Stanley Jackson Offers Insights On Playing QB For Ohio State (Part One)

August 14, 2015 by Leave a Comment

The battle between J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones for the starting quarterback position will be the most scrutinized area by both the fans and the media as the Buckeyes prepare for the 2015 college football season. Everyone has an opinion on how it will turn out, but I thought I would go straight to a source who is as well-versed on the subject as anyone.

Stanley Jackson (@Jacksonville8) is a former Ohio State quarterback who knows a thing or two about what it is like to go through a quarterback battle, having experienced it himself with former teammate Joe Germaine during the 1996 and 1997 seasons. Mr. Jackson is an analyst for the Big Ten Network and WTVN 610 radio in Columbus, Ohio. Married with four children, living in Marion, Ohio, Mr. Jackson was kind enough to participate in a telephone interview after a work day at Buckeye State Bank, where he is owner and vice-president. The first part of the interview focuses more upon Mr. Jackson’s career, where part two will focus more upon the impending quarterback battle between J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones.

**

CM: How does one become the owner of a bank?

SJ: You’ve got to have a lot of money, Chip. (Chuckling) I didn’t play in the NFL, I played in Canada. I made a good living, but nothing that you retire on. To make a long story short, when I moved back to Ohio, I went into banking. I met a few entrepreneurial bankers, they hired me as a business development officer, and I began to learn banking. I went into broadcasting, and we became good friends, and we went out and raised the money to buy a bank. We received the approval from the regulatory committees, and we were able to buy a bank. We were able to purchase the bank on January 2013. We’re not majority shareholders and founders, but the three of us work at the bank also. It’s funny – when you think of banking, you think of a Wells Fargo or Huntington, but the majority of the banks are community banks. All communities that you live in have banks like this, and we just have a small part of that small bank community.

CM: I enjoy all of the media that you do, on The Big Ten Network and WTVN in Columbus, especially with former Ohio State head coach Earle Bruce.

SJ: Thank you, I love it. If I could do it full-time, I would. I get to talk about football, with guys like Earle Bruce. Playing quarterback at Ohio State has created some unique opportunities for me, and the reality is the banking opportunity came about because I was able to go out and raise the capital for it because people want to do business with former Buckeyes. I served on the Ohio state board of education for six months, as Governor Kasich appointed me. Those things are rare to come by, and if you do a good enough job at Ohio State, you can put yourself in some unique opportunities afforded to you in this state.

CM: You mentioned how you just came back from New Jersey with your brother from the quarterback camp you both run. What led you to Ohio State, after your successful high school career at Paterson Catholic? Were there other schools?

SJ: There were. I was looking at other schools, based on their history and the type of offenses they ran. I looked at Syracuse, North Carolina, Kansas all because of Glen Mason. I was pretty heavily recruited by a lot of schools. Luckily for me, my high school coach had played at Ohio State, so he knew some things about it and was able to impart some information to me, and coming to Columbus and seeing the Horseshoe was kind of a game changer. The Carrier Dome was nice, but there’s nothing like the Horseshoe.

CM: You redshirted your freshman year, and you came in with Tom Hoying and Mark Zban in 1993. You all redshirted. Hoying eventually moved to tight end, Zban eventually transferred. You had to sit behind Bob Hoying in 1994 and 1995. What kind of patience was required to get through that, after being so heavily recruited?

SJ: It was very difficult, because I was still a kid. I was eighteen years old. When you are recruited by schools like Ohio State, you are not only the best player for your team, but also from your state. When you arrive at Ohio State, you find out everyone is just like you, if not better. Bigger, faster, stronger – I am no longer king of the roost anymore. You always believe you can play, and it is easy to become disgruntled. Bob Hoying made it easy, helping to mentor me and help me grow my game. Quite frankly, I was a good athlete with a good arm. I had to learn how to become a quarterback, how to watch film, how to break defenses, what to look for, how to have command of the playbook and the huddle. I never had to do that in high school. There was a learning curve that helped. I wanted to play a lot, but I am sure there were guys like Bob or Joe Germaine who felt that way, and I am sure Joe Burrow feels that way right now as he watches Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett work its way out at Ohio State.

CM: How much do you wish you could be playing for Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer with the offense that is in place now?

SJ: It would be great, especially from a numbers standpoint. We went from a heavy run, lots of play action, working the ball into the boundary, to more of a West Coast pro-style offense, lots of slants and shallow crosses. It changed the Ohio State offense forever. Bob Hoying set passing records that now have been dwarfed, based upon the system. A guy like me would have fit well, with the zone read and being able to move the pocket. I sometimes joke with Coach Cooper that we should have been more innovative and running the spread back then. I am more of a traditionalist – if Ohio State is going to run the spread, I like the way Coach Meyer runs it, as a run spread. What Ohio State did in the last three games of the 2014 season, with the way Ezekiel Elliott ran, it allowed the quarterback to have a lot of one on one coverage and that would have been a lot of fun to have played in that type of system.

