| 22 February 2010
The way things were going for awhile I was not sure when I would be able to do this blog. I want to wrap-up the 2010 class before we go full speed into 2011.
The subject of which freshmen will play early is always a topic fans are interested in. There are not alot of players who can expect to play next year. It has nothing to do with the class not being what some hoped it would be. I maintain it was a fine skill position class. It has to do with youth. This is a young roster.
The basis for projections about freshmen playing is one of two things, need or a player who is so good that he is going to force his way into the depth chart.One player who fits the former category is Drew Basil. We have Barclay coming back but I doubt many fans are going to say they have complete confidence in him. I think Basil gets an early look.
Hankins becoming a Buckeye and Heyward returning takes the pressure off of J.T. Moore to play alot but I think he could get some reps as a first year player.
Scott McVey is the best player Buckeye fans know little about. He was arguably the best player in Ohio at the end of his junior year. He played as a senior despite hurting his shoulder in the first half of the first game of the year. Any other player would have been out for the year but McVey stepped up as a leader for a very inexperienced team. He gutted it out and played. He is a good fit at the Star. Hines is a senior and we don't know what we are getting with Tyler Moeller. I only hope he can play again. That is not a given. This is football. He had brain surgery. Don't assume he is going to get clearance to take blows to the head again, and it might have more to do with suits than with doctors. I could see someone who has never been to a football game stepping in and putting an end to his career over liability issues. That means we have no player with game experience at the position for 2011. McVey is a great player.
We don't know what is going to happen at safety. I keep hearing about Ohrian Johnson. I still need to see him be a player we can count on. I don't know if Chad Hagan is a safety or not. We will see. Christian Bryant is going to get a shot. Both safety spots are open. We could see the youngest pair of safeties in recent memory lining up for the Buckeyes.
There is one name that stands out as too good to ignore and that name is Rod Smith. He is another level. I think Brandon Saine was the best back on the roster at the end of the year. We will see what he looks like this spring as a back who is finally healthy for a long period of time. He is going to have to really step up his game to keep this future superstar from stepping into a significant number of reps this fall. No position is more instinctive than running back. If Smith gets his non-ball carrying assignments down, he could shakeup the running back depth chart this season.
I want to mention a player that has not been talked about a lot. That is Verlon Reed. I got to see a good deal of film of him not so long ago. He is being pencilled in as a safety on so many depth charts. I am not convinced he will not get a shot at quarterback. He was promised a shot. I am not bringing this up because I think he will stick. I am bringing this up because what I saw on this film was a player who looked great with the ball in his hands. Do not be surprised if his first stop after being moved from quarterback, if that happens, might be wide receiver.
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