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2018 Spring Practices, Game, and Tidbits

ScriptOhio

Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
SPRING PREVIEW: EARLY ENROLLEES WHO COULD MAKE AN IMPACT IN 2018

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Though Ohio State was putting the finishing touches on its 2018 recruiting class earlier this month, nine members of the second-ranked haul were already participating in the offseason workout program as early enrollees.

The players graduated early in order to take part in spring practices, which effectively gives them a leg up over those who wait until the summer to join the team — though they certainly won't be the only ones in the conversation to play as freshmen this fall.

“They have a better chance of playing early,” head coach Urban Meyer said during his National Signing Day press conference. “That's not an absolute, but they are officially in our weight program, they're eating all the meals that Ohio State athletes [are supposed to], so you see their bodies starts to grow. High school athletes a lot of times don't eat like that and they don't get trained like that.

“This is a chance [to prove themselves], but you have to grow up fast,” he continued. “It is a tough situation, but there's obvious reasons why it's a tremendous advantage to get here and get going.”

So, which of the nine newcomers are most likely to see the field for the Buckeyes this fall? Let's take a look:

ANTWUAN JACKSON JR.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
BRENHAM (TX) BLINN COLLEGE
6-FOOT-3, 305 POUNDS

Following in the same footsteps as the aforementioned Sheffield, Jackson comes to Ohio State after a semester at Blinn junior college. He transferred there from Auburn after being redshirted as a freshman. That's where the comparisons seemingly end, however.

While the Buckeyes were set to replace a pair of first-round picks at cornerback last fall, the program is loaded with talent at defensive tackle. Dre'Mont Jones and Robert Landers return, as does regular contributors Jashon Cornell and Davon Hamilton. Haskell Garrett and Jerron Cage — members of Ohio State's 2017 recruiting class — both hope to push for playing time, as well.

Jackson underwent surgery earlier this month for a fractured bone in his foot, but is expected to be fully healed for spring practices. He has all of the physical tools and gained significant experience during his junior college days that might help him push for reps right at way.

TOMMY TOGIAI
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
POCATELLO (ID) HIGHLAND
6-FOOT-3, 290 POUNDS

Similarly, the overall lack of experience at defensive tackle could help Togiai crack the rotation this fall. He's coming off of strong performances at the U.S. Army All-American and Polynesian bowls, and has shown an eagerness to learn from defensive line coach Larry Johnson.

“I’m trying to just work as hard as I can and just get as much playing time as I can,” Togiai said. “I want to get on the field as much as I can.”
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Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...ly-enrollees-who-could-make-an-impact-in-2018
 
SPRING PREVIEW: THREE-MAN QUARTERBACK COMPETITION WILL TAKE CENTER STAGE AS OHIO STATE BEGINS 2018 PREPARATION

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The start of spring football is already less than two weeks away at Ohio State, which means it’s time for us here at Eleven Warriors to begin taking a position-by-position look at the competitions to come when practices begin on March 6.

There’s no better place to start than the quarterback position, where the post-J.T. Barrett era is set to begin, as a trio of talented but unproven quarterbacks will vie this spring for the potential opportunity to be Barrett’s successor.

For the first time since 2007, Ohio State will enter the spring without a single quarterback on the roster who has started a game, leaving the competition wide open going into March. That said, Dwayne Haskins, Joe Burrow and Tate Martell should all get a shot to prove that they are the right man for the job, while early enrollee Matthew Baldwin will look to begin laying the groundwork to compete for his own opportunity to start in the future.

WHAT WE KNOW
We know that Haskins, if his memorable 3rd-and-13 strike to Austin Mack last season at Michigan was any indication, can absolutely sling it. There’s no question that Haskins has top-notch arm talent, which has many Buckeye fans dreaming of an offense reminiscent to that which Cardale Jones led to a national championship in the final three games of the 2014 season.

Burrow, the 2014 Mr. Football for the state of Ohio, is the most experienced quarterback on the roster, with three years as a Buckeye under his belt. Burrow didn’t play much last season, in part because of an August hand injury that enabled Haskins to surpass him on the depth chart, but was Barrett’s primary backup in 2016. He’s never had to play with a game on the line at Ohio State, but he’s shown both the throwing ability to make plays as a downfield passer and the athleticism to make plays with his feet in limited action.

Martell has not yet played in a game for Ohio State, having redshirted his first season on campus, but he is known to be a dynamic athlete; the 2016 Gatorade National High School Player of the Year has the potential to be the Buckeyes’ most explosive running quarterback since Braxton Miller.

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WHAT WE DON’T KNOW
Considering that none of Ohio State’s quarterbacks have ever played more than half of an individual collegiate game, it remains to be determined whether any of them can run the Buckeyes’ offense at a level that puts the Buckeyes in position to consistently win games.

