I've heard a couple of people mention this, but does anyone else think the Zach Boren -> LB move could potentially be a rather smart recruiting move by Urban to get Mike Mitchell or one of the other 4/5-star LB recruits looking to visit OSU in November?
ESPN posted an interview with Mike Mitchell today:
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=8508347
Nothing terribly new (and sounds like the interview took place some time ago--at least prior to his recent visit to OU), but the most important thing I heard was Mitchell's point that when looking at schools, his primary criteria is to find the place where he can start as a Freshman. Coincidentally, Urban moves Boren to LB. Maybe it was necessity, but if you're a skeptic like me you may say, "Hmm, perhaps it was a way to make it even clearer to Mitchell/other LB recruits that we have an open spot for an incoming Freshman." What tells people that you have no LB quite like moving a FB there? Simply having Curtis Grant fill in there wouldn't have made the same level of noise.
Am I crazy?
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you're not crazy, man --- I think of all kinds of moves like this when it comes to recruiting, too.
you're not alone, brother
"You win with people." - Woody Hayes
I love this. I do not think there is any truth to it, but it makes me feel better about the current LB situation.
I know this kid is good, but we did sign 5 LB's in last years class, I know some have not come along this year but they are freshmen, do we really think a incoming freshmen could step up next year? Curtis grant was a 5* guy and he hasn't got it this year. But if a freshmen does come in next year and grab the MLB spot I see Curtis grant transfering out then, also if we bring in 4 LBS this year how many will be have on scholarship next year?
well, OSU plays 3 LBer spots and Sabino and Klein leave, so you'd have 2 spots open regardless of Boren switching over. If Grant really had the physical tools to succeed, the Defensive staff could make it ultra easy on Grant....... hey kid you take the "A" gap on this play, worry about nothing else..... or hey kid, you chase that RB down whever he goes on the field.....ala Andy Katzenmoyer his Freshman year. IDK, the LBer situation has me very puzzled at this point.
I really don't see Meyer gambling a chance to have an undefeated year at OSU, in order to sign a high school linebacker out of Texas.
I liked the move because Boren is a baller. I do agree that this move screams message. Whether to recruits or other players on defense, only the wizard of Urbz knows!
Buckeye in PA purgatory
The same thoughts went through my head over the weekend. I can see Urban on the phone talking to the kid: "Mike, if you work hard and come to Ohio State, learn the defense and show me you can tackle, I can see you earning very early playing time! I just had to move my starting Fullback to defense to play Linebacker for Christ's sake! We need good Linebackers like Brady Hoke needs Weight Watchers."
If Urban is playing a guy at starting linebacker and consequentially jeopardizing the 2012 team's success so that he can impress a recruit I would not be happy.. I'll pin it up as a favorable consequence of Urban's move and (hopefully) not strategy at all
I still see Grant being a Sabino type... He may struggle a a little too deep into his career as a Buckeye but I still think he'll eventually make big contributions.
D. Anthony
I don't see Urban planning this just to get Mitchell. However, I can see him moving Boren over out of necessity and then using that as a selling point to Mitchell.
who else plays middle LB besides Grant? that is currently on the roster.
@Alex Root
Obviously Storm Klein but he will be gone after this year. Connor Crowell saw some time at the middle linebacker position in his short tenure at Ohio State. Luke Roberts is built for the mike position as well but I don't ever see him getting on the field. Camren Williams is an interesting one to keep an eye on. With Joshua Perry and David Perkins on the outsides, Williams could be a good candidate to slide into the middle spot.
Camren Williams was rated just as high as Mike Mitchell and was a stud recruit stolen over from PSU. I wouldn't pencil in Mike Mitchell just yet. Camren Williams will get his shot first, he was recruited as a true Mike! Grant was supposedly the future Mike and Klein his backup. That didn't last long but now Klein has taken advantage. Williams wasn't even supposed to be on the 2 deep. Now he is backing up Klein but was injured or something Saturday. The linebacking crew is a mess this year but that doesn't mean there isn't talent with the freshmen. Perry would have gotten some play if he wasn't injured too.
I'm high on Mitchell but I am also a big believer of Camren Williams too. He definitely deserves a shot.
