Cardale Jones: A Man With Many Expectations

December 3, 2014 by Leave a Comment

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What can we expect of Cardale Jones in the Big Ten Championship this Saturday? This is the million dollar question on everyone’s minds.

Really it depends on who you ask. Urban Meyer says he believes in his quarterback and expects him to perform quite well in the game. If you ask the media, they expect a make or break performance. Just tune into ESPN or FOX when they’re discussing the Buckeyes and you’re bound to hear them discuss how Cardale’s performance will determine whether the Buckeyes make the playoffs or not. If you ask Buckeye detractors and really most college football fans, they expect Jones to have a bad game and cause the Buckeyes to lose. If you ask Buckeye fans, you could get any answer. Some have full confidence, while others have already given up on the season (way to be a true fan).

So what do I expect out of Cardale Jones this Saturday? Well let’s go over the facts. He’s a redshirt sophomore from Cleveland, Ohio. He’s listed at 6’5″ and 250 pounds. Jones saw little playing time in 2013, as he went one of two passing for three yards and rushed for 128 yards and one touchdown. With starting quarterback Braxton Miller going down with an injury in August, Cardale competed with J.T. Barrett for the starting job and narrowly lost the quarterback battle. Jones has been the backup for Barrett all season and has seen some playing time. Currently this season he’s 10 of 17 passing for 118 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. Jones has also rushed 26 times for 206 yards.

This Saturday will be the first ever start for Jones in college football. Based on the facts I just laid out, this seems like a pretty daunting task for the young quarterback. Really on paper it seems like an impossible task for Jones to replace Barrett and match his production. That’s because it is impossible. But guess what? Jones doesn’t have to replace Barrett and match his production. If you’ve watched Ohio State football this season, while J.T. Barrett was a big part of it, the offense has been more than one player. As they say it takes a team to win.

You shouldn’t expect Cardale Jones to put up great numbers. If he does, that’s great. But you know what Jones’ main job will be on Saturday? Win the game. It’s that simple. Jones won’t be expected to make all of the big plays because he has several dynamic offensive weapons around him in Ezekiel Elliott, Jalin Marshall and Curtis Samuel. Those are just his running backs/h-backs. He also had wide receivers Michael Thomas, Devin Smith, Corey Smith, Jeff Heuermann and Nick Vanett. Yes J.T. Barrett is talented, but he didn’t put those big numbers up on his own. He’s had a pretty good supporting cast around him and Urban Meyer’s system to thank too.

The talking heads can speculate all they want about the Buckeyes’ playoff chances being affected by Cardale Jones. It’s their job to sit around and deliver hot takes to entertain the masses. I’m not saying the injury to Barrett is affecting the playoff chances of the Buckeyes. I’m sure it is, but the Buckeyes can’t worry about. Their job is to go out, execute the game plan and win the game. That’s all they can do. What a novel concept! Win the game and then see what happens. Style points are bullshit. It’s just a term the media loves to use in one of their debate segments. At the end of the day, getting the win is what matters and I think Urban Meyer will be drilling this into the players’ heads all week.

So what can we expect of Cardale Jones in the Big Ten Championship against Wisconsin? You can expect him to try to win the game. (And maybe hurdle someone)

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Random Thoughts On Ohio State @ Navy

August 27, 2014 by 2 Comments

1. Will Ohio State’s Offense With J.T. Barrett Look “Guiton-ish” At Navy? – Coach Meyer stated that the Ohio State offense would look more like it did last season when Kenny Guiton was quarterbacking Ohio State when Braxton Miller was sidelined with an injury. With Miller out for the entire 2014 season, and Barrett a redshirt freshman making his first collegiate start on the road, will Ohio State’s offensive coaches pare down the offense to make it easier for Barrett? Look for a strong emphasis on the Ohio State running game to make Barrett feel even more comfortable as the new leader of the offense.

2. How Will Ohio State’s New Defensive Scheme Fare At Navy? – Navy’s triple option offense can keep the best of college teams off-balance, let alone a team that is adopting a more aggressive approach and has new starters within the linebacker and secondary positions. As so few teams run the triple option, it is very challenging for scout teams to simulate it adequately, thus the defense may not be completely prepared to defend the triple option in a game. Ohio State is bigger, faster, and stronger than Navy, but look for this game to be closer than Ohio State fans expect and want.

3. Which Of The Freshmen Will Play At Navy? – Coach Meyer has been pointing out how many of the freshmen have had their black stripes removed from their helmets, representing that these players are now considered ready to play and contribute for the team. While I believe many of these players may still wind up being redshirted, it would not be surprising to see many of the freshmen contribute on the special teams units.

