Miller gets fancy ride

By Doug Harris | Saturday, April 21, 2012, 09:02 PM

Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller received rock-star treatment after the annual spring game today — but it wasn’t intentional.

Following a short post-game locker room meeting, the Wayne grad joined the winning Scarlet team on the bus from Ohio Stadium to the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, not realizing he’d have media obligations.

When Jerry Emig, the OSU football media relations director, discovered Braxton had exited the building, he quickly sent for him and had to bring him back in an SUV with a police motorcycle leading the way to get through the 81,000 fans leaving the grounds.

After a 10-minute session with reporters, Miller went back to the waiting SUV, signing some autographs as he made his way through a waiting crowd, and the vehicle and motorcycle with lights flashing made the trek back to team headquarters.

QB KENNY GUITON played fairly well, finishing 16-of-24 passing for 185 yards and a TD. But with his team trailing 20-14 in the closing minutes, he threw an interception in the red zone, picked off by Christian Bryant. Final score: Scarlet 20, Gray 14.

Guiton said his receiver was open, “but that was a late read by me.”

Coach Urban Meyer said the junior is sometimes tentative.

“Kenny Guiton is a very good player,” Meyer said. “His arm strength is there. He doesn’t let it go, for some reason. His accuracy is not bad, but he doesn’t let it go. We have to figure that out.”

MEYER said he was “touched” by hearing “Hang On Sloopy” and how it brought back memories of his time here in the 1980s on Earle Bruce’s staff. He also loved coming out of the tunnel for the first time.

“I told our players, ‘Don’t ever not appreciate a group of people coming out to see you play, especially on a 45-degree raining day.’ “

He also talked about assistants Luke Fickell and Mike Vrabel, saying they and others are the ones who built the OSU tradition.

“Make sure you appreciate where you’re at,” he told the players.

MEYER SUMMED UP THE SPRING by saying: “We identified our issues. We also identified our strengths. I told them (they have to have) the best offseason in the history of college football.”

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Miller leads Scarlet to victory

By Doug Harris | Saturday, April 21, 2012, 03:30 PM

COLUMBUS - Quarterback Braxton Miller completed 24-of-31 passes for 258 yards with one interception to lead the Scarlet to a 20-14 win over the Gray before 81,112 fans in the Ohio State spring game today.

Back-up QB Kenny Guiton had a 28-yard touchdown pass to Devin Smith and also had a four-yard TD run to give the Gray a 14-13 lead.

But Rod Smith scored on a seven-yard run with 5:29 to go in the fourth quarter for the winning points. Carlos Hyde also had a one-yard TD run, and Drew Basil kicked field goals of 41 and 32 yards

Defensive back Christian Bryant ended the Gray’s last gasp with an interception in the red zone.

Michael Thomas, an early enrollee freshman, was Miller’s top target, catching 12 passes for 131 yards. Corey Brown led the Gray with seven receptions for 90 yards.

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Miller in groove for Buckeyes

By Doug Harris | Saturday, April 21, 2012, 03:05 PM

Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller was sharp at the start for the Scarlet in the spring game today, completing his first six passes. He has helped his team to a 13-7 lead at halftime by going 16-of-22 passing for 179 yards with one interception.

Back-up QB Kenny Guiton has a 28-yard TD pass to Devin Smith.

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Meyer high on QB Miller

By Doug Harris | Friday, April 20, 2012, 10:39 AM

Urban Meyer, the Ohio State coach, had some strong words of praise for quarterback Braxton Miller during a media session earlier in spring practice.

“I’m very impressed with Braxton &mdashp; first of all, just as a person. The guy is a worker, has a great work ethic, which is very important at that position,” Meyer said about the Wayne High School grad. “The thing that is the most important characteristic of a quarterback is a competitive spirit, and he has that. I was talking to our coaching staff just a minute ago: ‘Enjoy every minute you’ve got coaching guys like that.’ “

The first-year OSU coach also has been complimentary of freshman offensive lineman Taylor Decker, who enrolled early. The Vandalia Butler graduate has been running some with the first team, although part of that may be due to injuries along the line. Still, he’s made an impact.

