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By Kyle Nagel
| Friday, May 9, 2008, 02:30 PM
ESPN’s Scouts Inc. has a story today on Jack Mewhort, a center from Toledo St. John High School committed to Ohio State.
He still has a prep year to go until he gets to Columbus, but he wasted no time picking the Buckeyes.
“The football tradition at Ohio State is second to none,” Mewhort said. “I love the campus and the coaching staff and I’ve always wanted to be a Buckeye. On a personal note, my sister goes to Wittenberg in Springfield, Ohio and it will make it a lot easier on mom and dad to see us both.”
It helps that the story was written by Bill Conley, who for 17 years ran Ohio State’s recruiting. The profile seems to paint Mewhort as a possibly dominant center in the Buckeyes’ future, maybe in line with what Nick Mangold did for OSU.
Here’s part of his Scouts Inc. scouting report:
Tough for him to get low but once he gets his claws on you; he’ll take you for a ride. Strong upper body and gets movement even though plays a little high. Good first step allows hip to pick up stunting defensive linemen. Exceptional on the down block; destroys defenders when angle blocking. Works body into position after executing initial punch. Executes the shotgun snap to perfection and can step as he centering the ball without loss of fluidity. Most of the time can chip off the combo block and get to linebacker level.
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By Kyle Nagel
| Wednesday, May 7, 2008, 10:08 AM
Sure, Ohio State offensive lineman Kirk Barton was the 247th pick in the NFL draft, but that doesn’t mean Chicago Bears fans aren’t interested in using him right away.
In a brief look at a Bears message board thread about Barton, the notably tough group seems to be warming to Barton.
Barton had 34 reps and from what i’ve read is he is big and ripped for his weight.
Does anyone else think this guy is a perfect LG for us? I know it would be horrible to have 2 rooks starting at the left end, but he doesn’t have to start right away.
Toward the end of last season, even Barton seemed unsure about his professional future, as he often joked with reporters — especially television reporters — that he would soon be vying for their jobs. A uniquely entertaining character, Barton would be a perfect fit for covering the Buckeyes.
But, he might have that pro career to deal with.
if he can stay healthy then he has a chance in my mind to be a very good guard maybe even fill in on the RT. you dont go to ohio st. and play as much as him and not be good.
The Bears, of course, have had their problems on offense, and many have criticized the fact they didn’t draft a quarterback to compete with Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton. The fans seem to like additions to the offensive line, and, at least according to this thread, they’re anxious to see Barton in uniform.
Barton was one of my favorite picks this year, by anyone. He’s a guy that could have been a very high pick if he had been healthy throughout his career…he should have been a mid-round guy anyways, but good for JA.
This guy will compete for the G spot, and will take over RT when Tait is done.
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By Kyle Nagel
| Tuesday, May 6, 2008, 12:00 PM
While scrolling through Jim Tressel’s page on Wikipedia, one finds a message just inside the section on his time at Youngstown State. It says:
The neutrality of this section is disputed.
What you find when clicking on the link to discuss the issue is an interesting take on the extent of a coach’s responsibilities. Apparently, one user has twice added a paragraph into the YSU section that reads like this:
While at YSU, Tressel’s football program was investigated for major NCAA infractions. It was found that on numerous occasions during the period beginning August - September 1988 and continuing through the spring of 1992, a representative of the institution’s athletic interests, who was at the time a member and chairperson of the Youngstown State University Board of Trustees, gave at least $10,000 in cash and checks to a football student-athlete for his personal use. In the fall of 1988, the athletics booster instructed the football student-athlete to contact a business associate regarding the use of automobiles. The football student-athlete contacted the business associate who provided the free use of automobiles to the eligible football student-athlete.
This story has become well-known and to some has called into question Tressel’s squeaky-clean image, especially after NCAA violations involving Maurice Clarett and Troy Smith. But, you can’t read it in Tressel’s Wikipedia biography.
The user who added it argues that Tressel was the head football coach and therefore “was thus responsible for the YSU football team, it’s highly relevant to the subject matter.”
Others disagree:
… while yes, Tressel was responsible for the team’s operations, he cannot be (and wasn’t) held accountable for what happened outside the limits of his own personal actions and/or guidelines he set for the team. It was a booster, not a member of the coaching staff. So far as the matter in question is concerned, the info belongs on the YSU football team article, not Tressel’s
So, just how much should be attached to a coach’s biography? I didn’t take the time to look through Lou Holtz’s, but he has been criticized for leaving programs behind that later face violations apparently done during his tenure.
Most Ohio State fans will tell you that the YSU incident doesn’t mean much because it was the booster’s fault, not Tressel’s. Others say it is a symptom of Tressel’s willingness to break NCAA rules.
It’s a disagreement we find over one little paragraph on Wikipedia.
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By Kyle Nagel
| Monday, May 5, 2008, 08:29 PM
We’re four months from next football season, but there’s no reason to stop from speculating about who should play in next season’s national championship game.
That’s why we have outlets like nationalchamps.net, which says Ohio State will be the 2008 national champion, ending two seasons of frustration in the title game.
So, there it is. Discuss:
Before we get any further, let’s take a look at the selection of the Buckeyes as the No. 1 pick. Sure, they have several starters returning from last year’s team and have played in consecutive national title games. But they did lose both of those games to SEC teams.
