Our Honor Defend

The Buckeye seniors will take part in the spring game draft today, an annual event meant to be fun for 4-5 year seniors approaching the end of the road.  Further, spring games are mostly “fun”.  That is, fans take much more out of them than do coaches.  This year’s festivities should be no different beyond the tribute to Stefanie Spielman.  While Buckeye fans will use this day to make a toast to all that is right with the world, there a lot of things I think we want to see in this glorified exhibition that holds little utility to the coaches.  In this section, I go over some miscellaneous things I’d like to see and expect to see on Saturday.  In essence, I spam the Big Ten Bloggers Feed with my own responses to the questions I posed on Monday’s Block O Table.

Buckeye fans are expecting much more from the offense than I think we did this same time last year.  The stretch run in the 2009 season, culminating in the 2010 Rose Bowl victory, mollified several concerns about the direction of the offensive line.  A maligned unit in 2008, the interior of it developed into the offense’s strength by the end of the season.  Further, Pryor progressed, going from awful performances against the likes of USC and Purdue in our two losses into what we hope was a breakout performance in Pasadena.  Still, that ugly jersey scrimmage result has us stratching our heads.  How could a scrimmage that is weighted to assist the offense result in a 78-24 waxing in favor of the defense, the most lopsided result in scrimmage history?  We know our defense should be stout in 2010, but have they achieved ludicrous speed?  Have they gone to plaid?  Knowing that the jersey scrimmage is more important than the spring game, what would we need to see on Saturday to restore some confidence?

The split squad nature of the game is going to make a blanket statement of “dominating the defense” uninformative.  Nevertheless there are two things that would probably show us, and the offense itself, that there are big things waiting for them in 2010.  First, I’d love for Cam Heyward and Mike Adams to end up on different teams.  Battles between those two have come up in reports from practice observations, with some mentions that Adams held his own against the likely preseason first team All-American.  Adams opening things up off-tackle for his tailback, at the detriment of Heyward, would show that we are making steps to certifying him as our left tackle.  Second, I would love for DeVier Posey to pick on some other cornerback on Saturday.  Coverage sacks were a huge problem in the jersey scrimmage.  No receiver could get open, leaving the quarterback (typically not Pryor, who saw minimal playing time) as a sitting duck.  I think these are two things that, should we see, would probably whet the appetite of Buckeye fans even more for 2010.

I already have dibs on The Donnie as my favorite sideline presence.  Blessings be upon him.  He is having his best spring yet since he got to Columbus, and may yet steal the show on Saturday.  I think I will go in a different direction on that topic and say to look for Jaamal Berry during this game.  I so want to say Orhian Johnson, but I think it’ll be difficult for a safety to steal the show.  I expect Berry to break a huge gainer during this game against what amounts to a grab bag of 1st/2nd or 2nd/3rd teamers on the other side of the ball, piquing the interest of Buckeye fans more into our tailback picture in 2010.  Likewise, I am kind of expecting discussion to be a little critical of Boom Herron going forward.  He demonstrated that he was a very good change of pace back in 2008, coming in for Beanie.  At the end of 2009, the Buckeyes felt their hot hand was Brandon Saine.  Further, Saine and Jordan Hall give the Buckeyes a better passing option in the flats and Berry has home run skills.  Herron, nominally the “1A” tailback to Saine’s “1B”, may turn in a workman performance, but we may wonder what else he can do.  The coaching staff has him returning kicks, but apparently to no avail.

I know I will be watching Jake Stoneburner intensely.  As I said in the question, the reports are so positive for a position so scarcely used in his capacity that I just have to see it for myself.  Importantly, how well is Stoneburner blocking?  It was a weak point in his game and no one has really said how well he is progressing in this capacity.  Elite teams have receivers and tight ends that can block effectively and I’m hoping Stoneburner is becoming more than just a flex tight end.  I am not expecting him to be huge on Saturday in the receiving game.  This is where you fire up the “Tressel doesn’t use the tight end” mantra.  I don’t expect him to disappoint, just that I’m not expecting an 8 catches for 70 yards and 2 TD type of performance.  If he can push his linebacker assignment forward for a five yard rushing gain on one play, and follow that up by scorching him upfield on a seam? Ooooooh. Shivers.  Have fun defending that, 2010 opponents.

The Buckeyes are still trying to sort out their return units on punts and kicks.  It is here where the split-squad format will probably be beneficial since it will allow fans to see the coaching staff essentially throwing things out there and seeing what sticks.  Three names jump out to me.  I expect Devon Torrence to impress fans on Saturday returning punts.  He has the presence of mind, as Devier Posey does (he will be a factor too), and athleticism to boot.  Likewise, I am expecting Jordan Hall to turn some heads returning kicks.  I am hoping to see James Jackson back there as well.  I want to see what he can do.

As for who scores first in this game?  Umm, I’ll go ahead and call my shot: Pryor scores the first TD on a speed option keeper <10 yards out, in the red zone.

By the way, is anyone going on Saturday?  If so, have fun.