Decker has been off-limits to the media because of a Meyer rule about not allowing freshmen to do interviews.

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Barrett commitment huge for Buckeyes

By Doug Harris | Thursday, April 19, 2012, 03:48 PM

Ohio State may have suffered a recruiting blow when Alter quarterback Malik Zaire turned down a scholarship from the Buckeyes and signed with Notre Dame. But OSU coach Urban Meyer has more than made up for that setback with a commitment Wednesday from J.T. Barrett of Wichita Falls, Texas.

Barrett is rated as the No. 6 dual-threat QB among juniors by Rivals.com, while Zaire is rated seventh. Barrett will be part of that prestigious national Elite 11 quarterback camp.

The Buckeyes also have Middletown QB Jalin Marshall in the 2013 class, but he’s being classified as an athlete that could play multiple positions. He’s ranked No. 2 nationally by Rivals.com in that category.

I always am suspect when OSU gets a Florida kid who wasn’t recruited by the big three in the state, Miami, FSU or the Gators. And I feel the same way about getting someone from the Lone Star state that Texas didn’t offer.

But Barrett had his pick of top schools, including LSU and Nebraska. And the reason the Longhorns weren’t interested is because they’ve got the Rivals.com No. 1 dual-threat QB in that class in Tyrone Swoopes.

Everything you read sounds like the Buckeyes and Meyer hit it big with Barrett, who is 6-foot-1 and 209 pounds. I watched his highlight clip, and he’s got a nice throwing motion and has ridiculous agility.

Although Rivals.com seems to be the preferred recruiting site, Barrett was labeled the No. 1 dual-threat QB by 247Sports.com and the No. 6 overall QB by Scout.com.

Recruiting analyst Bill Kurelic told 247Sports: “Barrett’s decision is a huge one for the Buckeyes. With Braxton Miller just a sophomore, Cardale Jones a freshman, and Barrett headed to Ohio State, the quarterback position looks great for years to come. And of course super athlete Jalin Marshall is headed to OSU. Marshall loves playing quarterback, but has the potential to be the Buckeyes’ version of Percy Harvin.”

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CJ grad dancing with the Buckeyes

By Brian Kollars | Friday, December 30, 2011, 02:07 PM

Friday’s Buckeye report from Ohio State Media Relations:

Buckeyes Work Through Day 3 in Florida

It was a bit warmer on the practice fields today; Luke liked the effort

PONTE VEDRO, FLA. - Ohio State held its third TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl practice in the state of Florida Wednesday. The team went through 18 five-minute periods plus a five-minute stretch session under slightly overcast skies but still with plenty of sunshine and blue visible.

“It was a good practice today,” coach Luke Fickell said. “I felt like the guys got after it and really gave a good effort out there today.”

Practice started about 9:45 a.m. and the Buckeyes were through at 11:35 a.m.

Another Fine Lunch

After practice the Buckeyes enjoyed another fine lunch underneath the stands of North Florida’s Hodges Field. Locals prepared some incredibly flavorful steaks and grilled boneless chicken breasts Wednesday and today there was a feast of barbeque chicken and beef brisket. Side sauces included “Memphis Sweet,” a “Kansas City BBQ” and “Carolina Gold.” All were good. The sweet was sweet. The BBQ was tangy. And the gold was mustard-and-vinegar like.

A Good Attitude at the Latitude

The Buckeyes had a fun-filled Thursday evening of food, bowling, X-box, bowl game watching, dee-jaying and dance battles at the Latitude 30 entertainment complex. Highlights had to include the 30-minutes or so that some of the players, led by the receiver Corey Brown, Verlon Reed, Kenny Guiton, Chris Fields and Jordan Hall, took control of the dee-jay booth and dance area. The guys rapped and danced in front of a nice crowd of onlookers and, in the words of Boom Herron, “they were just going away!” And then…

The Dance Battle

A Latitude 30 employee was seeking a dance battle and out of the throng of Buckeyes to take him on was…senior manager Sean Branick, from Dayton and Chaminade Julienne High School. Engaging in some freestyle hip hop moves, Branick took down the employee with a routine that ended with a whole body shake that included what could only be described as a “shaky-shake” of the right wrist.