What happens if you have Williams, get Mitchell, and sign Raekwon McMillan in 2014? There would be some unhappy Buckeyes on the bench.
I would imagine that they didn't compete hard enough to earn the starting spot.
It should be pretty obvious to all incoming lb recruits that if you want to play early, Columbus would be a great destination. Perry, Williams and Perkins; one if not too of you must step up soon. The job is up in the air
That's the silver lining to the game that I've been reminding my family of all weekend!
Mitchell is such a mutant athlete he will be in the active rotation somewhere throughout his stay. I have no doubts about that.
@Alex Root
Move Nathan Williams to MLB, start Spence at DE. Keep our potential AA FB where he belongs at FB.
Mike Mitchell will not quit. He looks as relentless as anyone I've ever seen. Never even takes a part of a play off. That seems hard to find anymore. Think this kid has to come to OSU.
Never went through my head simply for the fact that we have a ton of stud freshman LBers now. I mean we are all drooling over Mitchell this year, but we all drooled over these guys last year. If 1 of them can develop, and Grant can get his act together, then Mitchell won't be starting likely. Shazier was an exception at OSU, not a rule. Meyer says the best kid will play, but they have to understand the playbook etc
With what he shows in his games, he will find a way or a place to play if he comes to OSU. If betting was my thing it would be done that this kid will play here. His passion to succeed just oozes out of this kid. We saw it in Oregon when he was Sparq champion.
At this point, Mitchell is a must have for me. His athleticism speaks for itself, and he seems intelligent enough to pick up the Defense at some point. He stands a good chance at earning PT if he can learn the D quickly. Even if it takes a year or two, I'd expect a kid with Mitchell's athletic abilities to have a good career as a Buckeye.
As for starting Boren as a recruiting tactic, I highly doubt that is the case. It just speaks volumes about how Fickell, in particular, feels about the young LBs as well as the injuries they're dealing with.
I'm really hoping some of these young guys will see this as their best opportunity to really prove themselves and give it that extra effort to be game ready.
Can anyone name other LB's that have started as a freshman? I don't think it is that common, but I could be wrong. That's a pretty elite list.
Chris Speilman
Kat
Laurinaitus
Hawk
Shazier (we'll see how this plays out)
CC, no I can't, but it seems like some young guys would get an opportunity when you're desperate at that position.
Hawk wasn't a starter his freshman year even. He stepped in and played snaps in a lot of games in 02 but he wasn't the starter.
It's an odd thing to do, since it isn't as mindless as being a 3rd down pass rusher like Spence is or being a strict CB who is just told to cover his man. You have to be able to read a lot more of what's going on as a LB
CC, that's what I get aggrivated about. The hoopla over recruiting results in people being pissed when a guy comes in and doesn't immediately play awesome. There was a time where guys came into the program and it was ok if they didn't make significant contributions until they were Jrs. Grant could come out next season and bet one of the best linebackers we've had. Think about Grant's career. He believed he may play for Tresssel, then Tressel got the boot, and he was a freshman during last years debacle, and now had yet another coaching change to deal with. We may n ot think that's a big deal because he was the number 2 LB or best LB in high school in America, but that kind of stuff takes it's toll. There's a lot of young talent at LB, and there are more recruits that will be on the way. Urban said right off the bat when he took the program over LB was an area of concern. Just landing a few good recruits before signing day wasn't going to ever be enough to fix the problem.
How close is the school to home? Is it too close? Do I have a relationship with a current player on the team? The coaches? Will I see playing time early (read: as a freshman)?
These are all questions that factor into recruiting and yours fits pretty neatly inside that last one. I seriously doubt Meyer is doing it as a ploy to lure recruits who want to play early (which recruit doesn't? None that we want), but it very well may be something that they consider when watching a game or seeing a depth chart. A recruit looking at our D-line, for instance, would see upperclassmen dominating the playing time, a bevy of talented freshmen in wait and more studs (Bosa, Price, Hill) on the way. If I'm a junior who wants to see significant PT as a freshman, that looks daunting and, so, we'll probably have a light class for that position and focus elsewhere.