Columbus Dispatch: After preseason camp ends, Ohio State football starts shifting preparation to opener

[BleedGopher]

per the Dispatch:

Day said about half of Ohio State’s time in practice involves preparing for Minnesota, which is one of the more experienced teams in the Big Ten and is led by running back Mohamed Ibrahim, the nation’s leading returning rusher. There’s a game plan to install for the matchup as well.

But a few position battles remain unsettled following camp and will need to be sorted out in the coming days.

The biggest is at linebacker. Following Friday’s intrasquad scrimmage, Day said the staff is still determining which players might start.

Entering this week, he said he hoped the group, which has dealt with some nagging injuries, would be healthy enough to give them a proper assessment of the unit.

After preseason camp ends, Ohio State football starts shifting preparation to opener

The Buckeyes are using about half of their practice time to prepare for their season opener at Minnesota on Sept. 2, coach Ryan Day said Monday.

www.dispatch.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[Gophergrandpa]

Offensive game plan: play “confuse a LB.”

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

No rush!

 

[BilldGopher]

From Monday's Columbus Dispatch...

After preseason camp ends, Ohio State football starts shifting preparation to opener
Joey Kaufman The Columbus Dispatch
Published 4:08 p.m. ET Aug. 23, 2021 Updated 6:08 p.m. ET Aug. 23, 2021

The signs of a fast-approaching football season could be seen at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on Monday.
Some of Ohio State’s players trudged off a practice field in gray scout team uniforms as part of the preparation for their Sept. 2 season opener at Minnesota.

A video screen flashed the Gophers’ logo, preceded by only one word: “Beat.”

Following the end of preseason training camp last week, the Buckeyes have shifted much of their attention toward the first game in Minneapolis. Ten days remained before kickoff. It was not one too many days for coach Ryan Day as he pondered his team’s readiness. When asked how they would fare in a game if it was held tomorrow, he smiled and shook his head.

“I always want more time to get ready, so I would be nervous,” Day said. “But I think we have a chance to have a good team. I do. I think that we have some veteran guys. I'm pleased where we're at in a lot of areas. And now it's just a matter of how well we can prepare for the first game and sort things out.”

Day said about half of Ohio State’s time in practice involves preparing for Minnesota, which is one of the more experienced teams in the Big Ten and is led by running back Mohamed Ibrahim, the nation’s leading returning rusher. There’s a game plan to install for the matchup as well.

But a few position battles remain unsettled following camp and will need to be sorted out in the coming days.
The biggest is at linebacker. Following Friday’s intrasquad scrimmage, Day said the staff is still determining which players might start. Entering this week, he said he hoped the group, which has dealt with some nagging injuries, would be healthy enough to give them a proper assessment of the unit. Dallas Gant, last season’s backup middle linebacker, who has been recovering from a foot injury that sidelined him during spring practice, was among the players who was limited
during a practice last week open to reporters.

“Some of the guys just need to kind of heal up, which they're going to do,” Day said. “Then other guys just keep continuing to get more reps and more experience. It's like a combination of those two. The more experienced some of those guys get, the better.”

Ohio State did settle its most pressing preseason question over the weekend when it named C.J. Stroud the starting quarterback, ending a competition to replace Justin Fields that began in spring practice. Day, who praised Stroud’s leadership and decision-making ability after announcing him as the starter, was at ease with the competition ending.

“I think the anxiety is, do you have a guy that you feel great about going into the game?” he said. “And we do. So I think that part is exciting and a relief. But now we got to go play. It doesn't really mean anything until we get onto the field."

Stroud, a redshirt freshman, will be making his starting debut when he lines up behind center for the Buckeyes. He spent last season as a backup for Fields after enrolling as one of the top-ranked passing prospects in the 2020 recruiting class. He established some separation between himself and Kyle McCord and Jack Miller in recent practices and impressed teammates such as Cameron Martinez, a defensive back who has been in coverage looking to knock away some of his throws.

“All his balls look really nice,” Martinez said. “Just the way he throws the ball, it’s all smooth. He’s a really smooth player, a really smart player. He makes all the right reads. That really impresses me the most.”

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[Unregistered User]

...his balls look really nice...it’s all smooth.

hehehehe