CM: You mentioned the transition to the West Coast offense, and I saw the BTN special on your 1996 team. What was your relationship like with Walt Harris, who was so instrumental in changing the offense at that time?

SJ: It was a little rocky. Obviously, he didn’t recruit me; Mike Stock had recruited me and had left for the NFL. I don’t think Coach Harris was thrilled with us. Bob Hoying graduated in 1996, and Coach Harris called a meeting of the quarterbacks; I was there with Tom Hoying and Joe Germaine. I had expectations that it was my job, as I backed up Bob Hoying for the last two years. I can remember the meeting just like it was yesterday. He looked at us, square in the eye, and told us that none of you are good enough to play quarterback at a prime time program like Ohio State, we’re not satisfied with where you are, and we’re bringing in a JUCO transfer with Mark Garcia. Coach Harris stressed that it was going to be an open competition, and if one of you rises to the occasion, it will be your job, but that was a wake up call for me. So our relationship was rocky, but he was always honest. He knew quarterback play like nobody else, and if you go back and look at Bob Hoying’s numbers from 1994 to 1995, Bob transformed as a quarterback under Coach Harris. I would like to believe as I continued to buy into what Coach Harris was trying to teach that I had some good years. Not great years, because I split time, but I had good years.

CM: I am glad you brought up Mark Garcia. I was in Ohio Stadium for the 1996 Ohio State spring game, anticipating to watch a battle between you and Mark Garcia. By the end of that spring game, what was a two man race had become a three man race, with Joe Germaine emerging. What were your thoughts heading into the summer of 1996?

SJ: It began to materialize in the spring, because Joe had a pretty good spring. It was almost impossible to get three guys equal reps. Even though Joe had an outside shot, it was still kind of difficult to get Joe reps until Mark Garcia tore his meniscus in fall camp. That created an opportunity for Joe to show them a lot more. Joe was probably the most accurate quarterback to ever play at Ohio State. It was just two entirely different guys playing the position for them, and the reality is if you go back and just went with one of us, you probably would have had a guy who could have set records. When Joe played quarterback by himself as a senior, Joe set a lot of records at Ohio State. I felt the same way about myself. It was tough for them at times. I am not a big fan of platooning quarterbacks; I believe it catches up with you eventually. I think it caught up with us against Michigan. I think you wind up with a quarterback who is not prepared to play a full game. A lot of fun times, great memories, but if I could go back and do a few things differently earlier in my career, maybe I never would have split time. There was a lot of maturing I needed to do, a lot of growing pains that I experienced that impacted how much I played at Ohio State.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Minnich’s Thoughts On The 2015 Ohio State Spring Game: Defense

April 25, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Continuing with where we left off regarding the 2015 Ohio State Spring Game, we will focus upon some of the players who caught my eye on the defensive side of the ball. As I stated in part one, no spring game is going to be truly informative scheme-wise; why would any coach, especially one as smart as Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer, ever show off formations or packages in a spring game, especially one that will be televised and repeatedly shown by The Big Ten Network?

Most of these players, as was the case when I reviewed the offense, are players who have not played extensively, or in some circumstances, not at all (redshirted in 2014). A few have played considerably, and made some key plays during the spring game…

Defense

Defensive Ends: Sam Hubbard, Darius Slade, Jashon Cornell, Jalyn Holmes – remember how I listed defensive end as a concern leading up to the spring game? Let us just say that I am going to revisit my position concern rankings after the spring game. All played, and all were disruptive. Hubbard was redshirted last season, but showed glimpses of why Coach Meyer was lamenting and second-guessing his decision from last season. Hubbard was credited with two sacks, and was also causing deflections along the line of scrimmage. Darius Slade, Jashon Cornell, and Jalyn Holmes did not make any sacks, but they each made their respective presences known to the opposing quarterbacks. Even though Tyquan Lewis is penciled in as the starter at defensive end opposite of Joey Bosa, look for these players to be continually rotated in throughout the season.

Defensive Tackles: Tracy Sprinkle, Donovan Munger, and Adolphus Washington all caught my eye. As my colleague Shannon Sommers has mentioned, it is always good to see players from our native Lorain County playing well ~ Sprinkle had off the field issues last season, so it is a step in the positive direction to see and hear him playing on the field well. Munger and Washington were both credited with a sack. Tommy Schutt has been penciled in as the starter, but I would suspect these players, along with Michael Hill, may also be continually rotated at the position.