From a talent standpoint, it appears that Haskins, Burrow and Martell all have the potential to run Ohio State’s offense to that level. Ideally, at least two of them will prove that they can do so this spring; while that could give the coaches a difficult choice as to who should start this year, that would be a good problem to have. It’s also possible the Buckeyes could implement a two-quarterback system if they believe separate quarterbacks can each perform better in different areas.

Does Haskins offer enough as a runner to enable Urban Meyer to run the type of offense he prefers, or will Meyer be willing to change his offense to adjust? After falling behind Haskins on the depth chart last season, could a healthy spring be enough for Burrow to catch up? Was Martell’s first year as a Buckeye, which he spent mostly practicing with the scout team, enough to ready him to seriously challenge for the starting job? Will any of them emerge as the type of leaders who gain the unwavering trust that Meyer had in Barrett?

Those are all questions that should begin to be answered over the next couple months.
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PROJECTED DEPTH CHART
1. Dwayne Haskins

2. Tate Martell

3. Joe Burrow

Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...r-stage-as-ohio-state-begins-2018-preparation

FWIW, I don't think an actual starter at QB will be named until this August.
 
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Ohio State Spring Football Roster Preview – Defensive Line

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“Somebody has to take responsibility for being a leader.” ~ Toni Morrison

An Ohioan from Lorain, Toni Morrison is a Pulitzer Prize winning novelist, as well as a Nobel Prize recipient for literature. While known for her literary works, I selected this quote from Toni Morrison, as I believed it defined what will be a crucial theme as it relates to the Ohio State defensive line heading into the 2018 season.

Over the next few weeks, I will be writing articles that will examine the various position groups within the team, leading up to the Ohio State Spring Game, scheduled for April 14th. These articles will look at the position groups from positions of least concern to greatest concern, based upon the returning players, incoming recruits, and performances that were seen throughout the 2017 season.

With spring practice, the threat of injury is of paramount concern, and the possibilities of transfers during/following spring practice can have an impact upon the position rankings. As always, it is my sincere hope that these articles will spark discussion and dialogue, and I hope you will enjoy reading them as much as I look forward to writing them.

The first group to review? The Ohio State Defensive Line.

Players Lost: DE Jalyn Holmes, DE Sam Hubbard, DT Tracy Sprinkle, DT Dylan Thompson, DE Tyquan Lewis, DT Michael Hill

Players Returning: DE Chase Young (Sophomore), DT Dre’Mont Jones (Redshirt Junior), DT Haskell Garrett (Sophomore), DE Nick Bosa (Junior), DT Jerron Cage (Redshirt Freshman), DT Robert Landers (Junior), DE Jonathan Cooper (Junior), DT Malik Barrow (Redshirt Sophomore), DT Davon Hamilton (Redshirt Junior), DT Jashon Cornell (Redshirt Junior)

Incoming Recruits: DE Tyler Friday, DT Antwuan Jackson, DE Javontae Jean-Baptiste, DE Tyreke Smith, DT Tommy Togiai, DT Taron Vincent, ATH Alex Williams

Why did I rank the defensive line as my position group of least concern? Quite simply, look at the talent coming back, and then add in the talent that is on its way as reinforcements. For example, look at the departures of defensive ends Sam Hubbard and Tyquan Lewis (both had 7 sacks in 2017) — for Ohio State to still have a defensive line that is arguably among the best in college football speaks volumes to the quality of depth that has been accumulated by head coach Urban Meyer and defensive line coach Larry Johnson.

This is where Toni Morrison’s quote comes in. Who will emerge as the leader of the group? All eyes will look to junior Nick Bosa to become the primary focus and leader of the Ohio State defensive line in 2018. Bosa had a terrific season in 2017, earning 1st team All-American honors with 16 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks, as a rotational defensive lineman.

With the departures of Hubbard, Lewis, and Holmes, and his stellar play in 2017, Bosa should be expected to emerge as a leader of the defensive line, and should anticipate double team blocks from the opposition throughout 2018.

What is an interesting twist as it relates to the Ohio State defensive line is not in its depth, but where the depth is located. Under Larry Johnson, Ohio State has employed a rotational approach, trying to keep players fresh by continually moving players in and out of the lineup throughout the games. Most of the defensive line depth has been at the defensive end spots, but this year it is actually within the interior defensive line.

Entire article: https://theozone.net/2018/02/ohio-state-football-roster-preview-defensive-line/
 
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SPRING PREVIEW: 10 OHIO STATE PLAYERS FACING MAKE-OR-BREAK OPPORTUNITIES TO EARN PLAYING TIME

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While many young football players dream of playing for Ohio State, the harsh reality for some who become Buckeyes – even those who are highly recruited and talented enough to start at most other Division I schools – is that it can be easy to become lost in the shuffle and never see significant playing time.

