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Four-star 2026 TE Corbyn Fordham gives Ohio State a Thanksgiving day commit.
Pat Elflein remembers his earliest impression of true freshman offensive lineman Michael Jordan. The 6-foot-7, 310-pound behemoth pulled the wrong way on a play, but in hindsight, it didn't really matter.
"It was pretty bad, but he like pancaked somebody," Elflein said at Big Ten Media Days. "He just didn’t care who it was, if he’s a freshman or whatever, some freshmen might come in intimidated or whatever and he wasn’t. He was just going after guys and it was like, ‘All right, we can work with this guy. He can be one of us.'"
Reporters flocked to Elflein's podium in droves at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place in Chicago, yearning to know about his transition to center and the youth on Ohio State's 2016 roster. But one of Ohio State's three captains answered more questions about Jordan and his lead to start at left guard than anything.
"That’s pretty tough to go in there and do that," Elflein said. "To his advantage, he came in early for spring ball and go all those reps and really developed. I had to go through scout team because I came in in the summer like normal freshmen do and went through scout team and that’s how I transitioned into college football. He came in and transitioned very well and his confidence is probably up a little bit."
We sit just under a month out from seeing if Jordan will start against Bowling Green as a true freshman Sept. 3. According to his head coach, we'll get an early indication during camp if that is in fact how things will shake out.
“I didn't name him the starter. First week of training camp, we're going to find out.”– Urban Meyer on Michael Jordan
Meyer said in his televised podium press conference at Media Days that Jordan "probably" will be in the starting lineup before rescinding that a bit later that afternoon.
"I didn't name him the starter," Meyer said. "First week of training camp, we're going to find out."
The only true freshman to start on the offensive line for Meyer in his coaching career came in 2007 when Maurkice Pouncey won the center job at Florida.
Ohio State hopes it never gets in a situation where it has to start a true freshman up front — if that happens, the program made some mistakes in recruiting. Jordan is locked in a battle with Demetrius Knox, Matthew Burrell and others, plus is set to compete with junior college transfer Malcolm Pridgeon. It is unknown what position Pridgeon will play, but he should factor into the rotation somehow. Ohio State doesn't want to have a junior college transfer sit the bench.
It sounds like the same could be said for Jordan, though things can change once camp opens Sunday. Jordan made noise this winter and spring after enrolling in January.
"I saw it when he came in in winter workouts and he had a little toughness side to him," Elflein said. "He’s a quiet kid and doesn’t really say much, but when you start rocking and rolling in workouts and toughness drills you kind of see it start to come out a little bit. When the pads come on, he’s a whole different dude."
Training camp in August is a different animal, however. Two-a-days in the hot sun loom, plus the simple fact that practice comes every day instead of every other is an adjustment for anyone but particularly the young guys in the program.
"Training camp is so much different, you’re doing it every day, it’s back to back practices, it’s day after day after day," safeties coach Greg Schiano said this spring. "Where spring time you practice a day, and then you lift and do some meetings, and then you come out and practice another day."
So while talk of Jordan's tenacity and how well he adjusted to college football stole headlines starting in March, he still faces an uphill battle to be the guy that trots out at left guard Sept. 3 against Bowling Green. Even starting quarterback J.T. Barrett was skeptical at first, mainly because of the freshman's name. He started calling him Marcus because Michael Jordan's legacy holds something completely different entirely.
"You gotta see it on film. I gotta press play and see what you're doing," Barrett said. "That was a thing that Mike knew he was gritty. He loved being in the trenches, real physical with guys. Also talked to guys like Raekwon (McMillan). I would say, 'Give me something with Marcus.' Raekwon said, 'He's really good.' I'm like, 'Hmm. Raekwon is giving you the thumbs up, I'll check it out.'
Studrawa will keep a close eye on the LG spot early in camp.
"I gave him some time, kept on watching film and then Coach Meyer kind of gave him a nod. I feel like he was all right then. Go back to Michael."
The Plymouth High School product from Canton, Michigan, earned his name back from the man he could potentially be blocking for this fall. Meyer said he will certainly play. Elflein appears to be on board, even though Jordan made some mistakes in regards to his on-field responsibilities early this spring. But nothing is set in stone yet and Greg Studrawa is set to have plenty to analyze when practice starts Sunday. The offensive line coach is set to speak to the media Aug. 24 for the first time since early this spring.
Jordan is likely to be the subject of one of the first questions to Ohio State's new offensive line coach. There is no question the kid plays hard, but starting a true freshman up front is an extreme rarity.
"He gets after guys, which sometimes you have to try and develop that nastiness," Elflein said. "Some guys just have it and he has it. He may not be doing the right thing all the time, but he’s going to try and get after you, pancake you. He has that which is kind of the foundation for the offensive line. If you have that, we can work on everything else."
