Ohio State football: Tight ends are living a dream with Meyer
By Bill Rabinowitz
The Columbus Dispatch Tuesday April 3, 2012
"It's like a dream come true. You want to come to an offense where the tight end is almost the focal point. I wouldn't say we're the focal point, but we're definitely going to get the ball a lot." -- Ohio State tight end Jake Stoneburner
Jake Stoneburner hears the question so often that he posed it himself yesterday, even before it was asked:
?Is the tight end going to get the ball??
In recent history, any Ohio State player at that position knew in his gut the answer: Not often.
Stoneburner caught 21 passes in 2010, and that was the most for a Buckeyes tight end since Ben Hartsock had 33 receptions in 2003. Tight End U, the Buckeyes haven?t been, even with solid talent at the position.
But in coach Urban Meyer?s spread offense, Stoneburner and backup Jeff Heuerman have reason to believe the offseason talk about getting the tight ends more involved in the passing game won?t be mere lip service.
?It?s like a dream come true,? said Stoneburner, a fifth-year senior from Dublin Coffman. ?You want to come to an offense where the tight end is almost the focal point. I wouldn?t say we?re the focal point, but we?re definitely going to get the ball a lot.?
Meyer?s offensive philosophy is to get the ball to his playmakers as often as possible. In 2009 at Florida, tight end Aaron Hernandez caught a team-high 68 passes.
?A lot of people say this is the best offense in the country for the tight end,? said Heuerman, a promising sophomore who figures to see ample playing time with former tight end Reid Fragel?s move to right tackle.
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