The Buckeyes are officially preparing for the summer.
Ohio State closed out a full swing of spring with its 15th and final practice of the March and April months with Saturday's annual scrimmage.
On Friday, Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day, defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs and offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Kevin Wilson put a stamp on the spring with a final press conference heading into the summer.
A bullet-point rundown of what they touched on:
Ryan Day
- On the quarterback competition: "We've got some young guys, and they've got a long way to go. ... We wish we had a guy who was in year two or three (of being a starter), but we don't have that luxury."
- The quarterbacks need to spend time watching film and becoming more fluent in the offseason over the next few months so that they're prepared for preseason camp.
- Day said it would be ideal to name a starting QB earlier in preseason camp so that QB can get the majority of reps leading up to the season opener, but they won't name a starter until one separates himself from the other two.
- Ohio State will take the QB competition to game week against Minnesota if it comes down to it.
- On the recruiting trail, Day says the program is "position specific" and not traveling during the dead period has made it easier to target specific positions.
- "The calvary is coming" in the defensive back room. "I'm fired up about that."
- Day was "encouraged" by what he saw from the defensive backs this spring, and he believes they're going to be "deep" at that position now and in the future with the way the Buckeyes have recruited.
- Day says "our offense is our offense," and it hasn't changed no matter if it's J.T. Barrett, Dwayne Haskins or Justin Fields at quarterback. But he does say the Buckeyes will try to tailor the offense to the starter's strengths.
- "The overtime rule makes sense when you see some of these games that go into six or seven overtimes. It's not ideal, but I think it makes sense for player safety."
- "For the most part, we got what we wanted to accomplish this spring." A big focus was technique and fundamentals, and "we still have work to do, but overall we got done what we wanted to get done."
- Day admits he gets "frustrated" with the draft process and the tearing down of prospects throughout the process. "But I always say being the Ohio State quarterback is like being the shortstop of the New York Yankees, and a lot of scrutiny comes with that. ... That's part of America. They try to build you up and then rip you down."
- He says that handling the criticism has fired up Fields, and handling that adversity and scrutiny is one of his strengths.
- TreVeyon Henderson has impressed Day, and he's "gained the respect of his teammates" with how he handles himself on and off the field and how hard he works.
Kerry Coombs
- Coombs believes the defense and the defensive backs are "much more comfortable now" with a full spring practice slate under their belts: "It's so much different than where we were a year ago with numbers and depth on the back end."
- On Ryan Watts: "He had a great spring. ... He's the tallest corner I've ever coached. ... Because of that length, getting his hands on receivers at the line of scrimmage will be of paramount importance for him."
- Getting a ton of reps at multiple spots for the linebackers, due to injuries at the position, helped guys like Teradja Mitchell, K'Vaughn Pope, Cody Simon and Tommy Eichenberg: "Those four guys were able to get a lot of work."
- Mitchell and Pope "played the best football I've seen since they've been Buckeyes."
- On Jakailin Johnson, Jordan Hancock and Andre Turrentine: "Those kids have done a great job of staying connected and learning the playbook." The learning curve will be steep for them coming in late, but he thinks they can contribute.
- Cameron Martinez "had a great spring and had the opportunity mostly to play in that cover safety spot. Played some corner as well."
- The transition from quarterback in high school to cornerback "takes some time" but Martinez took advantage of his time this spring.
- Coombs had "no comment" on the status of Marcus Hooker.
Kevin Wilson
- With Harry Miller being limited this spring because of an injury, Wilson says Matthew Jones and Luke Wypler stepped up and there's "depth and competition" at center.
- Wilson says the "center and guard are the same for the most part."
- TreVeyon Henderson is likely to have a role during his freshman season. Wilson thinks Henderson did a good job adjusting to the physicality of the college game, getting his body right, and "he really impressed me stepping up in pass pro ... and catching the ball out of the backfield.
- "For a young player, he handled those things really well. ... He's a talented player, and he should have a positive role."
- "You're gonna need three back to play championship football."
- On Gee Scott Jr.'s move to tight end and Scott's size, Wilson says that he talked with Scott and his father before the move. "Put an extra patty on him and make it a double and we can make him a tight end."
- Wilson says "we'll be really smart" in handling Scott's transition. Scott was limited with a hamstring injury this spring. He currently weighs in the low 220s, but the Buckeyes are looking to get him into the 230s by this fall.
- All three quarterbacks are adept at slinging the football, and they all three move "better than people think," and "they're not pure dropback guys." He was impressed with their ability to throw and their mobility. It's all about learning the playbook and processing."
- On Justin Fields managing his epilepsy: "I personally didn't cross that or was a part of that or aware of that. ... I've just been impressed with him from the first day that he's been here ... he's an unbelievably talented player, but I believe he's an unbelievably gifted young man. “He's going to have a phenomenal opportunity to be a great pro player.”
