11W Mailbag: Outlining the Talent in Ohio State's Quarterback Room, Impact of Staff Additions, Early Indiana Thoughts and More

By Eric Seger on February 10, 2017 at 8:35 am
Ohio State offseason mailbag, Feb. 9 edition.
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The 11W Football Mailbag is the only stop you need for answers to your most pressing questions about Ohio State and what lies ahead. Have a question? Ask it, and if we can, we'll answer it.

With Kevin Wilson coming on as the new OC what are the biggest differences you think we will see in terms of the style of the offense this year compared to last year? Which new member of Urban Meyers staff makes the biggest impact in 2017? — BuckeyeCWRU and WezBuck28

Tempo, tempo, tempo. You no doubt remember how much of a pain Kevin Wilson's Indiana teams were the past few seasons when they took on Ohio State. The mad scientist who wears sunglasses under his prescription specs like a boss was the main reason for that but also too because he knew how to gain an advantage over better teams and create mismatches.

It is clear that Urban Meyer desperately wants more tempo within the offense, like the way Tom Herman orchestrated things back in 2014 (and the two seasons before). His quote on National Signing Day reinforced that.

“That's where Tom Herman really enhanced our offense. He brought a tempo to us,” Meyer said. “And I know Coach Wilson and Ryan Day are very much used to that.”

I also expect more quick screens, jet sweeps, touch passes and overall, just more creativity. The Ed Warinner-Tim Beck battery got away from that the last two seasons and won games simply because they had better athletes than their opponents. But that didn't work in the big games, as you know.

But overall, tempo will be the biggest thing. J.T. Barrett thrives in an offense based on tempo.

Because of those things, I think Wilson will have the most impact in 2017. Day has considerable work to do in order to fix Barrett's mechanics, feet in the pocket and help with his release speed. But he is in line to be a multi-year starter, just like Billy Davis' linebackers. Wilson should have his fingers all over the offense and the play calling. It should be a noticeable change (read: impact) from last year.

I've been wanting to ask someone close to the program this question for a while.

If a quarterback other than J.T. moves the ball in practice (this Spring and in Fall camp) considerably better than the rest, will that have any bearing on who will start at quarterback this season?  Or - is it not an open competition at all in any real sense of the word (like every other position on the team)?. 

Don't get me wrong. I'd love to see J.T. lead our new-and-improved passing offense - but if someone else looks like they'd give us a better chance to win versus a team like - oh, say - Clemson - that might be hard to ignore. — Buckeye PHI

OK, let's get this out of the way. **shouts while standing atop desk** unless there is a devastating injury, no one will start at quarterback for Ohio State next season other than J.T. Barrett. Period. End of discussion.

for the haters

Though nothing is impossible and I will be flamed for this :fire: #take the moment it is no longer true, I'm perfectly comfortable with dying on this hill. Barrett won a share of the Silver Football last season. He was named Big Ten Quarterback of the Year. He owns a piece of at least 21 school records and will break more. He is 26-4 in his career as a starter. He will be the man in 2017.

Barrett was not the most glaring problem against Clemson. He didn't help matters at times and did throw two interceptions but his offensive line got eaten alive, play calling was suspect and receivers hardly did anything outside of Curtis Samuel and the wild Binjimen Victor sighting. If/when a quarterback moves the ball well in spring practice and training camp better than the others, they will be awarded the backup job.

The only "open competition" at quarterback is for who will serve as Barrett's initial understudy. So I'm sorry for all you Barrett haters out there — you have one more season of setting records and winning at least 10 games to will yourself through.

How long before fans call for J.T. to be benched? — Jumar

It's never stopped. It won't ever stop — only gain steam the first time the offense goes three-and-out this fall or he throws an interception.

What is the feeling within the staff of Joe Burrow and Dwayne Haskins? Is one clearly ahead of the other or are we spoiled and have two studs behind J.T.? How do you see the QB competition behind J.T.? We have Haskins-Burrow and Tate Martell and next year Emory Jones is in the fold. Does anyone transfer? — GoBucks and BoneBuck

I think overall Ohio State is spoiled to have both Burrow and Haskins behind Barrett in the quarterback room. The battle to be the No. 2 on the depth chart this spring and summer is going to be the most intriguing, in my opinion.

Yes, there are plenty of starting spots up for grabs (especially in the secondary) but how those personalities mesh and compete is going to be so interesting. The staff — mainly Meyer — LOVES Haskins but Burrow has been terrific albeit in an extremely small sample size against weak competition. Plus, he remains a year ahead of Haskins, something that won't ever change. And, oh, by the way, a dude that never lost a high school game and was the Gatorade Offensive Player of the Year is already here. Alpha males on alpha males, all with a new quarterbacks coach too.

