Fall camp is usually the time of year when players on college football teams are fighting every day, every practice for the opportunity to get on the field when the season officially begins. Frequently, there are various battles going on at a number of positions and guys ultimately want to see their name listed with the starters when the first depth chart is released.
At Ohio State this year, however, that’s not really the case. Outside of the quarterback spot — which just happens to be the most frequently discussed position battle in the entire country — the Buckeyes are pretty set on who will be their starting guys when the team trots out onto the field at Virginia Tech on Sept. 7. That’s what happens when you return 16 starters from a national championship team.
There is one spot, though, that’s still up in the air. In the absence of All-American Joey Bosa — who, along with Jalin Marshall, Dontre Wilson and Corey Smith are suspended against the Hokies — Ohio State needs to find its starter opposite Tyquan Lewis at defensive end.
The decision comes down to redshirt freshman Sam Hubbard or sophomore Jalyn Holmes.
“Tyquan has got one spot,” head coach Urban Meyer said, “and for the Virginia Tech game it’s going to be Jalyn or Sam Hubbard at this point.”
Both Hubbard and Holmes will play; they would have even if Bosa hadn’t been suspended. But this fall camp is critical for both guys in determining who gets to start, and likely play more snaps, against Virginia Tech.
Holmes and Hubbard are pretty similar, at least physically. Both are listed at 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds and don’t look like your average 19 or 20-year-old. Their paths to this point, though, were a bit different.
Holmes went the more traditional route. A four-star defensive end prospect and a top-100 ranked player coming out of Norfolk, Va., Holmes was coveted by an array of top programs in addition to Ohio State. Clemson, Florida and Florida State all were after Holmes, but couldn’t beat out the Buckeyes in the race.
Hubbard took the unconventional route to get to this point. A high school safety who was originally committed to Notre Dame to play lacrosse, Hubbard played three different positions — linebacker, tight end and defensive end — in his first year in Columbus, which caused him to take a redshirt.
“Me and Sam are working hard together,” Holmes said. “We’re trying to get each other better and push each other every day.”
Earlier in fall camp, Meyer had hinted that outside linebacker Joshua Perry could be an option at the defensive end spot in Bosa’s absence. There could be some validity to that, but it could have also been used as a motivation tactic with the intent to get more effort from Holmes and Hubbard.
Either way, the pair of 2014 classmates will have their opportunity to make a play for the Buckeyes in the season opener and beyond. Holmes and Hubbard both are hoping to relish the moment.
“I’m just ready to do my job, nothing special,” Hubbard said. “Not be Superman, just do what I can to help win.”
