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2006 Jersey Scrimmage

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While I'm sure it would be better to wait for an official word, there was a post on the O-zone forum (from Mr. Ed) stating that JT said that Zwick's injury "is not serious and does not threaten his season." Here's hoping that this is the way it plays out. They had some different stats listed as well.
 
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"Some nice numbers by Chris Wells... 20 carries for 95 yards.... I will take that all year long... won't happen... But that is a great sign"

It is very positive, but Ozone's Mr. Ed notes his yards were against the 2's D whereas Pittman's were against the ones. I would love to have seen how Beanie would do against the ones. Quite apart from who starts, as I suspect Pittman has that locked up, barring injury.

Go Bucks!
 
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It is very positive, but Ozone's Mr. Ed notes his yards were against the 2's D whereas Pittman's were against the ones. I would love to have seen how Beanie would do against the ones.
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he did quite nicely against the ones during the spring jersey scrimmage.
 
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Dispatch

8/19/06

OHIO STATE FOOTBALL
Defense shines in rain during jersey scrimmage
Mitchell’s pass breakup in end zone preserves win

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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Based on what fans saw yesterday in Ohio Stadium, thoughts of No. 1 Ohio State being overrated because it is replacing nine starters on defense might be mistaken.

But based on the last play in the jersey scrimmage, fans probably don’t know whether to shout or pout.

The defense, which was considered the team’s weak link, ran around with energy, even during an extended downpour, and made the biggest play of the scrimmage. With the result hinging on one final play from the 3-yard line, the defense successfully faced down the offense’s two Heisman Trophy hopefuls.

Safety Brandon Mitchell broke up a pass from Troy Smith intended for Ted Ginn Jr. in the end zone. In coach Jim Tressel’s modified scoring system, the play gave the defense one point for a 66-65 victory.

More important, as far as the players were concerned, it allowed the defense to retain the coveted scarlet practice jerseys. Linebacker James Laurinaitis pointed out the defense had won the right to wear the jerseys in the spring with a similar performance.

"We’ve got a lot of guys who are talented who now have the chance to prove themselves," Laurinaitis said earlier. "I think you’re going to see guys competing hard all over the field for playing time."

Tressel said that was evident, even as he was watching a rainstorm so thick at times he referred to it as a "gully washer." The defense gained six turnovers, including four interceptions, which were the key to its scoring total.

"You could see they competed the whole day," Tressel said. "There was never a lull, there as never an ‘Oh, I guess we’re not going to do very good’ feeling over there.

"We’ve got competitive kids. We’ve said that all along. Now we need experience. They got an experience today. It wasn’t like (playing in front of) 105,000 in the Horseshoe, but there was a game on the line, and that was important."

Just what the offense got out of it wasn’t clear. Smith wore a black jersey, meaning he was off limits to the defense. All it had to go was tag Smith to down him. He was 9–of 19 passing for 102 yards and an interception.

The quarterbacks behind him on the depth chart were live for the defense.

Fifth-year senior Justin Zwick suffered an unspecified shoulder injury after being sacked on a fumbled shotgun snap. He is competing to stay ahead of Todd Boeckman and Rob Schoenhoft as the backup.

Boeckman led the offense to one of its three touchdowns, scoring on a 5-yard option keeper. But he also threw interceptions on two straight possessions.

It was that kind of scrimmage, which Tressel had moved up from today in an attempt to beat the rainy weather.

"Despite the environment it was played in and the sloppiness, I’m sure when we’re watching the film it won’t look quite as sloppy as it looked down there watching the torrential downpour," Tressel said.

Freshman running back Chris "Beanie" Wells led all carriers with 100 yards on 23 carries.But the defense came up big when it had to.

"I think it means we’re going to have a competitive defense," Tressel said.

[email protected]
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Dispatch

8/19/06

OHIO STATE NOTEBOOK
Zwick hurt in scrimmage
Quarterback’s in a battle to secure the backup spot behind Smith

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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It poured on everyone playing in Ohio Stadium yesterday, but Justin Zwick must have felt like a black cloud was hovering over his head and his alone.

The Ohio State quarterback not only suffered a left shoulder injury in the jersey scrimmage, but he also is in a tough fight to keep his secondstring job behind Troy Smith.

Maybe that accounted for his demeanor after he was squashed by linebacker John Kerr as both players dived for a fumbled snap.

Zwick left the field in obvious pain, then threw his helmet as he reached the sideline. Trainers took off his jersey and shoulder pads and briefly attended to him.

