Entering Ohio State’s loaded wide receivers room is no easy task, but freshman wideout Carnell Tate seemingly passed that test during spring camp.
Tate emerged as a clear standout among Ohio State’s early enrollees, flashing his abilities and making plays throughout spring camp while acclimating to the demands of college life. As head coach Ryan Day said, Tate has handled the drastic changes in his life with ease, both on and off the field.
“There’s a lot to be impressed with Carnell. But I think the first thing is just his maturity since he’s been here,” Day said. “Right from the jump, we do meetings where we throw up everybody in the building, go through each guy, and to a person, just the feedback we’re getting from academics, from nutritionists, from strength and conditioning, position coaches, player development, everyone has such great things to say about Carnell off the field.”
As Day mentioned, Tate has been a noticeable presence, both for his play and his approach to his academics, meetings and practices.
In regard to his football acumen, offensive coordinator Brian Hartline recognized Tate’s ability to bring what he’s learned in meetings and apply that to his game.
“He’s being well-detailed. I would say he’s doing a pretty good job of taking meetings to the field,” Hartline said. “We talk about techniques and the details of every play, and he’s pretty consistent on hitting those. Probably the best thing he’s done is the ability to make a mistake, correct it and then move on from it. He very rarely has repeated mistakes and that’s usually a pretty good sign of a good player and a guy that’s about his business.”
The glowing reviews from Day and Hartline were on display during Ohio State’s spring game on April 15, as Tate hauled in three receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown. The clear highlight of his day came on his lone score, as he strode past cornerback Jiyare Brown and hauled in a deep ball from Kyle McCord while crossing the goal line for the 37-yard touchdown.
“Carnell ran a really good route and the offensive line did a good job in protection, I made a good throw too,” McCord said. “When all of those things come together, that’s the result.”
Tasked with covering Tate throughout the spring, cornerback Denzel Burke emphasized that the first-year receiver has been a difficult assignment in practices during camp. When asked which offensive player jumped out to him most this spring, Burke had a simple answer.
“Carnell Tate,” Burke said. “Just know that he’s a dog.”
As Tate continues to turn heads within the Woody Hayes Athletic Center and outside of it, Hartline noted that he’s well ahead of the curve when it comes to his acclimation to life as a collegiate student-athlete.
“I really appreciate where he’s at off the field and on the field so early in his career,” Hartline said. “He’s done a great job since he stepped foot on campus.”
