Buckeye rewind: Football spring practice week 3
COVER PHOTO: Head coach Ryan Day talks to his team after practice No. 6 on Tuesday, March 28. Picture by Sam Fahmi/Columbus Wired.
On Saturday, the football team wrapped up their third week and eighth overall spring practice with Student Appreciation Day. They also had defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Brian Hartline, cornerbacks coach Tim Walton, safeties coach Perry Eliano and a handful of defensive backs sit down with the media on Tuesday and Thursday. Head coach Ryan Day addressed the media in a lightning round Q&A after Saturday’s practice.
We take a look back at some of the things that were said.
No clear-cut No. 1 QB
Without a doubt, it’s the most anticipated battle of any position on the team and it’s up for grabs between junior Kyle McCord and redshirt freshman Devin Brown. Both guys have been swapping time with the first team.
McCord took all of the first team reps during the first half of practice two Saturdays ago but was relegated to second-team duty during the second half. Brown got the majority of the snaps with the ones during this past Saturday’s practice.
However, don’t read anything into that. Neither one has really separated themself and Day acknowledged that on Saturday.
“I’d like to see one of the two really step out and I don’t think we’ve seen that yet.”
He acknowledged it will take more practice time for them to get a better feel for the offense.
“It’s a day-to-day process (and) they’re growing, they’re learning,” he said. “It would be nice to see one of them kind of separate from the other but that takes a few practices in a row of consistent play.”
The one thing Day has said a few different times is his guys learning from failing and said it’s important for both of them to learn from their failures.
“When you do well, it’s great. But, we’re all going to fail. That’s the thing, when you look at the elite quarterbacks, whether it’s in the NFL or in college, they learn from their mistakes quickly, they don’t make the same mistake twice and these guys are making mistakes just like any quarterback would.”
Hartline: “We’re about six or seven deep”
It’s no secret that the Buckeyes are absolutely loaded right now at receiver. Returning are All-American junior Marvin Harrison, Jr., junior Emeka Egbuka, fifth-year Julian Fleming, super senior, former walk-on, four-year letter winner Xavier Johnson and fifth-year tight end Cade Stover.
Also in the mix are no less than ten underclassmen including four from this year’s incoming freshman class that are already enrolled: Carnell Tate, Noah Rogers, Bryson Rodgers and tight end Jelani Thurman. That's not including Brandon Inniss, who was not only the only five-star receiver signed but the only five-star recruit in the entire class. Back for their second year are Kaleb Brown, Kojo Antwi, Kyion Grayes, Caleb Burton and tight end Bennett Christian.
That’s a lot of depth.
When asked by Columbus Wired on Tuesday how deep the room really is and how comfortable he would feel about giving guys a legitimate shot at playing time, Hartline said this:
“We’re about six or seven deep right now. And that’s a good thing.”
The Buckeyes’ newly appointed OC also said that the guys he would consider being numbers four through seven are ahead of those that were in the same spot last fall.
Of the practices the media have been invited to and allowed to observe, Harrison and Stover were running with the first team along with third-year walk-on Reis Stocksdale and the true freshman Tate has been splitting time with fourth-year Jayden Ballard with both the first and second teams. Several guys have been getting second team reps including Rogers, Antwi, Brown, Grayes and fourth-year tight end Gee Scott, Jr.
Egbuka and Fleming have been suited up but not taking part in drills in order to heal from unspecified injuries.
Tate lost his black stripe after Saturday’s March 25 practice.
Coming to Columbus a no-brainer for Igbinosun
When Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin fired defensive coordinator Maurice Crum after this past season’s conclusion, cornerback Davison Igbinosun decided it was a sign he needed to leave, too. Crum was the major factor in him traveling nearly 1,100 miles from Union, N.J. to play his first season of college football in Oxford, Miss.
According to Tim Walton, getting Igbinosun to come back closer to home was somewhat of a chore and Igbinosun needed some convincing.
“He had a lot going on … and we had to convince him of some things because he had some activity. We were able to sell him on the family atmosphere, the opportunities here, the elite level of competition involved in being an Ohio State Buckeye. In the end, we were able to win out and (I’m) glad we got him.”
