priority is to find players whose effort never wanes.

“I’m looking for those six guys that you can lay your head on your pillow at night, saying, ‘Hey, they’re going to give you everything they’ve got. Football is that important to them. They’re going to figure out a way to be successful,’ “ he said. “Not that they’re the greatest players yet, not saying they’re going to be A.J. Hawk or James Laurinaitis. But they’re going to give you every single thing they’ve got.”

Fickell knows he’s found at least one player who fits the criteria in sophomore Ryan Shazier, who was performing at close to an all-conference level by the end of last season. The outside linebacker had 30 tackles while starting the final three games and finished the year with 57 – the most by a true freshman since at OSU Andy Katzenmoyer in 1996.

“He was a leader the day he came in,” Fickell said. “He really has that natural ability to do that. He’s going to be in a situation where he has to do that a lot more, so we’re going to push him. But he’s definitely a guy that if you had to evaluate how important football was to him, it’s up there, and it shows.”

Shazier dedicated himself to the offseason strength-and-conditioning program, beefing up this year from 205 to 230.

“I actually feel a lot faster and a lot stronger. I don’t feel like I gained any weight,” he said. “I feel like the same me but a little bigger so I can take on blocks a little better.”

Senior Etienne Sabino is starting so far at the other outside linebacker spot, while sophomore Curtis Grant, OSU’s highest-ranked recruit in the 2011 class, is listed as the first-string middle linebacker.

Grant admitted to the coaches that he came in unprepared last season, but he’s shown signs of being ready to emerge at what Fickell calls perhaps the most important position on defense. The middle linebacker has to relay signals and get the team properly aligned.

Last year, the Buckeyes had to rely on safety C.J. Barnett or defensive end John Simon to take charge, which wasn’t ideal.

“Sometimes, I think that was our biggest problem last year defensively,” Fickell said. “We just didn’t have someone who could get the thing set. And when you’ve got a CJ Barnett behind you and John Simon in front of you, it’s really tough for those guys to set it and do what they have to do because it really has to come from the core of your defense, and that’s up the middle.

“We need that leadership and the ability to have some confidence there to do what we need to do.”