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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Grading 2014 Ohio State Football, At The Bye

October 10, 2014 by 2 Comments

While I agree with Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer that having a bye week at this point in the season is not necessarily wanted or welcomed by the coaches, players, or fans, it does provide an opportunity to assess how Ohio State is doing after the first third of the season. (Technically, Ohio State was at the 1/3 point after the Cincinnati game, but this bye weekend gives me a chance to evaluate the team, without an opponent to preview against.) Let us begin with the various position groups:

Quarterbacks: A solid ‘B’, but could rise to an ‘A’ by the conclusion of the season. Redshirt freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett was unenviably thrown into the starting position when projected starter Braxton Miller’s shoulder injury was season-ending. Barrett struggled immensely against Virginia Tech in week two, but has had three straight sterling performances versus Kent State, Cincinnati, and Maryland. Will Barrett be able to continue his strong play as Ohio State continues B1G competition for the remainder of the season? Cardale Jones has played sparingly as a backup so far this season.

Running Backs: B+. Ezekiel Elliott has seized the starting position, and looks to be in the Carlos Hyde mold of being able to wear an opposing defense down. Senior Rod Smith figures to be a complimentary player for the remainder of his Ohio State career. Coach Meyer has praised Bri’onte Dunn as being worthy of more playing time. True freshman Curtis Samuel is presently battling an ankle injury. The coaching staff seems to have concluded that Dontre Wilson is best used as a perimeter player running the ball; the same for Jalin Marshall. Warren Ball has battled injuries this season, and gets little playing time.

Wide Receivers: B-. This position group is kind of a mixed bag. The talent is there, but has not established itself on a consistent basis. Michael Thomas, Corey Smith, Evan Spencer, Devin Smith, Jalin Marshall, Dontre Wilson – all play, yet none have seized the starting positions with a commanding performance. Senior TE Jeff Heuerman has battled injuries, but may have turned the corner. Nick Vannett has also played capably this season.

Offensive Line: B+. Considering where this group started, how the players were being mixed in and out of the lineup, with inconsistent results…This offensive line may be the most pleasant surprise on the team. Losing four starters, and moving the only returning starter with Taylor Decker to left tackle, meant the offensive line was completely unsettled and incohesive. The offensive line is only going to get better by the season’s end. Senior Darryl Baldwin has been singled out by Coach Meyer for his continuing development at right tackle. Jacoby Boren has taken a firm grasp of the starting center position.

Defensive Line: B-. Joey Bosa is staring down a first team All-American selection after this season. The suspension of Noah Spence has hurt Ohio State’s pass rush. Michael Bennett, Adolphus Washington, and the combo of Steve Miller/Rashad Frazier have played well, but have not been nearly as dominant as expected by the fan base. An opportunity to dominate the opposition looms when the Buckeyes travel to Penn State on October 25th.

Linebackers: B. True freshman Raekwon McMillan may have clinched the starting middle linebacker position by the season’s end. Darron Lee was the player of the game in the season opener versus Navy. Joshua Perry has been relatively quiet on the playmaking front. Will this group be able to step up with physical rushing opponents such as Michigan State and Minnesota on the horizon?

Secondary: C. A true work in progress. While improving, this is the weak area of the team. How much of it is scheme, and how much of it is personnel? Eli Apple may have turned a corner, no pun intended, with his performance at Maryland last weekend. This position group may improve with better performances at Penn State and Indiana.

Special Teams Units: B+. True freshman Sean Nuernberger has been better after two missed field goals against Virginia Tech in the second game of the season. Will Nuernberger be able to come through if needed to make a game winner? Cameron Johnston is quietly reliable at the punting position. Coach Meyer stresses the importance of special teams as being a gateway to playing time, and the coverage units have been solid.

Conclusion: If 2014 Ohio State football were a stock, this would be a solid buy acquisition. Ohio State should be 7-1 heading up to East Lansing, MI, for what should be a B1G East Division elimination game. “Should be” does not mean “will be”, especially after Virginia Tech came into Ohio Stadium and defeated the Buckeyes in week two of the season. If Ohio State can defeat a very good Michigan State team in front of a national television audience, it is not far-fetched for Ohio State to possibly emerge as a playoff participant.

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2014 OSU Spring Football – Questions Answered, Questions Remain (Part 2)

April 15, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Part one reviewed the least concerning areas for Ohio State after the conclusion of spring practice. This article will focus upon the top five concerning areas for Ohio State, heading into summer workouts. Have any position groups changed from before spring practice? Let us review…

5. Defensive Back: One of the biggest changes, after spring practice. Previously ranked as the third most concerning area, I would lower this area after spring practice. Even though there are two open positions at cornerback and safety, my reasoning for feeling better about the defensive backfield lies in the more aggressive approach that was evident during the spring game. Instead of playing off the wide receivers, Ohio State’s defensive backs were pressing right from the line of scrimmage. Throw in the dominant Ohio State defensive line that figures to continually pressure opposing quarterbacks, and it would seem likely that the defensive backs will be in a great position to excel, despite their inexperience.

