OHIO STATE INSIDER
Archdeacon: Ballard's catch sends a message
By Tom Archdeacon
Staff Writer
Sunday, October 22, 2006
COLUMBUS ? Rival defensive coordinators aren't the only ones stumped by Ohio State's multi-weaponed offense.
So are some Buckeye parents.
A case in point is Debby and Ben Ballard, parents of OSU's 6-foot-7 freshman tight end Jake Ballard from Springboro High School. The couple had been to all the Bucks football games this season, but Saturday they gave away their OSU-Indiana tickets and went instead to Ohio University to support their other son ? Jake's twin brother Josh ? who's a redshirt linebacker for the Bobcats.
It was homecoming in Athens ? OU playing host to Buffalo ? and even if Josh wouldn't be playing, they wanted to be there because they hadn't been to a Bobcats game this year.
Besides, what would they miss?
Jake is OSU's third-string tight end. At 255 pounds, he's used mainly as a blocker. In fact, only one pass had come his way this year, and it was overthrown.
"I still was torn all morning," Debby said. "All week my parents teased that Jake would make his first college catch today."
And that's what happened.
With just 20 seconds left in the half, Bucks quarterback Troy Smith threw a pinpoint pass to Jake, who was coming across the end zone with two linebackers covering him.
With a lunge, he made the grab ? officially a 1-yard touchdown reception ? to highlight a game where OSU tight ends caught three TDs and the No. 1 ranked Bucks romped 44-3 over Indiana at the Horseshoe.
"Ballard's catch, holy smokes, I mean that was pretty darn good," OSU coach Jim Tressel gushed afterward.
The catch was such a highlight that instantly everybody tried to let Debby and Ben know.
"Both of our cell phones started ringing," Debby said. "My mom and dad were watching the game at my brother's house, and when they phoned I couldn't understand a word because everybody was screaming in the background."
Even Josh ? in the OU dressing room before the Bobcats' 2 p.m. game ? called with the news.
"At first I felt so sick we'd missed it," Debby said. "It's just we had no idea ... "
Everybody was surprised, including Bucks veteran tackle Kirk Barton, who said: "Big, doppy Jake Ballard scored one, too. That kid has stepped on my feet more than any player in history."
But while some saw an unlikely, lumbering freshman, Smith saw a prime target.
"He had enough confidence in me to call my number and then he put it where only I could catch it," Jake beamed. "I'm fortunate to play with such an awesome quarterback like him."
Smith further stated his case Saturday as the Heisman Trophy front-runner, throwing for 220 yards and four scores, and running for 38 yards.
Sophomore tight end Rory Nichol caught two TD passes ? one from Smith and another on a trick play from receiver Ted Ginn Jr.
"Today again showed how explosive our offense is," Nichol said. "We've got weapons upon weapons upon weapons. And truthfully, I was as excited to watch Jake's catch as I was to get my two touchdowns. Your first-ever catch for a score ? that's something you'll always cherish."
Debby felt the same way, and when she couldn't leave a voice message on Jake's cell phone ? "his mailbox already was filled with calls" ? she figured out how to send a text message.
"When he sees it," she giggled, "he'll be shocked I was able to do something like that."
For the Ballard family, Saturday was a day of firsts on all fronts.
