Wednesday, April 18th, 2007

Boeckman leads two others in OSU QB race

From Associated Press
Photo by Dave Heirholzer/The Daily Standard

Saturday won't determine the starter for the Ohio State Buckeyes for this season, but the Spring Game will give Todd Boeckman, shown here in this file photo, an opportunity to impress players, coaches and fans.

COLUMBUS - The waiting is finally near the end for Todd Boeckman.
All those days spent holding a clipboard while standing on the sideline as somebody else played and got better - those are in the distant past as Boeckman tries to strengthen his grip on the starting quarterback job at Ohio State.
"It's very tough to come out here and sit for 3, 31/2, 4 years behind a couple of great quarterbacks like Justin (Zwick) and Troy (Smith)," Boeckman said Tuesday after one of the Buckeyes' last practices heading into Saturday's annual spring game. "It's real tough to go out there and get maybe a couple of reps a day. It's tough, thinking, 'Oh, I wish I was on the field.' But I knew the situation coming in and I knew I had to bide my time. Now I hopefully can run with this opportunity."
So far, so good for the fourth-year junior who came to campus three years ago and finally gets his shot at taking over for Smith, last year's Heisman Trophy winner.
Boeckman is listed as No. 1 at the position on the depth chart. Third-year sophomore Rob Schoenhoft and redshirt freshman Antonio Henton are also in the running.
Quarterbacks coach Joe Daniels makes it clear what he's looking for on Saturday in Ohio Stadium.
"Who can lead the team, who can lead us to victory, who's going to give us the best chance to win - that's the bottom line," Daniels said.
He said he did not think anyone would win the job in the intrasquad tangle between the Scarlet and the Gray.
"Saturday? No. I doubt it," he said. "To be honest with you, I doubt it. I think it'll be into the fall camp."
But that doesn't mean that all three aren't hoping they can put on a show before a large crowd and maybe gain the inside track.
None of them has much of a college resume. Boeckman has the most playing time, but he's only thrown 10 passes (completing seven) and run four times in his shots at mop-up duty in a Buckeyes uniform. Schoenhoft got into one game a year ago, completing his only pass. Henton received rave reviews from the coaches a year ago by playing the role of quick, deceptive quarterbacks like Florida's Chris Leak and Illinois' Juice Williams in practice to prepare the Ohio State defense.
Boeckman has a 6-foot-5 frame packed with 245 pounds. Schoenhoft is 6-6 and 240. Henton is 6-2, 210 - not unlike Smith, who led the Buckeyes to a 12-0 record and the No. 1 ranking before he and his teammates were stonewalled by the Gators, 41-14, in the national championship game.
Henton realizes his toughest job is convincing the coaches that his lack of experience won't prevent him from leading the offense down the field.
"I have to get more comfortable in the huddle, to be able to look at all my teammates in the eyes and let them know that I'm a serious guy that wants to win," he said.
Schoenhoft isn't conceding anything to Boeckman. He said his goal is to be the starter.
"That's what I came here for. I came here to play," he said. "It (starting) would mean the world to me, of course. But there's two other quarterbacks here that I'm great friends with, who are equally deserving of the position."
Boeckman comes from St. Henry, the same small football powerhouse that sent another tall, strong-armed quarterback to Ohio State, Bobby Hoying.
Boeckman grew up idolizing Hoying - the way he moved, the way he treated people - and he's never forgotten what a big deal it was back in western Ohio when Hoying was calling the signals for the mighty Buckeyes.
Now he knows that, literally, the ball is in his hands. This is his chance to take the job. Even as he tells himself that the first game is still 41/2 months away, he knows that the coaches are watching and that this might be his chance to make a statement.
But he also knows that he cannot afford to try to do too much.
"You can't come in here one day, saying, 'Oh, I'm just going to be OK today and the next day I'm going to try to be great,' " he said. "Every day you've got to go out there and do your best, show the coaches that you can lead this team every day in and out."
Additional online stories on this date
At least two eaglets have hatched and appear to be doing well along the southwest side of Grand Lake, despite last week's snowfall and cold spell. [More]
MINSTER - A Minster High School student will make local history next spring when he receives a diploma at the end of his junior year. Board of education members as well as administrators could not be prouder judging from comments made Tuesday night. [More]
Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry
Kayla Thornsberry outdueled Acacia Truesdale as St. Marys stayed perfect on the season with a 5-2 win over the Redskins at Wapakoneta on Tuesday in Western Buckeye League action at Wapakoneta. [More]
ST. HENRY - The Parkway Panther baseball team picked the most opportune time to play its best game of the season Tuesday night as they scored early a [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
ST. MARYS - The school district could be in the mix for state funding this year to build new or renovate old district facilities.
"The state has re
ROCKFORD - The village will pursue multiple funding scenarios to finance a new $2.5 million water treatment plant.
During the regular meeting Tuesd
MINSTER - As one street reconstruction project commences, Minster village councilors are looking ahead to another.
Village Administrator Don Harrod received authorization Tuesday night to apply for $1.23 million in transportation enhancement grant funds from the Ohio Department of Transportation.
Eight adults and two juveniles face alcohol-related charges after Celina Police responded to reports of a loud party on South Ash Street early Saturday morning.
Tile drainage allows surface water to filter out sediment and attached nutrients through the soil, said T.J. Place of the Auglaize County Soil and Water Conservation District.
Fort Recovery Local School officials held a final community meeting on a possible school expansion project, with no decisions made, on Monday evening
Daily Standard editorial
The ink has barely dried on legislation passed last year clarifying and strengthening Ohio's Open Meetings Law. Nonetheless, there is already a bill
After getting so close to a win in their last two meets, the Celina boys track team was looking to go over the top and finish first.
Tuesday's Western Buckeye League dual meet with Elida provided the Green and White that chance as Celina won the battle of Bulldogs by a 79-58 margin.
State-ranked Minster runs its unbeaten record to a perfect 10-0
MINSTER - If head coach Mike Wiss had any plans of his Minster Wildcats flying under the Division IV radar for much longer this season, it simply isn't going to happen.
A three-game winning streak all came crashing down for the Celina baseball team on Tuesday at Eastview Park.
Shawnee's Keith Hefner handcuffed Celina for just two hits and the Bulldogs aided the Indians' cause with four errors in a 6-0 defeat in Western Buckeye League action.
After nearly three years of work and filling 19 full-sized dumpsters, Celina developer Brad Burkholder is now leasing office space and apartments out of his 401 Building on Myers Road.
A sprawling new daycare center and preschool is scheduled to open its doors late this summer on the east edge of Celina.
Cindy Braun and Jodi Braun