'11 PA TE Ben Koyack (Notre Dame Signee)

[Buckeye Nut]

Don't forget Quarless also spent the better part of his career in the doghouse. He only made nine starts total in '07 & '08 which would probably have a lot to do with his low catch totals those two years. Quarless made 21 catches as a true freshman in '06.

 

[BigJim]

To an outside observer there are some apparent "facts" surrounding Koyack;

-He has visited OSU (more than a few times, I believe).
-He really seems to like OSU and the coaches.
-He was reportedly an early OSU lean.

Clearly, things have changed and it is painfully obvious why...OSU's lack of using the TE on offense. Ben can see it with his own two eyes and you better believe ND, PSU and everyone else is using that against OSU. Ben is taking heed and, rightfully so, appears to have legit concerns. At this point it would be surprising if he chose OSU. That said, I don't think all hope is lost at all. OSU just needs to put up or shut up...

I think OSU's best hope (won't say "only" hope) is to convince him not to commit until next fall until during CFB season or sometime soon after. If Ben can hold off and OSU can prove that Stoneburner and the flex TE position will become a part of the offense then I think OSU has a shot. Otherwise, I don't know why he would come here (and as a pass catching TE I don't blame him one bit).

Careful. I wouldn't want to see you get the death penalty. It could set your posting back decades.

I actually thought it was a good post and pretty much sums it up with Koyack. All he's basically saying is that:

A) At one point OSU was the clear leader - based on Koyack's comments.
B) OSU is no longer the clear leader - based on Koyack's comments.
C) It's obvious why OSU is no longer the clear leader.
D) OSU's best shot to get back in the lead is to show that they will involve the TE in the offense.

There's still a chance that Koyack will come to OSU even if the TE's only catch 5 passes all year, but I agree with smu that the chances are a lot better if they show this year that TE's will be involved.

 

[matcar]

I actually thought it was a good post and pretty much sums it up with Koyack. All he's basically saying is that:

A) At one point OSU was the clear leader - based on Koyack's comments.
B) OSU is no longer the clear leader - based on Koyack's comments.
C) It's obvious why OSU is no longer the clear leader.
D) OSU's best shot to get back in the lead is to show that they will involve the TE in the offense.

There's still a chance that Koyack will come to OSU even if the TE's only catch 5 passes all year, but I agree with smu that the chances are a lot better if they show this year that TE's will be involved.

The only thing I'd disagree with here is "C". I don't think it's obvious at all as there could be ANY NUMBER of reasons why Koyack would begin to feel differently.

Now, certainly the lack of TE touches could be a valid reason, but I don't think anything is quite so obvious unless the kid himself says that's the reason. Frankly, it's not like anything changed in terms of TE touches between the time when he had us as his leader and now...so I don't think any of this is clear at all.

Having said that, I'm certainly hopeful that tOSU runs more "TE eligible" plays with Stoney because it would really make this offense even more of a challenge to defend and would help make tOSU an even more appealing destination for folks like Koyack.

 

[sepia5]

I actually thought it was a good post and pretty much sums it up with Koyack. All he's basically saying is that:

A) At one point OSU was the clear leader - based on Koyack's comments.
B) OSU is no longer the clear leader - based on Koyack's comments.
C) It's obvious why OSU is no longer the clear leader.
D) OSU's best shot to get back in the lead is to show that they will involve the TE in the offense.

There's still a chance that Koyack will come to OSU even if the TE's only catch 5 passes all year, but I agree with smu that the chances are a lot better if they show this year that TE's will be involved.

Eh, I was just trying to make a joke about his username. I think we're all aware of our struggles with TE recruiting and what they stem from. Not sure I see the value of hashing them out again-and-again in the thread of the player we're going after in hopes of changing all that, though. I even raised the concern of negative recruiting as it pertains to Koyack in this thread some time ago myself, which I probably shouldn't have. I think we all know Ben will be looking at how Stoney is used this year in making his decision.

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

If the reason we don't land this or any other big time TE prospect is because we don't throw to the TE.....where's the problem? If we don't throw to the TE, who cares if we have a 5 star stud or a walkon? That's like the Saints worrying about having the greatest punter ever.

 

[muffler dragon]

If the reason we don't land this or any other big time TE prospect is because we don't throw to the TE.....where's the problem? If we don't throw to the TE, who cares if we have a 5 star stud or a walkon? That's like the Saints worrying about having the greatest punter ever.