I've said this a few times in 11W Slack and am likely to be bludgeoned for it here but I'm firmly in the camp that Tate Martell doesn't play a down at Ohio State. That is not a knock on his skill, either. There just doesn't look like there will be room until at least until 2019 or 2020, if he sticks around that long.

It's Barrett's job in 2017 then either Burrow or Haskins for two years after that. Emory Jones arrives next year and has a higher ceiling than all of them. Again, that's JUST. MY. TAKE. Plenty will go into how the coaching staff looks in the coming years too and though I think he is a terrific player, I can easily see Martell transferring elsewhere just so he can play.

But he loves Ohio State and continually calls it his "dream school" with his grandfather's ties to the university. So we'll see. I'm going to stand by my #take, though.

Who are the starters at quarterback in the Spring Game? Is it reasonable to expect that 20-25 daily threads consisting of who should start at quarterback will descend on to Eleven Warriors after it ends? — BeatTTUN

My initial thought was to say Burrow and Haskins would start opposite of one another on April 15 but then sat back in my chair and thought a moment. My guess is Barrett will start even though the other guys need to get as many "game" reps as possible. Meyer needs to see what things look like with Barrett running the show and Kevin Wilson calling the shots as offensive coordinator. At least for a bit. Martell, Burrow and Haskins will get their shots too, though. They must.

Burrow

And to answer your second question — take the over.

Will the 2018 recruiting class average be better than, equal to or less than the 2017 class? How many five-star recruits will Ohio State end up with this year? Early guess for how many guys are in the 2018 class?/How many spots will actually be available? — KBonay, Daniel and Buckeyeclassof18

This is more of a question for Andrew but I'll take a stab at it. I think the 2018 average will be lower than this past cycle. The 2017 class was so insane and I don't really see how Ohio State will be able to top that. Don't put anything past Meyer, though.

I could see them getting three five-stars. Again, the 2017 class is such a rarity in the recruiting world and Ohio State has not shown it can pull in top-tier talent with the same consistency as Alabama. Even with Meyer. Ohio State's location has plenty to do with that — the best prospects lie in the southeast and it is so, so, so hard to pull them away from a football factory like the one in Tuscaloosa (and others).

Plus, due to the star power and national scope of the 2017 class needing attention all the way up to signing day Ohio State is a little behind on 2018. The other Andrew on staff did a nice job on Thursday outlining how many the Buckeyes will look to take from every position. The class will probably end up in the 25-28 range, depending on how many underclassmen leave early for the NFL. Look for his projections on the stars Ohio State will chase on Sunday.

I will ask the obvious one here, do you have any predictions or insight on how you think they will get to the 85 scholarship limit? — BuckeyeCWRU

I hate making predictions on things like this because I'm not as plugged in as some other people are but there are some relatively obvious names that I could see being elsewhere this fall. Attrition happens every year and with such a monster recruiting class is heading down the pipe again.

The Buckeyes are at 89 scholarships after signing day, which means four names must be off the count by the day training camp opens in August. Here are four that I could see falling into that category: Johnnie Dixon, Dylan Thompson, Alex Stump, Joshua Alabi. The latter is a bit of a stretch and a chance to offer a friendly reminder that I know nothing about his health. Other than he has had some issues so the staff could medically disqualify him.

The same goes for Dixon because of his ailing knees. He shared some pretty candid thoughts to cleveland.com's Ari Wasserman after the Fiesta Bowl loss about still playing football "somewhere" but it is fair to say his future at Ohio State is cloudy. Thompson made his bed after not making the cut academically last fall and I could see Stump transferring elsewhere for more playing time. The influx of five wide receivers in the last two recruiting classes make for quite the logjam at the position.

Based on recent past and future expectations, would anything outside of the top 5 in recruiting classes be viewed as a disappointment? — RK84

Yes.

Who is your breakout freshman next year? What about upperclassman? — Toad1204

I'm unsure if you mean true or redshirt freshmen so I'll pick from both pools but choose a member of the 2017 recruiting class: cornerback Jeffrey Okudah. The Buckeyes have to replace three starters on the back end of their defense. Okudah is the highest rated player in the 2017 recruiting class and already enrolled. Done deal.

For upperclassmen, I'm going to pick linebacker Dante Booker. The only thing he did wrong last year was get injured, which resulted in losing his job to Jerome Baker. Meyer has not indicated if Booker will shift to middle linebacker in an attempt to replace to Raekwon McMillan — and we haven't talked to new linebacker Billy Davis yet to get his thoughts — but it seems like doing so makes sense. Booker is a fine player and will be out to prove so with fifth-year senior Chris Worley and Baker also in the room.

