Football
Adams Slims Down as Competition Heats Up
By Brandon CastelIt was getting to be a problem.
As an offensive lineman, Mike Adams' massive size had always served him well on the football field. That is until recently. At 6-foot-8 and well over 300 pounds, Adams was literally a mountain of a man by the age of 18.
Nicknamed "Big Mike," in high school, Adams used his size and strength to dominate opponents on his way to being named a U.S. Army All-American two years ago, but the Dublin Coffman product felt himself slowing down (literally) when he got to the college level, and not just because the competition was speeding up.
Mike Adams "I have lost about 40 pounds, then I put a few back on, and I'm about 300 pounds right now," said Adams, who enters his second season at Ohio State. "I feel faster, I feel like I can move better all around."
It's uncertain whether Adams' weight contributed to any of his injury issues last season, but he certainly did not look like the same player this spring that scouts saw when he was tabbed as one of the top offensive tackles in the country in the class of 2008.
Most were quick to blame the left tackle's spring struggles on a lack of toughness, but carrying 30-40 pounds of extra weight would certainly throw off a player's balance, which was something he seemed to struggle with when going against faster defensive ends like Thad Gibson and Cameron Heyward in practice.
"It was something I decided to do for me," he said. "To get my body right and help my chance of playing more this year."
Although he was listed atop the depth chart at left tackle in Ohio State's recently released 2009 Media Guide, Adams is anything but a lock to hold down the starting spot this spring. Originally tabbed as the natural replacement for four-year starter Alex Boone on the left side of the line, Adams found himself in a dogfight during spring practice with converted tight end Andy Miller as the Buckeyes look for someone to protect quarterback Terrelle Pryor's blindside.
"It would be great to develop the ability to pass block on the edge," offensive coordinator Jim Bollman said. "At the tackle spots if you had to rank priorities it would be nice to get some guys who could handle some things on the edge without having a bunch of assistance, be it formation assistance, by tight end or running back or something along those lines."
Mike Adams Having bulked up to over 290 pounds, Miller was one of the biggest surprises of spring practice and entered fall camp in a literal deadlock with Adams for the starting spot. The two are sure to battle things out over the coming weeks, but there is also the potential for sophomore tackle J.B. Shugarts to move over to the left side now that he has recovered from off-season shoulder surgery.
"Everybody talks about Michael Adams and Andrew Miller, but if J.B. comes along and shows some things too, J.B. could end up going to left tackle," Bollman said. "That's not a problem."
Like Adams, Shugarts (6-8, 300) has excellent size for an offensive tackle. He was expected to battle senior Jim Cordle for playing time at the right tackle, but the recently reported news that left guard Justin Boren could miss 2-3 weeks with an MCL sprain means Cordle will likely slide back inside for the time being.
The move opens a spot for Shugarts to play with the first group at right tackle, but the Buckeyes are expecting to have Boren back at least by the USC game on Sept. 12, which means the staff could still give Shugarts a look on the left side if he performs better than Adams and Miller during practice.
"I think the way Jim Bollman is starting it now is Mike Adams and Andy Miller are rolling it in with the first two groups, but that doesn't mean if someone looks good at right tackle that they are buried there behind Jim Cordle, a senior," Head Coach Jim Tressel said. "If the right tackle looks better than the two left tackles, then we still have a little bit of time to look at those kind of things."
As for Adams, he believes being in better shape and having a better knowledge of the playbook will allow him to play with the kind of aggression fans (and coaches) are hoping to see out of the young Buck.
"There's one thing that can help you play more aggressive and that's knowing what you're doing," Adams said. "Coming into my second year I definitely know the plays better, know everything better, which definitely allows me to play faster and play harder."
We will find out Saturday as the Buckeyes prepare for their first scrimmage of fall camp.
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