Dan will be bringing in offensive notes and observations for everybody, but I grabbed the defensive side of the ball today.
- The teams participated in the Marotti signature circle drill today, offense vs defense. The offense came out on top and some of the winners included Joey Bosa, Jamarco Jones, Billy Price, Chase Farris, Nick Conner, and Darron Lee.
- Around half of my notes for the day were on the defensive line alone. It is just such a dominant position group with incredible quick-twitch athletes with great size and strength from top to bottom.
- Donovan Munger had a great day. He got off to a slow start during drills and he looked like he had lead in his shoes, but holy hell did he pick it up once it got to actual live contact. Munger had two sacks and was disrupting the line and getting to the quarterback consistently. Really great day for him
- Sticking on the defensive tackle theme, I really don't think either Schutt or Michael Hill had a great day. Neither was looking bad, they just didn't pop on the field the same way that Munger did today. Nobody has that starting job wrapped up, although Schutt is likely the clubhouse favorite. All three need to continue improving and putting in work to make sure there's a strong, deep center to the defensive line today.
- One defensive tackle who did impress not named Donovan was Tracy Sprinkle. He had some strong reps with the 2s and was causing havoc in the middle of the offensive line. Looks quicker than he ever has before.
- Darius Slade didn't have his best day, but he'll improve as he gets more comfortable. Seemed to have some communication/chemistry issues as he ran into Darron Lee on two consecutive reps as they were both trying to get to the quarterback.
- Jashon Cornell has really been putting in a lot of work with the strength and conditioning program and looks noticeably bigger and more muscular. Really filling out into what a college football player should look like very quickly. The early enrollment was great for him. Nick Conner fits this description as well. The Wolverine nickname fits better now that his physique will match it.
- Joey Bosa was phenomenal in limited reps, but you guys should expect that.
- Opposite of Bosa, three guys (Hubbard, Holmes, and Lewis) were all splitting times with the ones and looked really good doing it. Holmes and Hubbard are filling out so well given their lankier frames, and Lewis is built like an ox in the upper body. Three physically dominant kids. Going to be very hard to pick between the three when it comes to September.
- Adolphus Washington looked really good in limited reps and had a strip sack on Cardale.
- Dante Booker was probably the single most impressive player out there today. He had two sacks and was getting around the edge so easily. He's almost certainly locked up the fourth linebacker spot (think 6th man in basketball) and the backup role to Josh Perry, but don't be surprised if we see a split with those two like we did with Raekwon and Curtis Grant. If Booker keeps playing like this, it will demand playing time for him.
- Speaking of Raekwon and Josh Perry, they combined for a pretty nice play during one of their final reps out there. Brionte Dunn came across the middle for a little button route and Raekwon timed his strides perfectly and just absolutely leveled him right as the ball got there. Very audible smack. The hit popped the ball up and allowed Perry to return it about 20 yards until he came in contact with the student body that was looking on.
- Cam Burrows and Erick Smith both had good days in the defensive backfield. Smith plays with a lot of confidence and swagger and you can see that he's become more sure in himself than he was at this time last year. Wouldn't be surprised if he really pushes Tyvis going into the fall.
- The cornerback position looked like it was in capable hands today. Eli Apple wasn't taking all that many reps for live contact, as he's a member of the 2,000 Rep Club, where the coaching staff tones things down for guys in the spring who played a lot in the fall and late into the playoff run. But when he was out there and going at it, he was dominant. Put a blanket on the receiver every time he was in man press coverage and he has definitely put on muscle too. This is exactly what an NFL corner looks like. Enjoy him while he's here, it won't last long
- Damon Webb and Gareon Conley also both had good days today, but I would say Webb got the better of Conley. They split time with the 1st team. Webb and Apple have both definitely learned a lot in their time at the Vonn Bell Academy, as both of them were VERY loud on the field in asserting themselves. Talking smack at practice is a time honored tradition, and these boys have it down.
- Building off of that, a lot of the jawing was between Damon Webb and Corey Smith and it was getting very intense. They were matched up one on one for a whole lot of reps and definitely got very serious about the competition. There were shoves and after the play antics that had to be broken up by Kerry Coombs, but nothing legitimately nasty. The team has evolved to the point where 'competitive excellence' is practically carved into the insides of their eyelids, and they embrace that. When recruits talk about how intense the Buckeyes' practices are, it's stuff exactly like that that they're referring to.
- Webb was on Jeff Greene like white on rice when he had the chance to cover him.
- The Buckeyes also added a neat little wrinkle to the defense today, trying out a 3-3-5 look for about five or six reps during practice with the ones out there. They had Jalyn Holmes, Tommy Schutt, and Joey Bosa working it with Donovan Munger coming in after for the final two reps. They used Darron Lee to come off of the edge as a pure pass rusher, as this allows them more guys dropping back in coverage. Doubt it will make it to the season, but it was a cool wrinkle to see for the first time.
