One of the funny things about having a veteran team is that there is less preseason excitement for new faces at different positions. Obviously, this is more true on offense than defense this year for the Buckeyes, as the unit returns former starters and/or familiar faces along the offensive line, as well at wide receiver and running back.
I suppose you trade off championship dreams for excitement over new talent, and that's a pretty good trade off. Nonetheless, there is still a chance, however minor, that somebody is going to step up and shock us heading into this season on this side of the ball.
The foremost contender is the one who plays at the most forgotten position in the Jim Tressel offense.
Jake Stoneburner
As Johnny
previously pointed out:
Look at the spring depth chart. Now that Carter and Small are gone, the people behind Posey and Sanzenbacher are Mr. April and about 50 other guys with next to zero playing time. Stoneburner has been in the program for two years now, knows the offense, and the assumed starter at TE this year meaning he will often be on the field regardless of what he’s being assigned to do. With no consistent receivers behind Posey and Sanzo (and possibly the RB’s), someone will have to step up to become an established threat in the passing game. And hey, how about this TE over here why not?
While I think 30 catches for a tight end is a tad bullish, it's hard not to get excited about the possibilities. I know, every year we talk about throwing more to the tight end, and it never happens, but with all the attrition at wide receiver, it's more likely to happen this year than any previous year in recent memory. But there are other potential stars in this offense.
Jordan Hall
This is the one I'm keeping my eye on. Even in a packed situation at running back, I think Terrelle Pryor's high school backfield mate will separate himself from the crowd early this year. Though Jim Tressel is talking about
taking things aerial, I think the interior of this offensive line is going to crush fools, and it'll allow even a 3rd option like Jordan Hall to rush for 500+ yards and 5 or more touchdowns. Chances are good he'll be filling in for either Saine or Herron when one comes up gimpy, and I don't think there's going to be much of a drop-off.
Marcus Hall
How about a breakout year in a position group where we sorely need breakout years? Marcus Hall was solid in his first year as a Buckeye, acquitting himself well enough as a true freshman when thrust into action against Penn State and Iowa, two of the league's best defensive lines. I'm bullish on him,
Chris is bullish on him, and Tress himself has indicated that Hall will see some serious PT this year.
Taurian Washington (lol)
I'm kidding.
Let's move on.
James Louis/James Jackson/Chris Fields
If this offense is going to go more vertical, it needs a lot of help at wide receiver. While there isn't much experience, it's Ohio State, so there's plenty of talent to go around. Jackson and Louis are two speedsters at wide receiver who could be deadly weapons if JT decides to "open up" the offense, as he's been rumored to be doing every year since 2007. Fields, meanwhile, is a Robiskie-type hands guy. If Washington is rocking a case of the dropsies again as the starting slot receiver, one of these three guys will see more and more time in his stead.
Who do you think's most likely to impress this season? Who do you think everyone's overlooking? Am I selling T-Wash too short?
Comments
IT'S GONNA HAPPEN SAM
IT'S GONNA HAPPEN
I keep reading about "taking things aerial" and the solid corps of RBs, but doesn't it all come down to whether this is the year that the results match the talent on the OL? It's a combination, in my mind, of the OL coming together (and for pretty much the first time since Bollman has been here) and mixing up the play-calling (see 1st drive, especially, of the Rose Bowl) on early downs.
Yea... that's funny about T. Wash. He's listed as #2 on the depth chart?!?! He had 1 nice TD catch and run vs YSU in 2008 and then.... "POOF! He was gone. Ah-lah "Kaiser Soze."
I really believe we are going to see a solid season out of Stoneburner in terms of production, maybe to the tune of 35-40 grabs for 500 yards. The TE has been an afterthought for many years, but how many of those TE's have been true pass catching threats like Stoney? I would argue none. Hartsock was the closest thing to a decent down field threat, but no where near the athlete that Stoneburner is. It has been 15 years since a similiar caliber athlete (Dudley) has lined up at tight end, and I hoping we will see some exciting things as a result.
+1
Guys..Its all bout Mr. Berry putting down the weed and running like we haven't seen since Archie!
looking at those first practice photos it looks like pryors footwork and throwing motion have really come along
"Taurian Washington (lol)
I’m kidding.
Let’s move on."
Dude thats harsh.
I have drunk the Taurian koolaid two years in row. Someone else can do it this year. According to the PS3 version of the BSM, Fields is going to step up. But, I have a hard time believing that that a stable of RBs THIS deep and talented is going to cause JT to throw the ball 30-35 times a game. The only way tOSU does that is that the OLine's pass protection morphs into 5 Orlando Paces or the Run blocking morphs into 5 Tyson Walters.
Yeah I was noticing the same thing. Every photo of him throwing the ball displays markedly better form. All the more reason why we need guys like Fields, Louis, Stoneburner, TWash, and Jackson to have awesome years.