4. Wide Receiver: Another position group that moved, and this actually increased in concern following spring practice. Talent is on the roster, yet it was evident in the following comments by Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer following the spring game where his thoughts were about his wide receivers after the spring game ~ “We’re not where we need to be. I think we’re better that we were two years ago, and I’m hoping we’re a better notch than we were last year. We got a ways to go…Receiver, I can’t name you one that’s going to start. Which is concerning, but it’s comforting to know I can name about six that have the ability. Those would be Devin Smith, Johnnie Dixon, Michael Thomas, I think Jalin Marshall, before he got hurt he was having a great spring, Dontre Wilson and Evan Spencer; we have some depth there.”. Keep an eye and ear open for news about this position group over the summer workouts and fall camp.

3. Linebacker: A position group that has improved since before the spring practices, yet remains in the same area of concern. While rising junior Joshua Perry has earned a starting outside linebacker position, battles for the other two spots remain between rising senior Curtis Grant and true freshman Raekwon McMillan for the middle linebacker job, and Darron Lee and Chris Worley are both in the mix at the walkout linebacker spot. Considering Ohio State opens up the 2014 season at Navy, a triple option attack, it will be crucial for Ohio State’s linebackers to play disciplined; will that be possible with such inexperience at this position?

2. Backup Quarterback: Another position group that has been elevated since spring practice began, and it truly has less to do with the spring game than the reality of the situation. Rising redshirt sophomore Cardale Jones has emerged as the top backup quarterback, with rising redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett third string. While Coach Meyer seemed pleased with Jones’ development over the course of the spring practices, it must be asked – is Jones truly ready to lead Ohio State if rising senior Braxton Miller is injured this upcoming season?

1. Offensive Line: The biggest concern I had heading into spring practice, and nothing has changed since spring football concluded. In the words of Coach Meyer, “Offensive line, we’ve got to really go, we gotta really go from here. I saw Jamarco Jones, Demetrius Knox is coming in, Brady Taylor. Those are three bodies that are going to be coming in in June and I look them right in the eye and said “You’re not red shirting; you’re playing,” and that’s hard for an offensive lineman, so we’re gonna — that’s an area that we have got to get back to where we — maybe not where we were, but close…On offense you got Pat Elflein and our left tackle, Taylor Decker, and everyone else is wide open, no other spots taken.”. My first thoughts, as I read those comments? Be grateful that Ohio State was able to retain offensive line coach Ed Warriner.

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Thomas Edison once stated, “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”. Ohio State fans can rest easy knowing that the Ohio State coaching staff and players will seize these opportunities to work over the coming summer months.

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2014 OSU Spring Football – Questions To Answer (Part 1)

March 1, 2014 by 5 Comments

“It is only the farmer who faithfully plants seeds in the spring who reaps a harvest in the Autumn.” ~ B.C. Forbes

I have no idea if Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer is an avid reader of Forbes magazine, but I feel comfortable in stating that Coach Meyer agrees with Mr. Forbes’ ideas about the importance of spring as it relates to results in the fall. Ohio State will kick off the first of fifteen spring practices on March 4th, with the last culminating in the spring football game on April 12th in Ohio Stadium.

While Ohio State returns several key players from last year’s squad that went 12-2 in 2013, Coach Meyer and his coaching staff will have to address and work upon position group areas before the 2014 season commences. Over a two part series, I have ranked the various position group areas, from least concerning to most concerning, as I perceive them.

It is entirely possible that this list may look entirely different when April 13th arrives. Feel free to comment below. Let us begin…

Honorable Mention: Senior QB Braxton Miller’s Continued Passing Improvement – Before this series was written, I ranked this as my #10 question heading into spring football practices. With the recent news of Miller’s offseason surgery, it led me to reassess this as a top priority. Miller will/should have limited work in the spring, to avoid further injury, while also allowing the backup quarterbacks (more on them in this series, I promise) more repetitions in game-like conditions. This concern could certainly warrant a higher ranking, heading into fall camp.

10. Special Teams Units – While ranked low, this unit is of extreme importance to the overall success of any team. Eliminating an opponent’s ability to return kickoffs and punts can often be a difference between winning and losing. With that criteria in mind, keep in mind that several of the incoming freshmen who are not yet on campus. The players I anticipate playing on special teams for Ohio State in 2014 are names from the highly-touted 2013 recruiting class – players such as Jayme Thompson, Darron Lee, Christopher Worley, Eli Apple, Cam Burrows, or Gareon Conley. Again, this list is highly subjective, as there are several freshmen who will look to make an impact when they arrive on campus, and could fluctuate greatly by the time the season begins.

9. Tight End – Senior Jeff Heuerman returns, with redshirt junior Nick Vannett also in the mix. Senior J.T. Moore returns, after a conversion from the defensive line. Moore’s role is primarily for blocking. The wild card of this group is redshirt freshman Marcus Baugh. Baugh was highly recruited, yet has received negative scrutiny for repeated off the field incidents. If Baugh stays out of trouble, will he do enough this spring to warrant playing time this coming season?