Linebacker: There was one linebacker who seemed to be everywhere, and that was true freshman Nick Conner. Credited with an interception and a forced fumble, Conner seized the spring game opportunity to showcase himself to Coach Meyer and the coaching staff. It will be a surprise if Conner does not earn a chance on special teams coverage this season, barring injury.

Secondary: Erick Smith, Gareon Conley, Damon Webb, and Tyvis Powell all played extensively. Smith served notice to the coaching staff and the fans in attendance that he is more than a consistent tackler, with two interceptions. Tyvis Powell had an interception off roommate Cardale Jones that resulted in a sideline thumping by Jones, followed by a “selfie” that delighted the crowd. Conley played the ball in coverage very well, defending passes that may have been completions a season ago. Webb was credited with three solo tackles and three assists, so the prognostication that Webb may be battling Conley for the starting position opposite Eli Apple seems legitimate.

The defense, which had been considered a liability prior to the 2014 season, has truly turned the corner. There is talent in every position group, and the competitive atmosphere that Coach Meyer has long advocated has taken root. Look for these players, among others, to become very familiar to Ohio State fans this coming season.

My defensive player of the spring game? It is a close call between Sam Hubbard, Nick Conner, and Erick Smith, but I will give it to Conner, as Conner was a true freshman playing in Ohio Stadium for the first time. Plus, who wouldn’t want to be able to go back to their high school senior prom, as Conner did the evening of April 18th, bragging about how they spent their afternoon?

Filed Under: Ohio State Football Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Minnich’s Thoughts On The 2015 Ohio State Spring Game: Offense

April 24, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Before discussing the spring game, huge compliments to Buckeye Nation for showing up strong, setting a national attendance record with 99, 391 filling Ohio Stadium. I am happy that my wife, three children, and I could help in that tally.

Anyone anticipating truly informative or revealing plays, formations, or schemes in a spring game are bound to be disappointed. The primary goal of any spring game, no matter what college program we are discussing, is to finish the game with no injuries. Save for sophomore defensive end Jalyn Holmes, who seemed shaken up but walked off the field under his own power, no Buckeyes were injured during the game. I do not believe Holmes’ injury was even discussed by Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer or reported by any of the customary Ohio State beat reporters, so it must not have been a serious injury, which is a great thing.

Below are some brief points on various offensive players who played in the spring game. A few of the names are going to be familiar with Buckeye fans, but many are newer players who are rising up the ranks of the depth chart…

Offense

Wide Receivers: Corey Smith, Noah Brown, Parris Campbell, Terry McLaurin, and Jalin Marshall all had their moments. Corey Smith was a targeted deep threat for Cardale Jones throughout the game, and may have emerged as the replacement for Devin Smith. Noah Brown has lost weight from his freshman season, and was mentioned by Coach Meyer as being a probable starter in the lineup. Brown had an impressive one-handed grab from Cardale Jones in the first half. Parris Campbell scored a touchdown from the H-Back position for his designated Scarlet team, and was cited by Coach Meyer as having had an impressive spring. Terry McLaurin was targeted repeatedly on deep passes and scored a touchdown to end the first half for the Scarlet team. Jalin Marshall will expand his role beyond his H-Back position this fall as a wide receiver, but may keep his role as the primary punt returner – it was somewhat disconcerting to see Marshall bobble a punt that resulted in a fumble. Hopefully, Marshall can get that area of his game to be more consistent.

Running Backs: The running game was not much of factor, as the passing game was strongly emphasized. With Ezekiel Elliott sitting out the spring due to his surgery on his wrist, Bri’onte Dunn demonstrated a capability to spell Elliott if needed this fall. Curtis Samuel had a drop of a pass thrown by Cardale Jones in the first half, but also demonstrated his elusiveness on an impressive spin move. Samuel also had a fair catch for a punt later in the game; could Samuel possibly be a factor in the punt return game? Warren Ball will always provide maximum effort, but could incoming freshman Mike Weber surge past Ball on the depth chart during fall camp?

Quarterbacks: J.T. Barrett and Braxton Miller were excluded from actual participation in the spring game, but impressed in different ways. Barrett competed in the halftime quarterback accuracy, winning versus former Buckeye Troy Smith and Cardale Jones. Miller competed against Elliott in the fastest student race, and possibly won. If Miller cannot play quarterback due to his shoulder issues, rest assured that Coach Meyer will figure out a way to involve Miller within the Ohio State offense this fall; Miller’s speed is too much to ignore and keep off the field. Cardale Jones was somewhat inconsistent, but Jones’ arm strength dazzled many with deep passes to Corey Smith. Jones easily won the halftime arm strength contest against Troy Smith and Barrett, throwing a pass 74 yards. Without Michael Thomas in the spring game, how much did that impact Jones on shorter or intermediate routes? Stephen Collier had some struggles playing behind a makeshift offensive line, and may only serve as a backup throughout his career at Ohio State, but I would remind people that Cardale Jones did not play at all in the 2012 spring game, and look at how well Jones has blossomed over the past few seasons. In other words, do not jump to conclusions about Stephen Collier just yet. Be patient.

