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TE Jake Ballard (Super Bowl Champion)

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Can Ballard Defray the Loss of Boss?
by John Fennelly on August 5th, 2011

Second-year TE Jake Ballard from Ohio State has looked mighty impressive thus far in training camp. Can he replace Kevin Boss, who signed today with Oakland?

Q: How did you react when you first heard about Kevin?

A: When I first heard, I was sad that he?s not coming back. We?re all going to miss him a lot; he?s a great player and a great guy. We?re all happy for him and we think he?ll do well.

Q: Does it open up possibilities for you guys?

A: With Kevin gone, there is a big void that needs to be filled. All those tight ends are trying their best to get better every day and we?ll see where it goes from there.

Q: How are things going for you this year? As a second-year player, are you more aware of what?s going on?

A: Absolutely. Being around here and being able to practice here allowed me to get buffed up and learn the plays and really learn the position. This year?s camp is a lot easier for me?more concentrating on the little things instead of assignments. That helped out a lot.

Q: What are the one or two most important things you learned from either watching or listening to Kevin?

A: Probably his work ethic. Kevin works hard and he?s smart. He knows what he?s doing every play, and just the way he approaches the game is probably what I took out of it the most.

Q: You?ve been known primarily as the blocker. Do you think you can make strides as a receiver as well?

A: I think so. I ran a lot of routes this off-season, trying to work on my speed and my cuts. I?m trying to be more of a two-way threat than just a blocking tight end, but I know that?s where I?m going to go on the team as a blocker and I?m going to have to keep trying to get better at both aspects of the game.

Q: Were you guys expecting Kevin to come back?

A: I kept in contact with Kevin, I talked to him every couple days. He really didn?t know; he never really gave us any inside info on anything. We tried to get it out of him, but it really wasn?t our business so we just supported him along the way and he went with what he thought was the best decision.

Q: At what point did you find out?

A: Coach Pope came in this morning and told us.
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http://www.giantsfootballblog.com/2011/08/05/can-ballard-defray-the-loss-of-boss/
 
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What kind of production do the Giants get out of their tight ends, beginning with Bear Pascoe, who?s expected to play many more snaps at the position after spending much of last season in a fullback/H-back mode. Second-year pro Jake Ballard, a blocker with minimal experience in the passing game, has been lining up as the second tight end in practice. The duo will have plenty of chances to show their stuff since pseudo-receiver Travis Beckum is fighting a hamstring injury.
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http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/08/12/dottino-giants-gm-jerry-reese-speaks-his-piece/
 
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Focus: Jake Ballard Impresses During Giants @ Jets Game
AUTHOR: Andrew Ilnicki | IN: Focus

I know it?s a little late for last game analysis, but Pro Football Focus has their weekly rewind of all the preseason games up, and something jumped out at me that I thought was worthy of another mention ? Jake Ballard could be the best option at TE for the Giants.

Though it seemed like Travis Beckum would be the player to step up after Kevin Boss? departure to Oakland, Jake Ballard used this game to show the coaching staff why he may be the better option. Ballard, a 2010 undrafted free agent out of Ohio State, was extremely impressive in his ability to block effectively. On a number of occasions, he was driving defenders down the field for so long, that the running back would be tackled before he had disengaged. It wasn?t just against linebackers and receivers, either, as on one play, he drove Jets? rookie defensive tackle Wilkerson five yards down the field. Ballard certainly isn?t the weapon or threat that Beckum could be in the passing game, the Giants would be better off with Ballard who is definitely the better blocker of the two.



Given the fact that Beckum cannot block whatsoever, and Bear Pascoe has had an off preseason ? I?ll take Ballard?s potential at starting TE any day of the week as one of the Giants bookends. This year is one of those seasons for the Giants where young players are going to have to make the most of their opportunities, where better to start than at TE. We know he can catch, we now know he can block? this might be the answer the Giants have been looking for.
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http://gmenhq.com/2011/08/31/focus-jake-ballard-impresses-during-giants-jets-game/
 
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Giants stick with trio at TE
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
BY JEFF ROBERTS
STAFF WRITER
The Record

EAST RUTHERFORD ? The little seed of doubt formed in the back of Jake Ballard?s mind, planting itself there for the weekend.

There was no practice to occupy him, no distraction to ease his concern.

Ballard knew he wasn?t going to be released last weekend. But the tight end wasn?t so sure the Giants would not pick up a more experienced player at his position after Saturday?s league-mandated deadline to cut rosters to 53.

"In the back of my mind I was thinking, ?Maybe they?ll get a tight end with more experience,? " the second-year player said Monday after the team?s first practice of the regular season. "But I guess it shows the tight ends that are still here that they have confidence in us."