Exactly what those things going on were, Walton didn’t stipulate.
However, Igbinosun’s version was a little different.
“Maybe that’s what I showed, but deep down in my heart I knew I was coming to Ohio State from the jump.”
As a New Jersey native, Igbinosun said he grew up as a Buckeye fan and playing in a scarlet and gray jersey was always his dream because former cornerbacks Denzel Ward and Jeff Okudah had a big influence on him.
“Ohio State was the place I wanted to be since I was a little boy. I’m from up north (and) Ohio State is probably the best team up north. Just watching guys like Denzel Ward and Jeff Okudah, Ohio State speaks for itself and their first-round draft talent speaks for itself.”
Day and his staff, though, didn’t originally offer the four-star, 6-foot-2, 187-pound cornerback after graduating from Union High School last year. So after Kiffin gave Crum the ax and Igbinosun decided to leave, he was surprised when Day called him.
“Out of high school, they (OSU) didn’t come and get me. I feel like in high school, I didn’t get all the big-time offers as I should’ve. So hopping in the portal, if I’m being honest with you, I didn’t think they would offer me.”
Igbinosun was working out at his high school when an unknown number popped up on his phone and he decided to answer it.
“It was during a lift, and I wanna say it was a Boston phone number and I’m like, ‘who could possibly be calling me?’ And it was Ryan Day, and I just said, ‘God is good.’”
At that point, though, Igbinosun was already being recruited by other schools and was set to visit UCLA that Friday when Day finally dialed him up.
“I feel like (the call) was kind of late, like I was already being recruited. (But) Ohio State is one of the top programs in the country, they’re just not going to go after everybody, they need to make sure that you’re a good enough player. That’s why I feel like it took so long.”
From there, the decision was easy. He was coming to Columbus to fulfill his dream
“It’s Ohio State, they were going to be the national champions. If a couple plays were different, they were going to be the national champions. So I just feel like it was (a) pretty easy (decision).”
Igbinosun said that if he were on the team at the time, he could have been the difference and the Buckeyes would have hoisted the national championship trophy.
“I’m a big corner, I’m a physical corner, I wanna put my hands on you. I’m going to come up and make tackles, I’m going to get pass break ups and get interceptions. I’m also a ball hawk. I just do a little bit of everything.”
This coming from a guy who was named to College Football News’ freshman All-America team but says he hasn’t played his best football yet.
“I could be so much better than I am right now,” he said.
It’s that kind of confidence that has already made him stand out and become one of the few newbies to lose their black stripe, which happened after their fifth practice on Saturday, March 25.
Fellow cornerback Jyaire Brown said having Igbinosun in their room has been a great addition.
“Just bringing that swagger and being coachable, pushing each other, pushing the receivers, pushing the DB room, he’s been a great addition.”
And from one of the videos on his Twitter feed, it looks like Igbinosun has a lot of swagger.
He has currently been playing with the second team unit alongside Brown.
Styles still impressing
Sophomore safety Sonny Styles impressed a lot of folks after coming in last year as a 17-year-old, reclassified freshman. It’s not often a kid who’s only spent three years in high school comes in and sees a good amount of time on the field. But the Pickerington (Ohio) Central High School graduate strolled in last year and did exactly that.
His first action came on special teams in the second game of the season against Arkansas State but it was the very next weekend against Toledo when he announced to Buckeye Nation and the college football world that he was a force to be reckoned with when he delivered an eye-popping pop to wide receiver Adam Beale. His 10-game resumé culminated in the Peach Bowl semifinal against Georgia with a more productive role as he tied his season-high 12-play snap count in a hybrid safety/linebacker role with the first team defense and finished the game with two tackles.
Eliano said his job has been to close any gaps from last year to now and Styles has been one of his guys that have responded well.
“You gotta realize that Sonny didn’t have a spring ball last year, he came in in the summer. Then all of a sudden, here comes fall camp as a 17-year-old. So now he’s 18 years old with his first full spring and he’s excelling. The beauty of it is, he’s coachable, he understands the game of football and he’s hungry to continue to get better each and every day.”
