Shortly after the skies in Central Ohio briefly opened Monday afternoon, the non-true freshmen and transfers on Ohio State's football team took the field for their first practice of 2015 at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
The weather was hot and humid, perhaps appropriate due to the sky-high expectations and massive microscope peering down on the team that won the first-ever College Football Playoff seven months ago.
Media again was allotted to watch the first four practice sessions Monday afternoon, again mainly being stretching, warmups and a few drills.
Urban Meyer gave a similar speech to the older players as he did this morning to the true freshmen and transfers, speaking again of "the difference of the program" before yielding to co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Chris Ash just as he did six hours before.
"Approach the drill the right way," Meyer shouted. "Do it the right way and compete."
Ash gave his piece then called up starting running back Ezekiel Elliott and starting outside linebacker Darron Lee to demonstrate the hand drills in front of the huddle, just like he did earlier with Cameron Howard and Khaleed Franklin.
A huddle commenced again with Meyer speaking on the "mentality of being a Buckeye" before Elliott broke it, and practice began.
Notes:
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Braxton Miller's switch from No. 5 to No. 1 is official. The former quarterback and wide receiver Johnnie Dixon have swapped numbers.
Just leaving Ohio State's afternoon practice. Here is the new No. 1, Braxton Miller: pic.twitter.com/UwQaZHR2IQ
— Tim Shoemaker (@TimShoemaker) August 10, 2015 -
Miller led the way in the quarterbacks stretching line, the lone player getting loose in said group who wasn't wearing a black practice jersey. He was tailed by Cardale Jones, J.T. Barrett and finally Stephen Collier.
Braxton Miller led the quarterback group in the stretching lines, but he didn't warm up with them pic.twitter.com/WIuDBrALiN
— Eric Seger (@EricSeger33) August 10, 2015 - Miller, along with Jalin Marshall, Marshon Lattimore and Dontre Wilson, returned punts during the special teams portion of practice. Marshall went first, followed by Wilson, Lattimore and finally Miller. After the special teams portion, Miller spent the entire time with the wide receiver unit, as expected.
- Miller dropped one pass in the part of practice the media was permitted to watch, but looked natural catching the ball at other times.
- The four players suspended for the season opener at Virginia Tech Sept. 7 — defensive end Joey Bosa, H-backs Wilson and Marshall along with wide receiver Corey Smith — all participated fully in practice.
- The first three players to head through defensive line drills were Bosa, Adolphus Washington and Tommy Schutt.
- In the fourth and final session media got to watch, Jones and Barrett split handoff reps with Elliott with Jones going first. Warren Ball and Bri'onte Dunn split reps with the second unit through the drill.
- During stretches, wide receivers coach Zach Smith pointed out to the team that cornerbacks coach and special teams coordinator Kerry Coombs was mic'd up for practice.
Meyer is scheduled to speak with the media at 5 p.m. immediately after practice. Quarterbacks coach Tim Beck, Jones, Barrett and Elliott are set to meet with reporters shortly thereafter to discuss the first day of workouts.
Stay with Eleven Warriors for continuing coverage from Day 1 of Ohio State's fall camp.
