Best Group Ever?
Back in the spring, Urban Meyer said that Ohio State’s group of 10 early enrollees was maybe the best he’s ever had. Nothing throughout the spring changed his thoughts.
Quarterback Tate Martell, running back J.K. Dobbins, offensive lineman Josh Myers, linebacker Baron Browning, and defensive backs Marcus Williamson, Shaun Wade, Jeffrey Okudah, Kendall Sheffield, Brendon White, and Isaiah Pryor were all impressive at various points in spring camp.
While Meyer said that the group was “maybe” his best, cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs had zero doubt in his mind, saying the group was “absolutely” the best he’s ever had in 11 years of college coaching.
The good news for Meyer, Coombs, and Buckeye fans is that the 11 freshmen who arrived in the summer have picked up right where the early enrollees left off.
“It’s really a good class,” Meyer said.
And if this class doesn’t end up being something special?
“I’ll be devastated,” he said. “I just think it’s a great class. You talk about great grades. It’s been…the last two classes, ’16 and ’17, have been great. I’m just hoping the production is there in football.”
Blurred Lines
In football, there are generally 11 starters and at least 11 backups. When it comes to the Ohio State football team, however, the number of starters actually goes to 11 and beyond.
The Buckeyes “started” four defensive ends and three cornerbacks last season, along with two safeties, two defensive tackles, and three linebackers. For those keeping count, that’s 14 starters.
When you get technical, however, and mention to a Buckeye coach or a player about who the actual starters are, you’ll generally get corrected pretty quickly.
Such is the case if you were to ask defensive end Tyquan Lewis what it’s like to have Jalyn Holmes and Nick Bosa as backups on the defensive line.
“The thing about that is we don’t consider them backups,” Lewis said. “They’re just another asset to the starting lineup. They’re always featured. The line is deep, it’s always fresh. Fresh rotation. Nobody’s afraid of anything. We’re more experienced and a well-seasoned group that can do things and pursue goals and objectives that we set throughout the year as a whole unit.”
When to Rush the Rushmen?
Kevin Wilson has been brought to Ohio State to up the tempo on offense and chew bubblegum, and he’s all out of bubblegum.
Like driving your car, however, you can’t just keep the hammer down or else you’ll eventually end up in a very bad way.
Instead, there needs to be control. When there is a straightaway ahead, expect the pedal to hit the floor. When there are turns and situations to monitor in the road ahead, then Wilson will ease off.
There is no set rule, other than to take as much advantage of the defense as the situation allows.
“I’ve never had a system where we’re trying to snap a play in X amount of seconds,” Wilson explained. “I never looked at a clock. I was just kind of watching the defense and what can you do to be as sound as you can be and get the defense uncomfortable and on their heels. The more complicated the scheme the more complicated the language. The more you make a player think, then the slower you have to go.
“Not every fast-break basketball team does a fast break all the time. There’s going to be certain times in certain games where you’ve got to slow it down because of the dynamics of where you’re at in the half, where you’re at in the game. I just like to go as fast as we can, but we’ve got to be smart in situations.”
Good article