The anticipated acquisition to fill the hole left by Kevin Boss? departure never came, leaving the team with Ballard, Travis Beckum and Bear Pascoe.

Ballard will be the first-team tight end Sunday when they open the season in Washington, according to a source.
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Ballard ? a 2010 undrafted free agent out of Ohio State ? admits he has something to prove.

The 6-foot-6, 275-pounder endured an injury-plagued camp last season that left him cut before the Giants left Albany.

"I definitely have a chip on my shoulder," Ballard said. "It started after my senior season at Ohio State. I started training for pro day and pulled my hammy. I couldn?t even run at pro day. That killed me."

He again pulled his hamstring after signing with the Giants and was released.

It took a "leap of faith" for Ballard to remain with the team.

Although he was due a settlement for being released while hurt, he agreed to be waived outright when Coughlin told him they soon would bring him back. He spent a long two weeks at home waiting in Columbus, Ohio.

"I?m sitting there after the final cuts. I was like, ?Man I hope they?re calling me,? " Ballard said.

They did. He joined the practice squad, an experience that made him a better player having to go against the first team every day.
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http://www.northjersey.com/sports/p...e_course_with_trio_at_tight_end.html?page=all
 
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:banger: way to go Jake!


i'm sure we will all always remember this

Rose+Bowl+Ohio+State+v+Oregon+i8Kij5_iL0_l.jpg



now kick some butt in the NFL
 
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Giants stick with Jake Ballard in tight end trio despite loss of Kevin Boss
Published: Wednesday, September 07, 2011
By Mike Garafolo/The Star-Ledger

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Joe Proudman/The Star-Ledger
Jake Ballard works out with the Giants during camp this summer in East Rutherford.

Last summer, with Eli Manning and Jim Sorgi down with injuries, the Giants had no choice but to cut Jake Ballard to make room for another quarterback on the roster. Ballard was also hurt, so it would have made sense the team would waive him with an injury designation.

But by rule, they wouldn?t have been allowed to bring him back for six weeks plus the length of an injury settlement. So Ballard agreed to be waived in the normal sense with no parting money and merely a promise he?d be back.

?It was a pretty big leap of faith,? the Giants? second-year tight end said on Monday, two days after he learned he made the 53-man roster. ?I was sitting there in my living room after final cuts and I?m like, ?Man I hope they?re going to call me.?

?(Vice president of medical services) Ronnie Barnes called me up on the phone he was like, ?Are you ready?? ?Yes, sir.??

cont...
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http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2011/09/giants_stick_with_jake_ballard.html
 
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Before a First Start, a Football for a Friend in Iraq
By SAM BORDEN
Published: September 8, 201

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. ? Jake Ballard cornered Justin Tuck outside a meeting room at the Giants? training center here earlier this week. Ballard had a football with one panel whited out, the kind designed for autographs, and he asked if Tuck wouldn?t mind giving a signature. Tuck took the ball and uncapped his pen, but hesitated when he saw that the only other signature on the ball was Eli Manning?s.
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Ray Stubblebine/Reuters
Giants tight end Jake Ballard, making a catch against the Jets last month, will try to help make up for the loss of Kevin Boss.

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Jake Ballard, right, with Andy Banks in May. They were high school teammates in Ohio.

?I?m not getting everyone,? Ballard said. ?You, Eli ? I?ve got to get this in the mail soon.?

Ballard added, ?It?s for someone special.?

Tuck nodded and signed, and Ballard took the ball and headed out. He had little time to waste; the ball, along with a jersey and some other items, was destined for Iraq, where one of Ballard?s closest friends is stationed. Andy Banks, who played with Ballard at Springboro High School in Ohio, is a member of the Kentucky Army National Guard and, as part of Operation New Dawn, is participating in the United States? withdrawal from the region. As part of that withdrawal, the communications systems for soldiers are being broken down, including operations for mail, telephones, Internet and television.

According to Banks?s father, Stuart, the current deadline for sending mail to soldiers is Sept. 15 and ?the further along you go, the worse it?s going to get? in terms of communication.

?I?m really, really hoping it gets there because he?s going to be in the dark for three or four months,? Ballard said.

Cont...
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http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/09/s...ballard-readies-gifts-for-friend-in-iraq.html
 
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PLAYER OF THE GAME Jake Ballard came out of Ohio State with a reputation as a blocking tight end, but he said repeatedly during training camp that he was capable of catching passes, too. Ballard proved it Sunday, catching two passes for 59 yards, including a 41-yard completion over the middle in which he ran a perfect route and pulled in the ball with a defender on his back. Replacing Kevin Boss will be difficult, but Ballard could give the Giants? offense another important element.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/12/s...season-opener-to-the-redskins.html?ref=sports
 
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