MCCALL SHOULD GET HIS CHANCE THIS SPRING
Now healthy, H-back looks to be in mix for Buckeyes.
Demario COLUMBUS —
McCall’s chance to make an impact at Ohio State is finally here.
The sophomore H-back who has developed a cult following among Buckeyes fans for his explosive potential has been stymied in his first two years by the depth chart and lingering injuries. He got some touches in mop-up duty as a freshman in 2016, racking up 270 yards and three touchdowns on the ground and 84 yards and a touchdown through the air. But a groin injury in 2017 kept him from ever truly getting going, and Ohio State eventually decided to pursue a medical redshirt.
There’s no reason to think he can’t contribute if healthy — even when hurt in 2017, he averaged 7.9 yards on 14 rushing attempts — but getting to the field isn’t as clear cut. As an H-back, McCall faces a challenging depth chart thanks to the return of Parris Campbell and K.J. Hill, both of whom have produced in that role and have an experience advantage.
But Ohio State needs to get something out of McCall, and the fans clamoring to see him would no doubt have been excited to see the Buckeyes’ 2018 spring practice open with a period of McCall fielding punts. Hill was the primary punt returner in 2017 but will miss all of spring with a shoulder injury. McCall was an option for punt return duty last season before getting hurt.
“He had a very good day,” Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said. “I want him to be our returner — kick and punt returner. And he’s training as if that’s the position. So he’s watching videotape. He’s training. He’s doing it no different than if he’s starting corner or starting receiver.
“He’s been a full-time H[-back]. That’s going to be able to move him around, be more of the Curtis Samuel H. And it’s on him. The job description is very clear. The first two years, it’s kind of on us. Once you start getting to be in Year 3, that’s on you. And you either need to perform or you’re not going to perform. And it’s on him. And the good thing is he’s responding very well.”
As Meyer said, the expectation at Ohio State is that players are contributing to the program by Year 3, regardless of previous circumstances. If McCall can stay healthy, he has a legitimate chance to get his foot in the door regardless of the depth chart.
With Hill out and Campbell a fifth-year senior who won’t need too many reps, this spring is McCall’s chance to show the coaching staff that he can become the playmaker that so many fans believe he’ll be. Records: Dayton (14-16) vs.
Virginia Commonwealth (17-14)
When: Noon today
Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.
What: Second round of Atlantic 10 Tournament TV/Radio: NBC Sports Network; AM 1290, News 95.7 WHIO
Probable Dayton starters
Josh Cunningham 6-7
Darrell Davis 6-5
Trey Landers 6-5
Jalen Crutcher 6-1
Jordan Davis 6-2
Probable VCU starters
Justin Tillman 6-8 Sr. F 18.9 De’RianteJenkins 6-5 So. G 12.8 Isaac Vann 6-6 R-So. F 9.7 Jonathan Williams 6-1 Sr. G 9.2 Sean Mobley 6-8 Fr. F 4.4
VCU leads 8-5. The teams split two games in the regular season. Dayton won 106-79 on Jan. 12 at UD Arena. VCU won 88-84 in overtime Feb. 10 in Richmond, Va.
Anthony Grant is 14-16 as Dayton coach. His career record in 10 seasons is 207-126. Mike Rhoades is 1714 in his first season at VCU.
On Saturday, Dayton beat George Washington 88-78 at UD Arena, and VCU won 83-58 at Fordham.
gives Dayton a 45 percent chance of winning and predicts a 76-75 score . ... Only three points separate Cunningham and Darrell Davis (466-463). If Cunningham ends the season as the team’s leading scorer, it will be the seventh straight season a transfer has led Dayton. Kevin Dillard, Jordan Sibert and Charles Cooke each led the team in scoring for two years. Not since Chris Wright in 2010-11 has a player who started his career at Dayton as a freshman led the team in scoring . ... Dayton has won at least one A-10 Tournament game 17 times in 22 years. It has started the tournament in the quarterfinals or advanced to at least the quarterfinals four years in a row.
The Rams have played in the championship game in each of their first five seasons in the A-10. They beat Dayton 71-65 in the 2015 title game for their only championship. They lost 70-63 to Rhode Island in the final game in Pittsburgh last season . ... Tillman had 18 points and 13 rebounds against Fordham. Mobley scored a career-high 16 points . ... VCU needs to win the tournament to extend a streak of seven straight NCAA Tournament appearances. The same goes for Dayton, which has received at-large berths four years in a row. R-Jr. Sr. So. Fr. Fr. F G G G G 15.5 15.4 11.1 9.2 8.0
No. 5 seed George Mason plays No. 12 La Salle or No. 13 Massachusetts at 2:30 p.m. No. 7 Richmond plays No. 10 Duquesne at 6 p.m. No. 6 Saint Louis plays No. 11 George Washington or No. 14 Fordham at 8:30 p.m.
The winner plays No. 1 seed Rhode Island at noon Friday in the quarterfinals.
— DAVID JABLONSKI