If you do plan to make the open practice this evening, here are a few things to look for based on what we've heard from our spy and what we've read elsewhere.
After starting camp with what some called an awkward throwing motion, Pryor has been stepping up his passing game. We already know he can run -- in the jersey scrimmage on Saturday, he had one run called for him and it went for six, but his growth as a thrower will be fun to watch.
Rising. Also had nothing to do with Pearl Harbor.Is the Curtis Terry at fullback experiment officially over? We mentioned last week that tight end Brandon Smith had been moved there and he is now sharing time with Lukens with Terry back at linebacker (and some snaps at defensive end). So does this mean that Terry is too good to keep off the field as a defender or he wasn't as good of a fit as originally envisioned lead-blocking for the running backs?
Who will get the majority of the nickel looks? With Washington and O'Neal both out the first two games, we had our money on Andre Amos getting the nod for Youngstown State and Ohio, but it's been former wide receiver Devon Torrence and Shaun Lane getting the bulk of the reps.
Word is Robert Rose is running with the 3rd team and the guys in front of him are keeping him there with their play. Rose is a monster and would surely pass any of The JHC's looks tests, but Thad Gibson has been catching the eye of our observer: "If he could concentrate and keep his head straight, he'd be all-Big Ten. He's that good."
Boeckman still struggles a little with pressure. But which quarterback doesn't, really? The key for Todd will be recognizing when to take a sack or throw the ball away instead of trying to force something into tight coverage. When he's had time, he looks great and the line is good enough to provide a little more of that to him this season.
Robiskie's shoulder injury was the result of him going up for a catch and landing on it funny. He's definitely a go for YSU and said he could go today if needed.
JB Shugarts is filling in admirably on the 2nd offensive line unit and Mike Adams appears to be the real deal, but Michael Brewster, master recruiter, has been struggling a little bit. The talent's there, but he appears to be the most likely of the three to be heading towards a redshirt.
Our spy continues to be concerned with the play of the safeties, which is sad, because we're counting on a breakout year from Coleman. There is concern about their anticipation and breaks on the ball. Travis Beckum is glad to hear this.
While Sanzenbacher is getting a good amount of buzz, the best up-and-coming receiver outside of DeVier Posey is looking like Grant Schwartz. With amazing speed (go whiteboy) and precise route-running, he's turning heads. Time will be hard to come by this season, but the future looks great for Pryor in the passing game.
SMQ is now live at Yahoo! under the moniker Dr. Saturday. He's always been one of our favorite college football writers and if the 33 posts he's cranked out in three days are any indication, the new site is going to be a success.
On Friday he took a look at Underlying Literary Themes in the Big Ten and had this to say about the Buckeyes:
So Ohio State is playing not only to erase its own big game failures, but to make winning the Big Ten worthwhile again, at least in public perception. If the Buckeyes aren’t at least close to a win in L.A., whether or not anyone within the conference feels it, the persistent inferiority complex will steer voters away from OSU as a mythical championship contender and from the runner-up as a worthy at-large option in the big money bowls. No pressure or anything.
No pressure at all.
