2016 Ohio State Spring Football Preview: Youth Will Be Served, Early And Often – OL Preview

April 8, 2016 by Leave a Comment

“Almost everything that is great has been done by youth…” ~ Benjamin Disraeli

Ohio State began spring football practice on March 8th. Heading into the 2016 college football season, Ohio State will have 44 players on its roster designated as either a redshirt freshman (21 of the 25 players signed in February 2015), or a true freshman. For a roster that can have only 85 scholarship players, Ohio State will have around 52% of its roster with no playing time experience. As former Ohio State Head Coach John Cooper used to say, “If a dog is going to bite you, it will bite you as a pup.”.

For the next several weeks, I will be writing position group previews, leading up to the Ohio State Spring Football Game in Ohio Stadium on April 16th, 2016. These position groups will be ranked, from least to most concern, as I perceive them. It is entirely possible that my concerns, as well as the coaching staff’s concerns, will be reevaluated after the spring game.

2nd – Offensive Line

Players Lost – Taylor Decker, Jacoby Boren, Chase Farris. Boren was undersized for the offensive line, but as tough and tenacious as any offensive lineman Ohio State has ever seen. Decker was a three year starter at left tackle, and will be difficult to replace. Farris was a converted defensive lineman who played well at right offensive tackle in his last year of eligibility for the Buckeyes. Best of luck to all of these young men in their respective futures.

Returning Players/Incoming Players – Pat Elflein (Redshirt Senior), Billy Price (Redshirt Junior), Jamarco Jones (Junior), Isaiah Prince (Sophomore), Michael Jordan (Freshman), Branden Bowen (Redshirt Freshman), Matthew Burrell (Redshirt Freshman), Kevin Feder (Redshirt Freshman), Tyler Gerald (Freshman), Demetrius Knox (Redshirt Sophomore), Evan Lisle (Redshirt Junior), Grant Schmidt (Redshirt Freshman), Brady Taylor (Redshirt Sophomore), Kyle Trout (Redshirt Sophomore).

A few things to keep in mind as it relates to this position group…

· If Pat Elflein or Billy Price had entered the 2016 NFL Draft, this position group would rank as my number one concern heading into the 2016 season.

Fortunately for Ohio State, Elflein is not only staying, but will move to center, allowing Ohio State to focus on the other three open spots that have emerged along the offensive line. Price has played predominantly left guard, but has experimented at the right guard spot this spring at times.

· Early enrollee Michael Jordan has emerged as a possibility at left guard. It is highly unusual for an offensive lineman to start as a freshman, but Jordan could win a spot. Jordan was running with the first team offense on April 2nd…

· On the flip side of Jordan’s development, what does that say about all of the returning offensive linemen? Are these players behind?

· Perhaps it is just me, but I was surprised that Jamarco Jones was listed at left tackle, and Isaiah Prince was at right tackle. I would have guessed it would have wound up the opposite. JUCO signee Malcolm Pridgeon arrives this summer, and could force his way into the lineup at one of the tackle positions.

· Something to keep in mind is that this spring is not only important due to the loss of three starters, but this is the first spring with new offensive line coach Greg Studrawa. Developing a sense of chemistry with the players is important for the coaching staff also.

These questions, among others, have been on my mind, as Ohio State resumed spring practice on March 22nd.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Will The Warriors Want To ‘Come Out And Play’ Ohio State?

September 11, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Congratulations to Ohio State on the impressive 42-24 opening victory on the road at Virginia Tech. Ohio State not only was able to avenge its lone loss in 2014 by defeating the Hokies, but the game marked the dynamic return of Braxton Miller for the first time since The 2014 Orange Bowl.

The 1979 movie “The Warriors” is a personal favorite. It is well worth the rental if you have never seen it; scrounge some change from your car or couch, and I am guessing you will be able to have enough for the rental. Anyway, below is one of the classic clips that I felt I had to include in my preview, as Hawaii’s team name are the Rainbow Warriors. Wouldn’t it be tremendous if the Ohio State P.A. announcer included this on Saturday, with Urban Meyer’s face superimposed on the screen of the Rogues’ leader? (I would tell you more, but I truly don’t want to spoil the movie for those of you who have not seen it.)

Earlier this week, Shannon Sommers and I previewed the home opener for Ohio State, as the Buckeyes will welcome in the University of Hawaii for a 3:30pm EST kickoff that will be televised on The Big Ten Network. This game will mark the first time that Ohio State and Hawaii have met on the gridiron. Ohio State comes into this game on only four days of rest, while Hawaii is coming off ten days of rest; Hawaii played Colorado on 09/03/2015. As I stated on this week’s Men of the Scarlet and Gray podcast, traveling to/from Hawaii is a physically exhausting experience, as the trip to/from Ohio will take about nine hours of total flight time.