Prediction: Ohio state wins on the road against a worthy and tough opponent in Navy. I see it Ohio State 35, Navy 17.

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Luke Morgan: Walk-On to Depth Chart QB

August 20, 2014 by 4 Comments

The news of Braxton Miller’s injury is everywhere and it is unavoidable but there is a silver lining OSU has some horses in the stable willing and ready to go in and take over where Braxton left off. Enter stage left is Sophomore Walk-On QB Luke Morgan. Who is Luke Morgan you probably are asking? He is a 6’2″ 225 lbs second year player from Lebanon, Ohio. Let’s take a look at what his Ohio State Athletics Profile has to say about him…

Overview: Luke Morgan is in his second season with the football program after initially joining the team in June 2013 as an invited walk-on as a true freshman … he is an OSU Scholar-Athlete who is majoring in finance.

More on Luke: Morgan was a two-sport standout at Lebanon High School (football and basketball and a team captain for both) … he threw for 2,245 yards and 28 touchdowns and rushed for another 832 yards and 11 scores in 2012 for coach Shawn Lamb’s Warriors … he was named the Greater Western Ohio Conference offensive player of the year in 2012 and was named second-team all-district by the Associated Press … Morgan is the son of Regina and Doug Morgan … he has an older brother, Graham.

Luke has a great arm and is very athletic as a two sport star there are videos of him dunking in High School. He has put on about 40 pounds since arriving at OSU last year. You can see a video of his throwing below.

The odds of Luke playing this year are slim even with the injury to Braxton. If Coach Meyer decides that he would rather redshirt Stephen Collier than Luke could be the 3rd string QB and we are only a bad situation or 2 away from him being the QB of the team. Sure it would take a lot to make that happen but the way things are going who knows. All we can do is hope he is prepared and in shape and ready to step up and play if need be.

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Stephen Collier: Bio and Expectations

August 20, 2014 by 1 Comment

Stephen Collier was the lone quarterback recruit in the 2014 class hailing from Leesburg, GA (Lee County High). The 6’3 220 pound freshman was a 3 star recruit and rated as the number 11 dual threat quarterback in the country by 247sports. While Collier’s name was not well known by most fans, and he was the last of six quarterbacks offered in the 2014 class, he was a diamond in the rough waiting to be mined out of Georgia. In his senior season Collier passed for over 4,000 yards and rushed for 1,500 yards, accumulating a school record 44 total touchdowns. His record breaking play helped earn his team a regional title and a birth in the Georgia state playoffs. Collier also received an invitation to the Elite 11 finals in Oregon and impressed many along the way.

After watching his senior year tape I’m still honestly baffled by his middle of the pack rating. Collier did come out in a year loaded at the quarterback position, and of course there are some politics that play in to the ratings game, but I was as impressed watching Collier’s tape as I was any other QB outside of Deshaun Watson (the #1 overall DT-QB Clemson commit).

Stephen Collier

Collier’s size is the first thing that stands out to you. As stated he is 6’3 or 6’4, and a thick 220 pounds. Even though he has a solid frame, Collier possesses the mobility required to escape the pocket as well as be a threat in the read option game. Along with his quick feet comes a cannon for an arm. Collier stands out the most when he is throwing the deep ball or throwing in to tight windows. While his arm strength will not be as impactful on the college level due to the increase speed of play, it should still stand out as above average to good.

If there is a flaw in Collier’s game it is in his accuracy and decision making. Collier will need to adjust to the speed of the college game. His decision making has to be quicker, especially in Herman’s offense, and his short to intermediate accuracy will have to improve. Collier’s quick and neat feet should help him progress quickly in this department. The one trait that will help Collier progress his game and see his opportunity to compete for a starting job increase will be his intangibles.

A large reason that he received an offer and was so touted by Herman and Meyer is because Collier is a competitor and a very hard worker. Collier is a football junkie and with his work ethic should polish out the majority of his flaws. He stayed after practice multiple times this spring to work on his timing; often times he was the last player to leave the building. With instruction from Herman, and a couple of seasons to sit and learn, Collier could find himself competing for a quarterback battle in the upcoming seasons. Meyer’s offense has proven that not one, but two quarterbacks have to be available at all times. That should provide ample opportunity to a player like Collier to step up and contribute when need be. In the mean time we will have to wait to watch Collier in future spring games and blowouts, hopefully receiving more pass attempts than the astounding one he saw this past spring game.