In fact, Ohio State has never beaten an SEC team in a bowl. Consequently, if Ohio State and Georgia ended up 1-2 before bowl season, the Buckeyes would have to find a way to cope with another fast SEC squad. Just a thought.
Of course, anyone can say anything this time of year. Here, watch: Florida will win the national championship next season. No support, no reasoning. But it’s a prediction.
If you go beyond the Web site prediction, Ohio State is still doing pretty well:
However, Georgia is getting a lot of support outside the nationalchamps.net site as the team to beat. In fact, a consensus poll that appears on the site of groups that have already selected a preseason top 25 list has Georgia at No. 1 and Ohio State at No. 2 followed by USC, Oklahoma, Florida, Missouri, LSU, Wisconsin, Texas and West Virginia.
Who knows. But, with the Reds doing what they are, I’ll find any reason to talk about college football.
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By Kyle Nagel
| Friday, May 2, 2008, 04:54 PM
The fuzzy man in this photo’s background is Tyler Whaley. Unfortunately, based on what we see from the Cincinnati Bengals website, his presence in pro football isn’t much clearer.
The fullback from Ironton, who played in all 13 Buckeyes games last season, is listed on the Bengals’ 2008 Rookie Minicamp Roster as “Tyler Whatley.” OK, one letter out of place, that’s not too bad.
Then you click on his name, and you find this page of information, which includes nothing at all. His personal bio page doesn’t even list his school.
Of course, Whaley hasn’t always been a star. According to his Ohio State bio, he joined the Buckeyes as a walk-on after playing offensive and defensive line in high school. It also says that he “could (have) been a starter at a lower level, but wanted to play for Jim Tressel at Ohio State.”
Whaley did sign with the Bengals as a college free agent, but judging from what we see on the Bengals website, his chances of catching on seem slim. That is, unless next fall you notice a “Whatley” making practice squad waves.
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By Doug Harris
| Thursday, April 24, 2008, 03:34 PM
Ohio State has been following the saga of the possible health hazards created by some artificial-turf fields in New Jersey, two of which were shut down last week by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission because they contained dangerously
high levels of lead.
Artificial turf was just installed at Ohio Stadium last year — at a cost of about $800,000 — and the Buckeyes have three synthetic surfaces at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
In some of the older nylon surfaces being used nationally, pigment containing lead chromate is a common ingredient because it makes the fake grass look green and hold its color over time. But that doesn’t appear to be an issue at OSU, which has only the newer-generation turfs.
“Obviously, we want to be safe, and we feel we are safe,” said Don Patko, OSU’s director of facilities.
The three fields used by the OSU football team are covered with FieldTurf, which has become popular of late because of its grass-like feel. Tests were conducted on that product, and the lead amounts were negligible.
A lacrosse field at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center has an older artificial surface, but Patko said that model is considered safe, too.
Just to be sure, though, Patko said OSU will conduct its own tests with the help of the turf-grass research center on campus.
“We’re not going to panic over this, but we’ll do our due diligence,” Patko said.
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By Doug Harris
| Saturday, April 19, 2008, 02:45 PM
Todd Boeckman has acted all spring like a guy who feels secure as Ohio State’s starting quarterback — and he should. The senior-to-be doesn’t have any reason to fear for his job.
The more I watch Boeckman, the more I’m convinced the Buckeyes are going to be just fine at QB next season, and any discussion about Terrelle Pryor coming in and taking over is simply absurd.
I was studying Boeckman while he warmed up before the spring game in some 11-on-11 drills and marveled at how his throws seem to end up perfectly placed on outstretched hands.
Yeah, Pryor will see the field this season and may be a future star, but Boeckman’s still the guy.
Some other final spring observations:
- The Buckeyes will be looking to take some of the tailback load off Chris “Beanie” Wells, given his injury history, and redshirt freshman Daniel “Boom” Herron could provide some depth at running back.
I’m not forgetting about Brandon Saine, but I see him in more of a multi-purpose role. Herron appears to have the power and natural running back instincts to make an impact this season.
I’ve never understood what the OSU coaches see in Maurice Wells, and the senior from Jacksonville, Fla., probably would be phased out if coach Jim Tressel wasn’t so loyal to his seniors.
- Sophomore Bryant Browning is the heir apparent at right tackle to quote-machine Kirk Barton, and the Cleveland Glenville product already has earned his teammates’ respect. He was the first lineman taken in the spring-game draft of non-seniors, and I watched him pancake veteran defensive tackle Nader Abdallah on Saturday.
The amiable Barton will be missed by the media, but the OSU offense will hardly notice he’s gone.
- The Buckeyes will be much better than they were last season on special teams.
Although Tressel has always emphasized that facet of the game — we wouldn’t be surprised if he has his trademark saying, “The punt is the most important play in football” chiseled on his tombstone — the Buckeyes were horrendous on kickoff returns (117th nationally out of 119 teams) and had four field goals blocked last season.
They simply have too many athletes in uniform to be that bad again, and kicker Ryan Pretorius and the field-goal unit have been nearly flawless this spring. Plus, the Buckeyes have another competent kicker in Aaron Pettrey in case Pretorius falters.
The Buckeyes are a team with few holes and will be worthy of all those top-five preseason ratings they collect this fall.
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