Here are three quick items to keep an eye out for with Hawaii at Ohio State…

1. Cardale Jones Is The Starting Quarterback, But… ~ Look for J.T. Barrett to get substantially more playing time than what happened against Virginia Tech. It would not be surprising to see Barrett enter the Hawaii game while the contest is still in doubt, as Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer may want to keep Barrett fresh. Ohio State fans certainly remember how the 2014 team was forced to play three quarterbacks during the course of the season; why would the coaching staff not have the same pressing concerns? Here is something to contemplate – if this game gets out of hand, and Ohio State builds a truly substantial lead, will redshirt freshman Stephen Collier earn his first playing time as a Buckeye?

2. How Soon Will The Suspended Players Return To The Lineup? ~ Ohio State welcomes back defensive end Joey Bosa and wide receivers Dontre Wilson, Corey Smith, and Jalin Marshall. All are talented players, and can only help the team in a variety of ways going forward. Will Coach Meyer play them in the second or third series, as a manner of continued discipline? On The Urban Meyer Call-In Show on 09/10/2015, Meyer stated that Parris Campbell is a starter, as well as that Curtis Samuel and Braxton Miller will play at H-Back, the same position that Wilson and Marshall have also played.

3. Youth Can, And Should Be Served ~ Jones, Knox, Taylor, Lisle, and Prince. Sounds like a prestigious law firm, and maybe it will be someday in the future. (Jamarco) Jones, (Demetrius) Knox, (Brady) Taylor, (Evan) Lisle, and (Isaiah) Prince represent the listed second team offensive line, from left to right. With Taylor Decker, Jacoby Boren, and Chase Farris all seniors, plus Pat Elflein a redshirt junior who could leave after this season for the 2016 NFL Draft, Ohio State may be in the exact same predicament that the program had in 2014, with four players to replace along the offensive line. Why not play the inexperienced backups, to gain that necessary experience? Ezekiel Elliott will probably rush for over 100 yards by the half; what is there to gain by tiring Elliott out against Hawaii, when players such as Bri’onte Dunn or Warren Ball can take some carries, keeping Elliott fresh for the important stretch run that will begin in November?

Prediction: Hawaii enters this game with a victory over Colorado, but traveling across the mainland into Ohio Stadium is a very tall order. Hawaii has a talented quarterback in Max Wittek, and will throw a 3-4 defensive scheme against Ohio State that the Buckeyes do not routinely encounter. The talent, depth, and experience across the board will just be too much for Hawaii to keep pace.

Earlier this spring, I ranked the opponents on Ohio State’s 2015 schedule, and I ranked Hawaii last. Even the Hawaii correspondent we e-mailed, @dontwarriorboutit, predicted this to be a rout for Ohio State, with a 61-17 prediction. I have it 63-10, as Ohio State will try to keep it from getting out of hand, but it may be difficult with so many talented players, eager to impress the coaching staff, in the hope that impressive plays may garner them more playing time.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

2015 Ohio State Spring Football Questions: Who Will Emerge At Right Offensive Tackle?

March 20, 2015 by Leave a Comment

On March 10th, Ohio State began spring practice, and had fifteen spring football practices available before the conclusion of spring practice on April 18th in Ohio Stadium. Over the next few weeks, I will rank the top ten questions facing Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer and his coaching staff as the Buckeyes retake the football field after concluding the 2014 season as the national champions.

These articles will be submitted from areas of lowest concern to highest concern. While Ohio State returns the overwhelming majority of its 2014 team, and welcomes in a highly-touted recruiting class, it will be important for Coach Meyer to convey to his team that complacency within the player ranks could derail any hopes of the Buckeyes repeating as national champions in 2015.

Two practices in, with the week of March 15th-March 22nd off as the players can enjoy the Ohio State spring break period. After March 22nd, Ohio State has thirteen remaining practices, including the April 18th spring game, to evaluate where the football program stands before fall camp begins.

Up until this point in the series, my questions and focus has been upon emerging players at backup positions, a clear testament to Ohio State’s depth across the board. From here on out, these questions will focus upon position areas where Ohio State has lost a player(s) to graduation or eligibility, which is why I have ranked these position groups higher in terms of importance.

5. Right Offensive Tackle

Key Players/Contributors Lost: Darryl Baldwin (eligibility); Kyle Dodson (injury); Antonio Underwood (eligibility)

Key Players/Contributors Returning: Chase Farris (Redshirt Senior), Jamarco Jones (Sophomore), Marcelys Jones (Sophomore), Evan Lisle (Redshirt Sophomore), Brady Taylor (Redshirt Freshman), Kyle Trout (Redshirt Freshman), Grant Schmidt (Freshman).

