Just when you thought it's going to be an uneventful day, the Buckeyes added a big commitment from another top-rated player.
Ain't no rest for fans of The Local Team.
ICYMI:
- Four-Star running back Darvon Hubbard commits to Ohio State.
- What Hubbard's commitment means for the Buckeyes.
- Brian Hartline isn't Ohio State's receivers coach yet, but Urban Meyer and Parris Campbell believe in him.
- Dre'Mont Jones will play an extended role in the defense after returning for one more season.
- Woody Hayes' Rose Bowl appearances: Eight. All other Buckeye coaches since: four.
- Have a tailgate recipe the world needs to know about? Submit it to the Official 11W Tailgate Cookbook. The author of the highest-voted recipe receives a $50 gift certificate to Eleven Warriors Dry Goods.
Word of the Day: Compunction.
MEYER'S NEW "GET OUT OF JAIL FREE CARD." Dwayne Haskins and J.T. Barrett have different skillsets which should change not only the way the offense operates normally, but Urban Meyer's security blanket when things go bad.
You can see it in the numbers – in close games, Meyer relied on Barrett running the ball more than anything else. And in short yardage situations, it was almost always Barrett up the middle.
With Haskins at the helm, Meyer's going to have to find a new "get out of jail free card," as he calls it. And for those of you who quite vocally hate the bubble screen, I've got some bad news.
From Bill Landis of Cleveland.com:
"His skill set is very different from J.T. Barrett," Meyer said. "His release, his size, his accuracy are his strengths. We're still gonna be a spread offense, which means you still have dual opportunities, give it or pull it (on read-options), the RPO (run-pass option) world where you give it or you throw it -- I think that's going to be more involved than it was with J.T."
...
Meyer always called the ability to run Barrett his "get out of jail free card." He played it a lot. Too much, one could argue. Falling into the rut of running Haskins when things get tough simply won't work, or at least not as well as with Barrett, who always felt like a near guarantee to get the ground you needed in short-yardage situations.
"It's not the same as J.T., but it's enough to do what we have to do," Meyer said when asked his comfort level running Haskins in those situations. "He understands that's part of who we are. ... The get out of jail free card might be a quick pass or a bubble screen, those type of things. That's all to be determined."
I'll say this now, folks will be absolutely indignant if Haskins drops back and tosses a bubble screen on 4th-and-1 at any point this fall. Hey, y'all were tired of the quarterback keeper.
SECOND-CHANCE SULLY. If you've watched The Scarlet & Gray play in this year's TBT, you've probably noticed Jared Sullinger putting the team on his back and dominating the post.
Sully finished the most recent game in the tournament with an absurd 28 points and 20 rebounds. Winning the tournament would earn him a share of the $2 million winner-take-all prize, and he looks like a man on a mission to bring it home.
But while he'd gladly take the check, that's not his main goal as he competes in this tournament.
From Bob Baptist of The Athletic ($):
More than the money, Sullinger would like a second chance.
After 4 1/2 seasons in the NBA in which he had back surgery once, surgery to repair stress fractures in his left foot twice and ultimately found himself unemployed because of his inability to control his weight, he said he is healthy and just happy to be back playing basketball again. Whether next season sees him back in the NBA, back in China, where he played last season, or in Europe, is immaterial.
“Of course, everybody’s dream is to play in the NBA. Don’t get me wrong,” he said. “But I just want to play basketball somewhere. I’m at that point in my dream. I just want to play basketball and get paid somewhere to be able to play basketball. That’s my main goal. Whether it’s here, there or on the moon, I’m there.”
Sullinger blames only himself for falling out of the NBA years ago, citing his own immaturity which led to unhealthy weight gains.
But now it's only himself who can get him back in. He's still battling, and has a lot of work to do, but a dominating performance in this tournament can't hurt.
DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH. Jamarco Jones' slide in the draft mystified me. For the past two years, I thought he was one of the most consistent players on the entire roster and an anchor on the offense.
NFL teams didn't think so. After an admittedly abysmal combine performance, Jones fell all the way to the fifth round to the Seattle Seahawks. Despite his athletic limitations, that might turn out to be the steal of the draft.
From Oliver Connolly of FieldGulls.com:
The Ohio State grad tested in the 11th percentile of the leaping test and the 5th percentile (!) of the agility drill. He can’t explode out of his stance; he can’t shuffle his feet, is what the league concluded from its pre-draft battery of tests.
Nonsense. Teams, typically (and rightly), favor pro-size and athleticism over technique. You can teach hand position, you can’t teach first-step quickness. But I feel they missed on Jones.
The athletic tests make grim reading, but the tape tells a different story.
Jones was one of the most technically proficient and well-rounded linemen in the 2018 class. Or any recent class, for that matter.
It is always fun when players turn an ingrained physical weakness into a tool. Jones isn’t an explosive leaper. As such, he’s developed a fluid, efficient pass set that’s as pretty as they come. One that allows him to get in position, in-time, as well and consistently as those who seemingly have rockets snuck into their cleats.
He might not be the most athletic guy, but he held his own against elite talent for two years. He's polished, disciplined and has great technique.
Plus, he went against Ohio State's defensive line for four years in practice. Based on how many current NFL players were on those lines, Jones should be qualified to start on day one.
NEW RISKS SURFACE. While CTE has been a huge talking point of late regarding the risks of playing football and other contact sports, new research suggests those sports may increase the risk of another brain disorder unrelated to CTE.
From USAToday.com:
Researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine and the VA Boston Healthcare System reported in the study -- published in the Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology -- that contact sports participants may face an increased risk of Lewy Body Disease, which can trigger Parkinson’s disease. The development of Lewy Body Disease appears to suggest that it is independent of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the degenerative brain disease linked to repetitive head impacts.
To quote a wise man, I fear one day our children look back on football the way we now look at cigarettes.
At the same time, I sincerely believe the game is safer than it's ever been and is getting safer every day. To what extent – I don't know for sure. I do think these new discoveries, while frightening, are absolutely vital to ensuring the game's survival. You can't make the game safer when you don't know all the risks and consequences.
BABY SHAZIER INCOMING. Congratulations are in order for Buckeye legend Ryan Shazier, who is expecting a child with his fiancé.
The plan god has placed around this family is very bright. So were so excited to let everyone know we have a wonderful blessing coming and I cant wait to welcome another beautiful Shazier. #shalieve #boyorgirl
— Ryan Shazier (@RyanShazier) July 24, 2018
Thanks @emmai_alaquiva for capturing this beautiful moment!! pic.twitter.com/LzjPQ0zkxc
Please call the Ohio State recruiting office and inform. Boy or girl, this child will share half of its DNA with one of the most fearsome linebackers ever to wear a Buckeye uniform. An offer should be in the mail promptly.
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