Tailback Battle Not Between Enemies
By John Porentas The Buckeyes come into spring drills looking for a tailback but have only two candidates in camp, redshirt freshman Eric Haw and sophomore Antonio Pittman. There is definite competition at that spot, but according to Pittman, it doesn't spill over on the off-field relationship between the two candidates.
"It's a battle, who's going to be the running back, but throughout it all we're friends," said Pittman.
"There's no animosity toward anybody. We're friends, we laugh, we joke, we hang around each other, but somebody has to play.
"We're taking it as a war, but we know that throughout it all we're friends," said Pittman.
Both Pittman and Haw have worked hard in the weight room getting ready for their on-field battle this spring. Pittman, who played at 180 to 185 last season, says he has picked up weight, strength, and power, and hopes to continue that trend right into fall camp.
"I've still got a couple more pounds to gain. I'm 195 now. I want to go into camp at least 205, because I know I'm going to drop in camp, and I want to play at 197 or 198," Pittman said.
Haw, meanwhile, didn't gain weight, but did change his body composition.
"I got the baby fat off. I weigh about the same, about 210, but I'm leaner. I got a little bit quicker," said Haw.
Both players are trying to get stronger, and Pittman, who saw some action last season, says there is good reason for that.
"Blocking," said Pittman.
"That was the hardest thing I had to deal wit last year was blocking. With me playing last year at about 185 pounds and taking on guys that are 230 or 240, that was the hardest thing for me last year."
Neither, however, are worried about their ability to matriculate the ball up the field.
"We definitely bring a lot of speed to the table, both of us have good speed," said Haw.
"A lot of teams are going to recognize that these two guys can go the distance."
Haw said that after just one day, he could feel the difference between his role this year vs. last year.
"It seems like there's an urgency to get a nice solid running game. That's what we're out here to do," Haw said.
"There's definitely more reps. There's a battle going on and we want to get to be the best we can, both me and Antonio," said Haw.
Though the battle for the starting position is now officially on, running backs coach Dick Tressel has yet to clue his two prize charges in on specifically how they will be evaluated.
"He hasn't really spilled any beans, him or his brother," said Haw.
"Me and Antonio switch back and forth with the ones, they keep it real balanced. They just let the work proceed."
According to OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel, the battle is likely to remain a two-man fight throughout the spring. Unlike last year, there isn't someone like Brandon Joe at the fullback spot who could take some reps at tailback as well.
"I don't know if any of them (current fullbacks) have the tools that Brandon had to cross over to tailback," said Tressel.
"I think that maybe they could do a little bit of that, but Brandon had a lot of years of playing tailback in his day. Brandon Schnitker and Stan White and Dionte Johnson, I'm not sure they've been mistaken in any drills as a tailback."
