If you watched any of Ohio State's football games in 2015, you probably noticed a scarlet streak burning down the field on kickoffs and punts donning the No. 12.
That was Denzel Ward, then a true freshman and forever an owner of an Ohio state track title. Ward won the 200-meter Division I championship in June with a time of 21.65 seconds. A few months later, he turned into a menace for the Buckeyes on special teams with his terrific speed.
"We wear those things, those chips in the shoulder pads and we go to the NFL stadiums — he was 21.8 mph for a couple of reps last year," Ohio State cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs said. "The fastest on the team. So, he can go."
Ward's personal record in the 200 meters is 21.38 seconds, and his best 100-meter time is a blazing 10.49. That's moving, and it played a significant role to how he raced down the field on special teams en route to tallying seven tackles his first collegiate season. Two of them even came in the Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame.
But with three starters on to the NFL from Ohio State's defensive backfield a year ago, the Buckeyes have major holes to fill in the secondary.
Can Ward get in the mix opposite of returning starter Gareon Conley?
"If he's ready," Coombs said. "Big picture, the answer is yes. That is the goal."
Conley is locked into one starting cornerback spot after he played opposite Eli Apple last season. Coombs said Conley played 1,013 snaps in 2015 and doesn't want his rep total entering four figures again. Instead, he yearns for there to be a solid rotation of four players or more.
“Make up speed is important. When you do what we do, if you make a mistake and you don't have make up speed, you're in trouble. He's got it.”– Kerry Coombs on Denzel Ward
"We cannot continue to go through seasons where our corners go through 1,000 reps. We would love the situation where we could knock that down to 700 reps and have a bunch of kids getting playing time," Coombs said. "Denzel's going to compete. Damon Arnette is going to compete. Marshon (Lattimore) is obviously competing. Gareon is competing."
Coombs said those names are not battling to be backups, but in the mix at starter. Ward's speed could separate him.
"I’m just coming out here trying to have fun and do what I’ve got to do to prove that I can be a starting corner," Ward said Thursday.
Ward's pure speed is a huge asset regardless where he lines up, but takes on a different emphasis on the edge of Ohio State's defense. It's why Urban Meyer said recently he expects Ward to step into a role this fall outside of special teams.
"Make up speed is important," Coombs said. "When you do what we do, if you make a mistake and you don't have make up speed, you're in trouble. He's got it. That's a benefit to him, because physically, his strength is not the same as those other guys."
Coombs said he sees Ward playing with confidence this spring and added he rivals Bradley Roby for the fastest players at the position since Meyer took over in Columbus prior to 2012. The next step is moving forward and being more than just a burner.
It's about being a corner, the same goal for Lattimore, Arnette, Damon Webb and Joshua Norwood.
"There’s definitely some good candidates (to replace Apple)," Ward said. "We’re just all out here competing and we’re still good friends off the field and on the field."
Added Coombs: "What we do out there right now is really hard. You're on an island and you gotta play. It takes great confidence and confidence comes from playing and having successful play. That's what Denzel did last year on special teams. Denzel was lights out. He walks on the field right now, he feels pretty good."
