5 things to watch after Ohio State training camp

Then-junior Braxton Miller carries the ball during the Orange Bowl on Jan. 3, 2014 in Miami. Clemson beat OSU 40-35.Credit: Lantern File Photo With “Hell Week” — a week that included three two-a-day training sessions — in the past, the Ohio State football team can fully turn its attention to its Sept. 7 opener at Virginia Tech. The Buckeyes might have won the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship, but as the Hokies proved to OSU in last year’s 35-21 loss in the home opener, any team has a lot of work to do to get into anything close to peak form. Coach Urban Meyer brought his team into fall camp this year with the goal of not only making it two for two in CFP titles, but finding that championship mode much closer to the entrance of the season. Here are five things to watch out for as OSU makes the shift from training camp to game practice. Monitoring health: It is unreasonable to think that any team could make it through high-intensity preseason training without some bumps and bruises, and the Buckeyes are no exception. While there have not yet been any injuries as costly as the season-ending shoulder injury then-senior quarterback Braxton Miller sustained shortly before last year’s opener, Meyer named several players on Saturday who have been recently held out of practice with ailments. Redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Michael Hill (knee) Redshirt senior offensive lineman Joel Hale (calf) Redshirt junior wide receiver Michael Thomas (foot) Redshirt junior running back Bri’onte Dunn (foot) Senior defensive lineman Tommy Schutt (undisclosed) Senior defensive lineman Adolphus Washington (undisclosed) Redshirt senior quarterback/H-back Braxton Miller (hamstring) Freshman running back Mike Weber (meniscal tear) Shallow lines: When asked on Saturday about what the biggest areas of concern on the roster are for the Buckeyes, Meyer immediately gave two: backup offensive line and interior defensive line. While “The Slobs” of the offensive line were instrumental in OSU’s run to the title last year — and only Darryl Baldwin departing school and being replaced by redshirt senior Chase Farris at right tackle — the depth should one of the starting five go down is shaky…

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