In this installment of Eleven Warriors’ Spring Preview, we take a look at 10 Buckeyes who could be at risk of falling into that trap.

Each of the following 10 players came to Ohio State as highly regarded recruits, but will go into 2018 – either the third or fourth season in the program for each – having yet to see significant playing time at their respective positions. And while all of them still have the potential to become impact players for the Buckeyes, they are also at risk of being surpassed by younger players on the depth chart – which could limit their opportunities to ever earn regular playing time as Buckeyes – if they don’t prove they belong on the field this spring.

Players who have already been starters or seen consistent playing time on offense or defense for the Buckeyes were not considered for inclusion on this list. Neither were playing going into their senior years, like fifth-year senior offensive linemen Brady Taylor and Malcolm Pridgeon, because while they would certainly like to earn playing time in 2018, it’s already a given that this will be a make-or-break year for them, as it’s their final year of eligibility.

The following players, though, are the players who could have tough decisions to make about their Ohio State futures if they don’t earn their desired spots on the Buckeyes’ depth chart this spring.

JOE BURROW, QUARTERBACK
No player’s chances of becoming a star for the Buckeyes appear to be hanging more clearly in the balance this spring than Burrow, who has a chance – but which could be his only chance – to win Ohio State’s starting quarterback.

Burrow has shown a promising combination of throwing ability and running ability in limited action, and has been lauded by coaches and teammates for his work ethic and ability to run an offense in his first three years on campus. He was J.T. Barrett’s primary backup in 2016 and potentially could have been had he not suffered a preseason hand injury in 2017. He will look to parlay his experience and knowledge of the offense into winning the starting job this season.

That said, he’ll have to make up ground on Dwayne Haskins – who surpassed Burrow on the depth chart last year, and showed outstanding potential in the process – while also fending off redshirt freshman Tate Martell, the 2016 Gatorade National High School Player of the Year, who will also determined to make noise in this spring’s quarterback competition.

If Burrow doesn’t win the starting quarterback competition this year, he’ll have to face the reality that his time to start at Ohio State might never come, as Haskins and Martell are both younger than he is, and either could establish himself as the leader of the Buckeyes’ for the next two-plus years to come.

LUKE FARRELL AND JAKE HAUSMANN, TIGHT END
Farrell and Hausmann can be included in one combined entry because they both enter this spring in very similar positions. Both four-star recruits in the class of 2016, neither has seen the field much in their first two years at Ohio State, but they enter their redshirt sophomore seasons with a chance to take advantage of an open depth chart this spring.

While Rashod Berry played in every game for the Buckeyes last year as Marcus Baugh’s backup and has huge physical upside, he’s still far more potential than production at this point, leaving the door open for Farrell or Hausmann – with no other returning scholarship tight ends on the roster – to make a run at the starting job.

Come this summer, though, there could be another serious contender for that job in incoming freshman Jeremy Ruckert, who Ohio State coach Urban Meyer has said "might be the best tight end prospect" he has ever recruited. So while it’s possible that Farrell or Hausmann could seize the starting tight end job this spring, it’s also possible that neither of them could even make the two-deep – and one of them could remain outside the top three rows of the depth chart – while potentially being surpassed by a player two years younger if Ruckert can challenge for immediate playing time.

That makes it crucial for Farrell and Hausmann to prove they belong on the field over the next couple months, to encourage their coaches to find a way to get them on the field no matter how well Berry develops or how quickly Ruckert proves ready to play.

JOSHUA ALABI, OFFENSIVE TACKLE
As Ohio State tries to determine its best plan for replacing Jamarco Jones at offensive tackle this spring – perhaps the Buckeyes’ most important position battle outside of the quarterback competition – the door appears to be open for Alabi to contend for a starting spot.

Alabi was Jones’ backup on the depth chart at left tackle last season, which should make him a real – but not the only – candidate to take Jones’ place in the lineup this season. Ohio State could also choose to move either Isaiah Prince or Thayer Munford over to left tackle from right tackle, or move Branden Bowen from right guard back to tackle.

Either way, it might be now or never for Alabi – going into his redshirt junior season – to contend for a starting spot at offensive tackle. While Prince is entering his final season as a Buckeye, Munford appears well on his way to starting no later than 2019, at which point the Buckeyes’ two newest offensive tackle recruits – Max Wray, who is already on campus as an early enrollee, and Nicholas Petit-Frere, who was the No. 1-rated offensive tackle in the entire recruiting class of 2018, should also be ready to contend for starting spots.

MATTHEW BURRELL, CENTER/GUARD
Burrell’s best opportunity to establish himself as a starter at Ohio State might have already passed him by last year, when he was passed over not only once but twice at right guard, where Bowen won the starting job in fall camp and Demetrius Knox, somewhat surprisingly, got the nod over Burrell to start the rest of the season after Bowen went down with a season-ending injury.