If you are curious as to whether Cardale Jones has locked down the starting position after the spring game, I will say no. J.T. Barrett has the edge in accuracy, while Cardale Jones has the size and arm strength that opens up the offense for the deep throws that crushed Wisconsin, Alabama, and Oregon last season. My early guess, and I want to emphasize the words “early” and “guess”, is J.T. Barrett will win the job in fall camp, but Cardale Jones will play a lot. As for Braxton Miller, I am holding off judgment, as Miller’s shoulder has everyone associated with the program holding their breath. As with Stephen Collier, I stress patience on figuring out who the starting quarterback will be this season. I certainly do not envy Coach Meyer or the coaching staff with this challenging decision.

My offensive player of the spring game? Corey Smith, with 6 receptions for 174 yards and two long touchdowns (58 yards, 37 yards).

Part two will focus on the defensive players who impressed in the 2015 Ohio State spring game…

Filed Under: Ohio State Football Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

2015 Ohio State Spring Football Questions: Wide Receiver May Offer Wide Options

March 27, 2015 by Leave a Comment

On March 10th, Ohio State began spring practice, and had fifteen spring football practices available before the conclusion of spring practice on April 18th in Ohio Stadium. Over the next few weeks, I will rank the top ten questions facing Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer and his coaching staff as the Buckeyes retake the football field after concluding the 2014 season as the national champions.

These articles will be submitted from areas of lowest concern to highest concern. While Ohio State returns the overwhelming majority of its 2014 team, and welcomes in a highly-touted recruiting class, it will be important for Coach Meyer to convey to his team that complacency within the player ranks could derail any hopes of the Buckeyes repeating as national champions in 2015.

Three practices in, with Ohio State resuming practice after spring break. After March 24th, Ohio State has twelve remaining practices, including the April 18th spring game, to evaluate where the football program stands before fall camp begins.

Up until this point in the series, my questions and focus has been upon emerging players at backup positions, a clear testament to Ohio State’s depth across the board. From here on out, these questions will focus upon position areas where Ohio State has lost a player(s) to graduation or eligibility, which is why I have ranked these position groups higher in terms of importance.

4. Wide Receiver

Key Players/Contributors Lost: Devin Smith (eligibility); Evan Spencer (eligibility)

Key Players/Contributors Returning: Noah Brown (Sophomore), Parris Campbell (Redshirt Freshman), James Clark (Redshirt Sophomore), Johnnie Dixon (Redshirt Freshman), Jeff Greene (Redshirt Senior), Jalin Marshall (Redshirt Sophomore), Terry McLaurin (Redshirt Freshman), Corey Smith (Redshirt Senior), Michael Thomas (Redshirt Junior), Dontre Wilson (Junior).

No more “clown show” at wide receiver. Once derided by Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer, the wide receiver position group established itself as a legitimate team strength during the 2014 national championship run.

Unfortunately for Coach Meyer, two of the best players from the wide receiver group, Devin Smith and Evan Spencer, have exhausted their eligibility. Besides leaving Ohio State with many dazzling highlight plays and the eternal gratitude of the Buckeye fan base, both Devin Smith and Evan Spencer had considerable playing experience over a four year period.

So you might be asking yourself, “Why is Minnich only ranking this fourth?!? Why isn’t this higher in terms of concerns?”.

Here is why…

Ohio State is losing Devin Smith and Evan Spencer, and both will be missed, but…Ohio State is loaded with talent at the wide receiver position. I am not even mentioning the players who will be arriving this summer from the 2015 recruiting class below.

Starter and leading receiver Michael Thomas returns. While I am including a link to a long touchdown play by Thomas at Michigan State in 2014, it bears repeating that Thomas has a history with possible quarterback starter Cardale Jones, dating back to their days at Fork Union Military Academy; Jones certainly looked for Thomas in the games versus Alabama and Oregon during the national championship run. Thomas is a dependable possession receiver, capable of breaking short passes into substantial gains after the catch.

The second leading receiver in 2014 was Jalin Marshall, who also returns. While listed as an H-B on Ohio State’s official roster, Marshall also emerged as a receiving threat, especially during the national championship run.