“I had some friends in high school who could dance really well, so I learned from them,” Branick said. “I spent a lot of time in front of a mirror looking stupid, but hey, it paid off!”

Early Risers

The entire Ohio State team and its coaching staff attended the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) breakfast Thursday morning at the First Baptist Church in downtown Jacksonville. The event started at 7 a.m. and with a 30-minute ride from the Sawgrass Marriott to the church, the Buckeyes were welcomed into the day with 6 a.m. wake-up calls. A smaller group of Gators attended the event, including Jon Bostic, a junior linebacker, and Trey Burton, a sophomore running back.

Keynote Speaker: Sammy Smith

Former Miami Dolphin and Florida State Seminole Sammy Smith was the keynote speaker at the FCA breakfast. He said his wife asked him this morning if he was going to be nervous speaking at an event attended by Florida Gators.

“We are all Christians,” Smith told his wife. “We all love the Lord. Plus there is a coach here who played for the University of Georgia. If Will Muschamp can be accepted here, than I can be accepted here.”

Same Dolphin Drafts

Ohio State strength and conditioning coach Jeff Uhlenhake was the Miami Dolphins’ fifth-round draft pick in the 1989 NFL Draft. Sammy Smith was the first of two first-round picks for the Dolphins that year: Louis Oliver, a defensive back from Florida, was the other. One other player was drafted ahead of Uhlenhake: Syracuse defensive back David Holmes. Uhlenhake had one of the longer NFL careers of all these picks: 10 years (five with Miami; two with New Orleans; three with Washington).

Sweat and Jackson Take the Stage

Taking the stage at the FCA breakfast for the Buckeyes to talk about their personal lives and their spiritual development were senior linebackers Tony Jackson and Andrew Sweat. Sweat was appreciative of his teammates for helping him through the tough times early in his career.

“You are overwhelmed as a freshman, but guys like James Laurinaitis and Malcolm Jenkins helped guide you through and helped keep your perspective in focus on what’s most important in life.”

Jackson, who was 13 when he really started to want to understand his own spiritual life, has relished an opportunity to be a Christian leader for this team.

“Being able to pray for the team and with the team before we take the field, and again after games, has been a real highlight of this year,” Jackson said.

14 Years in Top 5

Sammy Smith, who spoke of experiencing the loss of a child, a career-ending injury and a six-year prison stay before he changed his life, played for the Seminoles when that program was in the midst of a 14-year run of Top 5 national rankings each year. His teams missed out on national titles, and he said the Seminoles didn’t win their first national championship until FSU had players with great character on and off the field, in addition to having great talent.

“Guys like Charlie Ward, Warrick Dunn and Derrick Brooks weren’t afraid to hold teammates accountable, and they had more than just talent on the field,” Smith said. “They had character.”

Smith then challenged the Ohio State and Florida teams, both of which are in transition: “Stand up and pull some leaders out of your teams,” he said. “Find those leaders during this transition period so you can move forward.”

Local Award Winners

Tony Boselli, the former great offensive tackle with the Jacksonville Jaguars, presented two scholarship awards, called Boselli Excellence Awards, at the FCA breakfast to local high school individuals who are leaders in their schools and communities and who live their lives with great character: Brandi Walker and Robert Wright.

One Final Practice

The Buckeyes will practice one more time prior to the bowl game: Saturday morning from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. After practice the team will attend the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl’s Hall of Fame luncheon and then attend a walk-through at EverBank Field.

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Buckeyes enjoying the Florida sun

By Brian Kollars | Thursday, December 29, 2011, 05:19 PM

A report from Ohio State Media Relations:

Buckeyes Continue Preparation for TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl

Speed was a topic of the day when Ohio State’s coaches and players were interviewed

Ponte Vedro, Fla. - Things are warming up nicely in Florida. The temperature for the Buckeyes’ morning practice at Hodges Field, located at the University of North Florida, was a practice perfect and sublime 59 degrees and, for the second day in the row, the practice was spirited and full of pep.

