Ohio State football DB Lathan Ransom to be 'ready to roll' for preseason training camp
INDIANAPOLIS — Almost seven months after fracturing his left leg while covering a kickoff in the Rose Bowl, Ohio State safety Lathan Ransom is expected to practice with the team when it opens preseason training camp next week.
Coach Ryan Day said Ransom should be “ready to roll,” though cautioned he might still be initially limited in practices and held out of 11-on-11 periods.
But he is on track to be available for workouts throughout the preseason leading up to the Sept. 3 season opener against Notre Dame, and Day said Ransom is moving closer to full strength.
"He's going to kind of ease into it, but he's almost 100%," Day said. "He's done an excellent job with his rehab. It says a lot about him. He really wants to get back on the field."
The injury required surgery, a procedure Ransom underwent two days after the Buckeyes’ season finale against Utah.
“Lathan’s a grinder,” safety Ronnie Hickman said. “He’s been in the treatment room. He’s been doing the extra work. It’s going to pay off for him.”
Ransom appeared in all 13 games last season, including starting for three of them, and finished with 38 tackles that were the seventh-most on the team.
A majority of the snaps Ransom got last fall were as the cover safety, a role that is most similar to the slot safety in new coordinator Jim Knowles’ defense.
Tanner McCalister, who transferred from Oklahoma State to follow Knowles, is the favorite to start at the position, but Ransom could compete with Cameron Martinez for snaps if he makes full recovery.
Day also said the defensive coaching staff is looking at him for a "couple of different things."
"Maybe not as much at nickel," Day said, "but he has a lot of versatility."
Most of the other injured Buckeyes players are expected to be available for preseason camp.
Day said an exception is defensive end and linebacker Mitchell Melton, who injured an anterior cruciate knee ligament during the spring game in April.
New Ohio State defensive scheme
Hickman said the Buckeyes are “pretty comfortable” with the new playbook introduced by Knowles.
“There’s definitely room for improvement to get more comfortable in it,” Hickman said, “but I would say we’re pretty comfortable.”
Most of it was installed during spring practices held over March and April.
“The guys in the room are pretty smart,” Hickman said, “and coach Knowles does a pretty good job at teaching it.”
Hickman said other assistants have been helpful, including Matt Guerrieri, a senior advisor and analyst who had previously worked with Knowles at Duke and most recently been the Blue Devils’ co-defensive coordinator.
“The way guys help us with the install and stuff like that, they’re all on the same page,” Hickman said.
When he spoke with reporters a couple of weeks after spring practice ended, Knowles had credited players with speeding up the pace of the installation.
“When they have a football intelligence,” Knowles said, “and they're interested in learning, and they have open minds, you start to pick it up, and the more they’re handling, the more you give them.”
OSU offensive line depth
Day said he is “feeling better” about the depth of the Buckeyes’ offensive line, an issue of concern he had raised at several points during spring practice.
That sentiment is owed to a few things, including the return of reserve offensive lineman Josh Fryar after he missed spring practice. Fryar is available for preseason camp.
Fryar, who is entering his third season, is positioned to be a backup behind Paris Johnson and Dawand Jones at the tackle spots.
Day mentioned the addition of other offensive linemen as a factor as well. Freshmen Avery Henry, Carson Hinzman and Tegra Tshabola enrolled this summer.
“But I'll know more probably in the first couple weeks of the preseason,” Day said.
Etc.
The Buckeyes will hold their first practice on Aug. 4.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Contact him at jkaufman@dispatch.com or on Twitter @joeyrkaufman.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Lathan Ransom 'ready to roll' for Ohio State football camp