With Bowen and Knox both back on the roster this year and Michael Jordan also back at left guard, Burrell’s chances of seeing regular playing time at guard for the Buckeyes this season don’t look very good. He could have another chance of earning a starting job, however, at center, where he is set to compete with Taylor to replace Billy Price in the middle of the Buckeyes’ offensive line this year.

As Knox and Taylor are both going into their senior years, and Bowen could also be a candidate to move back to tackle, there could be another opportunity for Burrell to earn a starting job in 2019 if he doesn’t win one this year. But with rising redshirt freshmen Wyatt Davis and Josh Myers projected to be Ohio State’s guards of the future, while center of the future Matthew Jones is already on campus as an early enrollee, the redshirt junior’s best remaining opportunity appears to be competing this spring.

Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...e-or-break-opportunities-to-earn-playing-time
 
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SPRING PREVIEW: OHIO STATE RETURNS TWO FORMER 1,000 YARD RUSHERS AND ADDS THREE HIGHLY-TOUTED FRESHMAN TO ITS RUNNING BACK STABLE

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As the start of spring football at Ohio State approaches on March 6, we here at Eleven Warriors are taking a position-by-position look at the competitions to come when practices begin in less than two weeks.

Ohio State faces quite a few positional question marks heading into the 2018 season, but running back is not one of them. The Buckeyes return not one, but two former 1,000-yard rushers, two talented backups waiting to make an impact and have three four-star recruits arriving as reinforcements.

As Ohio State searches for a new starting quarterback this spring, the running back position provides a much-needed area of stability to the offense. And with a less-mobile Dwayne Haskins as likely frontrunner to win the starting quarterback job, the running backs will have a more vital role in the running game than they've ever been since Urban Meyer's arrival.

WHAT WE KNOW
The Buckeyes return their leading rusher from each of the last two seasons: Mike Weber and J.K. Dobbins – each of whom have had 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Weber rushed for 1,119 yards on 182 attempts during the 2016 season. Then Dobbins, taking advantage of Weber's preseason injury, emerged as the team's leading rusher in 2017, rushing for an Ohio State freshman record 1,412 yards on 194 carries.

Behind the Dobbins-Weber one-two punch is redshirt sophomore Demario McCall and junior Antonio Williams. Both have shown flashes in limited action – mostly in mop-up duty at the end of games – but with the talent of Weber and Dobbins, have yet to see the field in a meaningful capacity. That will likely be the case once again.

Behind the four veterans, Ohio State brings in one of its best running back recruiting classes of all time. The 2018 class features the No. 3 running back in four-star Brian Snead, the No. 2 all-purpose back in four-star Jaelin Gill and the No. 11 running back in four-star Master Teague III. With the depth ahead of them, it's unlikely any member of the group makes much of an impact this upcoming season, but they'll provide stability and depth for the coming years.

WHAT WE DON'T KNOW
Multiple times during the 2017 season, Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer mentioned the prospect of employing two-back sets, which would utilize both Dobbins and Weber in the backfield at the same time. That never really materialized. Instead, Dobbins and Weber typically just split carries, spelling one another. With more time to adjust and prepare the offense and the potential for a more pro-style quarterback, is it possible the Buckeyes employ those two-back sets this year?

Along those same lines, if Haskins is indeed the starter this season, will Ohio State change its offense to lean more on the tailbacks in the running game? Much of the Buckeye offense since Meyer's arrival in Columbus has been predicated on reads and the threat of the quarterback run. With a less mobile quarterback, the running backs will likely bear more of the burden in the running game, but the offense will likely have to change for that to happen.

With Dobbins and Weber holding down the top-two spots, the biggest question this spring is how the rest of the depth chart will shake out. McCall and Williams are the two veterans, but a trio of talented freshmen will look to make an impact. There's also a matter of which position McCall and Gill will play, as they may make the move to the receivers room to play the H-back position.

Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...s-three-highly-touted-freshman-to-its-running
 
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SPRING PREVIEW: OHIO STATE OFFENSIVE LINE RETURNS FOUR STARTERS BUT MUST FILL CRUCIAL VOIDS AT LEFT TACKLE, CENTER

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As the start of spring football at Ohio State approaches at March 6, Eleven Warriors is taking a position-by-position look at the competitions to come when practices begin next week.

Ohio State enters the spring with a solid core on its offensive line, returning two linemen who have started every Buckeyes game for the past two years and two additional linemen who started at least six games for the Buckeyes last year.

That said, the Buckeyes also enter this spring have to replace their two most important offensive linemen from last season.

While Michael Jordan and Isaiah Prince will be expected to lead the line as third-year starters, and Branden Bowen and Demetrius Knox could also take on leadership roles after starting games last season, the biggest questions going into this spring for Greg Studrawa’s unit is how the Buckeyes will replace Jamarco Jones at left tackle and Billy Price at center, and whether those replacement options could shake up the rest of the Buckeyes’ offensive line, as well.