The Buckeyes spent a little more time in meetings at the hotel this morning before heading out to the practice fields (about a 20-minute drive with a significant police escort). Practice commenced just before 10 a.m. and ended two hours later at approximately noon.

Following practice, the defense showered and went back to the Sawgrass Marriott for meetings and lunch, the offense lifted weights (the defense lifted Wednesday) before heading back for lunch and meetings, and a few individuals spent time with the assembled media.

Thoughts from the Day

Offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Jim Bollman, defensive coordinator Jim Heacock and four players - Tyler Moeller, Etienne Sabino, Johnathan Hankins and Ryan Shazier - met with the media for interviews on the practice fields. Some thoughts from the day:

Coach Bollman on…

Florida’s defense: “They are really good up front. They have some really big and powerful guys. They also have some quickness on the edge and they can run at the inside linebacker spots. They may have some new guys in the back end, but at this time of year they have gained some experience. They will be formidable, that’s for sure.”

Coach Heacock on…

Florida’s offense: “Our guys have a great deal of respect for them. They have an athletic front and they have played very well up front. They have speed in the backfield. They changed to a pro-style offense this year and I think it’s been good for them. I think they have a little more power and they are a little more physical.”

Florida’s speed: “You hope we can keep up with their speed. You never know until you get out in the game and see how we’re playing. I think we have the potential when we are moving fast and playing fast that we can match up. A lot of it has to do with attitude and the approach you take to the game.”

Tyler Moeller on…

The game: “It would mean a lot to win this game. You always want to finish on top. It would give the team great morale heading into next year. And for me personally, and especially the seniors, it would be great to go out with a win in the last game.”

SEC vs. Big Ten speed: “I’d put Bradley Roby up against anyone in the 40-yard dash.”

Etienne Sabino on…

Being in Florida: “It feels great to be back here. This weather…you can’t beat it.”

Players from state of Florida increasing Ohio State’s team speed: “I would like to think we have added to Ohio State’s team speed.”

Johnathan Hankens on…

His speed: “I love getting off the ball, being quick and being able to make plays and run around.”

Ryan Shazier on…

Team speed: “I think we match up [to Florida’s speed] pretty well. People may overlook us just because we’re in the Big Ten and they don’t think we are fast. But I think we have just as much speed.”

In Memory

The Buckeyes will be wearing two additional decals on their helmets for the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl in the memory of two special individuals who lost their battles with illness earlier this month: former quarterbacks coach Joe Daniels and Jean Bruce, wife of coach Earle Bruce. A white decal with a black JD and a scarlet Buckeye leaf will honor Joe and a black decal with a white JB will honor Jean.

They’re Baaaaack

A flock (or horde or gaggle or gang) of turkey buzzards was chilling in the upper reaches of the stands at Hodges Field when the team arrived Thursday morning; enjoying the early morning warmth of the sun, no doubt. There were 29 of the large scavengers that looked to be about the size of a 12-pound turkey. Wednesday there were 18 buzzards in attendance. The stadium looks to hold about 7,500 fans, and it is typically used by the North Florida Ospreys’ soccer, track and field, and field hockey teams.

Turf Toes

The two practice fields the Buckeyes are utilizing for their bowl practices are the same kind of grass fields that the team will play on at EverBank Field (according to a couple locals at the field): a TifSport Bermuda grass overseeded with Rye grass.

A Muscular Bowling Alley

The planned entertainment for the day for the Buckeyes is an evening visit to an entertainment venue called Latitude 30. The location features bowling, billiards and the latest arcade games, plus big screen televisions and lots of music.

Looking Ahead…

The game day weather forecast changes every day, but today the forecast was for sunny blue skies and with a temperature of at least 65 degrees. So get your tickets for the game now at OhioStateBuckeyes.com.

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