Ohio State held its annual media day at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center yesterday and we were there to provide coverage of Urban Meyer's press conference, interviews with players and a photoset to get you that much more ready for the season to start.
The big news to emerge yesterday was related to Jake Stoneburner. In addition to being reinstated following his arrest for obstructing official business earlier in the summer, the tight end is now exclusively a wide receiver, confirming news we first reported on Tuesday.
Stoneburner's move shouldn't be too surprising when you think back to how Meyer used Aaron Hernandez at Florida, which is to say, often split or flexed out instead of lining up on the tackle's shoulder. He joins Evan Spencer, Corey "Philly" Brown, Devin Smith and freshman Michael Thomas as the five wide receivers that figure to get the majority of first-team snaps during camp. This is a group that has the potential to do damage, but Meyer said the unit was "not Ohio State caliber" yet.
Stoneburner's move leaves sophomore Jeff Heuerman and redshirt-freshman Nick Vannett at tight end. While Heuerman saw late playing time last season, recording his first collegiate catch in the Gator Bowl, Vannett really made strides over the summer. Meyer singled him out as one of the team's most improved players, saying he was "not functional" during spring ball, but now looks to split time with Heuerman.
The focus at quarterback still rests on sophomore Braxton Miller, but the coach and several teammates singled out the emergence of junior Ken Guiton. At one point, Meyer even mentioned coming up with a package to get Miller and Guiton on the field at the same time.
Carlos Hyde is still your starter at running back and he was another player Meyer singled out, saying he has been one of camp's biggest surprises. Center Corey Linsley told us that Hyde worked hard on his agility and juke moves over the summer and the hard work is showing up in Hyde's confidence as he's now claiming to have the best hands on the team. Linsley backed his claim up, saying Hyde's hands were good enough to belong to a tight end.
The incumbent, Jordan Hall, is recovering nicely from a freak right foot injury suffered earlier in the summer (so close, Joe Schad). In fact, Hall is ahead of schedule with his recovery and told us he plans to be back by the second or third game of the season.
Jordan Hall, biding his time.As it stands, freshman Bri'onte Dunn and sophomore Rod Smith are locked in a battle to back Hyde up and Dunn turned in the offensive highlight of Saturday's closed scrimmage with a 25-yard scamper.
The line, Ohio State's first AB (After Bollman), is responding well to new coach Ed Warinner. The players are raving about how much he's improved their on-field knowledge. Linsley even described Warinner as much more of a "yeller" than Bollman was, who Linsley described as "laid back." Relevant.
Freshman Taylor Decker and senior Reid Fragel remain neck-and-neck for the open right tackle position, but listening to Meyer, both players have a long way to go before he'll be comfortable with that position.
On the defensive line, Meyer mentioned sophomore Joel Hale as another surprise performer, and freshman Noah Spence became the second rookie to lose his black helmet stripe.
Senior linebacker Etienne Sabino and sophomore backer Ryan Shazier have earned Meyer's praise for their play in spring and fall camps, but the coach said sophomore Curtis Grant must continue to improve. Freshman David Perkins stood out in Saturday's scrimmage, with Meyer calling him a "fly and hit someone guy."
SPURRIER ON EVOLUTION. ESPN caught up with South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier to get his perspective on the emergence of the conference that has captured the last six crystal footballs. Spurrier, always the innovator, reflected on what the SEC was like when he took over as Florida's coach in 1990:
"What surprised me was that the same mentality was still there: You gotta run the ball and play defense to win the SEC. But everywhere I'd been before we proved that if you could throw the ball -- but also still play good defense and special teams -- then you could win. So I worked really hard not to act like those other coaches, especially how I talked."
And then, the seismic shift:
"It was just timing, but everyone in the conference kind of woke up all at once," Spurrier says. "Alabama hired Gene Stallings. Phillip Fulmer took over at Tennessee. Coach [Vince] Dooley retired at Georgia. South Carolina and Arkansas came in. We played that first championship game, and that's when the TV deal got real big. But divisions and a championship game? I wasn't real happy about it at the time. I don't think any of the coaches were.
One can only hope the Big Ten, with a similar move to a conference championship game and fresh coaching blood in Urban Meyer and Brady Hoke, makes a similar leap. The buckets of money pouring in from the BTN will also help with the facilities arms race taking place in college football. As Spurrier pointed out, facilities bring in recruits, and by extension, elite coaches.
Regional strength is cyclical, but at some point, the Big Ten is going to need coaching upgrades at about a half dozen other schools.
WHEN REPPIN' YOUR SCHOOL GOES WRONG. Last week, UCLA coach Jim Mora flipped a switch for USC fans. With one comment about murders near USC's campus, he went from being a guy Trojan fans were indifferent to whether he existed or not to becoming the evil a proper rival should be. Mora apologized (he didn't mean it), but now some USC fans are saying that Mora was right:
The Moras: bad at interviews since 2001.
I'M LOOKIN' TO ATTACK THAT DEFENDO, GONNA LET THE BEAT BUILD TO CRESCENDO. One month after releasing a music video that featured Denard Robinson, backup Michigan quarterback Jack Kennedy and wide receiver Joe Reynolds are out with a new single. "Hundred Level" is backed by the Michigan Marching Band and will played at Michigan Stadium this season.
CUZ WE GOIN' TO THE MOON. YEAH, WE GOIN' TO THE MOON. CUZ WE'RE TOO HIGH UP FOR YOU.
Adorable.
Speaking of Denard, the quarterback that refuses to tie his shoes thinks that he could take Usain Bolt in a 40:
"At 60 yards, I'd be in trouble, and at 100 meters, he'd be gone, but I could get him in a 40."
Bolt is not exactly known for his starts — more for his acceleration to Mach 2 over the last 50 meters — but what sane person says something like that?
HONEY BADGER DON'T PLAY ON TV. Reigning Bednarik Award winner and former LSU Tiger Tyrann Mathieu visited McNeese State on Friday. He's also thought to be considering Jackson State and Prairie View A&M, all FCS schools, meaning he's eligible to play immediately.
Mathieu is a talented defender and should have an impact wherever he ends up and the loss will certainly hurt LSU, the #1 team in the preseason Coaches Poll. I hate saying this, but you have to respect Les Miles' decision. It's safe to say most coaches would have figured out a way to keep Mathieu on the roster.
ETC. Apropos of nothing, Illinois coach Tim Beckman in an ice bath with his team... Julius Peppers' North Carolina transcript... Virginia Tech offensive guard David Wang is a ranked Call of Duty player. That rates a GIF... Fire? What Fire? There's football to be played... This Auburn spirit towel needs to happen... The Plain Dealer's Bill Livingston thinks Meyer talks too tough sometimes... Game, blouses.
