Fall camp is underway
Right: Ohio State quarterback Todd Boeckman holds his helmet on the first day of fall camp.
AP Photo/Terry Gilliam
Fall camp got underway yesterday at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center for the Ohio State Buckeyes, who are ranked third in the nation in the preseason coaches’ poll.
With 20 starters coming back, nine on offense, nine on defense, as well as the place kicker and punter from last year’s team, there’s not much in the way of position battles for this season’s camp.
What we do know is that outside linebacker Curtis Terry is now a full-time fullback, and that Ross Homan will take over the vacated spot due to the graduation of last year’s starter, Larry Grant.
Terry and Homan are coming off injuries that saw them both get redshirted last season.
By moving from linebacker to fullback, Terry will probably see just as much playing time. During passing situations on defense, he would of been pulled in favor of a nickelback. Of course, he’s not expected to actually carry the ball on offense, but will be the lead blocker for Beanie Wells, Brandon Saine and others.
Also, defensive tackle Doug Worthington participated in drills, just like Michigan tailback Kevin Grady did for the Wolverines. Both were arrested last month on separate incidents of DUI. Worthington was working with the first-team D-line, so there appears to be no demotion at the moment. Of course, you are innocent until proven guilty.
Cornerback Donald Washington was practicing, too, though he may face a one or two-game suspension for breaking an undisclosed team rule last spring.
In most media outlets, the biggest hubbub was due to the fact that freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor began practice wearing a scarlet jersey, instead of the black, no-contact one that the other quarterbacks were wearing. Not sure if it was a freshman flub, or if it was intentional, but Pryor later changed his jersey when head coach Jim Tressel was questioned about it. (See photos below)
Even Tressel joked about the miscue, as reported by Tim May of The Columbus Dispatch:
He’s live. Even in shorts, he’s live. I’m gonna go hit him.”
Tressel later made the comment in the same article about the opportunity to coach the No. 1 high school prospect in the nation:
That will be exciting because everyone has been talking about him so much, and he’s a great kid, he’s trained hard and he’s nervous like any freshman. I’m sure he didn’t sleep last night.”
