HMB1 OHIO STATE 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW Buckeyes looking for explosive year Tuesday, August 29, 2017 2 Tuesday, August 29, 2017 OHIO STATE FOOTBALL PREVIEW Wilmington News Journal Offense still needs playmakers By Jim Naveau guys not get open. The quarterback [email protected] doesn’t make a great throw, the offen- sive line doesn’t protect. Call it the COLUMBUS – The search for play- perfect storm,” he said. makers at wide receiver is now into its A perfect storm that produced far second year at Ohio State. from perfect results and might have Ohio State’s best receiver last sea- played a big role in a coaching shake- son was running back Curtis Samuel up that saw Kevin Wilson replace Ed and the deep ball was absent from the Warinner as offensive coordinator and Buckeyes’ offense in most games. Ryan Day get the quarterbacks coach There were only four receptions of job that Tim Beck had last season. more than 40 yards by OSU players Those changes came not long after last season – a 79-yard catch against Ohio State threw for 86 yards, 124 Bowling Green and a 75-yarder against yards and 127 yards and only one Nebraska by Curtis Samuel, a 47-yard touchdown in its last three games a catch by K.J. Hill against Bowling year ago against Michigan State, Mich- Green and a 43-yarder by Dontre Wil- igan and Clemson. son against Wisconsin. Here’s a look at the Buckeyes’ top Photos by Don Speck/The Lima News It’s not like Ohio State hasn’t tried to receivers, their credentials and their In a scene seen often last year, Ohio State missed connections in the passing game. Here Terry McLaurin address the issue. All six of the play- production so far: just misses a throw from J.T. Barrett at Michigan State late last season. ers expected to get most of the playing Johnnie Dixon: He was a 4-star recruit who was ranked No. 23 nation- time at wide receiver this season were recruit and the No. 9-ranked wide ally among wide receivers in 2014. nationally ranked 4-star recruits and receiver nationally when he signed All 13 of his career catches came last so were the top receivers in this year’s with Ohio State in 2014. Knee prob- season. He will be used mostly as an freshman class. lems have limited him to seven catches H-back this season. So what are the problems? Why in his career, six of them last season. K.J. Hill: He was a 4-star recruit who haven’t the Buckeyes been able to hit Dixon, a fourth-year junior, consid- was the No. 17 wide receiver nationally big plays in the passing game? ered quitting football after the Fiesta in the 2015 recruiting class. He caught Some people blame quarterback J.T. Bowl, but stayed and was a standout in 18 passes for 262 yards and a touch- Barrett. Others say it’s the receivers. the spring game. down last season. Receivers coach Zach Smith says it’s a Binjimen Victor: He was a 4-star Terry McLaurin: He was a 4-star combination of a lot of things. recruit and the No. 13-ranked receiver recruit and was ranked No. 35 nation- “It’s not looking for a deep ball guy, nationally when he signed with OSU ally as a receiver in 2014. All 11 of his in 2016. He had 4 catches for 64 yards it’s looking for the offense to complete career catches were last season. Binjimen Victor, shown going up for a pass against deep balls and execute them,” Smith and a touchdown last season. Austin Mack: He was a 4-star recruit Clemson in a College Football Playoff semifinal last said. Parris Campbell: The Akron St. in 2016. He was the No. 11 receiver season, could be a receiver who provides much- “We’ve had guys get open, we’ve had Vincent-St. Mary graduate was a 4-star nationally in his class. He caught two needed big plays in the passing game for Ohio State this season. Over 500 Beers IPAs 975 W. Main St., Wilmington, OH Micro Brew 937-382-7755 Go Buckeyes!! & Wines! Across from Fairgrounds 41015970 Wilmington News Journal OHIO STATE FOOTBALL PREVIEW Tuesday, August 29, 2017 3 Parris Campbell (21) warms up before an Ohio State game last season. He is being counted on to be productive in the role Curtis Samuel had in OSU’s offense did at H-back last season. Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett avoids the tackle of Indiana’s Marcus Oliver during a game last season. Barrett hopes to go out with a big senior year after appearing to struggle at times last season. passes last season and played on special teams. Jaylen Harris and Trevon Grimes: The two incoming freshmen were both 4-sar recruits. Grimes, who had ACL surgery as a senior in high school, was ranked No. 6 nationally and Harris was Ohio State running back Mike Weber (25) fights for yardage in the Buckeyes’ game at Oklahoma. OSU is looking for more big plays from Weber, too. No. 28. Count on Naylor’s for all your Furniture needs! 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He described Booker as “one of the The fifth-year senior from Cleveland fiercest competitors I’ve ever been Glenville started out practicing half the around.” time with the linebackers and half the “Every year when Coach (Luke) Fickell time with the safeties in his first training was here we’d all go over to his house in camp as part of OSU’s outstanding 2013 the summer as a linebackers group. Me recruiting class. Since then, he’s played all and Book would be at his house all day. three linebacker positions in Ohio State’s We were in the pool wrestling. We were defense. playing half court basketball. We’re going Last year Worley had 70 tackles, 4.5 to compete until one of us taps out or one tackles for losses and an interception in of us wins or there is no more time left.” his first year as a starter. Ohio State’s linebackers have a defen- He nearly became a starter two years sive line in front of them that is being before that when he battled future first- described as one of the best in the country. round draft choice Darron Lee for a spot If there is a question about OSU’s in the lineup right down to just before the defense, it is if it will be able to replace 2014 season opener. Lee kept the job for starters at three of the four positions in two years, but Worley’s teammates insist- the defensive backfield for a second sea- ed there was not much, if any difference son in a row. between the starter and the back-up. Cornerbacks Marshon Lattimore and Don Speck/The Lima News When Raekwon McMillan decided to Ohio State’s Chris Worley (35) makes an interception in the end zone to stop Michigan State’s attempt Gareon Conley and safety Malik Hooker for a two-point conversion last season in East Lansing, Mich. leave OSU after his junior season to enter were all NFL first-round draft choices this the NFL draft, Worley was on the move year. again. Two players seem to have clinched Worley, who once described himself as starting spots – returning starter at safety “crazy confident” doesn’t expect any dif- Damon Webb and cornerback Denzel ficulties getting used to his new position Ward. Transfer Kendall Sheffield, Damon “It might sound crazy but it’s not that Arnette and freshman Jeffrey Okudah are much of a transition,” he said. “I’m not competing for the other cornerback spot. where I need to be in my opinion, but I’m And Jordan Fuller and Erick Smith are not too far off.” in the running for the start at the other Probably the next most-asked question safety position. after that is if he has the size to play mid- “We have a bunch of older guys return- dle linebacker at around 230 pounds. Once ing and a lot of young guys who are com- again, he says that will be no problem. ing in who look like they’re destined to be “I’m about the same size (as last year). great,” Worley said. “So it’s like once we There is not too much bulking up you can can figure out the middle part of our team do. Fifteen pounds is not going to change and figure out what type of people they much.