Ohio State did something they don't often do on National Signing Day: The Buckeyes signed a junior college transfer.
"That was Ed Warinner and Greg Studrawa," Urban Meyer said Wednesday. "We don't recruit junior college—nothing against junior college guys, but we try to build from the youth up. And they kept telling me about this player, offensive tackle from Nassau, and I saw his size and watched the video tape, very impressive guy."
That player is Malcolm Pridgeon, an absolute behemoth offensive tackle that signed with the Buckeyes Wednesday from New York's Nassau Community College. He's listed at 6-foot-8 and more than 300 pounds, and has a chance to start in Columbus in 2016. But just like any other offensive lineman on Meyer's 2016 team not named Billy Price or Pat Elflein, Pridgeon has an open book to write with his new position coach.
“I get to start from scratch to get these guys out there. But what we're going to do is find the best fit for every single one of them that gives us the best five guys on the field first and then the best backups after that. So yeah, there could be change at any one of those spots.”– Greg Studrawa
"The other three spots, that's the good thing I guess about me being here is it's a clean slate for all those guys," Studrawa said Wednesday. "I don't know anything about them."
National Signing Day marked the fourth time in five recruiting cycles Ohio State reeled in a top-5 class in Meyer's tenure, but it was also the first time the latest addition to the coaching staff spoke to local media.
Studwara has an engaging personality, a history with Meyer—the two worked together at Bowling Green 15 years ago—and looks like an offensive line coach. He also is fully aware the talent left in the unit responsible for keeping quarterback J.T. Barrett upright and paving the way for Meyer's power spread attack.
Taylor Decker is set to be a first round NFL Draft pick after starting for three years and collecting Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year and All-American honors last season. Chase Farris is trying to make a name for himself among pro scouts, and Jacoby Boren vacated the center position he held for back-to-back years.
Elflein is sliding over to take Boren's place as the man in the middle and Price returns for another go at left guard, but the talent behind them is untested and unproven. Pridgeon is expected to be a big piece to what Ohio State does this fall—"We don't recruit a junior college guy to sit," Meyer said—but Studrawa is establishing his presence with the players in the program after stepping in for Warinner.
"The good thing is, Ed's not leaving. He's right here. So the relationship he had, and Coach Meyer had, those relationships are still here," Studrawa said. "(The players) just want to get to know me and meet me so they're comfortable with the change."
Studrawa didn't rule out anything when it came to who will start up front in 2016 next to Elflein and Price, but the pressure is on for Isaiah Prince, Jamarco Jones, Matthew Burrell, Demetrious Knox and others. Studrawa could ask them to do different things than their used to, but his overall goal remains to put the best five on the field come gameday.
"Jamarco, there's a chance anybody could move inside," Studrawa said. "Like I said, I haven't seen any of these guys. Just moving outside in the weight room and some of the things we've done so far. There could certainly be a chance he moves inside. There's a chance he could be in the left tackle spot. I don't know."
The competition on the field opens March 8 when spring practice kicks off.
"That's the good thing. I get to start from scratch to get these guys out there," Studrawa said. "But what we're going to do is find the best fit for every single one of them that gives us the best five guys on the field first and then the best backups after that. So yeah, there could be change at any one of those spots."
That includes everyone. Even the junior college transfer, who brings more of what any top college program thrives on: competition.
"Now if you want to play, you're going to do things right. You're going to be the best you can possibly be to play," Studrawa said. "If you're afraid of competition, you shouldn’t be here anyway. And I don't think any of them are afraid of competition. I think that's just going to make us better."
