Scarlet Sunrise: First-year receiver Carnell Tate 'continues to impress'
Good morning, Ohio State fans, and welcome to the Scarlet Sunrise. Football will always be our focus, but every day we’ll cover news, notes and analysis from across Buckeyes sports. Join us each morning to get caught up on everything you missed in the world of Buckeyes football, recruiting, basketball and more in Scarlet Sunrise.
First-year receiver Carnell Tate ‘continues to impress’
Now, all four of the Ohio State true freshman wide receivers have shed their black stripes. Carnell Tate, however, was the only one of that bunch to do so in the spring.
Along with Bryson Rodgers and Noah Rogers, Tate arrived at Ohio State this winter as an early enrollee. He stood out the most, though.
Not only was he on the receiving end of some of the best highlight-reel-worthy throws of spring ball, but he also wowed in the spring game with arguably the play of the exhibition, a 37-yard touchdown catch that started with him beating second-year Buckeyes cornerback Jyaire Brown down the sideline.
Tate carried the momentum he built in the spring to the summer while dealing with tragedy off the field. He lost his mother, Ashley Griggs, who was killed in a west Chicago drive-by shooting on July 16. Since, the Buckeyes have rallied around Tate, and his perseverance has been admirable.
“I will say that Carnell Tate continues to impress,” Day said Monday. “To go through what he’s been through this month and then just to continue to show up every day and play the way he’s playing. You’re talking about someone who not only has talent but has maturity at a high level.
“I’ve been very impressed with Carnell.”
It’s pretty clear: Tate is pushing for playing time earlier than expected. So how can the Buckeyes get him on the field when Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Julian Fleming and Xavier Johnson entered the offseason as, and presumably still are, the team’s top-four wideouts.
“Those are all things we’ll have to figure out as we get closer to the game,” Day said, “but there’s a lot of snaps. We’ll rotate guys. It’s a long season. Those things find a way to work themselves out at that position. But [Carnell] just keeps stacking days and keeps impressing.”
Day was also asked Monday how first-year receivers like Tate are so college-ready these days. It’s not just Tate, too. Rodgers, Rogers and even summer arrival Brandon Inniss have all turned heads in camp.
For the most part, they hardly look like true freshmen.
“They play more 7-on-7,” Day explained. “So they know how to run routes more. They know how to deal with man-to-man. They know how to recognize zone. They do all that stuff. The areas where they don’t always get as much opportunity is just the blocking. Taking care of the football, playing on contact and those kinds of things. It’s still a very physical game. And that’s where when you’re in camp, day after day playing in pads and getting tackled and getting hit and having to block, like those are all the things that they’re working through.
“But, when it comes to the passing game, these guys are much further along than maybe in years past.”
Still undecided on QB, Ryan Day believes ‘they both deserve to play at this point’
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day still hasn’t named a starting quarterback, and he might not do so until the season is underway.
And, so, the competition between junior Kyle McCord and redshirt freshman Devin Brown continues.
Day doesn’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing, however. Both McCord and Brown graded out as “champions” in Saturday’s scrimmage. They are both former five-star recruits, top-five quarterbacks in their respective recruiting classes and Elite 11 finalists.
Plus, Day doesn’t believe in the old adage, “If you have two quarterbacks, you have no quarterback.”
There’s a chance both play Week 1 at Indiana on Sept. 2.
“I’d be surprised if it continues throughout the season, once you get into the games,” Day said. “But it’s been close. It’s been back and forth. You would like to have somebody who’s the quarterback to play the whole game. But for me to say, ‘Hey, this guy should just play the whole game and the other one shouldn’t,’ that’s just not the right thing to do right now because they both deserve to play at this point.”
For the full story, head on over here.
What Jim Knowles press conference tells us about Buckeyes defensive depth chart
Jim Knowles is candid. The second-year Ohio State defensive coordinator tells it like it is, and, most of the time, he doesn’t shy away from providing information about the emerging depth chart.
That was once again the case Monday when Knowles discussed his unit.
Lettermen Row has a rundown of what we learned from his press conference, including notes on the hybrid “JACK” position and an update on the Buckeyes’ safety situation.
Check it out here.
Josh Simmons set to start at left tackle for Buckeyes in season opener
In just four months, Josh Simmons has gone from San Diego State to Ohio State and from right tackle to left tackle, a position he said he’s never played before.
That was quite the change, especially because it meant that he’d be replacing a first-team All-American in Paris Johnson Jr. who went No. 6 overall in this year’s NFL Draft.
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day confirmed Monday that Simmons is, in fact, in line for that opportunity and responsibility to fill Johnson’s shoes.
“I think, as we head into the first game here, you’ll see see Josh at left tackle,” Day said Monday. “And, as of right now, going into this week, he’ll probably be the starter.”
For more on Simmons’ ascent, as well as the other O-Line leaders in the clubhouse, go here.
Counting down
Buckeyes vs. Indiana: 11 days
Buckeyes vs. Michigan: 95 days
Are you subscribed yet?
Are you ready to get all your latest Ohio State news in one place? Become a member of Lettermen Row today. With your Lettermen Row/On3+ membership, you’ll not only have access to the everything that’s happening with the Buckeyes, but you’ll also be able to peruse other fan sites within the network to hear just how rivals are feeling about Ohio State, as well. Make sure to follow along on Twitter, Instagram and on Youtube for all the latest Buckeyes news you need to know.