8. H-Back/Pivot/Hybrid/Slot – Notice how I used various terms, as I have read any and all of these during Coach Meyer’s tenure at Ohio State to describe this important offensive position; H-Back seems to be the nomenclature I have seen more frequently as of this writing. Regardless, players such as Dontre Wilson, Jalin Marshall, and newly-arrived Curtis Samuel would seem to fit the H-Back position well for Ohio State. Questions to work on this spring for H-Back would seem to be are there other players on the squad who may also be able to contribute in this manner? More importantly, can the H-Back position become more than a decoy, as Dontre Wilson was often relegated to during the 2013 season?

7. Running Back – Carlos Hyde is busy preparing for the upcoming NFL Draft, so returnees Warren Ball, Bri’onte Dunn, Rod Smith, and Ezekiel Elliott will all battle for the starting job. Elliott is the favorite going into spring practice, but all should give him a run for the position. Hybrids Dontre Wilson and Curtis Samuel will also be involved. Can Ohio State RB coach Stan Drayton keep everyone happy?

6. Wide Receiver – The buzzword for this position group is “competition”. Ohio State WR Coach Zach Smith has stated there are no starters, so I would speculate this is a group to keep an eye open for news this spring. Here are the players at Coach Smith’s disposal ~ James Clark, Evan Spencer, Jalin Marshall, Jeff Greene, Johnnie Dixon, Michael Thomas, Corey Smith, Devin Smith, and Frank Epitropoulos. Throw in hybrid Curtis Samuel into that mix. Plus incoming freshmen Noah Brown, Parris Campbell, and Terry McLaurin are not on campus yet. Yow. Can Coach Smith keep all these players happy and in the fold?

Part two will examine what I believe are the top five questions to focus upon as they relate to the 2014 Ohio State spring football practices.

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No Controversies With Florida A&M

September 17, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Congratulations to Ohio State for passing its first road test of the 2013 season against California with flying colors. Traveling across the country to California, facing a team with a developing and fast-paced offensive attack, as well as starting the backup quarterback, Ohio State rose to the challenge and won the game impressively.

Coming home to face Florida A&M, Ohio State fans can rest easy that this is a game that should present no concerns for the Buckeyes before B1G play begins. If you have heard this legendary story regarding tickets, the point is that this is the Ohio State game that should provide any fans the opportunity to find tickets easily. Even Gene Smith recently stated that this is a “challenging” game that may prove difficult to sell out for Ohio State.

Below are my wish list items for Florida A&M:

1. Rest Braxton Miller, and play Kenny Guiton versus Florida A&M: Not trying to fan this into a quarterback controversy, but I am of the opinion that resting Braxton Miller would be in the team’s best interests for the 2013 season. A sprained MCL will only get better with rest. If Braxton Miller is not deemed 100%, rest him.  Kenny Guiton is doing fine piloting the Ohio State offense. No need to put Miller in against Florida A&M and risk further injury.

2. Ease Carlos Hyde into playing time: Hyde will be understandably anxious to show what he can do, after serving his three game suspension. Instead of rushing Hyde into the lineup, I would hope Ohio State would play Hyde after Ohio State establishes a strong lead over Florida A&M.  Happy to see others, such as Beau Bishop, agree with me on this point.

3. Play backups the majority of the second half: More than likely, this game will get out of hand very quickly; Ohio State could possibly be up by forty points at the half. My hope would be to play the starters the first series of the third quarter, then turn the reins over to as many backups as possible ~ Cardale Jones. Warren Ball. Ezekiel Elliott. Rod Smith. Insert the backup offensive line, as Ohio State will lose four starters after this season. Nothing can take the place of actual game experience, and this may be one of the best opportunities for extensive game experience for these units. Play as many redshirt freshmen as possible; these players have already been redshirted, and can only get better by playing. Keep the starters healthy for the B1G games on the horizon. I have been advocating this philosophy for the first few weeks of the season, and others like Ben Axelrod seem to be thinking the same thing ~

Along those lines,

4. Last call for redshirts: If there is a member of the highly-touted freshman class that has not earned playing time yet, why waste a valuable year of eligibility? Even Coach Meyer has stated that Bri’onte Dunn and Michael Thomas may benefit from a redshirt year ~

Think back to 2005, when Ohio State played Brian Robiskie. Robiskie wound up playing sparingly in 2005, with only one catch. Yes, Robiskie concluded his Ohio State career in fine fashion, but Robiskie would have been better served by the previous coaching staff by using 2005 as a redshirt year, allowing Robiskie a chance to play in 2009.

In 2014, Ohio State will have Rod Smith, Warren Ball, and Bri’onte Dunn as running backs. While I am certain Dunn would like to play, it would probably be best for Dunn and the program to save a year of eligibility for 2014.

Look for this game to be over quickly.  Ohio State should have no problem racking up the style points that have eluded them so far this season.

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