Agreed.

I don't see the Buckeye offensive staff changing a game plan (that has been consistent for a long time) in order to woo a recruit(s).

 

[sepia5]

If the reason we don't land this or any other big time TE prospect is because we don't throw to the TE.....where's the problem? If we don't throw to the TE, who cares if we have a 5 star stud or a walkon? That's like the Saints worrying about having the greatest punter ever.

Agreed.

I don't see the Buckeye offensive staff changing a game plan (that has been consistent for a long time) in order to woo a recruit(s).

Well, the staff sent him an offer on the first day they could, so they preferenced him and must be confident that they can utilize what he brings to the table. JMO.

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

Just like Mo Wells?

 

[BigJim]

The only thing I'd disagree with here is "C". I don't think it's obvious at all as there could be ANY NUMBER of reasons why Koyack would begin to feel differently.

Yeah, "obvious" is probably an overstatement. But the quote in the article above was

Prior to that, Koyack had Ohio State at the top of his list, but he has growing concerns over how much the Buckeyes throw to the tight end ? which is to say they don?t.

but that's the author saying that. There are some premium quotes from Ben that give a similar impression however.

 

[Meyer]

I think its pretty obvious why we struggle with TE recruiting and that to get big TE's to come here we would have to throw it to the position. I don't think that needs to be stated.

He liked us the most, and if it doesn't end too quickly maybe he'll see us throw it to Stoney this year. I truly think a TE would be a QB like Pryor's best friend. We'll see what happens. I don't know that smu put it the right way by saying it's "put up or shut up" for OSU. But yes, if we don't throw it to Stoney this year then this ship is gone and I think that's obvious.

 

[buzzy420]

Ballard caught 14 passes in 09.
Quarless caught 11 passes in 08... he was 8th in receiving.
Quarless caught 14 passes in 07... he was 6th in receiving.

Quarless was a very good weapon during those years, yet he rarely got the football.

This year was an outlier because PSU lost their entire WR corps, guys who caught 131 passes in 08. Without proven WRs, they leaned on Quarless more.

PSU replaced those top 3 receivers with 3 more who caught 122 passes, which is hardly the dramatic drop in production you imagine. 2009 was an outlier simply because Quarless was out of the doghouse for a change.

 

[Meyer]

Just like Mo Wells?

Every case is different. I don't really think that argument is valid...

Will we utilize him? No one knows. But to say "Just like Mo Wells" is pretty short sighted.

Do you think they offered for Mo Wells for no reason? Obviously they thought they could utilize him.

 

[sepia5]

Just like Mo Wells?

I didn't say the staff was infallible, but they certainly do have a pretty good track record of identifying talent that will meet their needs. At least I think so.

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

I think so, too.....but if we don't get a legit receiving threat at TE, why stress over it? We don't throw to the TE. It would be one thing if we did and schools were trying to tell him we don't. That's not the case.

I don't have a motorcycle license. I'm not worrying about why I don't have a MV Agusta F4 1100 CC in the driveway.

 

[jwinslow]

Another year, another thread where OSU fans argue that it's not logical for a player to come to OSU.

Quarless had 1 great year. I'm aware he was in the doghouse. I also saw him out on the field in plenty of 07 & 08 games that he 'didn't start'.

PSU featured the TE once, in 09.
PSU did not do so in 08, 07, 06, 05 or 04. ESPN doesn't list stats before that.

In 03, the last time OSU had a TE with actual NFL interest, they threw him the ball 33 times.

The only other two dynamic weapons at TE were both kicked off the team (Irizarry & Frost).

Nicol & Ballard are solid athletes but would not be featured players at Wisconsin or Penn State. They aren't on par with Garrett Graham and they aren't in the same zip code as Travis Beckum or Andrew Quarless in terms of athleticism.

These guys were featured:
OSU Hartsock - 3rd round pick
WIS Beckum - 3rd round pick, would've been 1st/2nd without injury
WIS Graham - 3rd round pick, PROJECTED
PSU Quarless - 4th-5th rd pick, PROJECTED

These guys were not:
OSU Hamby - undrafted
OSU Nicol - undrafted
OSU Ballard - late rd or undrafted, PROJECTED
PSU Smolko - undrafted

The NFL finds diamonds in the rough all of the time and they certainly wouldn't miss a sleeper while scouting every game of a premiere NFL factory like OSU.