Want more? How about fellow H-B Dontre Wilson? Corey Smith, who was a superstar on special teams kick coverage, like Devin Smith? Even Jeff Greene, a walk-on, has previous experience from his days at Georgia Tech.

What about losing Devin Smith as a deep threat? Yes, that is a loss, but…Parris Campbell, Johnnie Dixon, and Terry McLaurin are all reputed to have tremendous speed. One, or all, could conceivably fill that deep threat role this coming season.

What about losing Evan Spencer as a blocker? I am more concerned about this, but have tremendous confidence in players such as Noah Brown or Jeff Greene as blockers, and believe one, or both, will emerge in the eyes of the coaching staff this spring in this necessary role for the Ohio State rushing offense.

Losing Devin Smith and Evan Spencer will hurt, but the 2015 Ohio State Buckeyes may determine that the wide receiver position group is truly offering multiple players wide options to emerge this spring, and throughout the upcoming season.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

2015 Ohio State Spring Football Questions: Will It Be “Three’s Company” Or “Three’s A Crowd” At QB?

March 6, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Beginning March 10th, Ohio State will have fifteen spring football practices before the conclusion of spring practice on April 18th in Ohio Stadium. Over the next few weeks, I will rank the top ten questions facing Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer and his coaching staff as the Buckeyes retake the football field after concluding the 2014 season as the national champions.

These articles will be submitted from areas of lowest concern to highest concern. While Ohio State returns the overwhelming majority of its 2014 team, and welcomes in a highly-touted recruiting class, it will be important for Coach Meyer to convey to his team that complacency within the player ranks could derail any hopes of the Buckeyes repeating as national champions in 2015.

9. Quarterback

Key Players/Contributors Lost: None

Key Players/Contributors Returning For 2015: All. Braxton Miller (Redshirt Senior), Cardale Jones (Redshirt Junior), J.T. Barrett (Redshirt Sophomore), Stephen Collier (Redshirt Freshman).

Let’s review from August 2014 to now, shall we?

All was seemingly lost for Ohio State at that point. While Ohio State fans hoped for the best, many prepared themselves for the possibility that Ohio State would not be able to survive the loss of Miller at quarterback and still qualify for the inaugural College Football Playoff.

Then J.T. Barrett emerged. After a disastrous game at home versus Virginia Tech, Barrett regrouped and emerged as a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate in his own right, setting numerous records before being lost for the season in THE GAME versus That Team Up North.

I seem to recall some joker posting something about Cardale Jones, even before the diagnosis had been revealed about the extent of Barrett’s injury…

Heading into The B1G Championship game versus Wisconsin, Fox Sports’ Gus Johnson summed up what all Buckeye fans were feeling about the newly-designated starter at quarterback…

Needless to say, I’m not going to bore you with how it all turned out. Well, maybe I will give you this little clip that I have personally decided is among my favorite…

After the national championship, many people, including myself, expected Cardale Jones to declare for the 2015 NFL Draft. With no guarantees to start for Ohio State in 2015, and the possibility of a lucrative financial future, Jones stepped up to the podium in the gymnasium at Cleveland Glenville and made the following announcement…

And in the bitter cold on January 24th, 2015, while in Ohio Stadium to honor the 2014 national champions, could there have been a better moment to summarize how blessed Ohio State fans were in 2014, and possibly will be, in 2015?

Getting down to business, here is how the quarterback position will probably be handled this spring ~

Braxton Miller, while coming along in his recovery, will be handled with caution by both Ohio State’s medical staff, as well as coaching staff, this spring. Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer stated the same recently in an interview with 97.1 The Fan’s Anthony Rothman…

J.T. Barrett will also be somewhat limited in his spring football participation. While Barrett is no longer on crutches, as he was during the national championship celebration on January 24th, will need to be cautious as well this spring…

With those concerns being publicly stated, this results in Cardale Jones having the opportunity to run with the first team offense for fifteen practices. With new quarterbacks coach/co-offensive coordinator Tim Beck on staff this spring, Jones will have the best chance to cement his role as the starter before Barrett or Miller are fully healthy.

Where does this place Stephen Collier, last year’s scout team quarterback?

Look for Collier to be provided ample opportunities to play this spring, with both Miller and Barrett limited. It would not be a shock to see Collier play substantially in the spring game on April 18th. With newly-signed Torrance Gibson and Joe Burrow arriving this summer, Collier will want to take advantage of any and every chance to impress the coaching staff this spring.