WHAT WE KNOW
Jordan, who has started every game at left guard since the start of the 2016 season, was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2017. Prince, who has started every game at right tackle since the start of 2016, was a third-team All-Big Ten selection after showing substantial improvement in 2017. With the departure of a four-year starter in Price and a two-year starter in Jones, Ohio State will count on Jordan and Prince to provide leadership, and build the line around them.

Bowen started Ohio State’s first six games of last season at right guard before suffering a season-ending leg injury. Knox started the final eight games of the season at right guard in Bowen’s place. Both performed well enough last year that they should be among the leading candidates to start this year entering the spring.

Ohio State’s second-team offensive line last year consisted of Joshua Alabi at left tackle, Malcolm Pridgeon at left guard (after Knox became a starter), Brady Taylor at center, Matthew Burrell at right guard and Thayer Munford at right tackle. All of those linemen are back on the roster this year, so they should be in the mix to compete for open starting spots this spring, too.

In total, Ohio State will have 14 scholarship offensive linemen on the roster this spring, also including redshirt sophomore Gavin Cupp, redshirt freshmen Wyatt Davis and Josh Myers and early enrollees Matthew Jones and Max Wray. Nicholas Petit-Frere, the No. 1 offensive tackle in the recruiting class of 2018, will arrive on campus this summer.

WHAT WE DON’T KNOW
While we know that Prince and Jordan are in line to start this season, we don’t necessarily know that they will start at the same positions in 2018. The Buckeyes could potentially choose to move either one of them to left tackle in order to have an experienced player at that position, which could open up a competition at another position.

How the Buckeyes will manage the right guard position this spring is another question, and a question that could tie into filling another offensive line vacancy. While Bowen and Knox could be set for a head-to-head competition if both stay at right guard, the Buckeyes could also move Bowen back to tackle – where he was set to be the primary backup last season before moving to right guard – to fill the vacancy opposite Prince. Having two guards with starting experience could also potentially open the door to moving Jordan to left tackle, as either Bowen or Knox could step in at left guard.

The one position where the Buckeyes seem sure to have a first-year starter, unlike the past two years, is at center, given that they don’t have a likely candidate to slide over to that position like Price did last year and Pat Elflein did the year before. Who that new starter will be is in question, though. Taylor should enter the spring as the frontrunner, but it’s uncertain who else – probably including Burrell and Matthew Jones – the Buckeyes will give the opportunity to challenge Taylor for that job.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Going into his first spring as a Buckeye, Munford could be a serious contender to fill the open starting spot at offensive tackle, especially if Prince makes the move to the left side. Munford immediately made a strong impression on his coaches upon arriving at Ohio State last summer – enough to make the two-deep at a position where true freshmen often redshirt – and should only continue to get better with a full year to practice with the team.

Alabi will also be a player to watch if there is an open competition at tackle, especially if the competition is held on the left side where he was the second-stringer last year. A former defensive lineman who switched sides last spring, Alabi drew praise from his teammates for his performance in his first year as an offensive lineman; Jamarco Jones singled out Alabi as a player who had "some really good practices" during last year’s bowl season, and said he expected him to be a contender for a starting spot this year.

Munford’s recruiting classmates, Davis and Myers, will be offensive linemen worth keeping an eye on this spring as well, as they prepare for their first playing seasons as Buckeyes after redshirting last year. While it isn’t likely that either of them will start this season, both should be contenders to make the two-deep and try to set themselves up to compete for starting spots in 2019.

Matthew Jones will also certainly be a player to watch, too, as he looks to follow in Jordan’s footsteps from 2016 and earn a starting job as a true freshman. While it’s likely that Taylor and Burrell will get the first cracks at starting at center, Jones might be more talented than either one of them – he was the No. 1 center in the 2018 recruiting class – and will certainly look to prove that this spring.

Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...must-fill-crucial-voids-at-left-tackle-center
 
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SPRING PREVIEW: OHIO STATE RETURNS EXPERIENCED GROUP OF WIDE RECEIVERS, UNPROVEN GROUP OF TIGHT ENDS

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As the start of spring football at Ohio State approaches on March 6, we here at Eleven Warriors are taking a position-by-position look at the competitions to come when practices begin in less than two weeks.

While much of the attention surrounding Ohio State’s spring practices will be focused on the quarterback competition, which we previewed in the first installment of our Spring Preview, the potential of the Buckeyes’ passing offense for 2018 also depends on whether their wide receivers can continue to improve and whether playmakers can emerge at tight end.