He spent the rest of the game slumped on the bench with a towel over his head. He was not wearing a brace or sling.
"Listening to the doc, I don’t think (the injury) is anything forever-type thing," coach Jim Tressel said. "But just getting anyone banged, you don’t like."

Smith was the only one of the five quarterbacks to wear the black no-contact jerseys. That signals that Zwick has to compete to stay ahead of thirdyear sophomore Todd Boeckman.

Redshirt freshman Rob Schoenhoft also is in the mix but likely fourth on the depth chart. Freshman Antonio Henton is almost certain to redshirt.

Boeckman completed nine of his first 11 passes before cooling off and finishing 15 of 31 for 105 yards and two interceptions. He also showed surprising mobility for a big man (6 feet 5, 230 pounds), rushing for 48 yards and a touchdown on six carries.

Schoenhoft was 6 of 17 for 91 yards with a 41-yard touchdown pass. Zwick was 3 of 9 for 27 yards.

"I wanted (Zwick) to have a chance to compete with the other guys, because I think Schoenhoft is doing a good job and Boeckman is doing a good job," Tressel said. "There’s a real battle going on there, and I didn’t want to not give Justin the chance to compete under the same circumstances. I wish he wouldn’t have got banged, but that’s one of the perils."

Offensive impressions

Of the running backs behind starter Antonio Pittman, Chris "Beanie" Wells stood out, gaining 100 yards on 23 often bruising carries. Maurice Wells (15 for 38) was limited to short gains.

The tight ends were targeted often, with Rory Nicol, Jake Ballard and Brandon Smith combining for seven catches for 74 yards.

Walk-on Derek Harden led the receivers with seven catches for 59 yards. Brian Robiskie finished with 46 yards on four receptions.

Anthony Gonzalez endured a rough day. Despite having about a dozen balls thrown his way, he ended with only two catches for 24 yards.

Sitting out

Linebacker Mike D’Andrea (knee) was not in uniform. Other players of note who were in uniform but did not play were receiver Brian Hartline (undisclosed injury), linebacker Ross Homan (hamstring) and defensive end Lawrence Wilson (undisclosed injury).

[email protected]
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CPD

8/19/06

COLLEGE FOOTBALL


Defense outplays Buckeyes offense





Saturday, August 19, 2006

Doug Lesmerises

Plain Dealer Reporter

Columbus- Just like during spring practice, a young defense outplayed an experienced offense and won Ohio State's jersey scrimmage, this time prevailing, 66-65, Friday when Brandon Mitchell swatted down a final Troy Smith pass intended for Ted Ginn Jr. in the end zone.

Forty-two plays of the 175-play, 2½-hour scrimmage featured the first-team offense against the first-team defense. The offense gained just 128 yards on those 42 plays. Quarterback Troy Smith completed 9 of 19 passes for 101 yards and an interception.

"I think that means we're going to have a competitive defense," coach Jim Tressel said.

Mitchell also intercepted a deflected Smith pass, and all told, there were six turnovers on the day.

Here are 10 other things the Buckeyes told us Friday:

1. The backup quarterback job looks to be up in the air, especially after senior Justin Zwick injured his left shoulder on a John Kerr sack. Zwick slammed his helmet to the ground while walking off the field and ended the game with his shoulder wrapped in a bandage.

In unofficial stats, Zwick was 3-of-9 for 26 yards. Sophomore Todd Boeckman was 15-of-32 for 105 yards and two interceptions. Freshman Rob Schoenhoft was 6-of-16 for 92 yards and made the throw of the game, firing a 41-yard touchdown pass on the run. If the Buckeyes needed their backup tomorrow, the answer wouldn't be easy, though Schoenhoft would be intriguing.

2. Running backs Antonio Pittman and Chris Wells were never on the field together, an always scintillating prospect.
Pittman carried nine times for 33 yards. Wells carried 20 times for 98 yards. You never get tired of watching Wells square himself and deliver a blow to a tackler, as Thaddeus Gibson was reminded on one play.

3. Defensive end Lawrence Wilson, receiver Brian Hartline and linebackers Ross Homan and Mike D'Andrea sat out with injuries. D'Andrea didn't even put on a uniform, and it might be time to realize his career, ravaged by knee injuries, is close to over.

4. Moved from middle linebacker to weakside linebacker, you wondered whether the next move for Kerr, a St. Ignatius grad, was out of the starting lineup. But he was active and delivered several hard shots from A.J. Hawk's old spot.