There are always exceptions to every rule. The old football axiom that “if you have two quarterbacks, that means you don’t have one” was shattered by the performances over the last few seasons by Braxton Miller, J.T. Barrett, and Cardale Jones. Will the three quarterbacks prove to Ohio State fans that the quarterback situation at Ohio State is more “Three’s Company” than “Three’s A Crowd”? That question will possibly not be answered until fall camp, so it may be raised as a priority in my mind by that time. Even so, I am guessing Coach Meyer, Coach Beck, and all of the coaches and players at Ohio State will be reassured knowing they have three dynamite players at the most crucial position on the football field.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The 2014 OSU Seniors’ Theme? “Redemption Song”

January 30, 2015 by Leave a Comment

It was tremendous attending the celebration in Ohio Stadium on January 24th, 2015, with approximately 45,000-50,000 other Ohio State fans. Yes, it was cold; about 27 degrees. It was not as cold as the other national championship celebration I attended in January 2003; that celebration had more snow and was several degrees below zero. Yes, the players did join in a singing of “Carmen Ohio” at the conclusion; there was no Cie Grant moment in this celebration.

While I sat with my friend Bob during the celebration, my mind could not help but think of the senior class who signed letters of intent with Ohio State in February 2011. Twenty-four players signed with Ohio State in February 2011, yet only seventeen remained by January 2015. Fortunately for Ohio State fans, a few of these individuals have eligibility remaining to play for Ohio State in 2015 (Chase Farris, Joel Hale, Bryce Haynes, Cardale Jones, Braxton Miller, Ron Tanner, and Nick Vannett).

While “Carmen Ohio” was naturally performed at the national championship celebration, another song has crossed my mind as I reflect upon the careers of the players who signed in 2011 ~ Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song”.

“But my hand was made strong
By the ‘and of the Almighty.
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly…”

My first experience watching Braxton Miller as an Ohio State Buckeye was in the 2011 Ohio State Spring Game. Enrolled as a true freshman, there were questions as to whether Miller would be the quarterback during the first five games, as returning starter Terrelle Pryor served a five game suspension, along with Ohio State Head Coach Jim Tressel. Little did anyone know that the 2011 Spring Game would be the last time Coach Tressel would coach Miller in any capacity.

Memorial Day 2011 dawned with the bombshell that Coach Tressel, under siege by the national media and members of the university power struggle, resigned as head coach. Former Ohio State defensive lineman and longtime Ohio State assistant coach Luke Fickell was promoted to head coach for the 2011 season, and possibly beyond.

While 2011 was a disappointing season for Ohio State and Coach Fickell, optimism for these players came into Columbus with the hiring of Urban Meyer as head football coach on November 28, 2011. In less than one full year, many of these players had experienced signing to play for one head coach, suffering through a losing season under an interim coach, and now were going to play for a coach that had not recruited the majority of them (Coach Meyer had recruited Braxton Miller while Coach Meyer was at Florida, if you recall). Even with this optimistic turn of events related to Coach Meyer’s arrival, it was only natural that a few of the players decided to look elsewhere to continue their football and educational careers.

“Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our minds…”

The 2012 season under Coach Meyer resulted in a perfect 12-0 season, yet no rewards were possible as the program was under a bowl ban. The 2013 season began in tremendous fashion, yet collapsed down the stretch with a loss to Michigan State in The 2013 B1G Championship Game, and followed up with a loss to Clemson in the 2014 Orange Bowl. The 2014 season, after three years, would prove to be the last opportunity to leave a positive legacy in the archives of Ohio State football for several of these players who began in 2011.

“Won’t you help to sing
These songs of freedom? –
‘Cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs”

Yes, “Carmen Ohio” was on my mind, along with 45,000-50,000 other members of the Buckeye faithful on January 24th, 2015, in Ohio Stadium. But I will admit this other tune will also be on my mind and in my heart as I will fondly think back to the magical season of 2014, and to several of the Buckeyes who helped to make it that way, beginning back in February 2011.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Phil Steele Names Urban Meyer 2014 College Coach of the Year

January 21, 2015 by 1 Comment

Phil Steele, the well-known college football guru, awarded Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer the 2014 Phil Steele College Coach of the Year Award. It’s the fourth year he has handed out the award and a full-page will be dedicated on it in his upcoming preview magazine for the 2015 college football season (click here for a preview of it). The runner-up for the award was TCU head coach Gary Patterson. Here’s Steele’s reason for picking Meyer as his coach of the year winner:

In his third year as head coach at The Ohio State University, Meyer led the Buckeyes
to their eighth National Championship and second since 1970. Meyer also is the
only FBS head coach to post a perfect regular season conference record over the last
3 seasons (24-0).

