OSU coaches still studying QB candidates
As one of Ohio State’s two offensive coordinators, Kevin Wilson, said on Wednesday, “there’s no new news” on the biggest question — who is the starting quarterback? — coming out of spring practice.
Six weeks after spring practice began and four days after the spring game, Ryan Day, the quarterbacks coach and other offensive coordinator, agreed with Wilson. The evaluation of junior Joe Burrow, sophomore Dwayne Haskins Jr. and redshirt freshman Tate Martell continues, Day said.
With the coaches headed for the recruiting trail on Thursday, who knows when an answer will come.
“We’re right in the middle of meetings right now,” Day said. “We’re still evaluating film from the spring and all that.”
With that in mind, it’s better not to make rash statements, Wilson said, because not only are the media and fans interested in parsing the words, Haskins, Burrow and Martell likely are, too.
“Everything I’m saying now is going to be judged by them,” Wilson said. “And basically, where you put your commas is going to be judged. And do you put an exclamation point? They’re judging everything.”
Bottom line, “to me, it’s who got the guys in the end zone,” Wilson said of what would be his ultimate barometer. “They’re all great kids, all that kind of deal. It’s tough.”
Most folks figured going into the spring that the pecking order to replace four-year starter J.T. Barrett was Haskins, Burrow and Martell, but Day, coach Urban Meyer and Wilson never made such a statement. When they do, Day said Wednesday, he doesn’t expect the competition Redshirt freshman Tate Martell brings a running threat to the position, though quarterbacks coach Ryan Day said that Martell improved as a passer this spring. to be over.
“Regardless of how that plays out, and who is ahead of who, they’re going to have to go into the preseason and compete anyways, because if you go into preseason and don’t do as well, then obviously you’re going to
get affected by that as well,” Day said. “It’s a process, and we will probably have a better idea here pretty soon.”
While most see it as a race between Burrow and Haskins to start, Day would not certify that assumption when asked whether Martell might see playing time regardless.
“We’re looking at all scenarios,” Day said. “Everything under the sun we’re looking at right now. … The guys have different skill sets, so we’re looking at everything.”
Day did offer a quick evaluation of how each improved:
• Burrow: “The second half of the spring, did a nice job throwing the ball, making decisions, did a nice job on the deep ball, and leadership as well.”
• Haskins: Showed better “command of the offense, getting the ball out on time, accuracy in the passing game.”
• Martell: His running ability is unquestioned, but he “did improve as a passer from last fall, to the first practice of spring, to the end of spring. He did show a lot improvement in terms of his technique, getting his front foot down and throwing the ball.”
Wilson saw similar things.
“I think all three are very, very good,” Wilson said. “And I think we need all three to win, personally.”
Ohio State picked up an “athlete” for its 2019 recruiting class when Steele Chambers announced his commitment on Twitter.
A 1,300-yard running back and a 70-tackle linebacker last season for Trinity Catholic High School in Roswell, Georgia, Chambers thanked coach Urban Meyer and assistant coach Tony Alford in his Twitter post.
Chambers, 6 feet 2 and 215 pounds, is ranked 29th nationally among athletes — players who could end up on offense or defense — by the 247Sports composite of the major recruiting services.