2009 tOSU Secondary discussion

[Fungo Squiggly]

I can't find the primary discussion. :tongue2:

Check in the political forum.

 

[Buckskin86]

The Corner Market: The losses of Malcolm Jenkins and Donald Washington at corner will make that position one of high interest this fall. According to safety Kurt Coleman, Chimdi Chekwa will likely hold down one corner while Andre Amos and Devon Torrence are still competing for the other starting position. Amos is a fifth-year senior who looked like he would earn playing time two seasons ago before a knee injury cut his season short. Torrence meanwhile is a junior who has split his time between football and minor league baseball until this year, but has decided to forego baseball this summer to concentrate on football.

"Andre is a fifth year. I know for a fact he's 100 percent healthy. He's looking honestly really good out there. He' s looking like he's ready to play," said Coleman.

"Devon stayed back and didn't go to baseball this summer. He's progressed so much."

Coleman thinks that Torrence decision to concentrate on football was a tough one, but the right one.

"You struggle anytime when you have to choose between two loves, and he loves both sports, but he felt like it was best for him to stay back and learn the system a little more, get a lot more reps instead of going to baseball," Coleman said.

"I think he's going to make the transition real well."

The-Ozone, Ohio State Football, Wrestling, Softball, Basketball, Hockey, Baseball and More

 

[Buckskin86]

Camp preview: Defensive backs and specialists

Defensive backs

SPOTS LOCKED UP (3): Cornerback Chimdi Chekwa, strong safety Kurt Coleman, free safety Anderson Russell

Chekwa was a revelation two years ago, when as a redshirt freshman he appeared out of nowhere to earn the nickel-corner spot. He stepped into the void left when Donald Washington was suspended for the first two games last season and has never looked back, relegating Washington mostly to backup duty when he returned.

Coleman I thought picked his game up a notch last year, and made strides toward becoming a big-play guy rather than simply steady. He could be one of the nation's top safeties. Russell is certainly not a liability, but he hasn't elevated his game like Coleman.

SPOTS UP FOR GRABS (1-plus):

Cornerback: It's on between fifth-year senior Andre Amos, who basically has missed two years to injuries, and junior Devon Torrence, a former receiver who really looked natural during spring drills.

The plus in my equation is at the nickel spot. It's hard to really pin down who's competing here, because OSU uses different fifth defensive backs based upon the situation.

Jermale Hines basically became a part-time starter last year, carving out a niche as the nickel man against spread teams. He showed a knack for making big plays, running down a lot of the screens and short, horizontal passes upon which the spread depends so heavily. There's no reason to believe his playing time will diminish this year.

Against more traditional offenses, or on obvious passing downs, though, Hines wasn't always the guy. There is opportunity here for a pair of redshirt freshmen _ Travis Howard and Ohrian Johnson _ to see the field. Entering camp, the guess is those two are the leading nickel candidates.

BACKUPS AND OTHERS

I said "the guess" because there are other players who may push for time in five- and six-defensive back sets. Senior safety Aaron Gant seems to be improving. Donnie Evege and Nate Oliver both had their moments in spring ball where they appeared field-ready, as well. Others in the mix include Rocco Pentello, Zach Domicone, Corey Brown, C.J. Barnett and Dominic Clarke.

Camp preview: Defensive backs and specialists (Blogging the Buckeyes)

 

[BB73]

A-Russ talks about Andre having a real shot at a starting CB spot.

Note: (post copied from the Amos thread for tracking purposes)

Ozone

One of them is in the battle for a starting corner job, and Russell thinks his performance over the summer will help him win that battle.

"I think it's to be Andre (Amos) because he did a great job for us this spring and all summer," said Russell.

"I think everybody had kind of forgotten about Andre (Amos) just because he's been injured the last couple of years, but if you remember back to Andre's freshman year when he was playing he was doing a great job for us and stepped in and made some plays," Russell said.

Amos may have the inside track, but Russell also likes what he sees in the other competitors for that cornerback job.

"The other guy is probably going to be Devon (Torrence) or Travis Howard," said Russell.

"They both have been working hard this summer, so we'll see what happens in camp. They all bring different things to the table.

"Andre is probably the fastest out of those three guys but Travis is real long, he kind of reminds me of Malcolm. He's probably not as strong as Malcolm yet but he's developing. Devon has been working hard too."

 

[Buckskin86]

Defense: In the secondary, third-year starters Kurt Coleman and Anderson Russell were the first-teamers, backed up by Jermale Hines and Orhian Johnson, though OSU coach Jim Tressel seemed to sound a warning for the seniors by noting how good Hines is. At corner, Chimdi Chekwa is one starter, while senior Andre Amos and junior Devon Torrence split the first-team reps at the other corner.

Ohio State Buckeyes' Austin Spitler shifts to outside linebacker - Cleveland.com

 

[BB73]

tOSU's DBs are ranked 13th in these Unit Rankings.

CFN

Unit Rankings - Secondaries

1. USC
2. Florida

12. Iowa (although they just lost a CB after this ranking)
13. tOSU
15. Ntre Ame
17. NW'ern

19. Purdue
25. Mich St

30. Penn St
31. Texas

45. TSUN

​

Cont'd ...​

​

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

tOSU's DBs are ranked 13th in these Unit Rankings.

CFN

[/left]

Unpossible. That poster on the scUM site give the DB advantage to Mich.

 

[Buckskin86]

JOHNSON

-- Andre Amos is starting, but it doesn't mean much. Devon Torrence will see time, too, and this could go on for weeks. Said the key now is to see who produces on the field and makes plays.

-- With Travis Howard (the fourth corner) out this week, the No. 4 guy is either C.J. Barnett or Donnie Evege. He said Howard should be back for the USC game.

Taurian Washington shooting up the depth chart (Blogging the Buckeyes)

 

[BB73]

Assistant coach Taver Johnson talks about the DBs.

He says the key for the secondary against Navy is for them to stay disciplined and tackle well.

Official.site.audio

 

[Buckskin86]

Safety city: Safeties coach Paul Haynes said the battle to determine the fifth defensive back on Saturday night is still wide open and could be won in practice today. With senior Kurt Coleman suspended for the game, Jermale Hines and Anderson Russell should start at safety, but Haynes said in the nickel situation anyone from safeties Orhian Johnson, Nate Oliver, C.J. Barnett and Zach Domicone to cornerbacks Andre Amos and Travis Howard could be out there. What the Buckeyes won't do is play more base defense, keeping three starting linebackers on the field in passing downs, just because the safety situation is muddled.

"It's still based on what the offense does," Haynes said. "They're not going to be in four wides and we stay in base. One of those guys has got to step up and play. We're not going to change what we've been doing."

Tackles face Hoosiers' sack attack: Ohio State Football | Ohio State Buckeyes - cleveland.com - - cleveland.com

 

[Buckskin86]

We all know by now that Anderson Russell will start in place of Kurt Coleman, and that Orhian Johnson most likely will be the fifth defensive back. Tressel said on his radio show that the next two safeties in line to play are Nate Oliver and C.J. Barnett.

Oliver, a third-year sophomore, has more experience, so he would go in if Indiana is running some things that might confuse Barnett, a true freshman. Barnett came to OSU as a cornerback.

Zach Domicone is healthy again, but will be used only on special teams this week, Tressel said.

Herron's ankle sore, Saine to start (Blogging the Buckeyes)