Farrell is starting TE entering fall

COLUMBUS » Luke Farrell will enter fall camp as the starting tight end of the Ohio State Buckeyes.

After a strong spring session, which was capped by the annual Scarlet and Gray game on April 14, the redshirt sophomore from Perry has penciled his name in for a starting position this fall. Now his job is to hold onto that job throughout August.

“As we finish practice, he’ll be the starting tight end at Ohio State,” said Coach Urban Meyer in the post-game news conference at Ohio Stadium on April 14 after Gray defeated Scarlet, 37-14. “He has had a very good spring. As of now, he’s (the starter). He’s earned that right.”

Farrell (6-foot-6, 250 pounds) played on the Gray squad and had one catch for 15 yards. It was the only pass thrown his way.

He also started as an outside blocker/protector on the first-string punting unit and the first-string field goal/extra point unit.

He is coming off a redshirt freshman campaign in which he had two catches for 19 yards in nine games played.

“It’s been the most fun time I’ve had playing football in a long time,” Farrell said of his recent spring session. “I’ve made a lot of improvement. It’s been a lot of fun.”

With the departure of 2017 starter Marcus Baugh, the starting tight end position for the Buckeyes was wide open this spring. A four-year letterwinner, Baugh hauled in 28 catches for 304 yards and five scores last year.

As of now, Farrell leads a depth chart that also includes junior Rashod Berry and redshirt sophomore Jake Hausmann. Entering the program after his high school graduation will be four-star recruit Jeremy Rucker, whom Meyer once termed, “the best tight end prospect” he has recruited.

Hausmann played extensively on the Scarlet team on April 14. Meyer said Berry has been slowed by a pair of stingers this spring, which has limited his practice reps.

Needless to say, the good spring performance was important for Farrell going forward.

“I’ve just got to step up,” Farrell said. “Coming from getting very little playing time last year to now, we needed a leader.”

Farrell said his is physically stronger than he’s ever been. While his 250-pound weight is no different than last year, Farrell said he was able to do 21 reps of 225 pounds in the bench press this spring, a career best.

“I’m definitely stronger. I’m working real hard in the weight room,” he said. “I’m trying to do that while keeping the speed that I have.”

The spring game wasn’t the first time Meyer has singled out Farrell’s performance. A few weeks ago, Meyer said Farrell had graded out a champion and that, “he’s had as good a week as he’s ever had.”

Farrell is also grading out a champion in the classroom. He was recently named an OSU ScholarAthlete majoring in exercise science.

“That’s what I work for all the time,” he said. “Academics are real important to me. I’d be disappointed if I didn’t (get good grades), just because of how hard I push myself in the classroom.”

Farrell said he is well aware that having the starting position at the end of spring exercises doesn’t automatically mean he’ll have it when Ohio State opens the season Sept. 1 against visiting Oregon State.

When fall camp ramps up in August, he’ll have a goal in mind, one he brought with him when he first arrived on campus after graduating from Perry.

While he said it’s the responsibility of each tight end on the roster “to step up and help each other out,” he has a mission he wants to complete.

He wants to earn the starting tight end position this fall.

“Yes sir,” he said.

Farrell