[Buckskin86]

Could This Really be the Year? We've been hearing about the tight end at Ohio State for as long as we can remember, but since Ben Hartsock left OSU the tight end has frankly not been a big part of the OSU offense. Part of that is due to the fact that the Buckeyes had several years in which they used four and five receivers (The Ginn, Holmes, Hall, Gonzales era) and that kept the tight end either off the field or relegated him to a blocking role. In other years, quite frankly, they were just plain better equipped for blocking than receiving.

At the Big Ten media gathering in Chicago current OSU tight end Jake Ballard boldly predicted that this would indeed be the year that the tight would be an important part of the offense. The-Ozone freely admits to some skepticism at the time, but Ballard caught three balls in the jersey scrimmage and accounted for the only touchdown scored by the offense. Maybe this WILL be the year.


Jake Ballard
Photo by Dan Harker

"I think so," said Ballard after the jersey scrimmage.

"The tight ends are going to provide Terrelle with open receivers down field or toward the sidelines. We're going to be reliable and if our number gets called we're going to make some plays."

What we have noticed at all the open practices we have seen this year is that the OSU passing game is definitely using the center of the field much more this season, and that would bode well for the prospect of tight ends catching some balls. That does not, however, mean that that the tight end will suddenly cease to be a blocker. At 6-6, Ballard is all of 255 pounds, maybe 260, so he has all the tools to be an effective blocker. Incoming freshman tight end Reid Fragel is about the same size, and just for good measure, the OSU coaching staff is continuing to groom defensive lineman Todd Denlinger for those occasions when they want to add a little beef to the position, particularly in short yardage situations or coming off the goal line.

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