Ohio State enters this spring with one of the most experienced and deepest groups of wide receivers in the country, but continued development and building rapport with each of Ohio State’s potential new starting quarterbacks will be key to whether they can turn that experience and depth into elite performance. At tight end, meanwhile, Ohio State returns three largely unproven players who will look to prove this spring that they can replace Marcus Baugh and make their position a bigger factor in the Buckeyes’ offense.

WHAT WE KNOW
The Buckeyes return all six of their wide receivers who saw regular playing time last season. When healthy, the six wide receivers all saw relatively equal playing time to one another in 2017: Austin Mack and Binjimen Victor rotated at the ‘X’ position, Terry McLaurin and Johnnie Dixon rotated at the ‘Z’ and Parris Campbell and K.J. Hill rotated in the slot.

Hill led the 2017 Buckeyes in receptions (56), Campbell led the team in receiving yards (584) and Dixon led the way in receiving touchdowns (eight). All six receivers had more than 300 receiving yards, at least two receiving touchdowns and at least 18 catches.

In total, the Buckeyes are set to have 12 scholarship wide receivers on their 2018 roster. Jaylen Harris appeared in three games last season as a true freshman, while Ellijah Gardiner is set for his first playing season after redshirting as a true freshman last year. Kamryn Babb, Cameron Brown, Chris Olave and L’Christian “Blue” Smith are all set to arrive as incoming freshmen this summer. The Buckeyes also have a talented walk-on wide receiver, C.J. Saunders, who had 17 receptions for 221 yards and a touchdown in limited playing time last season.

At tight end, the Buckeyes lost three of their six scholarship players from last season. The Buckeyes’ 2017 starter, Marcus Baugh, exhausted his eligibility, while Kierre Hawkins transferred out of the program and A.J. Alexander was placed on medical scholarship. That leaves the Buckeyes with just three scholarship tight ends on the roster this spring – Rashod Berry, Luke Farrell and Jake Hausmann – though the top-rated tight end in the 2018 recruiting class, Jeremy Ruckert, will arrive this summer.

Berry, a converted defensive end, played the most snaps in 2017 among returning tight ends, catching six passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Farrell appeared in eight games and caught two passes for 19 yards. Hausmann appeared in three games but did not catch a pass.

WHAT WE DON'T KNOW
Ohio State wide receivers coach Zach Smith has said that he would expand his rotation beyond six wide receivers if the Buckeyes were to have more than six wide receivers who prove they belong on the field. Is it really practical, though, for the Buckeyes to rotate more than six wide receivers in a meaningful game? 2018 might be the year we find out.

With little question, barring injuries, that Ohio State’s top six receivers will retain their spots on the Buckeyes’ two-deep depth chart, the big question surrounding the wide receivers entering this spring is whether the Buckeyes will find a way to get Saunders, Harris and/or any other wideouts on the field on a regular basis. We might not know the answer to that question until September. How those players perform this spring, though, could go a long way in determining whether the Buckeyes make a real effort to make room for them in the rotation.

The Buckeyes face much greater unknowns at the tight end position, where it remains uncertain whether any of Ohio State’s tight ends can be consistent playmakers in the passing game or consistent blockers in the running game. Berry flashed intriguing playmaking ability last season, but never took on a consistent role in the Buckeye offense – largely disappearing from the game plan down the stretch of the year – while neither Farrell nor Hausmann has had much opportunity to show what they can do in game action.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Among the top six wide receivers, the players to watch this spring will be Mack and Victor, who are both going into their junior years. While they ranked fifth and sixth on the Buckeyes in receiving yards last season, they are arguably the two most talented downfield receivers on the team. Both have shown flashes of greatness, but neither has become a consistent playmaker yet. That could change in 2018, especially if the offense places a greater emphasis on downfield passing (which could depend on who wins the quarterback competition), but the first step to a breakout fall is a strong spring.

Harris, who offers similar downfield playmaking potential with his size and athleticism, will be another wide receiver to watch this spring. Of all the receivers on the 2018 roster who were not regulars in last year’s Ohio State receiver rotation, Harris could be the toughest to keep off the field. He has to make that tough, though, by showing playmaking ability this spring that proves he deserves to have a role this fall.

Berry, who has the physical attributes to be a star if he can master the finer points of playing the tight end position, will certainly be a potential breakout player to watch this spring, which will be a crucial time for Berry to continue learning the fundamentals that can allow him to take advantage of his freakish size and athleticism.

This spring could be even more crucial, though, for Farrell and Hausmann – both four-star recruits in the class of 2016 – whose best opportunity to prove they belong on the field could be now, before Ruckert arrives on campus this summer.

Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...f-wide-receivers-unproven-group-of-tight-ends
 
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SPRING PREVIEW: OHIO STATE LOADED WITH DEPTH AT DEFENSIVE TACKLE, TOP-END TALENT AT DEFENSIVE END

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As the start of spring football at Ohio State approaches at March 6, Eleven Warriors is taking a position-by-position look at the competitions to come when practices begin next week.

