Football
Jersey Scrimmage for More Than Bragging Rights
By John Porentas

The annual fall jersey scrimmage takes place in Ohio Stadium on Saturday, pitting the OSU offense against the OSU defense. A complex scoring system awards the defense points for three-and-outs, turnovers, etc. The offense scores in the regular ways. The winner earns the right to wear the Scarlet jerseys at practice, a privilege the players take seriously. Currently, the defense is wearing the scarlet jerseys, but the offense wants them back.

"We're wearing the white jerseys right now. I am so sick and tired of those jerseys I want those scarlet jerseys back," said wide receiver Roy Hall.

Antonio Pittman
Photo by Jim Davidson

"That's going to be big," said junior tailback Antonio Pittman of the jersey scrimmage.

"I haven't been in a white jersey since I've gotten here that spring of my freshman year. To get them back is huge," Pittman said.

Pride will be on the line on Saturday, but there will be a more important item on the line as well...playing time in 2006.

"The jersey scrimmage is a big part of camp. It's a game situation where players can show what they can do. They make a lot of decisions after that scrimmage," said offensive lineman Tim Schafer.

OSU offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Jim Bollman indicated this week that the jersey scrimmage will probably determine who wins the starting left guard spot on the offense. Over on the defense, where the Buckeyes must replace nine starters, the OSU coaching staff will also use the jersey scrimmage as kind of a final exam for the various candidates for starting and backup roles over on the defense.

"We put them out there and try to treat it like its a game," said linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell.

"We're not going to be out there on the field with them, hollering and coaching between each and every play.

"It's time to go out there and show that you know what you're doing and see if you perform.

"That's the way we take it and that's the way we evaluate it."

The key word is evaluate, because the OSU coaching staff will do just that after the jersey scrimmage, evaluate the performance of each and every player, then start making decisions on who will play in 2006 and who won't.

"That's our gauge, to get there in the stadium, put them in a pressure situation that there's something on the line, it's not practice, this is a different situation, this is a game, then evaluate them," said Fickell.

The jersey scrimmage will take place at 11:00 AM on Saturday in Ohio Stadium. The public is not allowed in, but the media has been invited, though no photos will be permitted. The scrimmage will be conducted in regular dress uniforms with a full officiating crew, operating scoreboard, etc. It will be just like a game, and though it won't count on any team record, the stakes will be high for a lot of Buckeyes hoping for playing time in 2006.

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