Archives for March 2017

Recruiting Spotlight: Jackson Allen

 

Here we are Motsag Sports subscribers with another recruiting spotlight on 2021 Quarterback prospect Jackson Allen from Hattiesburg, MS.  We know this is a bit off but the youngster is impressing people. College football, indeed all of college sports starts paying attention at such young ages. Jackson isn’t the first and won’t be the last. But the composure these young people possess is startling as this interview suggests.

It’s virtually impossible to identify big time success at such a young age and we don’t pretend to be able to project that. But we thought it interesting to hear from a youngster who has gotten some buzz. He obviously has matured to a point where he can talk like a talented yet respectful lad who understands the path ahead. We will be interested in following his development.

R.T:  With it being so long until you sign your letter of intent, what schools are you currently hearing from?

J.A:  Well the past few years, I have had Mississippi State show interest, and mainly that’s it, but I think with me just getting my film out there to colleges and me performing well my freshman year will really help me out as far as interest goes.

R.T:  Are there any schools that you are highly interested in at this moment?

J.A:  I have grown up a Mississippi State fan, so Mississippi State has been my number 1 school and I love how Dan Mullen works with quarterbacks.  I think he is the best in the business at progressing quarterbacks, but I also love Alabama.  I love how their offense is, they will spread the defense out from the shotgun but they will also go from under center and work their offense from there.  So those are my 2 favorite schools right now.

R.T:  What offers do you currently have?  Which offers would you like to have prior to your National Signing Day moment which is quite a bit in the future?

J.A:  At this point, I don’t have an offer.  I’m only in the 8th grade, but I think if I perform well my freshman and sophomore years, the offers will come flowing in.  I think it is just the competitor inside of you that want to have every D1 scholarship in the country going into signing day.

R.T:  What factors do you consider “musts” for the schools that you are interested in?

J.A:  My number top 3 “must” would be:  1.  Being able to compete for the job as a freshman right when I get on campus.  2.  Would be the right system for me as a quarterback.  And number 3:  Would be, being comfortable with the coaching staff and my position coach.

R.T:  Being from Hattiesburg, MS, did you become a quarterback because of Brett Favre?  If not, who would you say influenced you to?

J.A:  Being from Hattiesburg, MS and when I have to introduce myself to coaches and or media, the first question I get is, “does Brett Favre living in your town influence you to play quarterback?”.  My first response is “no” because the funny thing is, I did not wanna play quarterback until my 3rd year of tackle football, which would be my 5th grade year, and the reason I never got to play a different position is because my dad forced me to play quarterback and it turned out amazing, so I give all the credit to my dad!

R.T:  What type of quarterback are you?  What are your strengths and weaknesses?  What can you improve on?

J.A:  I don’t hold myself to a specific type of quarterback.  I believe I can do it all.  I can throw it, I can run it, I can throw it on the run, I can manage the game, and I can make the players around me better. My biggest weakness is flexibility and I’m not the strongest in my core but I’m working hard to fix those things so I can find something else to critique about my game. 

R.T:  What type of leader are you on the field?  And off the field?

J.A:  On the field, I am a very intense leader.  I feel like I know when to get onto a player and then when to just tell them you’ll get it next time, and I think that separates me from other guys.  Off the field, I’m a little bit more laid back, but I do good in the classroom, and I encourage my teammates and classmates to do the same.  

 

Buckeyes Offer Georgia’s Chris Smith

By Trevor Arnold

The Buckeyes were on the move today with another Georgia scholarship. This one goes to Chris Smith II, who was on an unofficial visit today at Ohio State.

Smith is 3-star cornerback out of Atlanta Hapeville. He stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 170 pounds. He is the fifteenth cornerback offered by OSU for the 2018 class.

People who haven’t been paying attention sometimes look at the 3 stars and assume Ohio State can do better.

But Smith has now been offered by Alabama, Ohio State, and Michigan in addition to other top programs.

Remember a guy named Darron Lee, a 3-star quarterback drafted in first round as an NFL linebacker? Urban Meyer and staff have an elite eye for elite talent.

Of course offers like this often influence higher ratings so expect Smith’s ranking to increase throughout his senior year.

Smith has great speed and ball pursuit. It is still too early to tell where Smith will end up, but Buckeye fans should keep an eye on the Atlanta native.

Draft A Buckeye: Gareon Conley

Gareon Conley was the lone starter after Tyvis Powell, Von Bell and Eli Apple left for their NFL dreams two seasons ago.  He has started since they left, and has become a reliable player for the Buckeyes, often shutting down a half of the field with his play.  

Conley is listed as 6’0″, 196 lbs., and he is projected to be drafted late in the first round.  He ran a 4.44 at the combine and displayed his athleticism during drills.  

Conley has drawn comparisons to current Denver Bronco Aqib Talib from NFL Scouts.  He has the ability to use his talents at the next level with the blend of size and speed that he possesses.  He is durable and he can be used right away by NFL teams.  

