Dude was like 175lbs when he got to OSU, now he's up to 196lbs, I think his nutrition plan is going well.

It's interesting to note that he said Damon is quicker laterally than he is. I thought that too, and with Dame's build he'd be better in the slot against the quicker, smaller guys. Wade is a protypical outside CB, with a safety's disposition. The versatility coach Hadley is talking about being able to takeaway offensive mismatches. So if their outside guy lines up in trips, Wade can shadow him inside, Arnette can flip out and a Bullet slide out. There's a lot this Defense is going to be able to do playing match-up ball.

I appreciate his honesty and him being true to himself. I love competitiveness and the chip on his shoulder. To do what Baker has in his football career, to keep betting on himself and to come back after they had high expectations in '16, only to lose to us, throwing 2 INTs, including a Pick-6, and the "Basic Defense" celebration, a hungry Jerome Baker, a healthy Nick Bosa, with Hooker, Lattimore, Conley, and Ward and Webb in the same secondary. He came back with fuel and at that time we had seen alternating failures from the coordinators with Ed Warrinner, (notice the players still visit Tim Beck, I don't think blame is placed in the right place.), Then Greg Schiano's complicated defense and whatever Bill Davis was doing that was only simplified previously by having elite press-man corners and a center fielder who could cover-up a lot of mistakes. He won the Heisman, his defense let him down in the Playoffs, he went #1 after being a damn walk on. He felt like he let Oklahoma down. He took it personal. I see his gesture as respect to a conquered foe that helped him get better. 1-1. Now this same dude is leading the Browns. You want a leader who has that kind of determination. Guys feed off of that. That makes everybody feel like they have something to prove.

It's a no for me dawg... I can't respect them given the manner in which they've circumvented the rules. The ACC/SEC ESPN tie in and the obvious violations and system they employ with payments, Saban owns a car dealership, I mean we've seen Bama players in Chargers flashing cash YEARS ago... Schools like Ohio State, Texas, Oregon, Notre Dame, USC, Stanford, Oklahoma, TTUN, etc. have their own economic engines they power and major brand sponsor representation. They're able to make noise without the the ESPN system push to where you have to pay attention to them/us. Dabo always talks about that "plan" and really you've got to give them credit for their coaching, but it's clear the plan was to recruit and build on solid glue guys and gems, then later "play the game" to infuse a solid team with sprinkles of 5-Star talent, and boom... Of course they went through everyone to do it, but it is what it is.

I'd like to see a compromise between the stripes like I have on my Gray uni mock up. A solid space for the gray, but uniform "Block O" stripes.

They need to bring back the Chrome Unis... The Cocaine Whites, and Block O Scarlet's... The helmet set the unis off with the black facemask and neon green helmet stickers offsetting the monotonous pallette. I wouldn't mind the traditional silver shimmer on the OG helmets, but can we please bring back the shiny pants too???

Loved seeing what Haskins did last season, but I'm still taking prime J.T. pre-injury and pre-EdWar OC on Meyer's Team, and especially with Tom Herman and Ryan Day as Co-OCs. He was perfect for Meyer's offense. Pretty much unstoppable in short yardage and in the red zone reads... I mean we really underestimate the impact having 3 OCs, 3 QBCs, and rehab took on him and I think in some ways he takes the brunt of the Clemson loss too much, when their offensive gameplan was trash. I still think we handily win the 14 Natty with a healthy J.T. (the dude who showed out in East Lansing? Hell yes) and I think if he starts all of 15, we repeat.

1. Haskins 2. Haskins 3A. (Pocket Awareness and Field Vision are two very different aspects of QBing), PA: JTB, FV: Haskins 4. Braxton 5. Pryor 6. JTB

Some excellent points have already been made. If you understand the game of basketball, you understand that it takes energy to impact the game on both ends of the floor. Superstar players who are forced to be number one options scorers and creators on teams often cheat on defense in the regular season unless they're trying to prove a point. This is a regular practice throughout the NBAs history. Jordan did it. Kobe did it. Magic did it. Bird did it. And the list goes on. You hold him for a standard that no GOAT has done; being his team's primary scorer, offensive creator, defensive orchestrator, etc and expected to match up with another ATG basketball player in KD (and probably the best offensive scoring player ever), while being defended by him, and two ATG defenders in Draymond and Iggy... and not get exhausted...Expecting him to lockup KD is preposterous. Now you give him teammates who excel at a certain role, who are consistent in their production, who've figured out how to take care of their bodies, and ultimately want to win as a team, maximized??? It's different when you've won as the guy, and you've had a solid two or three guys who are greater than or equal to you skills wise... Kobe learned this when he lost Shaq. DWade got Shaq and won a chip. Kobe wanted to be traded. Then they got Pau Gasol and Ron Artest. Two all-stars in West. Kobe was an All-NBA defensive guy, but then he didn't have to guard best wing or forward anymore. Ron Artest did that. Pau was one of the best all around post players in the league. Could score, defend, rebound, and create. Kobe won his 4th and 5th titles that way. Jordan and Pippen got bounced without Horace Grant who was now on the Magic team that ousted then from the playoffs. Then they got Dennis Rodman, Steve Kerr, and Toni Kukoc... 72-10. Champs. Best Ever. 2nd 3-peat. LeBron has done his fair share of carrying lesser teams with extraordinary effort in the playoffs. The most efficient ever. The most playoff points ever. Has finished 2nd in DPOY (was robbed, tbh). That's why he can still make impact defensive plays when it's necessary.