And if my NCAA '11 Dynasty is any indication, Stoneburner will lead the team in receptions.
I agree, and he can also run over db's
agree, if ol can block for those backs why mess with it, throw in an ocassional bomb or over the middle to sanz or stoner and keep it rolling. Love to see the Bucks come out in a wishbone just once
tress is thinking about playing our best FB at the end of the season. I think he will air it out to some of the new guys to develop a legit 3rd reciever come wisky/iowa/bowl time. we arent too far removed from the santo/ginn/gonzalez era and when those games were in contention, we were throwing a lot
I think Stoney is the best candidate, if Tress doesn't just use him as a blocker.
Sam, you may want to watch the Fields recruiting tapes again. He's a speed guy. I don't kno how his hands are, but he seems more dynamic than Robo.
Our offensive mastery and execution in the rose bowl is greatly exaggerated.
I don't follow recruiting all that much, but when he was coming out of high school, he was getting compared to Robiskie. Or maybe I'm misremembering.
I agree. I hope the guy does better this year, I do. I just don't want to waste more space in the preseason talking about how he's going to break out and catch 10 touchdowns. He could, but if I say that, I may be putting the same hex on him I (and others) did the last three years.
Fields is fast Poe. So good point! Same with James Jackson.
My vote is for Jamaal Berry. I think he will pass JHall!
I think Stoney will have a great year, and so he's my choice for the poll. But I also think Jordan Hall will be huge in the return game. We haven't had many good Kickoff returns since Ginn left and so this will add more pressure to opposing defenses. I also think Fields, Jackson, and (shudder) Washington will all make a contribution in the receiving game. Poor Corey Brown, he has a lot of talent but he seems to get lost in the numbers game.
I could see Corey Brown 2010 on kick off returns. He's not poor Corey Brown 2010 since he's only a freshman. Our return game has been abysmal. Tressel was probably in awe of the field position Oregon was getting in the Rose Bowl with Barner. I don't know if it's the protection, the returners, or what, but returns have been ineffective. I expect Stoney and Jamaal Berry to bust out. Berry is the type of back that plays at 100% each play (or so I am optimistically remembering from his videos). The man doesn't know what dancing is.
@1:48
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
I voted for TWash...
Does anyone have any Enron stock? I'm in the market.
Fields could be a good punt return guy unless they're going to use Posey there.
The OL must improve or we'll all be claiming to have drank a lot of kool aid. Without it, TP won't be able to show his new form and Stoney will be on the sidelines while they stick some other TE in there to help the LT out. Third receiver? Won't matter. Gotta get someone who can move their feet on LT.
I hate to say it, but what if TP gets injured? Any chance of a breakout
season for JB or KG? (breakout defined loosely here). Given TP's record
and the fact that people may be gunning for him, I'd be surprised if he didn't
get banged up at least once this season.
JT said open competition for the second spot this Fall camp. 'Banged up' and 'injured' are two different things. Taylor Graham is in it too, and I don't know if he's any good but he looks like a QB.
If TP gets injured, the play calling will be handoff, handoff, false start, hand off, punt. rinse, repeat. Hello, Capital One Bowl.
Corey Brown 2009 should be fine! He will probably play CB next year unless he breaks out this year at WR.
Breakout year is going to be the receiver who blocks best downfield for called Pryor runs or scrambles.
A Pryor run/scramble for a first down or long yardage is demoralizing to a defense in a way a basic pass catch is not. Also, Pryor doesn't turn the ball over when running. You'd have to catch him first and nobody can! An average receiver usually accounts for 3-4 INTs every year, perhaps more.
I like the "false start" (by Shugarts, I can only presume), but you left off "wobbly Bauserman pick six" somewhere in there
Yes, I neglected to mention that, during 4th quarters, while playing from behind, the third handoff play will be subsituted by "Bauserman throws wounded duck jump ball into triple coverage and then feebly attempts to tackle returning defensive back as they storm into the endzone for a pick-six"
My man da berry is forgotten a lot! Well he will remind us quickly, if no hampering injuries, why he was so highly rated coming outta high school . Agree w jb
James Louis is Holmes 2.0
Might want to watch some James Louis film while your at it
Dominic Clark...WOW!
Coach LeBeau is speaking at the Hall Induction ceremony right now.
Also, the Rose Bowl game is going to be replayed on BTN tonight at 10:00 PM.
Give this man the Nobel Prize.
Breakout year: Jaamal Berry. Shocked you didn't mention him Sam. This guy is the next big thing. #4 is going to be #3 back in my eyes, and will see a lot of the field. While he's not on RB, he will be KR. Not so sure about PR, but that one is up to the coaches.
Jaamal Berry will be fighting Carlos Hyde for the #1 spot by the end of the year.
yeah, well, anyone who gets "banged-up" in any sense of the phrase is going to miss a game or two
Agreed.