Ohio State Spring Practices: Some Surprises Emerging
Interesting situations developing during Ohio State spring practices.
Ohio State is midway through spring practices and it appears that the offense is still a work in progress. Like a chess match, coach Urban Meyer is trying to find the right spots for his playmakers.
One pleasant development is Meyer announcing that freshman, early enrollee J.K. Dobbins passed Antonio Williams on the running back depth chart moving into third string behind Mike Weber and Demario McCall.
On the flip side, this is not a good sign for Williams. Could he be a scholarship casualty?
After signing day, I wrote that in this heralded class, Dobbins would have the most impact on the program. Running backs shine in Meyer’s system and the 5-foot-10, 199-pound running back out of La Grange, Texas will become the No. 2 option as the season evolves.
I would not be surprised to see Dobbins and Weber become a similar version of what Auburn’s Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams did on the Plains from 2002-2004. Coupled with J.T. Barrett, it looks like the Buckeyes ground game will be lethal once again.
Is it possible that Meyer has finally found a proper role for Parris Campbell in this offense? He’s practicing at the slot/H-Back and delivering on his potential.
Campbell’s rise to No. 1 on the depth chart seems odd for a guy that caught just 13 passes for no touchdowns last season, but his speed and athletic ability seem too difficult to ignore.
Meyer told the press “He is standing out big time,” and “He’s one of my favorite players just because he’s so unselfish and goes so hard.”
More from Scarlet and Game
- Ohio State Football: How Denzel Burke has bounced back so far this season
- Ohio State basketball: Buckeyes conference schedule is set
- Ohio State Football rolling into form at the perfect time
- How Ohio State football has done historically versus new Big 12
- Ohio State Football: We need to see “Killer Ryan Day” at South Bend
Given Terry McLaurin’s lack of production and size, it is mildly surprising that Binjimen Victor is not getting mentioned as top-three receiver right now. Especially since Meyer called him, “as talented as any that I’ve ever coached.”
At the end of last season, it seemed Victor would slide into the X spot and form a nice combination with K.J. Hill in the Z.
Regardless of who emerges, it is nice to hear Meyer speak about the receivers getting better. For this team to achieve its goals, resuscitating the passing game is a must. Much of that depends on how well the offensive line improves its pass protection.
Little has been mentioned about the offensive line, which is not unexpected considering four starters are returning.
Probably the best news is, 10 guys are practicing allowing offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson to develop a solid second unit that was sorely lacking in 2016.
Next Post: Why I Can't Wait Until the 2018 Season
The Buckeyes have largely avoided the injury bug up front, but should one guy go down, having a prepared backup is needed. We’ll see who wins the coveted right guard spot. Demetrious Knox is practicing with the first team, but the competition should be fierce the last two weeks of spring ball.