Jake Ballard has never tried the sport of boxing, but he was pulling no punches when he met with the media this week to discuss Ohio State’s struggling offense.
The junior tight end was doing his best to say all the right things, but if fans think they are the only ones frustrated with the lack of production, they should hear the players.
“We’re not performing as well as we want to or are capable of performing,” Ballard said. “We know we can’t keep playing like that if we want to win the Big Ten. So, we definitely need to step our game up as a whole.”
The offensive numbers for the No. 12 Buckeyes (6-1, 3-0 Big Ten) are shockingly bad for a team that was expected to be in the upper echelon of the Big Ten in almost every statistical category. Instead, it’s been the polar opposite. Ohio State ranks 10th in the conference in total offense (320.9 yards per game) and last in passing offense (143.6).
Some followers of the program have strong feelings that the offensive line has been the biggest problem. Ballard says the shuffling up front has been an adjustment period and he also thinks the change at quarterback from senior Todd Boeckman to freshman Terrelle Pryor has been a challenging transition.
“I don’t know why we’re not playing well, but maybe it’s because we’re still getting used to playing with everybody,” Ballard said. “The offensive line has done some moving around and we have a new quarterback, obviously. Terrelle is a different quarterback than Todd and can run at any time. So, we’ve just got to keep playing and keep blocking and keep the blocks alive longer and give him more time back there.”
Although the numbers certainly don’t indicate it, Ballard still thinks the Buckeyes can have one of the best offenses in the Big Ten.
“Yeah, our problems are definitely correctable,” he said. “We’re all very talented guys and we can do the job. We can make the blocks. We can run the ball. We can make the throws and the catches. We just need to all play together as a group and all improve our game. We need to increase our practice tempo and come to practice every day wanting to get better and not just going through the motions. We have to go into each game like it’s the Big Ten championship.”
Ballard was quite soft-spoken his first two years in the program, but like a lot of upperclassmen do, he’s come out of his shell so to speak as a junior. And he’s extremely unhappy with the way things have developed so far offensively this season. It would be one thing if the Buckeyes were last in the Big Ten in passing, but first or second in rushing and scoring. But they’re just sixth in rushing (177.3 yards per game) and seventh in scoring (24.3 points per game).
“Yeah, it’s frustrating,” Ballard said. “Teams are loading up the box and they know we’re not passing very much. But with arguably the best back in the country in Beanie (Wells), we still should be able to run the ball. It shouldn’t matter how many guys they put in the box. Us as an offensive line and tight ends, we need to make holes that Beanie can run through and we shouldn’t have to pass. I mean, we need to throw the ball a little more, but we also need to give Terrelle time to throw the ball.”
And in fairness, Wells missed three games and has been stellar most of the time when he’s been available. In four games, Wells has 479 rushing yards and two touchdowns and is averaging a robust 6.7 yards per carry.
The Pryor predicament
The common thread around Columbus is that the talented Pryor might be a year away from really being able to hurt teams with his arm. (Troy University might disagree with that sentiment.) However, Ballard doesn’t think it is Pryor’s fault that OSU’s passing numbers are so bleak.
“I don’t think he’s struggled,” Ballard said. “Our offense has struggled as a whole. Against Purdue last week (when OSU didn’t score an offensive touchdown and managed just 222 total yards), if we weren’t holding the blocks for him, obviously there was more pressure on him to make the throws. Or he would have to pull the ball and run – and he can make big plays with his feet – but it’s not high school and he can’t make big plays every single time for 20 yards or whatever. We have to be able to run the ball and hit (passes) for a few yards at a time, because he’s not always going to get big plays.”
The conversation then turned especially interesting as Ballard was asked if he thinks Boeckman could have provided a spark for the offensive against Purdue.
“I mean, yeah, they’re both good quarterbacks,” Ballard said. “That’s not my call and I’m going to trust whoever is in there and trust the coaches’ judgment. So, it’s up to them.”
Ballard was then asked if playing Pryor and Boeckman in some type of rotation could have any negative effect on the team.
“I think it would only help,” he said. “The senior leadership that Todd brings to the table and just how he commands the huddle would definitely help us out. And then he can make some big throws for us. And Terrelle can make some big throws for us too. And Terrelle can also help us running the ball. So, I mean, I don’t think the two quarterback situation would be a bad idea.”
Boeckman is very well respected in the locker room as a sixth-year senior and captain. Ballard admits it was difficult for some of the veterans at first when Boeckman lost the starting role.
