Ohio Spring Football Game Recap

From Ames to Athens, fighting for a quarterback job is nothing new for Phil Bates.

Bates lost a quarterback battle while at Iowa State. Now, he is among three quarterbacks trying to claim Ohio’s starting job. Two took to the field in Saturday’s spring game.

Bates took snaps with the first team offense and had one of his better performances of the spring.

“I think today we just kind of put it together. I think overall as an offense we made some strides,” Bates said.

He completed 9 of 17 passes for 115 yards, while picking up 65 yards on seven carries.

Sophomore Tyler Tettleton had his ups and downs in action with the second unit. He was 7 of 13 for 58 yards but threw behind and missed some open receivers.

The one to watch in the competition though is the one who did not play Saturday. That’s redshirt senior Boo Jackson, who is still recovering from a shoulder injury that kept him out for the majority of the 2009 season. But Jackson is the only one who has started a game with the Bobcats.

Still, head coach Frank Solich is giving each an opportunity.

“It's open. Boo [ Jackson] does have the most experience. He's lined up and won football games for us, so you can't forget that. Obviously these other guys are being thrown into the mix. Tyler [Tettleton] is coming off a freshman season where he got some playing time and has had a really good spring,” Solich said.

However, it is the transfer Bates who knows this situation all too well.

“I’ve been through a competition before, me and Austen at Iowa State. We’re good friends but also competing and, of course, you want that starting job, so you’re going to try to work as hard as you can,” Bates said.

Bates fell short in that duel for the Cyclones’ starting spot, with Austen Arnaud earning the job. Then-Iowa State head coach Gene Chizik tried to use Bates at both quarterback and wide receiver. But four games into the 2008 season, Bates decided to quit the team and request a release from his scholarship.

Two years later, Bates is a Bobcat and again having to win the starter’s spot. From his past experience, he knows that focus is paramount in these competitions.

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“You have to be zoned in on every play. You can’t just be out, thinking of something else while he’s in. You have to be thinking what is he doing on that play, what should I be doing on that play,” Bates said.

While Bates brings versatility to the position with his speed and ability to run out of the pocket, his passing leaves room for improvement.

“We need to get him to where he’s a 65 percent plus thrower. If that happens, he could be special,” Solich said.

And being special at quarterback also entails the right mentality.

“He has great attitude, great work ethic. He’s one of those guys that wants to be perfect in everything he does, so he pressed a little bit. But I thought as spring went on, he kept showing he can do an awful lot of things,” Solich said.

But the right mentality is not easy to attain.

In just his second year, one of Bates’ competitors, Tettleton, is still trying to gain more confidence in the huddle.

“On the field, I’d probably just say [being] more vocal and trying not only to win them over but just show them that I can be a good leader,” Tettleton said.

That leadership is something that works in the favor of the experienced Jackson, who also has the numbers to back him up.

Jackson started the final ten games of the 2008 season and did so impressively, racking up a bunch of records along the way. Tettleton and Bates are competing against Ohio’s single-season leader for touchdown passes and total yards of offense.

While winning the job against a veteran of the system will be a challenge, Bates has had to overcome challenges just to get here.

“It has been a whole year since I’ve played again, so I think getting to know these guys has been a big transition,” Bates said.

It’s a different place, different conference, but same story. This time, Bates will try to make himself that story’s protagonist.

By Connor Kiesel
VanDelay Sports Staff Writer