Who are your Spring Game breakout stars (that actually carry over their success this fall)? — SilverState

I'll pick K.J. Hill because I think he is the best pure wide receiver with solid college experience in Zach Smith's meeting room, at least right now. That could definitely change this fall with the influx of talent at the position.

Also am anxious to see what Malcolm Pridgeon brings to the table. I believe he would have started at right tackle in 2016 had it not been for his knee injury. Look for him to make noise at that spot this spring.

Fuller

And I don't usually do this but I'm shooting my shot: Jordan Fuller will have an interception in the spring game and start either at safety or nickel corner this fall. Much like Malik Hooker last year, the dude just looks like a baller.

With Wilson as OC, will the TE become a more prominent part of the passing attack? — Polarbuck

That would make sense, wouldn't it? Vico did some great research on the topic last month. If Wilson's track record is any indication, yes the TE will be more involved in the passing game. Marcus Baugh showed he could make some plays last season too, so I don't doubt Wilson will add that to his arsenal as the offensive coordinator.

Do you think we have any chance to keep Greg Schiano beyond this season? Which coach or coordinator will we lose after we win the National Championship?NHBuckeye and PapaJoe

There is always a chance that Schiano sticks around after 2017 because he is in line to get a pretty hefty raise with Luke Fickell now the head coach at Cincinnati. Schiano is now the defensive coordinator and my money is on him making north of $1 million this fall. I currently wait for my records request for his new contract to be filled. The one-year deal he signed last spring expired on Jan. 15.

All that being said, I just can't see him staying for more than two years in Columbus. Meyer asks for his assistant coaches to put in that amount of time before moving on and Schiano came to Ohio State to work his way back in the coaching ranks after he sat out of the coaching realm the year after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fired him.

Schiano made it pretty clear the first time he spoke to the local media he wants to be a head coach again someday and felt like working for Meyer, a good friend, is an excellent way to make that a reality. It depends on what his new contract says but I think Schiano gets a head gig after the 2017 season. Would he consider Notre Dame if Brian Kelly gets the ax?

Other than Schiano, the only other name I could see potentially leaving Ohio State after next season — national championship or not — is running backs coach Tony Alford. His first contract with the Buckeyes expires at the end of April, so it will be intriguing to see how long his next one he signs keeps him in Columbus. In reading the coaching staff's performance reviews after the 2015 season, Alford specifically outlined his goal to become a head football coach. Could he jump at an opportunity after next season?

Indiana game score prediction? — Buckguyfan1

It's so early in the offseason but I'm not scared. The fact Wilson's first game at Ohio State is against his former employer is very funny to me. The Buckeyes have so much more talent and plenty of experience back. Indiana is entering a new regime. Buckeyes win 49-17.

August 31, 2017:
First Buckeye offensive play is...
First Buckeye touchdown happened because...
— GOOMBAY

First play is a quick pass from Barrett to Binjimen Victor on an inside slant the lanky wide receiver turns into a first down. Ohio State scores its first touchdown because it uses tempo and a variety of rushes and passes, including run-pass options for the quarterback. Mike Weber finishes things off with a short touchdown run behind Billy Price and Michael Jordan.

How many more years do you think Urban Meyer will coach OSU, and will he win any more national championships while the coach of OSU? — BuckeyeStu

I think he will win another title and when that happens strongly consider retirement. A lot depends on when that championship comes, of course, as he still has four seasons left on his current contract.

But his son, Nate, is set to go to college next fall at Cincinnati. That isn't too far away from Columbus, obviously, but Meyer's family is extremely important to him. He will want to watch his son play college sports and spend some time being a grandfather. I think.

Urban and Shelley Meyer

Meyer's competitive nature will drive to keep him in the game as long as it takes to catch Nick Saban for national championships. Saban has five and Meyer has three. Meyer obviously won't admit that is the case but every top-flight college football coach wants to be considered the best and titles are the measuring stick.

Plus, and this PURELY based off of her Twitter account and how much she tweets about her pool and missing the sunshine, I think Shelley Meyer wants to retire down south somewhere. And do so sooner rather than later. Who wouldn't?

No disrespect or offense intended to anyone, but does Ryan Day look like an Asian Luke Fickell? Or is it just me?TXsBuckeye

Haha, I'm not going to bring race into my response but Day and Fickell do look very similar, yes.