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What Does JT Barrett Bring To The Table

August 20, 2014 by 2 Comments

What’s the old saying; “We don’t rebuild, we reload”. Well the 2014 Ohio State Buckeyes ability to reload will be severely tested as three year starting QB and Heisman hopeful Braxton Miller has been ruled out for the 2014 season due to a dislocated right shoulder. I can talk about the mysterious and contradictory manner in which the Buckeyes handled Miller’s recovery from a February operation to repair his shoulder but instead let’s focus on the next piece of artillery in the arsenal of Urban Meyer and Offensive Coordinator Tom Herman.

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Redshirt Freshman J.T. Barrett finds himself in a very peculiar situation as he has been thrust into forefront for a team that many expected to contend for one of four spots on the first ever CFB Playoff. Among his mixture of emotions, I’m sure Barrett is feeling a great sense of sympathy for Miller not only as a mentor but also due to the fact that Barrett himself suffered an injury that ended his Senior season Rider HS in Wichita Falls, Texas. Even after missing the majority of his senior season, Barrett was still highly regarded by both recruiting services (consensus top 5 DT QB) and college coaching staffs (offers from LSU, Nebraska, and Texas Tech among others). Barrett was among the first QB’s recruited by Meyer and Herman upon their arrival to Ohio State if further validation was needed,

Barrett has the skill set to succeed in an Urban Meyer offense possessing a nice combination of size (6’2”/210) and speed (4.7/40) with a plethora of weapons to get the ball to. While Barrett doesn’t have the pure speed or dynamic open field abilities of Miller, he is a more than capable scrambler and he will make the defense respect his ability to tuck the ball and take off. Barrett doesn’t have what many would consider a cannon for an arm, but he possesses a very quick release, smooth mechanics, and he’s a very accurate passer. In addition to his immense talents on the field, Barrett has been lauded for his maturity, leadership, and ability to be patient and takes what the defense gives him.

While J.T. hasn’t seen live game action in a meaningful game since 2011 he did play in the 2014 spring game leading the Gray squad to a 17-7 victory over the Scarlet in the annual April showcase. After his extended layoff Meyer likely wanted to see what his young QB could do, calling for the second year player to throw the ball 33 times. Barrett went 17-33 for 151 yards, while he showed the expected rust, he did make several nice throws including a pinpoint dart across the middle. The offense will likely have to be tailored somewhat with the switch at the most important position on the field, but Ohio State fans should still expect a very big season in season three of the Urban Renewal project as J.T. Barrett steps into the spotlight.

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Three Preseason Storylines: The Importance of Braxton Miller

August 19, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Braxton Miller is a huge piece to the puzzle of the Buckeye offense. Last season he threw for 2,094 yards and ran for 1,068. Coming into this season, the hype for the Heisman hopeful is high. Fans expect great things out of Braxton. Sure, there are many weapons surrounding him on the offense but Miller is the key piece to production for the Bucks. The key concern to this season is health. Will Braxton Miller be able to stay healthy?

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I do believe Braxton will stay healthy. He has many weapons around him such as Dontre Wilson, Devin Smith and Ezekiel Elliot. The offense is full of weapons which could lead to less reliability on Miller. Having all of these athletes will help lead to the opposing defense to focus on other players other than Miller. It will definitely be interesting to see who else emerges in this fast offense.

Miller missed spring ball due to shoulder surgery. Braxton has also been limited this fall camp, but is expected to be ready for August 30th against Navy. As of right now there are still concerns whether he will be 100 percent. Urban Meyer stated that Braxton will be ready in time, despite still being limited in practice. It is definitely beneficial that Miller has had a good amount of time to recover. Buckeye fans should see a ready to go starting quarterback against Navy.

The importance of Braxton Miller is a lot higher with no proven backup Quarterback. Cardale Jones was just overtaken by Redshirt Freshman JT Barrett. Both players do not have much game experience. Fans saw Jones play in a couple of games but mostly just to run the ball. With no proven backup, the offense needs Braxton to run the show as much as possible.

Braxton Miller will be a huge part in this season’s offense. I believe he will have a breakout senior year. Look to see improvement in the passing game and players excel around Miller. Coming off a breakout year last year, everyone is excited to see another offense under Braxton Miller.

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How The Braxton Miller Injury Got Blown Way Out Of Proportion

August 19, 2014 by 2 Comments

The way local and national media cover college football stories are completely different; the passion local fandoms and reporters have for their team can turn something as small as a bruise into a possible loss of limb. On Monday afternoon, as news started to leak about Braxton Miller leaving practice holding his shoulder, it began as a simple let’s wait and see, only to turn into a possible career-ending injury.

