Thursday morning for the fourth time during fall camp. It was conducted in periods outside in Peden Stadium, with a total of 27 periods over two hours and three minutes. Here are The Post’s observations:
Attendance:
Not present: Elijah Ball (season-ending leg injury), Tyler Tupa (leg injury), Griffin Hites (leg injury), Mason Bernhardt (undisclosed injury).
Injured: De’Vante Mitchell (undisclosed injury), Hagen Meservy (shoulder), Austin Conrad (foot).
Limited: Tariq Drake, Ilyaas Motley, Nick Sink.
Attendance notes:
- Drake, Motley and Sink all did not wear helmets today and practiced at a minimum. Drake didn’t wear shoulder pads, either. It looks like all were on the mend from either small injuries or the exhaustion that comes from fall camp.
- Durrell Wood wore shoulder pads for the first time.
- Meservy was icing his shoulder at the end of practice and didn’t participate in the last two drills of the day. He may of just been taking a break or he was injured. We’ll know more on his status tomorrow.
Observations:
Sights and Sounds
- The Bobcats had one of their longest practices of the week on Thursday, and that was credited to the weather. Clouds cover for the most of practice made for a comfortable temperature in the mid-70s.
- Defensive line coach Pete Germano continues to produce great one-liners. In a drill between the offensive and defensive line today he shouted at a freshman who had just been pushed around, “Welcome to college football! That’s a big boy right there.”
- Sook Center update: it looks like all cement has been placed, and now it’s time to landscape areas around the academic center.
Offense
- Nathan Rourke was 16 of 24 with two touchdowns in four periods (7-on-7 two minute drill, a regular 7-on-7 period, two team periods).
- Rourke completed passes to Papi White (three); A.J. Ouellette, DL Knock, Connor Brown and Keevon Harris (two each); Adam Luherman, Maleek Irons, Isiah Cox, Andrew Meyer and Noah Hoffman (one each).
- Of the eight incompletions from Rourke, two were drops and one was deflected. The deflection came from Javon Hagan who jumped across White’s body to make the play.
- The first touchdown came during the two minute drill. Inside the red zone, Rourke rolled out to his right and found an open Luherman. He was setup in the red zone when White made a great catch down the left sideline.
- The second touchdown came on a 60-yard play action pass to White. White continues to twist and twirl his way through camp and show he’s Ohio top target in the passing game. He gave the Bobcats’s offense the boost it needed Thursday and he’ll continue to do that throughout the season.
- A hybrid slot receiver, White stopped practicing with the running backs two springs ago. Since then his game has really taken off with the help of wide receivers coach Dwayne Dixon.
- Maxwell exchanged snaps with Rourke again. He finished the day 11-25 and his best period came in the two minute drill. Both times he led his wide receivers down into field goal territory.
- Yet again, Joe Mischler impressed completing 9 of 12 passes in 7-on-7 work among the third and fourth stringers. He always knows where the ball needs to be put and puts it there. Just a good sign of a smart football mind.
Defense
- There were no turnovers committed by the offense today, which meant no turnover belt. It also made for some frustrating moments. Defensive backs coach De’Angelo Smith was visibly upset with the play of his freshmen in 7-on-7 work.
- After two days of shoulder pads, the defense is itching to get in full pads. Then they can truly make tackles and get after people. Should make for a fun Friday morning.
Special Teams
- For the fourth consecutive day, the Bobcats have focused strictly on punt blocking during their designated special teams period. Today was spent specifically on making sure gunners got down the field fast. Plus, everyday the returners spend time practicing fair catches and returns.
- Special teams coordinator Brian Haines has expressed how happy he is so far with his unit of specialists. He thinks that they’re farther along at this point than they have been in the past.
Next up:
The Bobcats return to practice Friday at 8:40 a.m. Practice is open to the public and will be probably be held at Walter Fieldhouse due to probable thunderstorms. Ohio will put on full pads for the first time in camp.
Ohio’s annual media day will follow practice, where coach Frank Solich, captains and coordinators will be made available to the media.