The 2014 season started without one of the Heisman front-runners in QB Braxton
Miller then OSU lost the 2014 FWAA freshman first team All-American QB JT Barrett.
Meyer and his staff prepared QB Cardale Jones for one of the games finest 3 game
performances winning the Big 10 Championship, the Sugar Bowl semi-Final and the
first ever College Football Playoff.

Meyer not only has a tremendous impact when tutoring student athletes, but coaches
as well. With the departure of co-OC Tom Herman to Houston the growing total of
assistants which he has coached that have become a FBS or FCS head coach now
stands at 10. The group includes 6 coaches who earned bowl berths with their teams
last year and one which took his team to the FCS playoffs.

Congratulations to Coach Meyer on winning Phil Steele’s 2014 College Coach of the Year Award.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Transformation of Cardale Jones

January 16, 2015 by Leave a Comment

On October 5, 2012 at 8:43 AM, Cardale Jones tweeted out one of the most infamous tweets of all time. We all know what it says, so I will just leave it at that. I’ll admit that I had never heard of Mr. Jones when the ESPN and media reports broke that an “Ohio State QB tweeted something stupid.” The nation bashed the Buckeyes and Cardale for it and as we all remember they were coming off a 6-7 season after Tatgate while looking at the Michigan game as the season finale due to sanctions. It was gasoline on a dumpster fire.

Fast forward 2 years and 3 months, and Cardale Jones had just beaten Wisconsin, top ranked Alabama and second ranked Oregon to win the National Championship. Who saw this coming? Not me. Not anyone. Maybe not even Cardale.

To add to that, Cardale announced today that he would be returning for another season with Ohio State because he wanted to graduate. From his press conference this afternoon at the Ginn Academy (Via ESPN):

“It’s everybody’s dream and goal when they play football or any collegiate sport to make it to the next level, but at my point in my career, I feel like it’s best for me to go back to school… [Meyer] always preaches to us that education is what is most important, and he knows and we know that with all three of us back next year, it’s going to bring out the best in us.”

Jones also mentioned that he knows his football days will come to an end someday and that he needs to be prepared for that. He would like to be a Financial Planner once that day comes.

That is an incredible and unprecedented transformation for a young man in just two short years. It is also a refreshing story in college football that a star player values his education and will pass up millions of potential dollars in the NFL to take classes and graduate. No matter how Cardale’s professional career pans out, I believe 100 percent that he will be a productive person in society and serve as a role model for thousands of kids who were in similar situations to him (especially those who hail from East Cleveland).

As a student at The Ohio State University, I worked at an on-campus pizza shop to help pay for various expenses any college student has (beer, mostly). Most of my shifts were in the morning from 8-12pm where we would serve breakfast then switch to lunch half way through that time period. Jones would come in nearly every day I worked while usually ordering the same thing. Breakfast Sandwich with Bacon, Egg, and Cheese or some variation of that order was his go-to.

Plenty of other players would come in at times too, and being the fan that I am, I would always try to talk to them and make conversation. Without naming names, many of the players wouldn’t pay too much attention to me (which is fine- I’m sure they get that all the time). But Cardale would always talk to me which I thought was just the coolest thing in the world. I would usually have SportsCenter on so we would usually discuss the current day’s sports news, giving predictions, etc.

I never saw him as the troubled freshman who had academic issues. He was always very courteous to everyone and was never without a smile. So now that he has come full circle, I have to say that I couldn’t be more proud of him. I cannot say enough about how great it is that he values his education that much- Woody Hayes would be very proud.

12 Gauge will go down as a legend at Ohio State for many reasons but none more than being the 3rd string Quarterback who led the Buckeyes to a National Championship after everything he went through.

And the best part is, Cardale Jones will one day have a degree from The Ohio State University which is a huge accomplishment in its own. Looks like in the end, he came here to play school.

Filed Under: B1G Football, College Football, Ohio State Football Tagged With:

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The NFL…

January 16, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Before going any further, congratulations to Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer and the 2014 Ohio State Buckeyes. I am still basking in the happiness of winning the national championship, and will have posts in the future to best articulate my feelings on this accomplishment. Needless to say, I wanted to make sure I added my congratulations to the many that have been directed to Coach Meyer and the 2014 Ohio State coaches and players on this outstanding achievement.

**
The popular and probable consensus opinion regarding Cardale Jones and his announcement was that Jones was going to declare for the NFL. Over the previous days, many people asked me for my opinion, and now is as good as any for me to articulate why I believed Jones was going to the NFL ~

Cardale Jones and Braxton Miller were recruited by former Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel in the 2011 recruiting class. To shore up his grades, and provide some separation from Miller, Jones agreed to enroll at Fork Union Military Academy in 2011.

