With the 2015 College Football season under way our Ohio State Buckeyes open their season against non other than the only team to beat them last year; the Virginia Tech Hokies. In watching this game there may be some players on the field that are having a big impact that you may have never heard of before, so let’s take a look at some of the new faces the coaching staff is counting on to come up big in the first game of the year.
The first guy that the coaching staff is counting on to make some plays Monday is WR Parris Campbell from St.Vincent-St. Mary. Yes, the same high school as Lebron! Parrris is a 6’1″ 205 lbs RS Freshman that has made a major impact this fall camp. So much that word as leaked out that he will start at the WR spot opposite of Mike Thomas. Coach Meyer believes Parris can be the guy to take the spot of Evan Spencer from last year as one of the best blocking WR’s in the country because of his size and strength. Don’t let that fool you though. Parris is much more than a blocker. As a 4 star recruit coming out of HS, Parris is a freaky fast athlete with great hands. He will be expected to make some plays catching the ball just as much as he will be blocking for Zeke. Parris will be wearing #21 so keep an eye out!
Another guy in the receiving core that will need to make an impact in with the suspensions is RS Freshman Johnnie Dixon 5’11” 195 lbs from Dwyer high school in Florida. Dixon was a big time recruit when he committed to OSU and was expected to make an impact last year as a true freshman, but due to injury he had to take a redshirt. Johnny is a guy that can flat out fly! As one of the fastest players on the roster. No doubt he will be in the game for much of the offensive plays and will get quite a few touches. The thing to keep an eye on is that Johnnie will be wearing #5 this year instead of #1. A certain senior that has changed positions asked Johnnie for his number and ,out of respect, Johnnie gave it up. So be prepared for the new #1 and #5 to have a big impact Monday.
On the other side of the ball there were not a lot of spots to fill after graduation. Tommy Shutt #90 will take over most of the snaps that Mike Bennett took last year, along with true Sophmore Raekwon McMillan #5 taking over for Curtis Grant. One guy that you may not have great memories about is the new #2 corner Gareon Conley 6’0″ 195 lbs from Massillon, Oh. Conley has changed his number to #8 and hopefully that will help people forget the one performance he had last year as RS freshman when Michigan State blatantly targeted him in the first quarter when he was filling in for injured Eli Apple. Since then Conley has grown leaps and bounds according to the coaching staff. Conley was not simply given the job either he was tested greatly by Damon Webb #7 another guy that will get time on Monday, but Conley stood strong and earned the right to be a starter Monday. Hopefully he lives up to his 4 star ranking and is able to give the Buckeyes a strong presence opposite of Eli Apple.
The last player that should have a major impact on Monday is RS Freshman DE Sam Hubbard 6’5″ 265 lbs from Cincinnati, Oh. Sam has changed his number to #6 this year and you should definitely expect to see that number on the field a lot, even when Joey Bosa comes back. Sam is a guy that the coaches can’t help but talk about. Coming to the program as a safety, Sam has come along way to be where he is today. Even as a true freshman he was playing so well that the coaches considered stripping his redshirt away and playing him in the National Championship. That ,of course, did not happen and obviously worked out just fine! But, this year we are going to need Hubbard along with many others if we want to reach our ultimate goal… another title!
A few other guys you might see make an impact could be true Freshman CB Denzel Ward #12, Sophmore DE Jalyn Holmes #10, RS Sophmore DE Typuan Lewis #59, RS Freshman WR Terry McLaurin #83, and finally Sophmore OLB Dante Booker #33. Let’s see what this season brings! Go Bucks!
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