Day 4 of spring intensity is in the books – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/2/2012 12:00:00 AM | Football
April 2, 2012
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Buckeyes under coach Urban Meyer practiced for a little over two hours Monday in bright sunshine and moderate, lovely 61-degree temperatures. The team worked out in full pads through the fourth of 15 practices this spring.
There were less confrontational drills than there were on Saturday, but the intensity was evident as the team worked through more of a thump and thud tempo. Afterward, coach Everett Withers and some of his safeties met with the media as did coach Tim Hinton and a couple of his tight ends and fullbacks, respectively.
Safeties in numbers
Both coaches’ position groups are loaded with experience. Withers’ safeties have a combined 39 starts among the trio of players who met with the media: senior Orhian Johnson and junior C.J. Barnett have each started 15 games, and junior Christian Bryant has made nine starts. All three are pleased with the practices in the books so far.
“This is the most intense spring practice we’ve had,” Barnett said. “There is competition every day. The win or lose aspect makes it a lot more fun and exciting.”
“I think the tempo of the practices has been good for us,” Johnson said. “We are working as hard as anyone in the country right now.”
Bryant said the changes have been good for this team and the players have “bought in” to what the new coaching staff is teaching.
“We bought in to the intensity level,” Bryant said. “They [the coaches] are intense with high energy all the time. They want us to have a high tempo in practice and to just play fast.”
A new day for TEs and FBs
Jake Stoneburner, a fifth-year senior, leads the Buckeye receiving corps with 37 career receptions. Zach Boren has started 32 times – the most of any current Buckeye – and has a total of one carry…for two yards. Known as a bulldozer of a blocker, he does have offensive skill, as evident by the fact he has 20 career receptions for 151 yards and one touchdown.
Both players, and their skill position teammates, are looking forward to playing in the spread offense that Coach Urban Meyer and his five offensive assistants are working on this spring.
“It was exciting getting the ball in my hands,” Boren said. “Going out there and playing and learning a new offense has been a lot of fun.”
“The offense is sweet,” sophomore tight end Jeff Heuerman said. “I love it. There is a lot of running and a lot more stuff revolves around the tight end.”
Stoneburner is pumped because of the expectations Meyer has for the tight ends.
“It’s almost like a dream come true, you know,” Stoneburner said. “Coach Meyer expects a lot out of this group and if we meet his expectations we should see the ball this season. To know he has those expectations is cool.”
Some pleasin’ reasons
Not sure if the tight ends and fullbacks know precisely what Meyer’s offenses – or some of the former offenses of his assistant coaches – have done in the past, but here are some reasons for optimism:
§ Of the 43 times that Meyer has had a team lead a conference in a statistical category, 17 were offensive league leaders;
§ Four times, including three times in the SEC by Florida, a Meyer offense topped the conference in total offense;
§ In the six years Meyer was at Florida (2005-10), his teams scored more rushing touchdowns – 185 – and more passing touchdowns – 154 – than any school in the Southeastern Conference.
§ Co-offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Ed Warinner was offensive coordinator for three years at Kansas and those three teams combined to average 445.3 yards per game and 35.3 points;
§ Offensive coordinator Tom Herman had – in one season (2008) – a tight end catch 111 passes for 1,329 yards and 13 touchdowns and two receivers combine for 137 receptions for 1,908 yards and 25 more touchdowns. That’s 248 receptions for 3,237 yards and 38 touchdowns by three players in the same year for Rice University.
Safety statistics
C.J. Barnett has started 15 consecutive games for the Buckeyes and he led the team in tackles in 2011 with 75. He also had two interceptions and broke up six more. Hard-hitting Christian Bryant was third on the team with 68 tackles last year and his eight pass break-ups were third-most in the Big Ten Conference. Orhian Johnson tied for the team lead with three interceptions last year and he also is tied for the team lead with four career interceptions. The three safeties have combined to play in 78 games for the Buckeyes.
Nine down…three to go
Big Ten Network studio analyst and former coach Gerry DiNardo was a guest at practice today. He has now visited nine of the 12 Big Ten spring camps with stops remaining at Michigan State, Penn State and Wisconsin. In order to compare apples to apples, he has planned his visits for the fourth or fifth day of each spring practice and except for possibly one exception, will succeed in his efforts.
Some random notes and thoughts…
LB Storm Klein was without the injured mesh vest he had been wearing the first few practices and participated in all the team’s drills. … LB Curtis Grant made a nice, diving interception of a pass initially tipped by sophomore CB Bradley Roby. … Jake Stoneburner, who played in an age-group team named the Gators, said today he was thrilled when Coach Urban Meyer was hired. “I knew what he did with tight ends” and “he knows how to win.” … Coach Everett Withers said spring is a time to find leaders. “This is a time for us to find out who the leaders are on defense. There may be four, five or six guys.” He also said the leadership can’t stop with the Spring game. “We need guys to lead positions by example in the weight room this summer.” … Senior fullback Adam Homan said fullbacks will still be fullbacks in this new offense. “We stay low, run, block and still have to catch the ball,” he said. C.J. Barnett likes what he sees in the team’s new offense. “When these guys get it down, it’ll be great,” he said. “They spread the field and definitely keep the defense on its toes. You’re going to see plays you’ve never seen before.”
