OSU Football Fall Practice Report: Young Running Backs Getting Quality Reps

The OSU football team wrapped its fourth practice of fall camp on Wednesday in a two-hour session at the Sherman E. Smith Center in helmets, shoulder pads and shorts. After four-straight days of breaking the players in, the coaches rewarded them with a rest day on Thursday as part of a new NCAA rule, Gundy said.

Although there’s been just two padded practices, Gundy says he’s excited about the early returns of key positions that need to show marked improvement before the start of the season. So here’s an update with three things you need to know four practices into camp.

Cornerbacks getting quality reps

With graduate transfer Aaron Cochran likely to lock down the left tackle spot, the main concern and focus for OSU is settling the cornerback competition, as well as backup spots at quarterback and running back. Thus far, Gundy says, he likes where things are headed.

“I like where our secondary is for the second day in pads,” Gundy said. “We’re getting some good play out of Adrian (Baker) and Rodarius (Williams). A.J. (Green) is making some plays at corner. We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us, but I’m very pleased with where we’re at right now and tomorrow is their day off. That’s a new rule that has kicked in this year with the NCAA. It’s well-deserved for these guys and for us it’s not much of a change. We had asked them to not come out here and to not do anything physical. We want them to take the day off so they can recover and we’ll go back to work the next day.”

Baker, the Clemson graduate transfer, is likely to come in and steal one of the starting jobs at corner. Which means A.J. Green or Rodarius Williams could be fighting for the starting gig opposite him.

New tight end Sione Finefeuiaki still finding his way

2017 signee Sione Finefeuiaki arrived at OSU just a week ago, but that hasn’t tempered expectations much for the junior college fullback who is likely to be called upon early and often as a lead blocker at the Cowboy back position, similar to the role Zac Veatch served. Thus far, however, he’s looked … lost.

“Well, the first day I think he went the wrong way about half of the time and today it was probably only about 20 percent of the time,” said Gundy. “He is 255 pounds though and he is a 400-pound bencher, and he does have some talent. His durability and his ability to absorb a lot of information and then perform in a fast-paced style of offense like we run will make all of the difference for him.”

Gundy singled out Britton Abbott and Keenen Brown as guys who have made strides in camp, but notes that the position is far from concrete: “We’d like to make some strides and know what we’re going to do at that position within the next 10 days,” he said.

Gundy confident in running back competition

As noted above, cornerback is a chief concern in camp, as is the backup running back competition.

Behind Justice Hill, OSU has an experienced returning playmaker in Jeff Carr, two true freshmen in Chuba Hubbard and J.D. King, and two redshirt freshmen in LD Brown and walk-on Ja’Ron Wilson. Thus far, they’re “running well,” according to Gundy, but have a ways to go before they’re game-ready.

“I like the running backs behind Hill,” Gundy said. “That’s a key spot for us this year. Ja’Ron Wilson is running well. (Jeff) Carr has made improvements in his strength and is making some plays. The two freshmen are out there running as well. They’ve got a long way to go, but they’re both getting some quality work.”

Ja’Ron Wilson’s name might be the least recognizable after a light recruitment a year ago, but the Euless, Texas product has turned heads in camp and could be a serious contender to steal reps this season given the amount of uncertainty in the backfield.