Will Todd Boeckman thrive in his senior season? Or will fans be calling for Terrelle Pryor to become the focal point of the offense? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
COLUMBUS (AP) — Here is what it’s like being Ohio State’s starting quarterback: After his first 10 games last season, Todd Boeckman was considered a dark horse candidate for the Heisman Trophy; now many Buckeyes fans think it’s only a matter of time until he’s holding a clipboard on the sideline.
Heading into Saturday’s opener against Youngstown State, Boeckman is the acknowledged leader of the second-ranked Buckeyes’ offense — unless he makes a mistake, of course.
With fans in a frenzy over raw freshman Terrelle Pryor, and salivating to see him in action, it must be difficult to not be hurt by all the love being tossed at a guy who right now is listed as Ohio State’s third-teamer and won’t attend his first college class for another month.
“He’s doing a good job of handling it,” cornerback Malcolm Jenkins said of Boeckman. “I know it has to be sort of hard: you’re the starting quarterback and you’re getting ready to prepare for a season and all everybody’s talking about is how a potential freshman can come in and take your job.
“I heard Todd get asked, ’How do you feel helping a guy out who could potentially take your spot?’ I don’t know how you really answer that kind of a question.”
Boeckman swears none of that talk bothers him.
“It really doesn’t affect me,” he said. “He’s a great player. He’s got all the talents in the world to be a great quarterback and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do.”
A year after leading the Buckeyes to a surprising 11-2 record and their second straight national championship game, Boeckman is trying to stay clear of the freight train of hype that’s barreling down the tracks. His teammates, at least, have never really considered that anyone else could be Ohio State’s quarterback this year.
“It is Todd’s huddle. What he says goes,” offensive tackle Alex Boone said. “He takes command of it very well.”
Boeckman also considers the job his for all of his senior season. But he’s also savvy enough to not slam the door on a talent like Pryor.
“I guess experience and me having a previous year last year guess helps a lot,” he said quietly. “He (Pryor) is a great player and if he’s going to go out there and play some snaps and do some things out there — and if it’s helping us win — I’m all for it.”
It hasn’t just been the coaches and fans he’s had to win over. Maybe that says something about following a Heisman Trophy winner like Troy Smith.
“Last year coming in he had to not only prove to the fans and the world that he could be the starting quarterback, but he kind of had to prove it to his teammates and gain our trust,” Jenkins said. “He’s done a good job with that. Since last year his confidence has grown a lot. He’s gained the trust of all his teammates. We know that he can get it done.”
He really got it done the first 10 games a year ago.
The Buckeyes were 10-0 and Boeckman, who had spent the previous two years as Smith’s understudy, was on fire. He was averaging 16 completions in 24 passes (67 percent) for 197 yards a game and had totaled 23 touchdown passes and just eight interceptions.
Over the last three games — a stunning home loss to Illinois, a narrow win at Michigan and a one-sided defeat to LSU in the title game — he averaged 12 completions in 21 attempts (57 percent) for 138 yards a game, with a combined two TD passes and three interceptions.
“Maybe at the beginning (of the season) I was standing in there and taking those hits and toward the end maybe, I don’t know if I got a little spooked or whatever it was, I just kind of wasn’t standing there taking those hits and still delivering the football,” Boeckman said.
Still, coach Jim Tressel said Boeckman was his starter throughout spring practice — then again, there weren’t any other options then since Pryor didn’t arrive on campus until this summer. Despite the drumbeat of support for Pryor, Tressel has remained a steadfast supporter of Boeckman. But that doesn’t mean he still doesn’t expect more.
“I think overall what Todd needs to do to take it to the next level is consistency. He had good efficiency,” he said. “He’s done a nice job of assuming that leadership role without forcing it. He was a runaway selection for captain. So if he can just inch-by-inch get better at everything that he does — consistency at that position is the hallmark of the real good ones.”
Boeckman is one of the most popular players on the team. His linemen love to kid him, his receivers respect him and the coaches all admire how he waited so long to be in the spotlight — and how he’s hanging on to it now.
Few have any doubts that he’ll have a big year, whether or not Pryor’s breathing down his neck on the depth chart.
“There’s a lot of aspects of just having done it before that he’ll automatically get better,” receiver Brian Hartline said. “Nerves will be (less of a factor). His reads will be that much clearer. And he’ll be more precise and more determined with where he wants to go with the ball. And he won’t have any hesitations.”