As we begin taking a closer look at the defensive side of the ball, there’s no better place to start than the defensive line, where Larry Johnson’s unit has the potential once again to be among the best defensive lines in the country.

The hallmark of Johnson’s defensive lines at Ohio State, especially this past season, has been the Buckeyes’ ability to rotate disruptive players in and out of the lineup, and that should be the case once again this season – at least at defensive tackle. The Buckeyes don’t have much depth at defensive end, which will be a concern they need to address this spring, yet their top three players at the position could still give them a rotation as good as any in the nation.

While the top of Ohio State’s defensive end rotation might already be set by virtue of its lack of depth at that spot, the Buckeyes will enter this spring needing to figure out who else can play at that position if needed while also managing what should be a deep and hotly contested competition at defensive tackle.

WHAT WE KNOW
Although Ohio State lost three of its top four defensive ends from last season (Jalyn Holmes, Sam Hubbard and Tyquan Lewis) and a starting defensive tackle (Tracy Sprinkle), the Buckeyes are still loaded with top-end talent at both positions.

The stars of the 2018 defensive line should be junior defensive end Nick Bosa, who was a first-team All-American in his sophomore season, and redshirt junior defensive tackle Dre’Mont Jones, who somewhat surprisingly put his NFL draft aspirations on hold to return for an opportunity to play an expanded role for Ohio State this season.

Bosa is one of three returning defensive ends who saw playing time last season, along with Chase Young and Jonathon Cooper. Jones is one of six returning scholarship defensive tackles who saw playing time last season, along with Robert Landers, Jashon Cornell, Davon Hamilton, Haskell Garrett and Malik Barrow.

The Buckeyes already have two defensive tackles from their 2018 recruiting class on campus in Antwuan Jackson, who enters Ohio State with three remaining seasons of eligibility after transferring in from Blinn College, and Tommy Togiai, an early enrollee freshman. Redshirt freshman defensive tackle Jerron Cage is also set for his first spring with the team.

Five-star freshman defensive tackle Taron Vincent will arrive at Ohio State as a regular enrollee this summer, as well as four new defensive ends: Tyler Friday, Javontae Jean-Baptiste, Tyreke Smith and Alex Williams.

WHAT WE DON’T KNOW
In order to get through spring practices, Ohio State is certainly going to need to have more than three players lining up at the defensive end position. While that should open up a great opportunity for Ohio State’s walk-on defensive ends to get some significant reps and make their case for playing time, the Buckeyes might also need to move some scholarship players to defensive end – even if only temporarily until the freshmen arrive this summer – in order to have enough players at the position to rotate through practices and be ready to play there in case of emergency.

Whose those players would be, though, is something we truly don’t know as of now. The Buckeyes could move a defensive tackle like Cornell or Hamilton outside, or move a linebacker like Dante Booker or Malik Harrison down to the line. Jones, with his athleticism, could be a candidate to see some playing time at defensive end, too. All of those players are probably better suited to continue playing the positions they have previously played at Ohio State, though, so the Buckeyes might have to decide whether moving any of those players would actually be in their best interest.

At defensive tackle, we know that Jones should lead the way and that Landers should be a key player in the rotation – as he has been for the past two seasons – but after them, it’s tough to predict how the rotation might shake out, as it’s easy to envision just about any scholarship defensive tackle on the roster earning significant playing time this year.

Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...ensive-tackle-top-end-talent-at-defensive-end
 
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I definitely think we will have to get somewhat creative for depth at DE this year. I would expect a number of DT's to get looks outside (Cornell, Hamilton and Vincent are my best bets...I think Dre'Mont Jones can definitely slide out as well), as well as some early PT opportunities for guys like Smith and Friday. I definitely think Harrison could get looks at DE on passing downs and potentially Booker and Jones if they can pack on some weight.
 
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I definitely think we will have to get somewhat creative for depth at DE this year. I would expect a number of DT's to get looks outside (Cornell, Hamilton and Vincent are my best bets...I think Dre'Mont Jones can definitely slide out as well), as well as some early PT opportunities for guys like Smith and Friday. I definitely think Harrison could get looks at DE on passing downs and potentially Booker and Jones if they can pack on some weight.

Here's the way I look at it. Jones will take Holmes snaps inside on passing downs. Holmes didn't line up outside much, if at all. Bosa will take on more of Lewis' every down DE snaps. Young will get more of Bosa's pass rush leaning snaps. We need Cooper to take it up a notch to take over a good percentage of Hubbard's snaps. If he can do that, the unit will actually improve vs. last season.
 
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URBAN MEYER PLEASED WITH PROGRESS OF OHIO STATE'S LINEBACKERS THROUGH NINE SPRING PRACTICES

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While the linebacker position will be one of the biggest question marks on Ohio State’s roster going into the 2018 season, Urban Meyer likes what he’s seen from that unit through nine practices this spring.

