DAYTON, Ohio — Nick Vannett recorded a modest 19 catches for 162 yards with no touchdowns as Ohio State’s starting tight end in 2015. The year prior to that, Jeff Heuerman logged just 17 catches for 207 yards and two scores as the Buckeyes’ starter at the position.
Modest numbers at best, surely, as it has long been discussed how Ohio State doesn’t utilize the tight end much in the passing game. Despite those underwhelming statistics, however, there is something Heuerman and Vannett have in common that all college tight ends strive for: Both were selected in the NFL Draft, and both were picked rather early. Heuerman went in the third round, pick No. 92 overall, to the Denver Broncos in 2015, while Vannett was selected this past weekend, also in the third round, at pick No. 94 overall by the Seattle Seahawks.
It brings up an interesting dynamic on the recruiting trail for Ohio State. College coaches from other programs from around the country undoubtedly try to use that lack of production against the Buckeyes, but the recent success of Heuerman and Vannett gives Urban Meyer and Co. have a rather strong counter argument.
Those apparently hold a lot of weight, too.
“It feels great. They are putting quality tight ends in the league and that is what I am going for. I am going for the league,” Kierre Hawkins, a tight end signed to Ohio State in the 2016 recruiting class, said this weekend at the OHSFCA North-South Classic. “Everybody told me at tight end you won’t get any catches [at Ohio State], but either way I was going to Ohio State period.”
Hawkins was committed and signed to the Buckeyes before Vannett was drafted this past weekend to give Ohio State a pair of tight ends drafted in consecutive classes, but the timing of his particular commitment isn’t really the point here. What matters is his stance is likely the same as many other tight ends out there in future classes.
Any player who is capable of playing at an Ohio State level has aspirations of playing in the NFL someday. So when tight end recruits see the Buckeyes produce back-to-back mid-round selections at their position, it probably makes it a little easier to get over the fact there may not be a ton of passes that come their way in college.
“It’s every football player’s dream [to make the NFL],” said Luke Farrell, another tight end signed in Ohio State’s 2016 recruiting class. “But I’m not looking forward right now. I’m just trying to get into the program next year and make a positive impact.”
Ed Warinner took over for Tim Hinton as Ohio State’s tight ends coach following the 2015 season as the Buckeyes hired Greg Studrawa to coach Warinner’s former position group: the offensive line. Warinner will remain as the team’s offensive coordinator and the move was made to allow Warinner to remain in the press box and call plays rather than being on the field working up close with the offensive line.
During spring practice, Warinner was asked his opinion of how the tight end had been utilized at Ohio State throughout his tenure.
“As far as the past, I mean 50-4, I’m not going to second-guess anything we did other than I would have liked to have gone 54-straight, but we didn’t,” Warinner said. “I was part of an offensive staff here and those were decisions that we made. Sometimes — all passes you can say maybe the primary receiver is the tight end but if they cover him you’ve gotta throw to somebody else. There may be times where they were the primary receiver or even the second option and he doesn’t get it. I think defenses can dictate that and if they think stopping the tight end is important they can make you throw it somewhere else.
“But when the tight end coach is the offensive coordinator, there’s a lot more throws headed that way.”
Warinner had a giant smile on his face for that final part as it was to be taken in a bit of a joking manner. So there may be some adjustments made to how Ohio State uses Marcus Baugh and its other tight ends this season, but don’t expect the Buckeyes to target the position exponentially more than in the past.
After all, if what has been done previously to win games and get tight ends to the next level isn’t broken, there’s probably no reason to fix it.