- The teams participated in the Marotti signature circle drill today, offense vs defense. The offense came out on top and some of the winners included Joey Bosa, Jamarco Jones, Billy Price, Chase Farris, Nick Conner, and Darron Lee.
- Around half of my notes for the day were on the defensive line alone. It is just such a dominant position group with incredible quick-twitch athletes with great size and strength from top to bottom.
- Donovan Munger had a great day. He got off to a slow start during drills and he looked like he had lead in his shoes, but holy hell did he pick it up once it got to actual live contact. Munger had two sacks and was disrupting the line and getting to the quarterback consistently. Really great day for him
- Sticking on the defensive tackle theme, I really don't think either Schutt or Michael Hill had a great day. Neither was looking bad, they just didn't pop on the field the same way that Munger did today. Nobody has that starting job wrapped up, although Schutt is likely the clubhouse favorite. All three need to continue improving and putting in work to make sure there's a strong, deep center to the defensive line today.
- One defensive tackle who did impress not named Donovan was Tracy Sprinkle. He had some strong reps with the 2s and was causing havoc in the middle of the offensive line. Looks quicker than he ever has before.
- Darius Slade didn't have his best day, but he'll improve as he gets more comfortable. Seemed to have some communication/chemistry issues as he ran into Darron Lee on two consecutive reps as they were both trying to get to the quarterback.
- Jashon Cornell has really been putting in a lot of work with the strength and conditioning program and looks noticeably bigger and more muscular. Really filling out into what a college football player should look like very quickly. The early enrollment was great for him. Nick Conner fits this description as well. The Wolverine nickname fits better now that his physique will match it.
- Joey Bosa was phenomenal in limited reps, but you guys should expect that.
- Opposite of Bosa, three guys (Hubbard, Holmes, and Lewis) were all splitting times with the ones and looked really good doing it. Holmes and Hubbard are filling out so well given their lankier frames, and Lewis is built like an ox in the upper body. Three physically dominant kids. Going to be very hard to pick between the three when it comes to September.
- Adolphus Washington looked really good in limited reps and had a strip sack on Cardale.
- Dante Booker was probably the single most impressive player out there today. He had two sacks and was getting around the edge so easily. He's almost certainly locked up the fourth linebacker spot (think 6th man in basketball) and the backup role to Josh Perry, but don't be surprised if we see a split with those two like we did with Raekwon and Curtis Grant. If Booker keeps playing like this, it will demand playing time for him.
- Speaking of Raekwon and Josh Perry, they combined for a pretty nice play during one of their final reps out there. Brionte Dunn came across the middle for a little button route and Raekwon timed his strides perfectly and just absolutely leveled him right as the ball got there. Very audible smack. The hit popped the ball up and allowed Perry to return it about 20 yards until he came in contact with the student body that was looking on.
- Cam Burrows and Erick Smith both had good days in the defensive backfield. Smith plays with a lot of confidence and swagger and you can see that he's become more sure in himself than he was at this time last year. Wouldn't be surprised if he really pushes Tyvis going into the fall.
- The cornerback position looked like it was in capable hands today. Eli Apple wasn't taking all that many reps for live contact, as he's a member of the 2,000 Rep Club, where the coaching staff tones things down for guys in the spring who played a lot in the fall and late into the playoff run. But when he was out there and going at it, he was dominant. Put a blanket on the receiver every time he was in man press coverage and he has definitely put on muscle too. This is exactly what an NFL corner looks like. Enjoy him while he's here, it won't last long
- Damon Webb and Gareon Conley also both had good days today, but I would say Webb got the better of Conley. They split time with the 1st team. Webb and Apple have both definitely learned a lot in their time at the Vonn Bell Academy, as both of them were VERY loud on the field in asserting themselves. Talking smack at practice is a time honored tradition, and these boys have it down.
- Building off of that, a lot of the jawing was between Damon Webb and Corey Smith and it was getting very intense. They were matched up one on one for a whole lot of reps and definitely got very serious about the competition. There were shoves and after the play antics that had to be broken up by Kerry Coombs, but nothing legitimately nasty. The team has evolved to the point where 'competitive excellence' is practically carved into the insides of their eyelids, and they embrace that. When recruits talk about how intense the Buckeyes' practices are, it's stuff exactly like that that they're referring to.
- Webb was on Jeff Greene like white on rice when he had the chance to cover him.
- The Buckeyes also added a neat little wrinkle to the defense today, trying out a 3-3-5 look for about five or six reps during practice with the ones out there. They had Jalyn Holmes, Tommy Schutt, and Joey Bosa working it with Donovan Munger coming in after for the final two reps. They used Darron Lee to come off of the edge as a pure pass rusher, as this allows them more guys dropping back in coverage. Doubt it will make it to the season, but it was a cool wrinkle to see for the first time.