If you’re looking at facts alone, the Braxton Miller situation is not as season threatening as some Buckeye fans may lead you to believe. Braxton Miller was not involved in any type of contact prior to the injury and the medical staff scheduled his MRI for 24 hours after the injury with a facility to do so less than 5 minutes away from the practice field . Miller simply made a pass and then grabbed his shoulder; this could be a strain, a pull, or something that can be fixed with 1 or 2 physical therapy sessions; the point is, no one knows yet.

People are only looking at the worst case scenario and overlooking the fact that shoulder injuries are hard for anyone (athlete or not) and it’s possible that it was just sore. Even if the worst case scenario were to come true, do people really think that Urban Meyer would forego having a competent and prepared back-up quarterback ready to take the field?

Urban Meyer is one of the winningest and respected coaches in the league, and to think the season is over just because Kenny Guiton is no longer an option, and the others haven’t had much playing time, is a waste of time and energy. When Ohio State lost Terrelle Pryor (unexpectedly) after “tattoo-gate” the team was in a similar situation and it worked out just fine.

Is the relationship between the media and fans merely a lengthy game of telephone, or does the media like using attention grabbing adjectives simply to attract viewers? Lately, as sports related news has become more salacious and less about the actual work on the field, stories that would’ve easily been over looked have been covered for 12 hours a day on some networks.

The sky isn’t falling, and in just a few hours Ohio State will do a press conference and give everyone the updates they are impatiently waiting for.

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Braxton Miller Injured, Season in Jeopardy (UPDATED)

August 18, 2014 by 2 Comments

(** Post updated, see below **)

Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch is reporting that Braxton Miller has reinjured his surgically repaired shoulder:

Ohio State senior quarterback Braxton Miller, considered by several polls to be among the preseason leaders to make a run at the Heisman Trophy, reinjured his right shoulder in practice this afternoon, sources told The Dispatch. The injury puts in jeopardy his playing status for the coming season.

This is according to a source and has no been confirmed by Ohio State nor coach Urban, so adjust your panic accordingly. This could be an overzealous source, mishearing a conversation or this could be the most devastating injury for Ohio State’s National Championship hopes since Roy Hall’s ill-fated tackle.

The Lantern tweeted out a few more details, and it doesn’t paint a pretty picture:

Also, from Patrick Maks at 11W:

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A Look Back At The 2011 Recruiting Class (Part Two)

August 4, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Part one of this series looked back at the 2011 recruiting class, reviewing the nine starters who emerged from the group. This post will look at the remaining categories – Contributors and Departures.

II. The Contributors (35%)

1. Chris Carter, DL: Originally signed as an offensive lineman in 2011, Carter was moved over to the defense when Coach Meyer’s staff came on board for the 2012 season. Carter is a massive presence at a listed 6’4″, 342 lbs along the defensive interior. With another year of eligibility remaining for 2015, Carter could wind up with a NFL career, as NFL teams are always looking for massive defensive linemen of his stature for 3-4 fronts.

2. Chase Farris, OL: Farris has been a willing human ping-pong for the Ohio State coaching staff throughout his career. Originally recruited as a defensive lineman in 2011, Farris redshirted. In 2012, Farris moved to the offensive line midway through the season. In 2013, Farris battled Taylor Decker for the starting right offensive tackle position, but moved to defensive line when Tommy Schutt’s injury caused defensive line depth issues. Farris has been moved back to the offensive line for 2014, where he could battle for a starting position during fall camp. Farris will have eligibility to play in 2015.

3. Joel Hale, OL: Hale moved on his own volition for the 2014 season to offensive line. Hale originally entered Ohio State as a defensive lineman in 2011, and lettered each season from 2011-2013. Hale does not have eligibility remaining for 2015, so I will be anxious to see how much Hale will be in the mix for playing time along an inexperienced offensive line in 2014.

4. Cardale Jones, QB: Jones has positioned himself for high importance this coming season as the primary backup quarterback to Braxton Miller. Jones signed with Ohio State in February 2011, but attended Fork Union Military Academy to concentrate on academics that season. Enrolling at Ohio State in 2012, Jones did not seem to endear himself to Coach Meyer’s coaching staff, as Jones did not see any game action in the 2012 Ohio State Spring Game. Jones redshirted in 2012, earning playing time in a handful of 2013 games. Jones emerged as the backup quarterback during the 2014 spring practices, and will have a year of eligibility remaining in 2015.