Who is the most famous person in your cell phone? —  Bucknut1994

It's a tie between Gene Smith and Jim Tressel. I want to say Tressel because he is the man I grew up watching but he obviously no longer works at Ohio State. Smith does and is an extremely powerful man in the college sports landscape. Hence, tie.

What is your favorite article that you've written for this site? — 1MechEng

Man, there have been so many. But four stick out in my brain:

Reasons: Pat Elflein's family contains some of the most down to earth, kind and hard-working people I've ever met. My hope was to convey that in the story, show that to be a huge reason why Elflein returned for his fifth year and why I'll never bet against that guy doing anything he wants in life. He works too damn hard.

Working on the stadium arrests and ejections story was equally frustrating and rewarding. It took so much coercing from schools to release that information and when they did, it was hysterical. Still can't believe some of the things that happened at Iowa.

Frank is a special individual in his own right — he is passionate about Ohio State-Michigan, lives literally on the border of the rivalry in Toledo and has found his own distinct way to be a part of it. I love telling stories like that.

And I was extremely pleased with how the oral history of the 2006 Ohio State-Michigan game came to fruition, complete with The Senator actually returning one of my countless phone calls to both his desk and his secretary's. I wanted to do something memorable on that game during Michigan week in November and enjoyed how it came out. The only thing that would have made it better is if I could have tracked down some Michigan players for quotes, as well as Troy Smith.

I can't pick one as my favorite. They're all my favorite but for different reasons.

What was your first reaction when Andrew went down courtside at the basketbucks game? When Andrew Lind died, Eric felt... — Elks' Comb Over and OSU992

I actually didn't see it happen live because I was jotting down a note for the instant recap. But when Jason tweeted out the gif of the incident, I let out an audible laugh.

Then he mentioned in Slack about having a considerable headache and I felt a little bad about laughing. I watched the play a few times and came to the conclusion that he is lucky it was C.J. Jackson that ran into him and not someone bigger like Trevor Thompson. If you ask Andrew, I imagine he would say the same thing.

Metaphorically speaking, what cocktail would you say best personifies you? — Hodge

It'd be cool to be able to say a White Russian because I've been sipping on those a bunch lately but I am nowhere on the same level of cool as Jeffrey Lebowski. If The Dude met me and I offered him a Caucasian that I made, he'd throw it in my face and briskly walk away in his Jellies, upset that he wasted part of his day in the same zip code as me.

life goals

So I honestly have no idea. I hope to have a better answer later in life.

Scotch, vodka, bourbon or beer? — High St Heismans

Not a scotch guy and will only have vodka if it is mixed the way I like it in certain beverages. More of a beer guy but am attempting to become more #classy by trying various bourbons. Ramzy tells me I'll gravitate that way as I get older. I hope he is right, though I am terrified to get older.

Two-parter here, cuz I'm bi-curious:
1. Out of all the staff members, who would get the highest SPARQ rating?
2. Out of all the staff members, who would need a ride to the hospital after enduring the SPARQ testing?
— Thurdsty

1. Tim or Johnny. I've seen Tim ball before and know he is a solid athlete. Johnny works out often to build his already chiseled physique. I imagine both would test well in pretty much everything the SPARQ peeps could throw at them.

2. D.J. probably wants me to say him, so I'll say him. He claims he is "old" since he recently turned 30, though I am a firm believer he would more than hold his own in SPARQ testing.

With Steve Sarkisian heading to NFL (Falcons), what do you think Alabama has out there to turn to for OC? — JPhalinNut

I want Chip Kelly to run Nick Saban's offense so bad it hurts. Like, physically, it hurts. But I guess Kelly said he has "no interest" in that. Whatever. DARE TO DREAM.

Two names other than Kelly: Another former Oregon head coach, Mark Helfrich, and Mike Locksley. The latter is already an offensive analyst for the Tide, so I could see Saban promoting from within again to fill the void left behind by Sark.

How does LeBron James smell when he attends football games? — Meek

Uh, clean? Can't say I've been close enough to him to take in his scent.

Is soup a meal? Add on: What about chili? — Calgarybuck and Gratefulbuck

Yes and yes, provided you eat enough of it. And your chili has meat in it. If it doesn't, it isn't chili.

What's for lunch? — Hovenaut

I am writing this response on Thursday so my answer is from then. I had a turkey, salami and cheese sandwich (with pickle, mustard and mayonnaise) to go with a yogurt and apple. Trying to remain #healthconscience during these winter months.

Better TV show: The Office or Parks and Recreation? —  Jumar

Admittedly, I have not watched either extensively but have seen enough episodes to say I like The Office better. Big Steve Carell fan.

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