Upon returning to Columbus in 2012, Jones was faced with the following realities – the head coach who recruited him was gone, and replaced with someone who neither recruited him, nor wanted him. Braxton Miller had completed a freshman season in 2011 that had captivated the fanbase, as well as the incoming coaching staff. As someone who attended the 2012 Ohio State spring game, the fact that Jones did not garner a single snap in an intrasquad scrimmage spoke volumes about where Jones stood in the eyes of the coaching staff.

And then during the 2012 season, Jones decided to tweet…THIS.

Yes, I guess you could say I was fairly certain Cardale Jones was eventually going to leave Columbus, and probably not in a positive fashion in the eyes of Coach Meyer or any of the other Ohio State coaches.

Jones played sparingly in 2013, and was beaten out for the starting quarterback position by J.T. Barrett in the 2014 fall camp after Miller went down with a season-ending injury. Again, there was speculation that Jones would transfer after losing the job to Barrett, especially after being the starting quarterback throughout all of the 2014 spring practices.

Flash forward to November 29th, 2014. Ohio State is in a dogfight with That Team Up North, and J.T. Barrett is knocked out for the season. Anyone who has listened to me throughout this past season on any of the Men of the Scarlet and Gray podcasts can recall how I often lamented how infrequently Jones played, especially when Ohio State had substantial leads. I actually tweeted after Barrett went down about this…

We all know how gloriously it turned out. I believe @JeffSvoboda articulated it well…

When I think about being 22 years old, with a child to provide for…I can honestly say that I probably would have taken the money. Quite honestly, even without a child, turning down the money at 22 years old would have been probably impossible, as I reflect upon it.

No matter how it turns out in 2015, Cardale Jones has secured his place in the hearts and minds of Ohio State fans going forward.

Will Jones be the Ohio State starter at quarterback next season? It is certainly possible, but if Ohio State fans have learned anything this past season, anything is possible, especially at the quarterback position. Jones does have one advantage going into the 2015 season…

No matter how this all turns out, at least Ohio State fans can count upon Tyvis Powell to keep Cardale Jones in line throughout the 2015 season…

Filed Under: Ohio State Football Tagged With: , , , , ,

It’s Deja Vu All Over Again For Ohio State

January 9, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Ohio State suffers through a costly loss to an opponent, despite being heavily favored. The quarterback is under tremendous scrutiny. And Ohio State is to face an Oregon team that is supposedly too fast for Ohio State to be able to keep pace.

Yes, I know. We’re all eagerly awaiting to see how Ohio State plays against Oregon in The College Football Playoff National Championship Presented By AT&T (say that one ten times fast).

Actually, I am talking about the 2010 Rose Bowl.

A quick stroll down memory lane is in order – in 2009, Ohio State opened up against Navy, and had to escape with a close win (Ohio State 31, Navy 27). Despite a close loss to USC in week two, Ohio State fans were optimistic for the season…until losing at Purdue (Purdue 26, Ohio State 18). Ohio State won the remainder of its games to claim The Big Ten championship, only to be faced with an Oregon team that was loaded with speed in The 2010 Rose Bowl. Ohio State won, 26-17.

While impressive remembering the similarities between The 2010 Rose Bowl and this game, I believe the strategies used by Ohio State to slow down Oregon are possibly going to be used once again, this time by Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer.

Below are three critical areas I will be paying close attention to when Ohio State and Oregon kick off at 8:30pm EST on ESPN…

1. Will Ohio State Create A Collapsing Pocket Against Marcus Mariota? – Mariota is tremendously accurate as a passer and also blessed with exceptional speed. Instead of allowing Mariota to get to the outside of the pocket, will Ohio State try to contain Mariota within the pocket, and win the game as a pure pocket passer?

2. Ohio State Must Wrap Up Against Oregon – Defensively, Ohio State will be under tremendous physical scrutiny, with Oregon attempting to run plays every sixteen seconds. The defensive line and linebackers will not be able to substitute frequently, nor will the secondary players. A critical area against an Oregon team that has so much offensive speed will be to wrap up and tackle, thus negating the big plays that have been a staple of the Oregon offense.

3. Will Ohio State Control The Clock Against Oregon? – While I respect Coach Meyer’s more aggressive approach on offense, it will be so important for Ohio State to be content to use the clock fully when on offense. Running the ball with Ezekiel Elliott, Curtis Samuel, and yes, Cardale Jones, will help keep the Ohio State defense off the field, and also help to throw a wrench into Oregon’s plans to play at their typical fast-break pace.

As Yogi Berra once stated, “It’s deja vu all over again.”. At some point on Monday night, Ohio State fans will hopefully agree with Mr. Berra’s wise statement.

Filed Under: Ohio State Football Tagged With: , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »