QBs Hang Tough At Jersey Scrimmage
By Dave Biddle, Assistant Editor
Posted Apr 6, 2007
It was windy, cold and even snowing in Columbus on Friday, but Ohio State's three scholarship quarterbacks were able to lead the offense to a 70-61 victory over the defense in the first of the two jersey scrimmages this spring. We have reaction from all three quarterbacks -- Todd Boeckman, Rob Schoenhoft and Antonio Henton.
It was a windy, cold Friday in Columbus, but Ohio State’s three quarterbacks managed to lead the offense to a 70-61 victory over the defense in the first of the Buckeyes’ two jersey scrimmages of the spring.
Junior Todd Boeckman – currently listed atop the depth chart – threw two touchdowns and one interception (statistics were not available and the scrimmage was closed to the media).
“I think I did all right,” Boeckman said. “Maybe average. I’ve got a lot of things I can improve on yet. I think I did some great things today, but I also did some things I need to work on.”
It’s never easy for a quarterback to throw a football in windy, snowy conditions (yes, the Capital City was greeted with a little bit of snow on April 6).
“It was tough at first when we got out there,” Boeckman said. “It was a little windy and chilly, but I think we did a lot of good things today. We’ve still got a lot to work on, but that’s what the spring is for. We’ve got a lot of practices left and we’re going to work hard to correct those things.”
Boeckman was asked if he feels pressure every snap to perform well since the starting QB spot is open and it appears that the job is his to lose.
“I don’t want to say that because I just want to go out there and do what I know how to do,” he said. “I don’t want to go out there and worry about the quarterback competition. I’ve just got to go out there and we’ve all just got to go out there and work hard and do what we know how to do.”
But the 6-5, 235-pound Boeckman does admit it feels different taking the practice field as the Buckeyes’ No. 1 quarterback.
“It does a little bit because you don’t have two guys ahead of you and you’re always on the backburner just waiting,” he said. “But it’s exciting knowing that we have three guys that are capable of taking this team to the next level.”
Ohio State is going to need some young receivers to step up this year and one of them could be sophomore Ray Small who has had an impressive spring so far according to his teammates and the coaching staff.
“Ray is making some great plays out there,” Boeckman said. “You get the ball in his hands and he can make plays. If we throw a little hitch pass to Ray, he can make things happen.”
As a fifth-year junior, Boeckman’s best attribute might be his knowledge of the playbook and how head coach Jim Tressel wants things done.
“Well, I’ve been here for almost five years, so I think I know the system fairly well,” Boeckman said with a big smile. “I’ve been around here and I’ve seen Troy (Smith) and I’ve seen Justin and I know how they run the offense. I think I know how to handle myself out there and that’s definitely going to help me out a little bit.”
But Boeckman says not very much of the playbook was used on Friday. The Buckeyes are still being very vanilla in their offensive approach.
“We’re still working out way up to where we should be,” Boeckman said. “We’re kind of easing our way into it, but we’ve got a ways to go yet.”
Boeckman was asked what he feels like he’s doing well thus far this spring.
“I think things are slowing down for me right now,” he said. “Once you get all those reps on the field, things start slowing down a little bit. But we just want to get reps out there because all of us need reps in game-like situations and it was great to get out there today.”
Boeckman talked about his TD passes on Friday, as well as his interception.
“I threw two touchdowns today – one to Albert Dukes and one to Andrew Miller,” he said. “Robbie (Schoenhoft) had one also, I think to Dan Potokar. Antonio (Henton) got hurt, so he didn’t get to finish the full scrimmage.
“I also had a pick. On the last drive there I got hit and the ball went up in the air, so I had a pick there. I don’t even know who got it because I was on my back and couldn’t tell.”
According to the players, there didn’t appear to be any serious injuries at the scrimmage, but junior offensive lineman Jon Skinner did enter the WHAC on crutches afterwards.
“It’s something with his knee,” Boeckman said. “I don’t know the full extent of it, but it’s something with his knee.”
Henton continues to come on
The 6-2, 210-pound Henton is the young buck of the QB group. The redshirt freshman from Peach County, Ga., speaks with a strong southern drawl and with a quiet confidence.
He feels like he’s noticeably improved since arriving at OSU last fall.
“I feel like I’ve got a lot better since the first time I came here,” Henton said. “I’m getting comfortable with the system. Still learning though.”
Henton is getting a lot of reps with the first-team offense and he feels very comfortable this spring in that role.
“Yeah, I like it because when you’re running the scout team you’ve got cards and the defense knows what is coming,” he said. “And now, you don’t have any cards and you’re out there calling the plays and they’re out there guessing. That just makes our job a little easier.”
Henton knows that Boeckman is the leader in the race for the starting QB job, but he also feels like it’s a wide-open race.
“Of course. Yeah, of course,” Henton said. “There are days when I’m working with the ones, Todd is working with the ones, Robbie is working with the ones. It ain’t like every day Todd is with the ones. We’re rotating every day.”
Is Henton surprised that the youngest member of the quarterbacks is getting equal time this spring?
“Nah, I’m not surprised because they sat down and talked to us and told me that I had just as good a chance as the other quarterbacks have,” he said. “I’m just trying to get everything down so when it comes down to the fall and fall camp, everything will be slow.”
Like Boeckman said, Henton suffered a minor injury during the scrimmage and wasn’t able to continue.
“Yeah, I landed on my (right) shoulder that I kind of hurt during winter drills,” Henton said. “I re-hurt it today, but it’s OK. I iced it down.”
Henton finished with one interception and no touchdowns on the day. He wasn’t sure of yards, completion percentage or anything like that.
“I don’t know the numbers,” he said. “I was decent. I would say I was decent.”
The young QB was asked what he feels he is doing well at the present time.
“Probably understanding the game and how fast it is,” he said. “It’s different from high school and I’m just focused on getting the plays right and knowing where to go with the ball. I can get better making some throws, I know.”
Showing off
As for the 6-6, 230-pound Schoenhoft, he has the strongest arm of the group and he finished with one touchdown and one interception during Friday’s scrimmage. And he was just happy to get out there and participate in some live action so he has something to study over the weekend.
“I’m excited to get the opportunity to correct my mistakes,” Schoenhoft said. “When you get to watch the film and see why you threw an interception, you’re out there for everybody to see you and you want to correct those kind of mistakes. You want to put the emphasis on studying yourself out on the field in game-like situations.”
Tressel has been preaching to his quarterbacks to be mistake-free, but none of them managed to stay away from picks during the windy and cold conditions on Friday.
“Yeah, no one was mistake free,” Schoenhoft said. “When we watch the second quarter of the Michigan game and you see Troy, you think, ‘He’s always mistake free.’ But the thing about him is that when he makes a decision he goes all out with it. And you see that and say, ‘Oh man.’ This is the progress for us quarterbacks to see when you decide to go somewhere with the ball, go with it all out. You watch film of yourself in game-like situations and it really helps a lot.”
A lot of times spring football can be mundane – for players, coaches and fans alike. But a wide-open quarterback competition sure makes things a lot more interesting for everyone.
“It’s fun to tell you the truth,” Schoenhoft said. “Just to get out there and play with your teammates and have an opportunity to get better is what we came here for. This is an excellent opportunity that I’m excited for.”
* The Buckeyes will hold their second and final jersey scrimmage of the spring next Saturday morning (April 14). It is the traditional scrimmage that is open to the media.
