2022 Spring Practice

 

           Spring practice is underway at The Ohio State University as this years’ Buckeye squad should resume their place at the top of the B1G.  Perhaps the biggest news during the offseason is the hire of new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles from Oklahoma State, where he had good success in turning the Cowboys’ defense into one of the tops in the nation.  Knowles has been working hard with Ohio State’s secondary and has spoken highly of second-year cornerbacks Jordan Hancock and Jakailin Johnson, who will certainly vie for starting roles this season.  Coach Knowles hopes they will fit in with Kourt Williams and Ronnie Hickman in the secondary.  Safety Josh Proctor is working his way back after suffering a season-ending leg fracture in the Oregon game.  Defensive ends Zach Harrison and Tyler Friday figure to be a big part of any defensive resurgence.  Friday hopes to make an impact after missing the entire 2021 season with a torn ACL.  Also at full health is linebacker Cody Simon after missing the Rose Bowl with a shoulder injury.  Knowles has high hopes for redshirt sophomore Mitchell Melton, who is showing promise after missing all of last year with an injury.  Melton can play end or linebacker, although it appears that Knowles will initially have him in the rotation at DE.

            The Ohio State offense looks primed to continue putting up tons of yards and points.  Despite the retirement of Harry Miller, (which was the right thing for him to do and God bless the young man) the offensive line appears to be shaping up rather nicely, with LT Paris Johnson Jr., LG Matt Jones, center Luke Wypler, RG Donovan Jackson, and RT Dawand Jones apparently cementing the starting roles.  The receiving position, already in good hands with Jaxson Smith-Njigba, Emeka Egbuka, and Marvin Harrison Jr., got a boost when fifth-year senior Kamryn Babb, previously hobbled by injuries, reported to spring practice fully healthy.  With these receivers, and experienced offensive linemen returning, sophomore QB C.J. Stroud should be able to put up even better numbers and be a serious Heisman candidate.  Master Teague has graduated, so spring practice should go a long way to deciding the running back rotation behind sophomore TreVeyon Henderson.  Marcus Crowley, who figured to be Henderson’s backup, is being held out of spring practice to finish recovering from a late-season injury in 2021.  In addition to Crowley and Friday, safety Jantzen Dunn is nursing an old injury and will probably not see the field this spring.  Neither will DB Luther Ransom, LB Ryan Batsch, DE Jacolbe Cowan, guard Josh Fryar, LB Cade Kacherski, and TE Mitch Rossi.

Spring practice concludes with the annual Scarlet-Grey game in the ‘Shoe on Saturday April 16.