Progress of Prince fortifies line
When it became clear that Billy Price would make the move from right guard to center this season, the right side of Ohio State’s offensive line instantly became a major reason for worry.
Eight practices into training camp, that concern has lessened, though not disappeared. The right guard spot remains unsettled. But the right tackle spot, the Buckeyes believe, will be in more capable hands this year, even though the same player is there.
Isaiah Prince’s struggles in 2016 were glaring, particularly against Penn State and Michigan. By season’s end, his confidence was shot.
“Every time I’d make a mistake, I’d hang my head and be so frustrated,” Prince said on Monday. “It would build up play after play.”
Prince resolved to improve, and his teammates and coaches believe he has.
“He is one of the most improved players on the team right now, and that’s A to Z,” coach Urban Meyer said. “He’s a very serious player right now.”
Prince said the turning point came after the Michigan game. He met with Meyer, who reassured him that he retained faith in his ability. Prince said that support from his linemates and offensive line coach Greg Studrawa also was essential in getting him over the hump.
He worked with strength coach Mickey Marotti to improve his knee flexibility, but the bulk of Prince’s work came between his ears. He accepted that perfection is impossible in football, and that a short memory and self-confidence are essential. He understood, after much time dissecting video of his play, that he had to trust his technique.
Prince earned praise in the spring, and that has continued.
“His offseason has been outstanding,” Studrawa said. “His attention to detail and the little things he has been doing have been tremendous.”
While Prince has solidified his status at right tackle, the spot next to him remains up for grabs. Entering camp, Matthew Burrell and Malcolm Pridgeon looked to be the frontrunners. They might still be, but Demetrius Knox and Branden Bowen are also making a push. Studrawa wouldn’t rule out the possibility that a freshman — Josh Myers or Wyatt Davis — could emerge, as well.
Burrell is a redshirt sophomore who was slow to make an impact. Studrawa said the fear of being passed on the depth chart by younger players provided necessary urgency.
“He has realized, ‘I’ve got to go. This is my time. I’ve been here long enough. It’s time to perform,’” Studrawa said. “That’s exactly how he has practiced and it’s exactly how he has watched film.”
Pridgeon, signed as a junior-college transfer in 2016, suffered a season-ending knee injury in training camp last year. His biggest issue in the spring was mastering the playbook.
“He has come a long way in that respect,” Studrawa said, adding that his missed assignments are down more than 50 percent from the spring. “But he still has a ways to go, and we’re putting in more stuff every day.”
Knox struggled when pressed into action against Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl and seemed to be on the outside looking in after the spring. But he has made strides, as has Bowen, who also can play tackle.
Studrawa said he isn’t close to making a decision about a starter.
“There’s nothing better than competition,” he said. “When there’s an open job, guys are flying around for it. We’ll see how it shakes out. It could be anybody right now.”