Urban Meyer leaned in, unsure what he had just heard. Because honestly, the concept of a former NFL player being used on the scout team at the place he played college football is odd.
“Say that again ... in practice?” Meyer said way back on Nov. 14. “I did not know that. Like padded practice? He's running plays?”
Yes, coach. Alabama used former 2012 No. 3 overall pick Trent Richardson to act as LSU star Leonard Fournette before the Crimson Tide and Tigers faced off in Death Valley.
Meyer raised his eyebrows, shifted in his stance with a smirk on his face in front of a room full of reporters and administrators chuckling. Ohio State's head coach then pulled out his iPhone and acted like he was going to leave the room to go make a few calls.
“I apologize, I did not know that,” he said. “It's got me thinking. Who do we got?”
Well, Ohio State has plenty of options if it wishes to take it a step further and utilize NCAA bylaw 14.2.1.6. The Buckeyes apparently did so on Monday. The bylaw states:
A former student at the certifying institution (e.g., former student-athlete) may participate in an organized practice session on an occasional basis, provided the institution does not publicize the participation of the former student at any time before the practice session.
According to the below tweet from Ohio State freshman quarterback Dwayne Haskins—who is playing the role of Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson on the scout team—former Buckeye wide receiver Brian Hartline joined practice on Monday morning.
That boy was a problem today! @brianhartline
— Dwayne Haskins, Jr. (@dh_simba7) December 19, 2016
Hartline responded with a tweet shortly thereafter that he planned to return on Tuesday "with a little less rust" but later deleted it in accordance with the bylaw. The institution cannot publicize someone like Hartline participating in practice—telling people about it is viewed as an NCAA violation.
Reporters that cover Clemson revealed over the weekend that former quarterback Tajh Boyd is running around practice acting as Ohio State signal caller J.T. Barrett. More teams are likely to do it in the future, except maybe Notre Dame. Current Irish head coach Brian Kelly, to no surprise, thinks the idea is "absolutely ludicrous."
So that got us thinking—since Meyer is already taking advantage of it, who else would it make sense for the Buckeyes to welcome back to practice? Scout team players are extremely important to game prep. Hartline played in the NFL for seven seasons before the Cleveland Browns cut him in May. He is 30 years old so clearly has something left in the tank.
Here are five other names we came up with.
DeVier Posey, Wide Receiver
Posey left Ohio State after its forgetful 2011 season, during which he only played five games due to his role in the tattoo scandal that rocked the program among other things. The Houston Texans drafted him in the third round the next spring, where he spent three seasons.
Posey last played in the NFL in the 2016 preseason as a practice squad member of the Denver Broncos. He signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL in a similar role after Denver cut him and caught 13 passes for 161 yards in four games. Toronto's season ended on Nov. 5.
A speedy receiver with plenty of experience and a guy that was a difference maker in college first for Terrelle Pryor and later Braxton Miller, Posey seems like a perfect option to help the Buckeyes prepare for Clemson's talented receiving corps. Led by future NFL player Mike Williams, the Tigers have four players with more than 590 receiving yards and multiple touchdowns.
Posey could easily imitate any of them alongside Hartline to give Ohio State's current defensive backs a great look in practice.
Daniel "Boom" Herron, Running Back
Ohio State's stable of running backs is deep, starting with Mike Weber and Curtis Samuel and continuing with true freshmen Demario McCall and Antonio Williams. Weber and Williams are the two players in that group that could be considered "bruisers," though, which is what the Buckeyes will face in Clemson running back Wayne Gallman.
Gallman is listed at 6-foot-1 and 215 pounds, taller and faster than any scholarship running back Ohio State has on its roster. Herron is only 5-foot-10 but is a downhill guy and hard runner like Gallman. We are not here to say that Williams, McCall or a walk-on are incapable running hard on the scout team like Gallman. Herron might just be able to do it better.
The Cincinnati Bengals drafted Herron in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He bounced to Indianapolis and Buffalo and spent 2016 training camp with the Bills before getting cut in September.
Troy Smith, Quarterback
Haskins is tasked with emulating the Heisman Trophy runner-up. Not easy for anyone but why not give a guy who actually won the award a shot?
Smith was seen in Ohio Stadium and around the program in recent seasons, either throwing in a passing competition with Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett or firing passes to players working out at Pro Day. Haskins is an excellent talent but Smith's arm is on a different level. At the very least could help out in 7-on-7 drills.
Plus, Smith has a bunch of experience playing in big time games at Ohio State. It also never hurts to have a Heisman Trophy winner hanging around practice.
Santonio Holmes, Wide Receiver
One of Smith's favorite targets in college was eventual Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes. The wide receiver last played in the NFL in 2014 but is probably still in relatively good shape. Another burner from Florida would give the secondary yet another talent to worry about while it prepares for Clemson's deep passing game.
Holmes last played professionally in 2014 with the Chicago Bears after stints with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets. He and Smith owned the Fiesta Bowl when they played their together as stars on Ohio State's 2005 team. Holmes caught five passes for 124 yards and this 85-yard touchdown against Notre Dame on Jan. 2, 2006.
Wouldn't be a bad idea to have someone of his caliber test your defense vertically before the biggest game of the season.
James Laurinaitis, Linebacker
Laurinaitis probably wouldn't actually suit up for Ohio State's scout team to take hits from the first team offense seeing as how he is still trying to make it in the NFL. But he could still offer tips to Raekwon McMillan, Chris Worley and Jerome Baker on how to deal with all the weapons Clemson's offense has at its disposal.
Laurinaitis played against powerful offenses many times in his Ohio State career, like USC, Texas (twice) and Michigan in 2006. He has experience preparing for bowl games as a defender with more than a monthlong break, which the Buckeyes have this season.
