| 30 September 2010
I have been firmly in the camp that we needed to see two linebackers in this class. With two seniors and two juniors on the depth chart we needed to get two players in here regardless. I was so sure of it that I devoted an entire blog to the whys and hows of the need for two linebackers. That all changed at about 10:30 PM on September 2nd.
What happened at about 10:30PM on September 2nd? The final gun in the Buckeyes victory over Marshall. It was a game where Tyler Moeller showed he was indeed back. My change of heart did not have anything to do with Moeller. It had to do with his position. The hybrid linebacker/strong safety position, called the Star here at Ohio State, was on the field far more than the third linebacker spot. Remember how much buzz there was about the Andrew Sweat/Etienne Sabino battle for the third linebacker spot? It fizzled out. We see now wh y there was no reason for both players. I was thinking it could not be possible that we did not need both. Why are we even considering redshirting one of them? It is because the starter was not going to play alot. The backup was going to do nothing but play special teams. Maybe that would have been a good thing but that is a blog for another day.
We call it the 4-2-5 but that is not really accurate as the Star is not a defensive back any more than the position is a linebacker, but that is what we are calling it until we find better nomenclature. We don't have three linebackers on the field much. Everyone was thinking we would only have a two-deep next year and have two senior in that two-deep. You want to get some bodies in here. That dynamic changes when you look at what amounts to six players for two spots. We have a three-deep. In that three-deep we only have one player who will be a senior, Andrew Sweat, because of the Sabino redshirt, and Jon Newsome has not grown into the defensive end that we all anticipated. He is looking awfully solid at linebacker and he is going to be a junior. I need to see Chad Hagan as a safety before I believe it. I think he is likely to hit the field as a linebacker. Linebacker has stopped being a priority with this recruiting class.
That does not mean we don't have needs to fill. Does anyone else remember a discussion about needing defensive backs? No? Neither do I. I have complained for years about the need for better recruiting at safety but numbers is not the issue. Talent has been the issue. Still is. I think we have made some strides this year with Cash and Tanner but I would like to see more. I would like to see another strong safety. Look at the depth chart. Hines and Gant are seniors. That leaves Hagan, a player who is listed at 230, and Zack Damicone, who I need to see be an impact player here before I believe it. Cash is going to challenge for playing time immediately and could be in the two-deep. I would like to add another big time kid there.
Corner is where I am scared out of my little mind. I thought we were set. Torrence and Chekwa are seniors but we have talent in the pipeline. I never worry about this staff with recruiting corners. Five stars become stars and three stars become stars. They find them and they develop them. Howard and Evege are out injured. That has given us a glimpse of the next generation. I doubt I am alone in being concerned about Brown and Clarke taking over. They are not true freshmen. They are redshirt freshmen. Both should know the defense. It is too early to say neither is going to be an impact player but I would like to see a few more bodies in the mix. If Doran Grant was not the top remaining recruiting target before, he certainly is now. If Jabari Gorman is not your number two now then you need to look at the last couple of games again.
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