Today is the beginning of spring football. For most Buckeyes, it marks the beginning of an intense several weeks of auditions.
Urban Meyer has made it known that spring football will be a time of evaluation and competition. He wants his staff to have the two deep in place after spring camp.
For many players, spring football could determine whether they spend their game days on the field or the sideline. This should provide an aggressive environment during practices.
It will also provide the new staff a chance to assess the talent they have. The Buckeyes have six new assistant coaches and this will mark the first time they’ll be able to work on football drills with the players. The pressure is on them too as they must quickly assess which players should receive playing time.
If the players can adapt quickly to the coaches’ ways, it should make for an easy transition. In some ways, the Buckeyes have already showed Meyer they are capable of changing quickly to meet his demands.
Since Urban accepted the job, his relentless determination and demand for excellence has changed the culture of the program. It began in the off-season as he wasn’t impressed with the Buckeyes’ physical conditioning. In just several short months, the physical transformations of many of the players has impressed Urban.
If the Buckeyes can repeat this transformation on the field under Meyer and his staff’s direction, good things will happen. They should listen too as Urban has a history of improving programs quickly.
Meyer expects to win, his record shows this. In his first seasons as head coach at other programs, he’s a combined 27-8. As long as the players respond with the level of intensity and leadership Urban commands on the field, the Buckeyes will be a dangerous team in the fall.
Today marks the beginning of what should be a great journey. Spring camp will provide the team with the foundation they can build on throughout the season.
The players and coaches have 15 practices to show and assess what they have. The camp culminates with the LiFE Sports Spring Game on April 21.
Spring game tickets: Tickets are on sale through OhioStateBuckeyes.com for $7. Included in the ticket is the men’s lacrosse team’s Showdown in the Shoe against Air Force, which begins at 11:00 a.m. with the spring game to follow at 1:30 p.m. Tickets will also be available on game day for $15 (cash only). Children six and under as well as Ohio State students (must show BuckID) receive free admission.
