Haw hopes to make up ground in freshman competition
Saturday, August 14, 2004
Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
For the second time in a little more than a year, Erik Haw is trying to catch up to Tony Pittman.
At Ohio State’s football camp in June 2003, Pittman, an Akron Buchtel running back who already had committed to OSU, had just finished running the 40-yard dash.
Haw asked what Pittman ran (4.39 seconds), then proceeded to stun onlookers with a 4.21 effort. Within two weeks, the Independence High back was offered a scholarship and committed to OSU, as well.
Now both players are freshmen in preseason camp, locked in another race of sorts — a race to avoid being redshirted.
There might be room for only one of them in a tailback mix led by starter Lydell Ross and top backup Maurice Hall. With fullback Branden Joe also proving he is a capable ball carrier, the coaching staff would prefer to redshirt Pittman or Haw.
Pittman has a clear head start. He graduated from Buchtel in January, enrolled at Ohio State and took part in spring practice. In the spring game, he gained 105 yards on 21 carries in about three quarters of action.
Afterward, coach Jim Tressel said he was "very impressed" with Pittman, praising his ability to keep his pads low and run north and south.
Tressel added, "I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he didn’t get to contribute (this season)."
That led Pittman to enter preseason camp feeling comfortable.
"Spring gave me the momentum I needed," he said. "Now I don’t have any nerves, no jitters or nothing. I’ve learned the plays already."
Meanwhile, Haw entered fall camp from a standing start. Talking about his prospects for this season, he mentioned being redshirted without being asked.
"I’m trying to get acclimated to the game, trying to get some reps in practice and see what I can do," Haw said. "I’m not worried whether I get redshirted or whether I get to play this year."
He quickly added that being redshirted would not be his choice, although "patience is a virtue."
Just by their presence, Pittman and Haw are having an impact. Having been hindered by nagging injuries last season, Ross is determined to have a standout senior season.
He knows Tressel will play a freshman if the talent dictates it. Ross was in line for the No. 1 tailback job in 2002 when Maurice Clarett showed up.
"It’s good for me to be a front-runner and for people to be down there trying to get ahead of me and take my spot," Ross said. "I don’t want to lose my position, so they just make me work that much harder."
Pittman got off to a rough start in the spring when he stayed on a campus bus one stop too long and ended up at the veterinary school. He called the coaches from a pay phone to tell them he would be late to practice.
He showed up eventually, though, and he realizes how much his spring experience helped him.
"Spring was a slower pace, because the coaches actually took time to break it down with you," Pittman said. "But now, you’ve got 17 days to learn the whole playbook — everything is going quick."
Had he not enrolled early, "I’d be clueless right now."
Haw hopes he doesn’t fit that description.