Fall camp for the Ohio State Buckeyes is already underway, as the Buckeyes look to improve on last year's 12-1 record. The Buckeyes want to make it back to the top of the Big Ten, but lost more talent than perhaps any other team in the country. Head coach Urban Meyer has recruited with the best, but Ohio State will be counting on several unproven players to play key roles.
That makes fall camp critical for getting those players up to speed and ready to play. With that in mind, here are the latest fall camp news and notes for Ohio State Football.
"Bounce back" year for Noah Brown?
OSU is counting on a big year from Noah Brown, as Ohio State has lost three key contributors at wide out. He was hurt all of last year and Howard Griffith of the Big Ten Network thinks Brown could have a bounce back season.
Which @B1Gfootball players will bounce back in 2016?@RU_Kid_91 & @Nb_Eight0, to name a couple. https://t.co/iMkClSgvFk
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) August 15, 2016
You can skip to the 47-second mark to hear Griffith's comments, or read what he said below.
"For me I am going to go to Ohio State’s Noah Brown," Griffith said. "He was set to have an incredible year and got hurt at the end of camp. Watching him when we just saw this team a few days ago, he really looks like he’s ready to take off and really put up some big numbers this year. Having a veteran quarterback there is really going to help him and I think it’s going to help this offense, particularly out on the perimeter."
The Buckeyes need Brown to step up as a No. 1 option for QB J.T. Barrett this year. OSU fans are hoping Griffith is spot-on this year.
Two Buckeyes Likely To Miss Season
Meyer announced Sunday that two Buckeyes suffered serious injuries. JUCO OT Malcolm Pridgeon will miss three months with a knee injury, while redshirt sophomore DE Darius Slade is done for year with a ruptured Achilles. While Pridgeon could return before the season ends, missing three months means he'll miss the bulk of the season. Pridgeon was expected to compete for a job at RT, while Slade was expected to provide depth.
Offensive Line Depth A Concern?
Thanks in part to the injury to Pridgeon, Meyer is concerned about the offensive line depth.
"With that said, the offensive line is obviously a concern of depth," Meyer said. "That's where Matt Burrell, Demetrius Knox have really got to come on really come on and then Branden Bowen has got a long ways to go, but he's going to come on too. So you have to get depth there."
Burrell is an offensive guard who redshirted last year, while Knox is a redshirt sophomore guard. Bowen is a redshirt freshman tackle.
J.T. Barrett Named To Manning Award Watch List
It shouldn't come as a massive surprise, but QB J.T. Barrett has been named to the Manning Award watch list. The Manning Award is given out to the top quarterback in the country, but unlike other awards, it factors in postseason play. Barrett will be counted on to lead the Buckeyes this year, especially with Ezekiel Elliott gone.
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