What a difference a year makes. At the conclusion of spring practice in 2014, I had major concerns about the Ohio State offensive line, having replaced four starters. Unfortunately, my concerns were legitimized when Ohio State lost to Virginia Tech in the second game of the 2014 season, casting major questions about Ohio State being able to rally from the loss and still qualify for the College Football Playoff. (I won’t bore you with the rest, because I know you are still basking in the glow of the events of January 12, 2015).

From left to right, Ohio State returns starters in Taylor Decker, Billy Price, Jacoby Boren, and Pat Elflein. The lone starting position that is up for grabs is at right offensive tackle, which has been vacated with the departure of Darryl Baldwin.

Baldwin was a converted defensive lineman who earned the starting right offensive tackle position last fall. It would not be surprising to see Baldwin selected in the later rounds of the upcoming NFL Draft, especially after Ohio State’s offensive line was the primary reason for the dominant offensive performances by the Buckeyes down the stretch run of the season.

With one spot open, and so many players waiting in the wings, how will this all shake out?

After the first two practices, Chase Farris was getting the starting nod at the right offensive tackle spot. Like Baldwin, Farris has been converted from defensive line, and has battled for a starting position along the offensive line over the last three seasons.

The position will not be won without a fight. Jamarco Jones, a heavily recruited offensive lineman from the 2014 recruiting class, has been mentioned as a possible contender. It is entirely possible that this battle will go on beyond spring practice, and into fall camp.

While Ohio State has an abundance of talent in the wings, and even more reinforcements arriving this summer with recruits from the 2015 class, a word of caution to Ohio State fans. While there are players on the depth chart, and reinforcements on the way with the 2015 recruiting class set to arrive this summer, keep in mind that Ohio State’s offensive line will undergo a metamorphosis next spring in 2016 similar to the beginning of the 2014 season, with multiple starters departing. It will be in the coaching staff’s best interests to play as many offensive linemen as possible during the 2015 season to avoid starting out 2016 like Ohio State did versus Virginia Tech in 2014.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

“Don’t You Forget About Me” – OSU’s 2014 Redshirts

February 13, 2015 by Leave a Comment

“As you walk on by
Will you call my name?” ~
Don’t You Forget About Me, Simple Minds

These song lyrics from a classic 1980s song “Don’t You Forget About Me” represent to me what it must be like to football players redshirted at major college football programs. While there is always considerable fanfare when players sign their respective letters of intent, players who redshirt seem to fall by the wayside of fans.

Think about the players who signed with Ohio State in February 2014. While all were accomplished athletes coming out of high school, and coveted highly by Ohio State and other top football programs, several of them were redshirted for various reasons by Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer and his coaching staff. Perhaps some were battling an injury; perhaps others were not deemed ready to contribute during the 2014 season, and the coaches did not want to waste a valuable year of eligibility.

Regardless of the reason, these players are now facing the challenge of a newly-signed crop of recruits coming into Columbus in 2015, while many of the top players who won the national championship return. It will be important for these players to step up over the next few months, during winter conditioning, spring football, and summer workouts, to gain traction on the depth chart.

Below are the various position groups, and some names that may become more prominently known over the coming months to Ohio State fans ~

Quarterback: Stephen Collier. Anyone who listened to me on various Men Of The Scarlet And Gray podcasts this past season will recall how I often speculated if Collier was going to play in 2014. With J.T. Barrett’s injury at the conclusion of the regular season, Collier was elevated on the depth chart. With Cardale Jones’ strong performances at the end of the season, Collier was not needed to play, but contributed tremendously on the scout team during the bowl preparation periods. With two quarterbacks signed, as well as both Barrett and Braxton Miller rehabilitating from injuries, Collier should get ample playing time this spring behind Cardale Jones.

Wide Receiver: Parris Campbell Jr.; Terry McLaurin; Johnnie Dixon. Dixon was an early enrollee last winter, and seemed primed to be a contributor, until redshirted due to tendinitus in October. Campbell and McLaurin redshirted from the onset, due to a logjam at the position. With the departures of Devin Smith and Evan Spencer, the time is ripe for any or all of these players to move up on the depth chart at wide receiver.

Offensive Line: Kyle Trout; Demetrius Knox; Brady Taylor. With six new offensive linemen arriving this summer, with one already on campus in new enrollee Grant Schmidt, none of these players can waste any opportunity to try to move up on the depth chart. The challenge is Ohio State is only losing one starter from its offensive line in Darryl Baldwin, so the test will come in trying to perform well in the eyes of the coaching staff for possible backup time in 2015 as a springboard for the 2016 season.

