Massages, weight loss, a specific stretching and weight room program — even yoga. Put it all together all and you see how Ohio State hopes to witness Marshon Lattimore's outrageous potential this fall.
"He's got all kinds of stuff. We'll put him in a skirt later, probably," cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs joked Thursday. "He is doing anything and everything that we ask him to do, which I love about Marshon."
Such adaptability and resilience, coupled with brilliant athleticism and speed is why Lattimore became the top-ranked cornerback in the state of Ohio in 2014. A key get for Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes out of Glenville High School in Cleveland, Lattimore was expected to contribute as a true freshman.
Ailing hamstrings that eventually led to surgery that fall changed Lattimore's course from being the next great defensive back at Ohio State, however, to simply finding a way to put the pads on Saturdays.
"It’s an aggravating injury," Lattimore said Thursday. "When I feel healthy, that’s when it happens. I’ll just pull it or something like that."
An expanded and intricate weight training and stretching schedule — and later this summer, yoga — has the Buckeyes believing Lattimore is in position to help the them in 2016. He recorded just five tackles in six games a year ago, but did break up three passes in a 49-7 win at Rutgers. Coombs wants there to be a rotation at the position to keep players fresh. Lattimore is doing everything he can to part of it.
“It makes me nervous every time there's a deep ball and he's gotta rip and run, so I don't want to see it yet. When he looks me in the eye and says, 'Coach I'm ready, I'm good to go,' then I want to see it. But we've certainly seen enough that this kid is a special talent.”– Kerry Coombs on Marshon Lattimore
"Right now, I feel the best I have felt since I’ve been here so I’m not really concerned," Lattimore said.
Coombs and the staff have noticed, too. Gareon Conley is the lone returning starter on the back end of the defense. Lattimore, Denzel Ward, Damon Arnette and others are vying to find their name atop the depth chart on the other side.
"If we played tomorrow it would be Marshon and Denzel's going to play," Coombs said. "Arnette's going to play. That's really how I see it in all honesty."
In order to keep his name there, however, Lattimore's biggest hurdle is his health. Like he said, one simple tweak could turn into a major setback. The chance that could happen on any given day makes his position coach uncomfortable.
"It makes me nervous every time there's a deep ball and he's gotta rip and run, so I don't want to see it yet," Coombs said. "When he looks me in the eye and says, 'Coach I'm ready, I'm good to go,' then I want to see it.
"But we've certainly seen enough that this kid is a special talent."
Added sophomore cornerback Denzel Ward: "Marshon, he’s an elite player. He’s going to make plays."
Lattimore was the third-highest rated player in the 2014 class according to 247Sports. His talent isn't in the issue, but since he arrived in Columbus the question was whether or not his body will allow him to show it.
"I do extra stuff to make sure I’m right, but yeah, it’s aggravating not playing because of an injury when I know I’m ready," Lattimore said. "I don’t let it break me down. I keep my head high."
Lattimore now weighs around 190 pounds after the team listed him at 195 a year ago. Summer yoga classes are on his schedule, just like daily massages and a hawklike eye from strength coach Mickey Marotti. There isn't much he does that isn't documented.
"We have to build a level of tolerance in his body to handle the workload," Coombs said. "The only way to do that is to be slow and patient, and it's very hard for us to be slow and patient. We're not a slow and patient group.
"But we're fighting really hard, and Mickey watches me really closely on his reps and his rep count. He's got a very specific weight regimen. We have a physical therapist that works with him every single day."
And for such a young team that has eight open starting positions from a year ago on the depth chart due to departures, Ohio State needs Lattimore to perform like the kid they recruited from Cleveland.
"He's got stretching things that he does before practice so we are treating him differently. I'm not going to lie to you about that," Coombs said. "Much differently. At the same time, I think it's going to be very worth our while if we get him ready and healthy by August."