It's all about WINNING for Kawhi. He has the highest win percentage of all-time (74.5% min 400 games) and he's a So-Cal kid. He's worked out with Kobe. He worked out with LeBron and they text in the off-season. When all you truly care about or prioritize is your personal comfort and winning, you're willing to give up perceived accolades to do as such. Kawhi has won as part of a team. He's won as "The Man". If he wants to go home, be comfortable, still make a hell of a lot of money, and have the best teammates he's ever had in their relative primes, while playing for the team he dreamed about playing for growing up, that's his prerogative! LeBron cares about playing basketball the right way. As a team game. Having teammates who can impact the game on both ends of the floor would maximize his entire game as well, because they could each rest with two players on the floor working off each other in any combination. Their team defense would be ridiculous and between the three they could shut down your best post player, your best wing player, and still have ridiculous offensive production. This would probably be the most well rounded Big 3 of all time.

aaand some applewood smoked badger...

We've got some high 4-star and 5-star guys behind them too. Banks (who returned the blocked punt for a TD and stood out in the spring game), Williamson (who I think would've got more PT if not for injuries this year), Johnson (5*), and really those guys would be next up in the rotation.

Riep moved to safety, but even there, we're solid with Fuller and White... 5* Josh Proctor is waiting in the wings and there's a good shot that Coach Hafley's tutelage will show us some improvement in the overall secondary as well. 

Wells, whatever the situation I'm sure he'll reCooperate from it, if it hasn't Meyered him. He'll Just(in) have to Field(s) other opportunities that come his way, Chase them while he's still Young, and grin and Barrett... 

I'm calling it now... OSU will have a top 5 defense next year under Mattison and lead the B1G in takeaways. 

All Gray...

RUN DMC!!! It's your time kid! GO GET IT!!!

DA is a dog. He's fiesty and and quick. People will say he's awful, but playing way they are asked to play, he's been as consistent as anyone, is a fairly sure tackler, and if I'm not mistaken, I believe he quietly lead the team in pass breakups. I think he's much better as a nickel guy, but I would definitely prefer to see Okudah and Wade as CBs 1 & 2, then let DA and Williamson/Banks get in on the dime package. Under Hafley, I feel like we'll see a swift return of the BIA.

Well that's an understandable take, but Hafley cut his teeth in college first and is a solid recruiter by all means... and fwiw, he coached up Revis and Ryan in college too and was responsible for recruiting some of Pitt's better players to their cause ala Dion Lewis and few others!

Did you take the time to read up on Hafley? Darrelle Revis, Richard Sherman, Logan Ryan - all have cosigned his preparation and ability to coach DBs. When he was the secondary coach in Cleveland with Haden, Skrine, Gipson, and Whitner, they ALL went to the Pro Bowl and Cleveland had one of the better pass defenses and overall defenses in the league that year. I'm confident that this secondary will return to their BIA status under his guidance.

I think Sheffield would've been better served as a safety before White emerged. The dude has good size and great speed, and you'd think letting him play center field with that kind of speed and range where he just has to observe his deep zone and plays the ball instead of a WR ala Malik Hooker, that he would've excelled much more in that position. 

If I recall correctly, that was the year before he came to OSU...that he had gotten a little soft around the edges and didn't maintain elite conditioning or workout habits... I'm sure that wasn't and hasn't been the case being a part of Coach Mick's dojo and with the way he's looked on Special Teams... give me Harrison, Mitchell, and Browning with some Gant and Jones sprinkled in... I'm definitely over Werner and Tuf...

I agree, and I don't think you should've been down voted. I just think it will take better effort of identifying that competitive talent within the state. I mean we complained about some of our major losses in the defensive secondary and 3 of those 1st round caliber corners were from Ohio (Conley, Lattimore, Ward) and we'd take that trio back in a heartbeat and of the 2018 defense, 5 of our starters are from Ohio and were pretty big late in the season (Harrison, White, Jones, Landers, Cooper).

I'd definitely love to have some more Darren Lee specials in the future, because it just shows that if guys who really want it get access to this level of development, then they can elevate to become something special.  

Nothing I said was hypothetical...it was a direct question; Does anyone know who the remaining targets are to fill out the defensive staff as far position coaches, but never mind that there's a discussion going on in the recruiting forum that I found just now that is answering those questions, but thanks for your non-contribution.

MODS you can shut this down if need be, thanks.

Venables seems like more of a Bud Foster type... but I LOVED the energy of Clemson's staff on the sideline...those dudes were expressive and having FUN... and I love the idea of competition pushing the team, but man when you're having fun playing the game you LOVE and you get to play loose and aggressive it makes it that much easier... especially when you're mixing up schemes, blitzing from wherever, and you've got guys up front who are just relentless...