Updates from yesterday's practice. It looks like Graham is last in the QB competition and Guiton is really impressing. Ozone had a good write up about practice too. I love the thought of using Jordan Hall and Rod Smith as WRs. They will be match up problems all day long.
http://blog.dispatch.com/buckeyesblog/2011/04/qbs_keep_gunning_it.shtml
With Joe Bauserman missing reportedly because of a class, the other three Ohio State quarterbacks in the derby to replace Terrelle Pryor for the first five games of 2011 took up the slack without missing a beat in practice today.
Sophomore Kenny Guiton, redshirt-freshman Taylor Graham and freshman Braxton Miller took turns during the brief full-team scrimmage situation the media got to watch on the indoor field, moved there because of the winds outside.
Guiton seemed more in control running the offense. Graham flashed outside on one particular play, showing some wheels, only to have his pass picked off by Florida State transfer Dionte Allen with a diving catch.
And Miller appeared more and more comfortable with each play he got to run, stepping up and out while keeping his eyes downfield on one play in particular before firing a pass. For a fellow just four months removed from high school, it seems he gaining a grip quickly.
There was news with Pryor, too. He was wearing football cleats and throwing the ball some on the side, though he wasn't cleared to take part in actual practice since he is still recovering from post-season surgery to repair his injured right foot. But after having the stabilizing hardware removed his foot a few days ago with a minor surgical procedure, he no longer was wearing a protective boot.
The first string offensive line that answered the initial call today included right tackle J.B. Shugarts, right guard Marcus Hall, center Michael Brewster, left guard Cory Linsley and left tackle Mike Adams. What's interesting about that, of course, is Adams -- like Pryor -- will be suspended for the first five games along with receiver DeVier Posey, running back Dan Herron and defensive end Solomon Thomas as their punishment for selling or trading memorabilia to a local tattoo parlor owner.
The second team line, meanwhile, included Linsley at center, Andrew Norwell at left guard and Hall at left tackle at one point. It is line coach Jim Bollman's perogative to move fellows into different positions during the spring, with the intention of identifying the top seven or eight linemen overall. Whether he will settle on Adams' replacement before this month of work is done remains to be seen.
During our viewing time, Allen was part of two of the more impressive plays. First there was his diving interception. Then came his collision with running back Carlos Hyde out in the right flat after Hyde caught a pass. The pop of the pads was all Hyde's as he ran over Allen.