Given that the linebackers were one of Ohio State’s weakest units last season, and the Buckeyes lost two starters from that unit in Jerome Baker and Chris Worley, there was already reason to be concerned about the linebackers entering the spring. There’s perhaps even more reason for concern now that Tuf Borland, the other starter from last year’s unit, is sidelined with an Achilles injury.

Ohio State still has plenty of talent in its linebacker corps, though, and Meyer said Monday that he has been impressed with the way that group has progressed since spring practices began last month.

"That's one of our better units as far as getting better," Meyer said. "They're getting better. Really talented guys."

With Borland sidelined, though Meyer said Monday that the Buckeyes hope to have Borland back in September, Ohio State currently has five linebackers seriously competing for its three starting spots, and Meyer says all five of them have had good springs so far.

The two frontrunners to start at the outside linebacker appear to be Malik Harrison and Keandre Jones, who have been running with the first-team defense all spring. While Harrison played mostly at strongside linebacker and Jones was Jerome Baker’s backup at weakside linebacker last season, Meyer said they have actually been cross-training between the outside linebacker spots, with Harrison practicing some at the WILL position and Jones practicing some at the SAM position.

Baron Browning, Pete Werner and Justin Hilliard, meanwhile, were all among the players Meyer named (along with defensive tackle Davon Hamilton, offensive guard Malcolm Pridgeon and tight end Luke Farrell) when asked Monday to name some of the players who have made big leaps in their development from last season to this season. Browning and Werner both graded out as "champions" for the Buckeyes’ scrimmage on Friday, Meyer said, while Hilliard was an honorable mention.

Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...tes-linebackers-through-nine-spring-practices
 
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Ohio State Football Notebook: ‘We’re making a ton of mistakes right now’

Next Man Up
Ohio State enters 2018 having to replace arguably its top two offensive players in center Billy Price and left tackle Jamarco Jones. Together, they made the Buckeye offensive line the most consistent aspect of the entire Ohio State football team.

Senior right tackle Isaiah Prince has moved to left tackle to fill the void left by Jones. Fifth-year senior Brady Taylor is attempting to do the same at center.

Taylor is still competing with other players for the job, and somebody now has to step in for Prince’s vacated right tackle spot. This is all happening in a spring where left guard Michael Jordan is out, causing even more displacement.

Through it all, however, Taylor isn’t worried about the offensive line.

“I think there’s a ton of confidence because this is a place where I feel like we can kind of go to the next guy,” he said. “And we just keep going and proving that each year because we lose a lot of guys early here, so I just think the next guy’s up and we’ll be ready to go.”

Too Many Titles?
Urban Meyer has always been an innovator when it comes to titles for his assistant coaches. Rather than having a defensive coordinator and a co-defensive coordinator, or offensive coordinator and co-offfensive coordinator, he has completely removed the “co-” and simply has two coordinators on both sides of the ball.

And in arguably the first of its kind, he named Kerry Coombs the assistant defensive coordinator last summer. Meyer creates titles like an artist creates works of art. You just never know what’s going to come next. Perhaps co-assistant defensive coordinator?

With the promotion of Ryan Day to offensive coordinator, people outside the program can get easily confused at the roles inside the walls at the WHAC right now.

Offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson says nothing has changed with the day-to-day operations, no matter the name changes.

“There’s always been too many titles,” he said. “Like I worked at a lot of places where we could never give anybody a pay raise so we always gave a title to make it look better. So at the end it’s about how you work as a group, it’s kind of how we’ve always done it offensively, whether it be here last year or previously at every stop I’ve been.”

Taking the Good and the Bad
Spring football springs eternal, but there are growing pains every step of the way.

New players and new coaches are never marching in lock step in March. Coaches know they are going to see some rough practices. A lot of the time, coaches have to read between the lines for the good stuff. Are they seeing the effort they need? Why are the mistakes being made? If it’s the veterans, that can be a worry. If it’s the young guys, that’s typical.

Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano is seeing all of that this spring, just as he expected to.

“I think our guys are playing hard and are giving us everything they have,” he said. “We’re making a ton of mistakes, but I would expect us to make a ton of mistakes now. Especially in the spring time, there’s guys that haven’t played a lot getting a lot of reps. Another thing is, you go one day, then you’re off a day. When you’re in the season, you go day after day in training camp and then you get into a routine.

“There’s a lot going on for these kids outside of football with academics and things. But that’s no excuse. You have to keep demanding a certain level of execution. But more important than anything is they learn to play hard and they learn to play together. If we can come out of spring with that, we’ll make sure it’s all cleaned up when we get to camp.”

Entire article: https://theozone.net/2018/04/ohio-state-football-ton-mistakes/
 
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