OSU football notebook

Published: April 10, 2008

One significant change proposed by the NCAA Football Rules Committee is colleges are considering adopting the 40-second play clock currently used in the NFL. The rule will be implemented this season if the NCAA panel approves it in May.

If the proposal passes, once a play is blown dead teams will have 40 seconds to snap the ball. The interesting twist is when a player runs out of bounds following a running play or a completed pass, the clock continues to run unless it's the final two minutes of a half.

"This will change the game,” said OSU co-offensive coordinator Gunter Brewer. "It may not change it much for us, but you will see fewer plays than last year. We've been working these rules this spring to make sure we get our plays in.”

In past years, college teams have used a 25-second clock that didn't start until officials spotted the ball.

"I'm glad they put it in (early) so we could work on it towards the end of spring,” Brewer said. "We've had two scrimmages of kind of working with it.”

•Sandbagging?: Before spring practice began coach Mike Gundy was asked if he was sandbagging on defensive end Richetti Jones since Gundy deflected a question whether it would be realistic for Jones to record six sacks as a redshirt freshman.

"If he gets six sacks I sandbagged,” Gundy said. "Until this spring he hasn't done anything other than read a (script) card. He has some physical ability. He does have some skill. He has some quickness. He uses his hands well.

"But the adjustment of doing it in a live situation, and being able to maintain it for 15 practices, if he can do that he'll show up a lot earlier in the season which we hope he does. But it's yet to be seen. He still has to prove himself.”

•"Real” game: Similar to last season, Gundy is dividing his team into two equal squads for the Orange-White spring game on Saturday.

"(Our assistant coaches) have a lot of fun with it,” Gundy said. "We split the coaches and they put in trick plays. It's a really good event for everybody. Our alumni weekend's involved, so a lot of ex-players come back. It should be a great day.”

•Deep position: As many as eight receivers could end up catching passes this season.

"We're pretty deep at receiver now, with guys who redshirted last year, plus Damian (Davis) who played a little last year,” said quarterback Zac Robinson. "With (Josh) Cooper, Hubert Anyiam, Will Cole, they're all still learning but they're capable of making some big plays.

"With all the other guys I think we're a legitimate two deep at all three (receiver) spots. There's some guys still learning but talent-wise it's the best since I've been here.”

•Non-stop action: During scrimmages the past two weeks the offense is at a slight disadvantage because there's no stoppage of play.

"The offense really can't make adjustments in a scrimmage,” Brewer said. "You just keep rolling and call plays. You'd like to say, ‘Hey, let's go back and do this,' but you don't have the time to tell the kids those type of things.”

•Bell curve: Senior safety T.J. Bell, younger brother of former OSU running back Tatum Bell, has held his spot on the second team. Bell intercepted a pass in the first major scrimmage two weeks ago.

"T.J. has done the best job of anyone in my group to come along,” said safeties coach Joe DeForest. "He's been moved around his whole career. He's done a tremendous job of going from safety to cornerback back to safety. He's had a really good spring.”

By Mike Baldwin

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