5 Things To Watch For On The Ohio State Special Teams
Ohio State football will be back on the practice field today for their fourth official workout of fall camp, and for the first time this fall it will be open to the media.
That means that later today, you’ll have some real, live football reporting to sink your teeth into.
It also means we’ll get a chance to start answering some of the lingering questions about this year’s Buckeyes.
Ohio State is projected to be one of the best teams in the nation this fall, but still have some things to answer in every phase of the game.
Sunday, we looked at 5 things to watch for on the Ohio State offense, including some questions up front, a position group with something to prove, and some true freshmen who could be impact players sooner rather than later.
Monday, we turned to 5 things to watch for on the Ohio State defense, including a linebacker unit in complete flux, a pair of young corners, and a line that could be the best in school history.
Now, it’s time for the special teams.
Here’s a list of five things that will be interesting to watch for in August, and then throughout the season.
How will the new rules change kickoff strategies?
You’re probably familiar with the new kickoff rules, but if not, the short version is that a returner can now fair catch a kick anywhere on the field and have it taken out to the 25 yard line.
That almost certainly means the end of Urban Meyer’s preferred strategy of kicking the ball high and toward the sideline and trying to hem the returner in.
The coaching staff has met about the new rule and what they want to do about it, but it sounds like it’s still up for debate.
Without knowing what other teams plan to do, they don’t know whether to try to drop a kick at the 5, or the 10, or the 15, or just to boom it through the back of the end zone every time.
It’s going to be a fascinating cat-and-mouse game to watch play out throughout the fall. How much do you have to give the other team before they decide it’s worth taking a shot to return it?
What about in the return game?
This is the other side of the same coin. When the Buckeyes receive a kickoff, when will they try to run it back for a big play, and when will they just take it at the 25?
At Big Ten Media Days, Urban Meyer said they would return it whenever they thought they had an advantage.
That likely means a lot of chances against teams with lesser athletes, or shaky lane discipline on coverage.
But don’t be surprised if you see guys in scarlet and gray waving for fair catches against some of their tougher opponents this fall.
Is this the year Demario McCall takes over?
One of the most explosive players on a team loaded with extraordinary athletes, the first two seasons of McCall’s career have been a big “what if?”
What if the coaching staff was willing to let him return kicks? What if he could stay healthy?
This may be the year everyone finds out.
McCall was healthy in the spring, and was the Buckeyes’ top returner at that time.
OSU played it safe and trotted out guys like K.J. Hill and Mike Weber at the return positions last year.
If McCall is finally 100 percent and gets a chance to return kicks, punts, or both this fall, make sure you’re in your seat and watching every time that ball goes in the air.
Entire article:
https://theozone.net/2018/08/5-things-watch-ohio-state-special-teams/