5. Junior-college transfer Larry Grant's a hitter. Backing up at middle linebacker, that's easy to see.

6. That open competition at left guard really is open. Tim Schafer started there, but Steve Rehring and Jon Skinner also worked with the first team, and it was Rehring who was on the field for the final drive of the day.

7. Glenville's Jamario O'Neal is in an uphill fight to start at safety. The secondary jobs can still change any day, but Mitchell and sophomore Nick Patterson played the safety spots with the first-team defense. Big plays can change that, but it's up to O'Neal to make them, and he did have a nice open-field tackle on Wells. Backup corners Andre Amos, Donald Washington and Kurt Coleman played well.

8. The defensive line is very deep, with Quinn Pitcock, David Patterson and Joel Penton rotating like three starters at two tackle spots. Both Vern Gholston and Jay Richardson disrupted things from the ends Friday. And freshman end Robert Rose continues to force the Buckeyes to find ways to get him on the field.

9. Nothing was learned about the kicking game, other than it's not so great in the rain. Sophomore Ryan Pretorius missed a 34-yard field goal and a long extra point after a 15-yard penalty, then made a 24-yard field goal. Freshman Aaron Pettrey missed a 52-yard field goal, but made a 28-yarder and a 36-yarder. That battle has a ways to go.

10. Not the best of days for the Buckeyes. The scrimmage had been scheduled for 11 a.m. today but was moved up to 3 p.m. Friday because rain was in the forecast. What happened? It rained so hard, it looked like Ohio Stadium was under a waterfall. Then, with the team running late and headed for a banquet, the planned interview session with players was eliminated, leaving only a hurried Tressel to comment on the most important day of the preseason.
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DDN

8/19/06

OSU NOTES
Scrimmage shows team is 'alright'

By Doug Harris
Staff Writer

COLUMBUS — Ohio State is replacing some of its nine departed defensive starters with players that even the most devoted fans couldn't identify in a police lineup. But a cranium-cracking scrimmage Friday against the high-powered offense may have proved, as The Who once sang, that The Kids Are Alright.

The first-string defense allowed Troy Smith and his mates just six first downs and one score in eight possessions. But even the TD was tainted. Coach Jim Tressel positioned the D at its own 12-yard line, and running back Antonio Pittman crossed the goal line on the opening snap.

Smith did complete a 30-yard lob to Ted Ginn Jr. and finished unofficially 9-of-18 through the air for 102 yards. But he was intercepted once by safety Brandon Mitchell and never pieced together two first downs in a row.

Of course, Smith, the franchise quarterback, was outfitted in a no-contact black jersey, which meant he couldn't scramble. But when backup QBs Justin Zwick, Todd Boeckman and Robbie Schoenhoft lined up with the first-teamers, they generated just one first down in four series.

The only other TDs came when the subs were on the field: a 5-yard run by Boeckman and a 41-yard pass from Schoenhoft to walk-on Kyle Ruhl.

"You could see them compete the whole day," Tressel said of his defense. "There was never a lull, never an 'Oh, I guess we're not going to do very good' feeling out there. I think we've got competitive guys. Now we need experienced guys."

Tressel moved the scrimmage up a day because rain was in the forecast today, but the Buckeyes ended up playing in a veritable monsoon that didn't let up for 45 minutes. "We made a little switch because of the weather reports," Tressel said with a grin. "Sometimes you're right, sometimes wrong."

Wells impressive
Freshman pile-mover Chris Wells had the most productive day among the backs, finishing unofficially with 100 yards on 23 carries. One of Wells' rumbles will stand out to freshman linebacker Tyler Moeller, who was flattened like roadkill on an 8-yard gain. "Chris is a good back — we've been saying that since he's been here," Tressel said.

Kickers so-so
Redshirt freshman Aaron Pettrey connected on field goals from 36 and 28 yards, and sophomore Ryan Pretorius had a 23-yarder. But Pretorius botched a 34-yard extra point (following a penalty for an end zone celebration) and was wide left on a 34-yard field goal. And Pettrey missed a 52-yard field-goal try.


Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2125 or at [email protected]
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i've seen so many different stats its crazy... some say C Wells has 23 rushed 100... some say 20 rushed 98... some say Mo Wells 13 for 32 and then i've seen on the-ozone that he had 15 for 61 with a long of 19... can we get some consistency
 
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