COLUMBUS, Ohio – With the spring practice in the books, the Ohio State defender’s derby will continue in the fall training sessions.
This is not a surprise, given that the candidates for the success of the star Justin Fields are two second year players and a real freshman. No one threw a pass in a college game.
CJ Stroud, Jack Miller III and Kyle McCord, who signed up earlier this year, had a lot of action in Saturday’s annual spring game, none of which gain a clear advantage. Stroud and McCord threw two touchdown passes each in controlled scrimmage.
“It was very similar to what it was all spring,” said coach Ryan Day. “Some good, some not so good and a lot of learning opportunities there. There are flashes here and there, then there are just a few learning opportunities. The race is active in the next few months to see who can take the next step. “
None of the defenders were made available after the match, but the teammates liked what they saw. Fifth-year offensive lineman Thayer Munford is confident any of the three can lead the Buckeyes when they open the Minnesota season on September 2.
“Whoever will be behind me and on the offensive line when we play Minnesota, everyone knows he will be the guy,” Munford said. “I’m just happy with where our defenders are now.”
Day returns for his third year as Ohio’s head coach. He has 12 starters returning from the 2020 team that finished 7-1 in a season shortened by COVID-19. The Buckeyes won a fourth consecutive Big Ten championship and advanced to the national championship game, where they were led by Alabama.
„Purpose no. 1 was to emerge [of the spring] healthy and I did that, “Day said.” I had a really physical spring. It was great to go out there and enter the stadium and play. “
The game was played in front of a limited crowd of about 19,000 fans, which was a breakthrough after the Buckeyes played home games at an almost empty Ohio stadium all last season.
NO JOKE
The Big Ten Network reports that 2021 will be the first season since 1952 that Buckeyes will start a defender who has not thrown a college license. This was the second year of legendary coach Woody Hayes, which took place in the 28-year-old season in Columbus. The Buckeyes finished 6-3 then.
THE LOOKING FORWARD
McCord was on a school record of 15 early freshmen who took part in the spring practice. Other notables in the nation’s No. 2 recruiting class included defensive end Jack Sawyer, wide receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka, and defenders TreVeyon Henderson and Evan Pryor.
TRAINING ROOM
Ohio State has gone through spring drills, with no injured players expected to begin in the fall. Among them are goalkeeper Harry Miller, defensive forward Haskell Garrett, central defender Dallas Gant and corner defenders Sevyn Banks and Cameron Brown. Everyone is expected to be ready for the start of the pre-season camp in August.