Styles said the area he’s most improved upon isn’t just feeling stronger physically but mentally and all those reps he got last year was huge for his game.
“I didn’t gain too much weight but I definitely feel stronger,” he said on Thursday. “But I think the big thing was the mental part of it, being able to get comfortable with the playbook where I’m able to tell other people what they’re doing and stuff like that. So that gives me a lot of confidence and obviously, that playing time builds confidence as well.”
Knowles has said that they are looking for any way possible to get Styles on the field with the first team, whether that be as a jack, a nickelback or hybrid safety/linebacker.
However, Eliano said they’ve streamlined Styles’ role to give him a better shot at excelling.
“You’ll see Sonny in a more streamlined position to where he can excel and utilize his God-given ability.”
Even though the hype surrounding Styles has been palpable since he committed to play for the Buckeyes, he hasn’t let that get to his head.
When asked if he feels like he should get more playing time this upcoming fall, he said he’s never taken that into consideration.
“I wouldn’t say I feel like that or anything, I just wanna work hard and prove to the coaches that I’m trustworthy, I can do my job and I’m capable of things.”
Styles said he strives every day to be the best version of himself and credited Eliano with giving him sound advice.
“Coach E talks to me about, ‘just have tunnel vision. Don’t listen to too many people over here or too many people over here, just come out here and do your job. Go hard and be the best version of yourself every single day.’”
This season, keep your eye on No. 6, which is his new number after making the switch from No. 20 last year.
Knowles might adjust his scheme
When Jim Knowles came to OSU from OSU (Oklahoma State), he brought a defensive scheme with him that wasn’t exactly seen around these parts. It consists primarily of a “jack” position and using three safeties pretty much all the time. He calls his safeties the “bandit”, the “adjuster” and the slot safety.
The adjuster plays the middle of the field and is responsible primarily for deeper pass coverage. The bandit plays on the shorter side of the field and gives run support while the slot safety covers the receiver who lines up between the offensive guard and outside receiver.
The jack is Knowles’ hybrid defensive end/linebacker, a guy he likes to utilize to confuse the offense in never knowing if the jack is going to stand up along the line of scrimmage as a linebacker or hunch down in a three technique as a defensive end.
His guy last year for that role was another Jack, Jack Sawyer. However, he just didn’t look comfortable and by his own admission, didn’t quite have the season he felt he could have, had he been allowed to play as a true defensive end, his natural position. Knowles agreed. So the two sat down, had a chat and decided that Jack’s jack days were over.
There also might come to an end - or at least a tapering down from - Knowles using three safeties all the time. The Buckeyes’ second-year defensive coordinator said on Tuesday that he’s playing around with the idea of using a third cornerback during certain situations rather than a third safety.
“We look at that guy and what he has to do in terms of how he fits to our opponents and we think a corner can do it,” he said. “It’s not a place you have to be a hard, tough run defender … and we think that will give us more depth as the season goes along.”
More traditional 4-2-5 defenses use a “nickelback” or third cornerback to play the fifth defensive back. But Knowles said their depth at corner last year didn’t allow for a third one to be on the field.
So far, the nickel hasn’t been implemented as his three-safety look has been the norm during spring drills with Lathan Ransom playing the bandit, Josh Proctor the adjuster and Cam Martinez as the slot safety on the first team. Sophomores Kye Stokes (adjuster) and Sonny Styles (bandit) have played with the twos along with transfer Ja’Had Carter, who’s been covering the slot.
This season, however, he said he could see using a nickel rather than a slot safety and that guy could be Igbinosun, who Knowles said is looking fantastic.
“He gets his hands on a lot of balls, he competes, he’s got a mental toughness to him (and) I’m very pleased to have him here.”
He also mentioned Jyaire Brown and redshirt freshman Ryan Turner as possibilities.
“All those guys that are maybe a second or third corner, I think as many reps as we can get them at nickel helps us be ready for all the things we can have and get them playing time and get them ready for all the things that can happen during the season, too.”
Ohio State has two more weeks of practice with numbers nine and 10 on Monday and Wednesday this week.