5. Steve Miller, DE: One of the more highly-touted players in the 2011 recruiting class, Miller has lettered as a defensive lineman from 2011-2013. While projected as a backup for his final season in 2014, Miller should be able to contribute along the defensive front, adding to Ohio State’s strength across the defensive line.

6. Ron Tanner, DB: Redshirted as a freshman in 2011, Tanner has lettered in 2012 and 2013 primarily for his work on the special teams units. Look for Tanner to contribute also in the defensive backfield this coming season. Tanner has a year of eligibility remaining for 2015.

7. Antonio Underwood, OL: Underwood earned playing time as a true freshman in 2011, even starting at Purdue late in the season. Underwood played sparingly in 2012, and was injured during spring practice in 2013. With knee surgery, Underwood took a redshirt season in 2013, thus allowing him an extra year of eligibility for 2015. Underwood is a projected starter along the offensive line heading into fall practice, but will be pushed for playing time this season.

8. Nick Vannett, TE: While listed as a contributor on this list, it would not be surprising to list Vannett as a starter, as Vannett is considered a primary offensive contributor at tight end by the coaching staff. Redshirted in 2011, Vannett lettered in 2012 and 2013. Vannett will look to build upon his strong 2013 season, and will have eligibility remaining for 2015.

III. The Departures (26%)

1. Brian Bobek, OL: Originally recruited as a potential successor to center Mike Brewster, Bobek decided to transfer to Minnesota after falling to third on the depth chart in June of 2012. Bobek has battled health issues while at Minnesota, and did not see game action for the 2013 season.

2. Tommy Brown, OL: Redshirted in 2011, Brown did not see any game action in 2012. The majority of Brown’s playing time in 2013 took place on special teams, and in games when Ohio State was well-ahead on the scoreboard. Rated a three-star recruit by 247sports.com, rivals.com, and scout.com, Brown decided to announce a transfer to Akron before fall camp began…

3. Jeremy Cash, DB: Cash lettered as a true freshman for Ohio State in 2011, contributing on the special teams units. Upon the conclusion of the 2011 season, Cash decided to transfer to Duke, where he has emerged as one of the top defensive backs in the ACC.

4. Conner Crowell, LB: Crowell left Ohio State due to injuries sustained while in high school. Crowell redshirted in 2011, and played sparingly in 2012. After going through additional surgeries at Ohio State, Crowell was not medically cleared to play football in January 2013.

5. DerJuan Gambrell, DB: Gambrell was dismissed from Ohio State by Coach Meyer in January 2012 for a “violation of team rules”. Gambrell redshirted in 2011, was dismissed from Ohio State, and I have been unable to find out if Gambrell ever enrolled elsewhere to continue his football career.

6. Kenny Hayes, DE: The first commitment to the 2011 recruiting class, Hayes redshirted in 2011. Hayes decided to transfer at the beginning of 2012 spring practices, announcing his intentions to play at Toledo. Looking at Toledo’s roster, Kenny Hayes is not listed, so I am not sure if Hayes has discontinued his football career.

Honorable Mention ~ Ejuan Price, LB: Price makes this list, as he originally signed with Ohio State, yet never reported in 2011. Price was a late commitment to the recruiting class (01/17/2011), and decided to ask for his release when Coach Jim Tressel resigned. Price wound up at Pittsburgh, where he will have eligibility remaining for 2015.

CONCLUSION: Out of twenty-three players, Ohio State has nine starters, eight contributors, and only six departures. To have 74% of the class either starting or contributing is a strong testament to the recruiting job done by Coach Jim Tressel, as well as the coaching/development by Coach Luke Fickell and Coach Urban Meyer. Considering the circumstances these players have dealt with during their time in Columbus, these Buckeyes are worthy of praise and recognition by fans throughout the Ohio State community.

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A Look Back At The 2011 Recruiting Class (Part One)

August 1, 2014 by 1 Comment

“Sometimes the lights all shinin on me;
Other times I can barely see.
Lately it occurs to me what a long, strange trip its been.” ~ “Truckin”, The Grateful Dead

While highly doubtful that members of the 2011 recruiting class were/are avid fans of The Grateful Dead, I would surmise that the players who signed with Ohio State on February 2, 2011, would not disagree with the lyrics up above as they would reflect upon their experiences and careers at Ohio State. Think about it this way – the players signed at Ohio State to play for Jim Tressel, who was only weeks away from the NCAA violations that would result in his resignation as Ohio State’s head coach. Luke Fickell would serve as the head coach during their freshman season in 2011, only to be replaced by Urban Meyer on November 28, 2011. Three head coaches, in less than one calendar year.