Unlike other Buckeye Defensive Backs, Conley has more than a season of starting experience, and that is the intriguing part when considering the talent that the Buckeyes send out on a yearly basis over the past few years.

Recruiting Spotlight: Julius H.F. Buelow

I have something new and exciting for you Motsag fans, an interview with Class of 2019 recruit Julius Buelow from Kapolei High School in Hawaii.  Buelow is 6’7″, 314 lbs., and is currently an Offensive Tackle for Kapolei High School, but he is comfortable when placed outside his natural position, whether it is on the offensive or defensive side of the ball.

R.T:  First off, how would you describe your unofficial visit to Ohio State?  What stood out to you during the visit?

J.B:  The visit to Ohio State was awesome.  The campus is huge and the football facilities are impressive. The football building was really busy the day we went and I got to meet a lot of the coaches, trainers, and players.  The atmosphere stood out to me, there is a lot of energy there and you can tell people are working hard to be the best.

R.T:  I know that the 2018 recruiting cycle has just begun, but what schools are currently “high” or “sticking out” to you?  And why?

J.B:  This is a hard question to answer.  I’ve been to a few different schools and they each have different things to offer.  So I really need to figure out what I’m looking for as far as what I might want to study, the football program, and maybe even the type of campus, but I’m only a sophomore, so right now I’m trying to learn about different schools, so I know what kind of options I might have.

R.T:  What offers do you currently have and what offers are you striving to obtain/that you covet?

J.B:  Right now I only have some verbal offers, nothing official yet.  Not sure yet, same as last question, just trying to check out as many programs as I can, so I can have a better idea of what I’m looking for.

R.T:  When would you consider cutting down the list of offers?  Do you have an idea on when you will commit?

J.B:  I probably won’t commit until my senior year, 2019, unless I figure out what I want really early, and that school feels the same way about me.  But it’s a big decision, so I don’t plan on making it quickly.

R.T:  Being from Hawaii, how comfortable are you about moving far from home?  Does weather play a factor?

J.B:  As long as I have family kind of close by, I have no problem moving away from Hawaii for college.  I always wanted to go to the mainland for school.  I like the cold so that doesn’t bother me, by cold, I mean 30’s – 50’s.  Don’t know yet how I will do if it’s colder than that lol.  Just gotta make sure I have the right clothes and that there’s an indoor practice field haha.

R.T:  What factors play a key part in your recruitment?  Coaches, facilities, playing time, etc?

J.B:  Yes, all of those, and one of the biggest factors is going to be if the school is highly rated for the major I’m in, and also if they have a lot of options if I decide I want to change my major.  But the O-Line Coach is going to be one of the main factors for me, and the culture of the program.  I want to be somewhere that will prepare me for life after football.

R.T:  What are your strengths and weaknesses?  What are you looking to improve during your junior and senior years in high school?

J.B:  Strengths – my size, footwork, and technique.  Weakness – lack of experience, didn’t start playing until 8th grade and never had playing time until 9th grade.  Looking to improve everything that has to do with me as a player and a person.  

 

Draft A Buckeye: Marshon Lattimore

Marshon Lattimore has suffered through some injuries during his tenure at Ohio State, but when he is healthy, he can lock down one side of the field with his God given talent. 

Measuring 6’0″ 193 lbs., Lattimore carved out a name for himself, as he performed well at this year’s NFL Combine.  By posting a blazing 4.36 40 time, he all but cemented his name in the conversation for the title of the first defensive back selected in the draft. 

He posted strong numbers on both the vertical jump and on the broad jump, with an astounding 38.5″ and 132″ respectively. 

Lattimore is projected to be taken as high as 3rd overall, but generally no lower than 6th. His health concerns that has lead him to take healthy supplements https://healthyusa.co/gundry-md-vital-reds-review/ to improve his well being . Also and his lack of starting experience could be red flags, but the talent and the athleticism seems to have satisfied most observers. Let’s see how soon a team agrees. If you feel you want a change on your health life, you should consider getting a waist trainer corset that will help you get the body of your dreams while keeping your body in a good posture.

 

Spring Game Outlook: Quarterback

With the practices for the annual Ohio State spring game underway, after a dreadful end to last season at the hands of eventual National Champion Clemson, we are on the verge of entering another season that is filled with high expectations.  Ohio State made it to the CFB Playoffs last season, and as we look ahead, they look to finish on the top of the College Football Mountain once again, but will they will have to rely heavily on the Quarterback position to reach the summit.

Ohio State lacked in the passing department last season, placing as the #81 team in the NCAA in passing offense, as they tallied 2,781 total yards through the air and 26 total touchdowns.  They averaged  213 yards per game, 6.80 yards per attempt and 10.91 yards per completion.  These are pretty average numbers, and a change needed to be made to fix an anemic and broken passing attack that has been lacking the past few seasons.

