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Home > Blogs > Buckeyes Beat > Archives > 2008 > April > 19 > Entry

Bottom line, Boeckman is the right QB

By Doug Harris | Saturday, April 19, 2008, 02:45 PM

Todd Boeckman has acted all spring like a guy who feels secure as Ohio State’s starting quarterback — and he should. The senior-to-be doesn’t have any reason to fear for his job.

The more I watch Boeckman, the more I’m convinced the Buckeyes are going to be just fine at QB next season, and any discussion about Terrelle Pryor coming in and taking over is simply absurd.

I was studying Boeckman while he warmed up before the spring game in some 11-on-11 drills and marveled at how his throws seem to end up perfectly placed on outstretched hands.

Yeah, Pryor will see the field this season and may be a future star, but Boeckman’s still the guy.

Some other final spring observations:

• The Buckeyes will be looking to take some of the tailback load off Chris “Beanie” Wells, given his injury history, and redshirt freshman Daniel “Boom” Herron could provide some depth at running back.
  
  I’m not forgetting about Brandon Saine, but I see him in more of a multi-purpose role. Herron appears to have the power and natural running back instincts to make an impact this season.
  
  I’ve never understood what the OSU coaches see in Maurice Wells, and the senior from Jacksonville, Fla., probably would be phased out if coach Jim Tressel wasn’t so loyal to his seniors.
• Sophomore Bryant Browning is the heir apparent at right tackle to quote-machine Kirk Barton, and the Cleveland Glenville product already has earned his teammates’ respect. He was the first lineman taken in the spring-game draft of non-seniors, and I watched him pancake veteran defensive tackle Nader Abdallah on Saturday.
  
  The amiable Barton will be missed by the media, but the OSU offense will hardly notice he’s gone.
• The Buckeyes will be much better than they were last season on special teams.
  
  Although Tressel has always emphasized that facet of the game — we wouldn’t be surprised if he has his trademark saying, “The punt is the most important play in football” chiseled on his tombstone — the Buckeyes were horrendous on kickoff returns (117th nationally out of 119 teams) and had four field goals blocked last season.
  
  They simply have too many athletes in uniform to be that bad again, and kicker Ryan Pretorius and the field-goal unit have been nearly flawless this spring. Plus, the Buckeyes have another competent kicker in Aaron Pettrey in case Pretorius falters.

The Buckeyes are a team with few holes and will be worthy of all those top-five preseason ratings they collect this fall.

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