Football
OSU Tight Ends Still Hoping for Bigger Role in Buckeye Offense
By John PorentasLast fall when OSU football camp convened OSU tight end coach John Peterson and offensive coordinator Jim Bollman talked extensively abut a new, more important role of the tight ends in the OSU offense. It just seemed logical. Ted Ginn and Anthony Gonzalez were both gone, as was Troy Smith. The OSU offense would likely center around Beanie Wells, and the Buckeyes were breaking in a new quarterback, Todd Boeckman. Throwing to the tight ends made sense. Safe throws, Easy throws.
It didn't quite work out that way.
Todd Boeckman emerged as a quarterback who went deep more often than not in the passing game, and that meant wide receivers Brian Robiske, Brian Hartline and Ray Small were the center of attention when the Buckeyes took to the air. Boeckman looked deep all season, and that is usually not a good thing for the number of receptions for tight ends.
"Usually we're not vertical runners," said a smiling Peterson describing his tight ends as receivers. "We're horizontally challenged," he quipped.
Passes to Rory Nicol and Jake Ballard were not totally missing in 2007. The tight ends did catch 32 balls, but they were hardly the center of attention in the passing game. Peterson, however, has not given up hope. He thinks the tight ends may yet emerge in the OSU offense, and has some thoughts on why that might be true this season despite the fact that it didn't didn't materialize last season like he thought it might. First and foremost, Todd Boeckman is a year older, has a year of experience, and will likely do some things better this year than last. .
"Just in his progressions," said Peterson.
"Anytime you have a quarterback that has been around the system for a while he's going from step A to step B and seeing the second and third reads in a progression.
"Todd has a year under his belt and we hope he sees more things and is able to see more things and is able to react to different situations, and he's been able to do that this spring," Peterson said.
For his part, Boeckman said that going through his reads more consistently is something he is definitely trying to improve this spring.
"One thing that is a big emphasis for me right now is check downs," said Boeckman.
"I very rarely threw those," he said, verifying what Peterson had said.
The Buckeyes return a trio of veterans at tight end. Jake Ballard, Rory Nicol and Brandon Smith are all back. Nicol is the most experienced of the group, but Peterson is excited about the upside he sees in Ballard, and not just as a receiver. What he sees in Ballard is a very rare blend of size, speed, strength and athleticism.
Jake Ballard "Jake has the tools to be a dominant blocker physically," said Peterson.
"He definitely has the hands and has developed into a very efficient route-runner. That's a hard combination to get all three of those together," said Peterson.
"He has a timing with his power.
"When it comes to blocking he has that ability to solo block and control the edge.
"Those are hard guys to find and develop. It adds a huge dimension to allow your tackles and guards to double-team and pull and do those things when you can anchor one-on-one on the edge whether it's at the point of attack or on the backside on the cutback play or a counter or slamming on a naked.
"When the defense has to be aware of that guy in the run game, yet he can go out and be a very productive threat in the passing game, he becomes a very special player," Peterson said.
Peterson sees Ballard as a player who is just now coming into his own.
"He's ready to go from that young, talented player to being a guy who can be a dominant player. I think there's no question he can be that," said Peterson.
Peterson attributes Ballard's progress to two things; playing experience and Ballard's diligence in the weight room.
"Like any athlete who has gone through the weight program for two years you see potential in his ability, but he didn't have the strength to move his body," said Peterson.
"He had the athletic ability but the strength to move that size of body efficiently wasn't there yet.
"Now you take and give him two years of training and he has stronger quads, stronger hips, all those areas that he's developed, and now you put that on the field after two years and you see that he's a kid that has really grown athletically."
Ballard says his weight room work has made fundamental changes in his body, all for the better.
"The weight room is definitely a huge part of the game. It made me more explosive and more able to block defensive ends that are 40 pounds heavier than I am," said Ballard.
"When I came in I was 6-7, 260, but I was a fat 260," Ballard said.
Ballard said his weight training was structured to make him stronger in the area of his body that would do him the most good as a football player.
"I'd say more my lower body, getting my legs stronger, working on squats, those kinds of things," said Ballard.
"Football is played with your legs. You can be as strong as you want with your upper body, but if you can't move people with your legs or run fast you're nowhere in this game.
"Coach Lichter definitely knows what he's doing. He knows how to make guys athletic, more explosive, quicker. He does a great job with that.
"When I came in two years ago I could squat 315, now I'm doing about 425. In lower body hang cleans I was doing 225, now I'm doing 330," Ballard said.
OSU is not going to abandon its wide receivers, but Ballard says there is certainly room for more emphasis on throwing to the tight ends. The tight ends aren't likely to catch 200 balls this season, but Ballard would like to see more than the 32 they got last year.
"A good number is 100," said Ballard said a little wistfully, "A fair number is 50 or 60,"
he said more realistically.Peterson agreed on the 50 to 60 figure.
"I'd say that's a fair number. It sounds good," agreed Peterson.
The-Ozone Feature on Jake Ballard Prior to his Enrollment at Ohio State
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