New Faces at a different place

 

Enter new Offensive Coordinator and shot caller Kevin Wilson.  Wilson was the former Hoosier Head Coach, who was successful with the players that were willing to play football at Indiana.  He comes with the clout of being an Offensive Guru, who can rehabilitate struggling offenses.  He had coaching stops at North Carolina, Miami, Northwestern, Oklahoma and the previously mentioned Indiana.  Oklahoma was his best example of installing a potent and dangerous offense, and with Sam Bradford and Adrian Peterson at his disposal, he played on the strengths of his program.  Wilson has shown what he is capable of when he has the athletes in place, and this move was the perfect situation for both Ohio State and Coach Wilson.  Ohio State looks to move forward and upgrade until their passing game catches up with the running game.  Wilson will be up for the challenge as he looks to start a new chapter in his coaching career.

 

Ryan Day is the designated Quarterbacks Coach and he takes over a treasure trove of players, who are all capable of contributing if necessary.  He is tasked with molding his room into full-fledged starters and with names such as J.T. Barrett, Joe Burrow, Dwayne Haskins and true freshman Tate Martell, Coach Meyer is not taking any chances with the passing game anymore.  Day is a former College Quarterback and he comes fresh off back to back NFL seasons under Chip Kelly in Philidelphia and San Fransisco. Now, he looks to develop the personnel at Ohio State, and with the talent in place, he has to re-establish the passing game by teaching them up.  He is capable of transforming these Quarterbacks into more consistent and capable passers.  He turned Nick Foles in Philidelphia and Collin Kaepernick in San Fransisco into the players they were during those seasons during his tenure with those teams, and there is no reason to doubt his ability to teach young Quarterbacks to their potential.

The Quarterbacks

J.T. Barrett is the incumbent starter and with the worst game of his life behind him, there was almost no choice but to return to rebound from that dreadful performance in last years CFB Playoffs.  Barrett has the grit and the determination to push forward to improve individually and to improve the players around him.  He will have new coaches on the sidelines and with that, it gives him more motivation that ever.  Barrett will need to learn fast and with him moving forward, the Buckeyes have a winner at that position and the experience to will his team to victory.  They are in good hands under the watchful eyes of Wilson and Day.

Joe Burrow will go into Spring practice as the backup to J.T. Barrett after Stephen Collier put up the cleats.  Out of all the back-ups, he has the most experience because he played sparingly during blowouts last season.  Burrow could see game minutes if Barrett goes down with an injury and he is capable of moving the offense because he showed that when he checked in.  Another Dual Threat Quarterback waiting for an opportunity to show what he is capable of at Ohio State.  He isn’t as fast as Barrett, but he is deadly accurate when throwing the ball.  He has the ability to lead and the ability to lead, which is a trait that Barrett displays consistently.

Dwayne Haskins is another Dual Threat weapon waiting to be unleashed.  There has been a ton of hype surrounding him this Spring, and any Buckeye fan would be excited to know that the Buckeyes have another talented player on the roster, that is waiting for an opportunity to shine.  Haskins might see the field, but it might be unlikely unless both Barrett and Burrow get bit by the injury bug.  Haskins has the skills necessary to thrive in the Ohio State system, all he will need is one moment to display his skills.  Haskins has the make of an alpha dog and has taken the steps to work and grind until he gets his shot.

Tate Martell is a true freshman and he comes from Bishop Gorman High School in Nevada, one of the best programs in the nation.  Martell comes with all the hype, just like the Burrow and Haskins, but he has the high school achievements that will make your jaw drop.  He is another quarterback that fits the Ohio State mold.  Another Dual Threat capable of running and throwing if things align to their liking or if the play breaks down.  Martell won’t see the field this season, but as an early enrollee, he will learn from the upperclassmen above him of the depth chart.  Barring any injuries, he may see some time, but it unlikely.

 

Tyreke Smith to Visit Buckeyes

College football has become a twelve months a year thing for fans (it always was for coaches). The recruiting season never ends, but is especially noisy after bowl games.

Now it’s spring football time and most programs are back on the field. Anytime a college team is on the field is a time to show the program to recruits.

This weekend Ohio State will host Tyreke Smith, a big time recruit from Cleveland who visited Penn State last weekend (video here).

Smith is a consensus top ten defensive end who undoubtedly is impressed by the NFL success Buckeye linemen have enjoyed. Buckeye line coach Larry Johnson has a reputation for developing talent and in 2016 Joey Bosa burst into a big rookie year.

Defensive line is certainly a position of need. The Buckeyes are likely to lose Sam Hubbard, Tyquan Lewis and Jalyn Homes to the NFL after this year. Joey’s brother Nick could also be gone the following year.

Smith would seem to be a natural Ohio State lean. We will be paying attention.

Myles Martin, 2017 NCAAs

Here are photos of Myles Martin’s win in the 2017 NCAA

at Scottrade Center, St. Louis.

Kollin More, 2017 NCAA Qtrs

Here are photos of Kollin Moore’s quarterfinal win in the 2017 NCAA quarters at Scottrade Center, St. Louis.

Kyle Snyder, NCAA 2017 Qtrs

Here are photos of Kyle Snyder’s quarterfinal win in the 2017 NCAA quarters at Scottrade Center, St. Louis.