Chamber of Commerce After-Hours
Miami RedHawks football
Time to go back to school
Home > Blogs > Buckeyes Beat > Archives > 2008 > June > 13 > Entry
Buckeyes will be looking for more than just Pryor to make an impact
Terrelle Pryor may be the most anticipated recruit at Ohio State since Chic Harley in 1916 (OK, that’s an exaggeration, but you get the point), and while I’m fairly certain we’ll see him on the field at critical times this season, I’d be willing to bet that he won’t be the freshman who makes the biggest impact in 2008.
Let’s face it, quarterback is a complicated position (not akin to splitting atoms, like coaches would like us to believe, but complicated nonetheless). And the Buckeyes already had a highly rated recruiting class even before Pryor’s belated signing.
My prediction for top newcomer? Defensive tackle Garrett Goebel.
I just finished reading a story online about him being named the Chicago Tribune high school athlete of the year, and the guy sounds like an absolute animal.
He’s a two-time state champion wrestler and was the second-ranked heavyweight in the nation last year. In football, he had 22 tackles-for-loss as a senior. And he’s a high-motor, workout fiend, which certainly increases his chances for success.
You can access the story at www.chicagotribune.com/sports/highschool.
The Buckeyes have a few other players capable of making an instant impact — linebacker Etienne Sabino comes to mind — but defensive tackle is probably the Buckeyes’ weakest position on either side of the ball.
Doug Worthington, Todd Denlinger, Nader Abdallah and Dexter Larimore rotated at the two spots last season and all four are back, but the coaching staff has been unhappy with their production and is riding them hard in the offseason.
Recruiting is such an inexact science that we never know how good a player really is until we see him against college competition. The most-hyped prospects, of course, are the ones everybody wants to see, but it’s often those under-the-radar prospects who ended up being remembered.
Permalink | Comments (8) | Post your comment |
Comments
By conchy buckeye
June 14, 2008 1:11 PM | Link to this
perhaps my memory is flawed, but wasn’t Dexter Larimore not the #2 national high school heavyweight wrestler, but #1? just more evidence how silly all this projection is that we do about 18 year kids.By d-town
June 15, 2008 9:47 AM | Link to this
Top freshmen: Lamar Thomas and Etienne SabinoBy d-town
June 15, 2008 9:47 AM | Link to this
Top freshmen: Lamar Thomas and Etienne SabinoBy Purvis R. Coley
June 16, 2008 8:49 AM | Link to this
As always, the Buckeyes have great talent. For what it is worth in my opinion, we need talented coaches on our team that are not family members. Born a Buckeye, always a Buckeye, but lets fix this! GO BUCKS!!!By ps
June 16, 2008 6:30 PM | Link to this
doug, you have said some dumb things but this tops them all. goebel will reshirt.our current dts will be one of the bright spots on the team.By ps
June 16, 2008 6:31 PM | Link to this
doug, you have said some dumb things but this tops them all. goebel will reshirt.our current dts will be one of the bright spots on the team.By ps
June 16, 2008 6:31 PM | Link to this
doug, you have said some dumb things but this tops them all. goebel will reshirt.our current dts will be one of the bright spots on the team.By ps
June 16, 2008 6:31 PM | Link to this
doug, you have said some dumb things but this tops them all. goebel will reshirt.our current dts will be one of the bright spots on the team.