Defensive Line: Dylan Thompson; Sam Hubbard; Darius Slade. Thompson was redshirted almost immediately, due to a broken kneecap suffered early in the season. Hubbard fluctuated from tight end to linebacker to defensive end; it remains a mystery if he will remain at defensive end this spring. Slade was a signing day addition who had previously committed to Michigan State. With the losses of Noah Spence to transfer, and Michael Bennett, Steve Miller, and Rashad Frazier to graduation, the opportunity to rise up for playing time along the defensive line is there for these defensive linemen.

Linebacker: Kyle Berger. Berger reinjured a knee ligament during the summer of 2014 that wiped out his senior year at Cleveland St. Ignatius in 2013. It is possible that the coaching staff will take a cautious approach to rushing Berger onto the field, lest he sustain another injury.

Defensive Back: Malik Hooker; Marshon Lattimore. Hooker was an athlete designated for the secondary; it is possible that special teams will be where Hooker can make his first impact upon the depth chart. Lattimore was considered for both defense and offense, yet sustained a hamstring injury serious enough to warrant surgery that necessitated his redshirt season.

“As you walk on by Will you call my name?” ~ This question will be on the minds of the players listed up above, as well as by Ohio State fans such as myself, as the 2015 season approaches.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

2014 OSU Spring Football – Questions Answered, Questions Remain (Part 2)

April 15, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Part one reviewed the least concerning areas for Ohio State after the conclusion of spring practice. This article will focus upon the top five concerning areas for Ohio State, heading into summer workouts. Have any position groups changed from before spring practice? Let us review…

5. Defensive Back: One of the biggest changes, after spring practice. Previously ranked as the third most concerning area, I would lower this area after spring practice. Even though there are two open positions at cornerback and safety, my reasoning for feeling better about the defensive backfield lies in the more aggressive approach that was evident during the spring game. Instead of playing off the wide receivers, Ohio State’s defensive backs were pressing right from the line of scrimmage. Throw in the dominant Ohio State defensive line that figures to continually pressure opposing quarterbacks, and it would seem likely that the defensive backs will be in a great position to excel, despite their inexperience.

4. Wide Receiver: Another position group that moved, and this actually increased in concern following spring practice. Talent is on the roster, yet it was evident in the following comments by Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer following the spring game where his thoughts were about his wide receivers after the spring game ~ “We’re not where we need to be. I think we’re better that we were two years ago, and I’m hoping we’re a better notch than we were last year. We got a ways to go…Receiver, I can’t name you one that’s going to start. Which is concerning, but it’s comforting to know I can name about six that have the ability. Those would be Devin Smith, Johnnie Dixon, Michael Thomas, I think Jalin Marshall, before he got hurt he was having a great spring, Dontre Wilson and Evan Spencer; we have some depth there.”. Keep an eye and ear open for news about this position group over the summer workouts and fall camp.

3. Linebacker: A position group that has improved since before the spring practices, yet remains in the same area of concern. While rising junior Joshua Perry has earned a starting outside linebacker position, battles for the other two spots remain between rising senior Curtis Grant and true freshman Raekwon McMillan for the middle linebacker job, and Darron Lee and Chris Worley are both in the mix at the walkout linebacker spot. Considering Ohio State opens up the 2014 season at Navy, a triple option attack, it will be crucial for Ohio State’s linebackers to play disciplined; will that be possible with such inexperience at this position?

2. Backup Quarterback: Another position group that has been elevated since spring practice began, and it truly has less to do with the spring game than the reality of the situation. Rising redshirt sophomore Cardale Jones has emerged as the top backup quarterback, with rising redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett third string. While Coach Meyer seemed pleased with Jones’ development over the course of the spring practices, it must be asked – is Jones truly ready to lead Ohio State if rising senior Braxton Miller is injured this upcoming season?

1. Offensive Line: The biggest concern I had heading into spring practice, and nothing has changed since spring football concluded. In the words of Coach Meyer, “Offensive line, we’ve got to really go, we gotta really go from here. I saw Jamarco Jones, Demetrius Knox is coming in, Brady Taylor. Those are three bodies that are going to be coming in in June and I look them right in the eye and said “You’re not red shirting; you’re playing,” and that’s hard for an offensive lineman, so we’re gonna — that’s an area that we have got to get back to where we — maybe not where we were, but close…On offense you got Pat Elflein and our left tackle, Taylor Decker, and everyone else is wide open, no other spots taken.”. My first thoughts, as I read those comments? Be grateful that Ohio State was able to retain offensive line coach Ed Warriner.

**
Thomas Edison once stated, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”. Ohio State fans can rest easy knowing that the Ohio State coaching staff and players will seize these opportunities to work over the coming summer months.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,