The twenty-three players of the 2011 recruiting class who would eventually spend time as Buckeyes have all had varying levels of successes and challenges, as all recruiting classes do. For years, I have reviewed Ohio State’s recruiting classes, and I have always subscribed to the “Rule Of Thirds”.

“The Rule Of Thirds” is pretty simple – within any class, there will be approximately a third who will develop into starters as the coaching staff hoped and recruited, a third will be contributors in some fashion, and a third will not work out, leaving due to transfer, injuries, or possibly disciplinary reasons.

Using this very unscientific approach to a very inexact recruiting process, how did Ohio State’s Class of 2011 stack up with “The Rule Of Thirds”? Let’s see how it all turned out…

I. The Starters (39%)

1. Michael Bennett, DL: Bennett committed to Ohio State on 05/16/2010, and was rated a four-star recruit by 247sports.com, rivals.com, and scout.com. Projected as a possible first round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, Bennett has realized his recruiting accolades as a three year varsity letterman. Bennett is also in line for a captain position this coming season for the Buckeyes.

2. Curtis Grant, LB: Grant signed with Ohio State on Signing Day in 2011, ranking as the highest-rated incoming recruit in the 2011 class. While rated a five-star recruit, it could be argued that Grant’s biggest play as a Buckeye took place as a freshman versus Wisconsin in 2011, when Grant recovered a blocked punt by classmate Ryan Shazier in a 33-29 Buckeye victory. Grant will be pushed by incoming freshman linebacker Raekwon McMillan for the starting middle linebacker position this season.

3. Doran Grant, CB: Grant earned playing time as a backup in 2011 and 2012, emerging as a starter in 2013. The biggest play made by Grant in 2013 took place as Ohio State was trailing Northwestern in the fourth quarter, and Grant intercepted a pass that helped spark the Buckeyes to eventual victory. Coach Meyer has high expectations for Grant as he heads into his senior season to emerge as one of the best defensive backs in The Big Ten.

4. Bryce Haynes, LS: A late commitment to the 2011 recruiting class (01/28/2011), Haynes was viewed as somewhat of a surprise scholarship offer as a long-snapper. Redshirted in 2011, Haynes lettered in both 2012 and 2013. Haynes will have an additional year of eligibility for the 2015 season.

5. Jeff Heuerman, TE: Heuerman is a probable captain for his final season of eligibility in 2014. While only catching one pass in 2011, Heuerman’s importance and role has expanded in 2012 and 2013. Heuerman has been described by Ohio State strength coach Mickey Marotti as “the the “ringleader of what we want in terms of work ethic”.

6. Braxton Miller, QB: Arguably the most important player on the team, Miller’s role has exponentially grown since he arrived in 2011. Originally intending to back-up Terrelle Pryor in 2011, Miller was thrust into the starting role as a true freshman. With the arrival of Coach Meyer, Miller has emerged as a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate in 2014, and should be a captain again for the Buckeyes, having served in that role in 2013.

7. Ryan Shazier, LB: A later commitment to the recruiting class (12/17/2010), Shazier originally intended to sign with Florida to play for Coach Meyer. When Coach Meyer resigned his position, Ohio State was fortunate to land Shazier. While Shazier only played three seasons, Shazier was arguably the most dominant defensive player for the Buckeyes from 2011-2013. Shazier left Ohio State for the NFL after the 2013 season, being selected in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

8. Devin Smith, WR: Smith lettered 2011-2013, often delivering clutch plays for the Buckeyes at the most crucial moments. Of these clutch plays, none will loom larger than catching the desperation pass by classmate Braxton Miller versus Wisconsin that allowed Ohio State to defeat the Badgers, 33-29. Smith is a dependable deep threat for the Buckeyes, but it remains to be seen if Smith can develop his receiving skills beyond this area in his final season of eligibility.

9. Evan Spencer, WR: Lauded by the coaching staff for his prowess as a blocker, Spencer enters his final season of eligibility. While not a burner, Spencer is a dependable and reliable possession receiver for the Buckeyes. Spencer’s most memorable reception took place in his first game versus Akron in 2011, with a one-handed reception from classmate Braxton Miller.

While these players above have emerged as starters for Ohio State, part two of this series will review the players from the class who have either become occasional contributors for Ohio State, or departed the program altogether.

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