“Yeah, he’s definitely in a tough position being a senior captain and losing his job,” Ballard said. “But we try and stay behind him and keep his head up and tell him to just keep fighting and working hard and everything will work out for itself.”
There has been a lot of chatter that there has been dissension inside OSU’s locker room between some of the veteran players and the coaches. Older players are not happy about the way the Boeckman situation was handled. They don’t have a problem with Pryor playing and in general all the players – young and old – get along well. However, certain players – and the name of junior wide receiver Brian Hartline always seems to pop up – are not pleased with how things have developed as a whole. But Ballard wasn’t about to give any dirt to the media when asked about it.
“I don’t think it’s caused any problems on our team,” he said. “We’re all a pretty close-knit group of guys and I think Todd and Terrelle know there can’t be any division between quarterbacks because it will just bring the team down as a whole. Todd is definitely not looking to do that, so he’s just going to be positive and keep working until he gets (some playing time).”
When asked point-blank if Boeckman got a fair deal from the coaching staff, Ballard said: “I don’t know. I think a two-quarterback system wouldn’t be a bad idea. I think Todd is a great leader and a great player and if he came into the game I think he could help out a lot. But I think Terrelle is a great quarterback too. They just bring different things to the table.”
Whether it’s football or not, a lot of times sports come down to the mental side of things. And when a team is last in an 11-team league in passing seven games into a season, doubt starts to creep in. But is it too late for Ohio State, or can it turn its fortunes around in the passing game?
“We just have to get to the point where we’re 100 percent confident that we’re going to get yards when we run the ball and we’re 100 percent confident that we’re going to get yards when we pass the ball,” Ballard said. “When we pass it, we’re going to make the plays. We’re going to make the catches, whether it’s 4 yards, 5 yards, or 60 yards downfield. It shouldn’t matter. We should have confidence in our ability to throw it and run.”
It doesn’t sound like Ballard has much confidence in the passing game, but he says he does.
“Yeah,” he said. “We have good quarterbacks and good receivers. If we start passing the ball more, I’m sure we’ll get completions. Our line just needs to block a little bit better and the tight ends too. We need to block a little bit better and I think we can catch the balls as well if we get some opportunities.”
Despite the feeling that he might have a chance to be a future NFL tight end, Ballard has just three receptions for 42 yards on the season. Last season he “exploded” for 13 receptions for 149 yards and two touchdowns. (And the word in quotations is only partial sarcasm for OSU TE standards.)
“I’m not really frustrated that I haven’t caught many balls,” Ballard said. “I don’t think our receivers are either because we’re winning games and what can you say. We’re not going to be opposed to getting more balls. If that’s the case, then great.”
Overall, Ballard says it’s time to take a step back from the ledge. He knows fans are frustrated and he says the players are even more upset. However, he says the bottom line is that OSU is in line to still accomplish a lot of big things this season.
“We’re still 6-1 and undefeated in the Big Ten,” Ballard said. “We had the misstep with USC early in the season, but we’re still in contention to win the Big Ten for the fourth straight year and beat Michigan for the fifth straight year. We just need to take it one game at a time and keep improving and hopefully not have a game like we had last week.”
MSU defense brings toughness, not gaudy stats
It might surprise one to learn that No. 20 Michigan State (6-1, 3-0) is ranked just ninth in the Big Ten in total defense, allowing 361.9 yards per game. However, with head coach Mark Dantonio – who was OSU’s defensive coordinator from 2001-03 and helped lead the Buckeyes to the 2002 national championship – Ballard knows that the Spartans are better on that side of the ball than the numbers indicate. OSU and MSU are set to face off Saturday in East Lansing (3:30 p.m., ABC) and it’s shaping up to be a good one.
Michigan State runs a base 4-3, but loves to mix things up and throw in an array of zone blitzes. The Spartans won’t use a lot of bump-and-run man coverage with no help from safeties deep, but they will come from all different angles with their zone blitz packages (at times defensive ends and linebackers will drop deep into coverage). They will also make teams earn yardage and they do a good job of keeping things in front of them and preventing big plays.
In other words, they are almost a mirror image of Ohio State’s defense. And that’s not very difficult to imagine considering the background of the parties involved.
“They are very similar to our defense, obviously because Dantonio coached here,” Ballard said. “Our defensive schemes are pretty much the same, or close enough. Michigan State likes to blitz a lot and definitely try to bring more guys than we can block. So, we have to be ready for those.”
