Updates from Ohio State Camp as Buckeyes Get Back to School

It’s that time of year again when footballs start flying, plays get run, and players get out of the tough summer drills and into the tough fall drills.

Well, August 4th was the day camp started, but everyone gets a peek at the players the day before as they check into their hotel.

Precursor: Rumor has it that Strength and Conditioning Coach Lichter tried to out-Barwis Barwis, Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez’s right hand man.  In other words, players got their asses kicked.  They are in better shape than you or I could ever be.

Highlights:

• One guy stands off the screen more than anyone, and that guy is Rob Rose.  Rose, the former five-star recruit, looked a little heavy and was injured for most of last year.  This year’s Rob Rose looks all of 295 pounds, but all muscle this time around—not quite Vernon Gholston freakish, but massive.  Hopefully his new bulked-up, tattooed-up look will translate just as well to the field.

• Obviously Kurt Coleman reads message boards and is upset that everyone thinks we don’t have a hard-hitting safety.  That is the only explanation for Coleman coming in as the mini-Rob Rose and has to be at or above 200 pounds.  Hopefully the added mass can jar loose some helmets or balls.  He worked with Mike Doss and Will Allen all summer, so that’s a good sign!

• James Laurinaitis is apparently dedicating reps to his football skills at the expense of his neck workouts.  Brian Cushing may be bigger than he is, but nobody has a higher neck diameter to head diameter ratio than J.L.  James also drives a Lincoln Navigator—call ESPN!

• J.B. Shugarts and Mike Adams may or may not be the real deal, but they do pass the look test.  Them are some big boys.  We all want to see Bryant Browning succeed, but here’s to Mike Adams getting in as soon as he’s ready.

• Terrelle Pryor loves Ohio State…or so his Hyundai will lead you to believe.  While TP didn’t show up in a Corvette, his white sedan had a 2' x 2' Ohio State Buckeyes logo in the rear window.  Any normal individual would have the police asking them to take it down in a minute, but I’m assuming nobody bothers Pryor.

• Rumor has it that Brandon Saine and Flash Thomas did not check in for camp because they are so fast, the NCAA (and the media) passed a ruling that sent them to the SEC.  I’m kidding—they are not really that fast, or they wouldn't play in the Big Ten.

• Jim Cordle and Rory Nichol look like they are going to start on your son’s high school football team until you have some perspective of how massive they are.

• Steve Rehring thinks this is his money year because he looks fit.  Well, as fit as a 6'8", 330-pound man can look.

• Malcolm Jenkins looks like he’s headed back to the Playboy Mansion, or at least some NFL training camp.  Mr. Hollywood or Kanye West?