Ballard has heard the talk out of East Lansing this week that this could be a program-changing game for the Spartans and some of their players think OSU is very beatable this year.
“They are probably looking at it like, ‘Ohio State is not as good as we thought,’ and they can think that,” Ballard said. “So, they might be surprised when we get up there and show them what we can do.”
One piece of good news for OSU’s offense is that senior tight end Rory Nicol has returned from a sprained ankle and will play against Michigan State. The Buckeyes like to run a lot of two tight end sets and Ballard is happy to have his partner back.
“Oh, we take pride in that we have two good tight ends – two good blocking tight ends – and we can definitely run the ball better when we have eight guys in there blocking for Beanie,” Nicol said. “So, me and Rory definitely bring something special to the table, so I’m glad he’s back this week. We’re going to need him because this is going to be a physical game and we like games like this. It’s tough, but it’s why you love football.”
Boone chats about QB situation, O-line, Toledo over Michigan
Ohio State left tackle Alex Boone also chimed in on the hottest topic in Columbus right now: the state of the offense and what should be done to shake things up.
Boone is not sure if Boeckman will get a chance to play against Michigan State, but he thinks Boeckman would perform well if he gets an opportunity.
“Absolutely,” Boone said. “I think he’s doing a great job in practice. I think if he were to be thrown into a game he would step right back in there. He’s the rock. It would be great to see him back in there and I think he’ll do a good job.”
Boone is the most outspoken player on the team, but even he wouldn’t give a firm answer when asked if Boeckman “should” get a chance to play.
“You know I can’t answer that,” he said. “It’s up to Tress (head coach Jim Tressel). I think Todd’s a great quarterback and if they put him in there he’ll do a good job.”
Boeckman has handled the demotion well publicly, but Boone was asked how he’s reacted behind closes doors.
“I think he’s done a great job and has still stepped up as a leader,” Boone said. “You lose your job to a freshman and you’re kind of like, ‘Man, what am I going to do from here?’ You can go way down, or you can help him out and help the team out and I think he’s doing a great job of helping the team out. I’m really proud of the way he’s handled it and even behind closed doors he says, ‘You know, Terrelle is a great quarterback,’ and he’s helping him as much as possible.”
Boone thought Ohio State’s offensive line had turned its fortunes around following wins over Minnesota and Wisconsin. The group had struggled early in the season, but he thought they finally found their groove. However, after a shaky performance against Purdue, the complaints about the offensive line from fans are once again loud. And Boone understands because he feels the same way.
“I think what was addressed was a few nights ago as an offensive line, we sat down and said, ‘This isn’t right,’” Boone said. “I don’t know what guys are thinking or how they’re playing but there’s more guys on the ground than there should be. More guys are just kind of stumbling around. You’ve just got to go. Move. Hit somebody. Do something. Play physical and play fast. We haven’t been doing that and I don’t know why. We just need to go out and play. This is it. This is the rest of the season and there’s still a chance to do great things. So, we’ve got to get going and improve.”
Boone has tried to put his finger on the problem and he thinks it comes down to nastiness. Offensive linemen have to have it in their minds that they are going to dominate and play extremely physically. The physical skills have to be there, but it’s also a mindset.
“I think it’s more of a motivational thing,” Boone said. “I think it’s guys psychologically thinking they are going to do enough to get it done. But the truth is that’s not good enough, especially at Ohio State. You have to do above and beyond. You have to lay out for blocks and lay out for your quarterback and sacrifice yourself and do things that go above and beyond what a regular person would do. So, that’s been addressed many times by guys pretty harshly to some of the other guys. Rory Nicol has gotten on some guys. I’ve gotten on some guys. Our defense has been yelling at us to step up. We’ve just got to pick it up and I think this would be a great week to show everybody.
“Up there at Michigan State is going to be a very physical game. Their house, it’s going to be physical and it would be a great game to show that the O-line is back.”
Keeping the mood light, Boone was also asked about Michigan’s 13-10 loss to Toledo last week.
“I think that was a shocker for everybody and I don’t know what’s going on up there,” he said.
Tressel mentioned earlier in the week that he doesn’t get any satisfaction seeing the Wolverines struggle. But where does Boone come down on that? Does he always root for Michigan, or did he get some amusement out of UM’s first loss ever to a MAC school?
“No, it’s more surprising than anything,” Boone said. “Everyone thought Michigan was going to kill Toledo and it didn’t end up going that way. So, it was more of a surprise than anything. And I don’t really know what to say after that – I’m at a loss of words for once.”
