'11 PA TE Ben Koyack (Notre Dame Signee)

[sepia5]

We just had one in Ballard, who would catch anything you threw @ him. But unfortunately, when the kid only gets one or two opportuntities a game (14 rec last year) and used primarily as an H-back as an extra blocker, its tough to showcase the TE position @ OSU.

I'd disagree that Ballard was what I'm talking about. Jake was a great Buckeye and an outstanding blocker with pretty good hands, but, and correct me if I'm wrong, didn't he run a 40 in the 4.9s? Jake was not far from growing into a tackle and many actually projected him there coming out of high school. Koyack reportedly runs in the mid-4.6s and is a clear-cut TE. They just aren't the same type of player.

 

[RB07OSU]

I think either of Nicol or Ballard could have been far more effective than we made them. However, both were good blockers (I considered Ballard a great blocker) and that is how we used them. It would be obvious that Stoneburner's primary function will not be blocking and if that is the plan, DeLillo or Fragel will play. As it pertains to Koyack, I think we obviously would use him as a passing threat. All I'm saying is he likely noticed Quarless catching a ton of passes last season and noticed Rudolph getting used indentically to how he gets used in HS. Fair or not, that comparison will be alluded to.

 

[wadc45]

Rivals $

3/8

By Steve Hare...hasn't received his written ND offer yet...will be at the ND spring game...wants to visit Penn State and Ohio State among others and also has added an offer from Southern Cal.

 

[k2onprimetime]

well after he watches stoneburner have a good yr this season he will see we will use are TEs

 

[Smith]

Rivals $ - Koyack close to making cuts?
Sean Fitz of BlueWhiteIllustrated.com, March 12, 2010

Still lists his top group as OSU, PSU, & Notre Dame followed closely by Pitt & Florida... The top 3 are ahead because he's more familiar with them... OSU is recruiting him the hardest & the level of contact from PSU has dropped off lately... The PSU pitch has been comparing their use of the TE to how OSU uses the TE... Chances to catch the ball is still a factor but it's not as big of a deal as he originally thought...

 

[SweetBuckeye]

Rivals $ - Koyack close to making cuts?
Sean Fitz of BlueWhiteIllustrated.com, March 12, 2010

Still lists his top group as OSU, PSU, & Notre Dame followed closely by Pitt & Florida... The top 3 are ahead because he's more familiar with them... OSU is recruiting him the hardest & the level of contact from PSU has dropped off lately... The PSU pitch has been comparing their use of the TE to how OSU uses the TE... Chances to catch the ball is still a factor but it's not as big of a deal as he originally thought...

beautiful, especially coming from a PSU site.

 

[Buckrock]

Rivals $ - Koyack close to making cuts?
Sean Fitz of BlueWhiteIllustrated.com, March 12, 2010

Still lists his top group as OSU, PSU, & Notre Dame followed closely by Pitt & Florida... The top 3 are ahead because he's more familiar with them... OSU is recruiting him the hardest & the level of contact from PSU has dropped off lately... The PSU pitch has been comparing their use of the TE to how OSU uses the TE... Chances to catch the ball is still a factor but it's not as big of a deal as he originally thought...

To get to the NFL a tight end you have to block then catch. There are not many Kellen Winslows out there. Ben Hartsock has forged a pretty nice NFL career.

 

[Sportsbuck28]

Penn State negatively recruiting? I for one, am shocked.

 

[Buckeye Nut]

Every NFL team needs a good blocking tight end and you'll be able to forge a nice career as a #2 tight end in the NFL, but if you want to make any all-pro teams or even be a starter you better be able to create mismatches in the passing game. Who are the guys that are considered the best tight ends in the league? Gonzalez, Gates, Keller, Shaincoe, Clark, Davis, Witten, Celek, Daniels, Z. Miller, Cooley and it really could keep going on. All those guys except for maybe Witten are better receivers than blockers and even Witten is a great receiver. The direction the NFL is going right now everyone wants their TE's to be a receiving option first and be a blocker second.

 

[Diego-Bucks]

Rivals $ - Koyack close to making cuts?
Sean Fitz of BlueWhiteIllustrated.com, March 12, 2010

Still lists his top group as OSU, PSU, & Notre Dame followed closely by Pitt & Florida... The top 3 are ahead because he's more familiar with them... OSU is recruiting him the hardest & the level of contact from PSU has dropped off lately... The PSU pitch has been comparing their use of the TE to how OSU uses the TE... Chances to catch the ball is still a factor but it's not as big of a deal as he originally thought...

I think this is a wonderful change in tone from his past quotes on his worries of the OSU passing offense. Hopefully he ends up with the good guys. Any suggestion that the staff has pointed out to Ben on the number of successful Buckeye tight-ends that have made the League?

 

[Buckskin86]

Koyack is in
Another one of the country's top tight end prospects, Ben Koyack (Oil City, Pa./Oil City), has accepted an invitation to the 2011 Under Armour All-American Game.

The 6-5, 230-pounder caught 48 passes for 800 yards and eight touchdowns last season and holds scholarship offers from Penn State, Pittsburgh, Ohio State, LSU, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Rutgers, West Virginia, Maryland and others.

Receiver prospect Kelvin Benjamin emerged as one of the most intriguing prospects at last weekend's Badger 7-on-7 tournament - ESPN

 

[Buckskin86]

PSU recruiting spotlight: Ben Koyack a rare talent
The nation's top high school tight end -- and Penn State's No. 1 target -- also plays a mean euphonium.
By FRANK BODANI
Daily Record/Sunday News
Updated: 03/20/2010

Recruiting has not only become a 12 month-a-year business for college football coaches, it's also blossomed into a second season of sorts for fans. But just who are the national stars and little-known projects the Nittany Lions are targeting for the class of 2011? What are their stories?

It isn't enough that Ben Koyack may be the top high school tight end in the nation.

He has other things to do.

Like how he earned the starting shortstop job on the varsity baseball team at Oil City High as a 6-foot-4, 205-pound freshman.

Or how he qualified for the district track and field meet as a sprinter and the state meet as a javelin thrower.

There's also his straight-A's report card.

And, best yet, there's his music.

Of course, Koyack is good enough in football to have already received scholarship offers from the likes of USC, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Penn State (He may be the Lions' top target of the class).

Consider how he attended a camp at Ohio State after his sophomore year, a camp with more than two dozen of the best tight end prospects in the nation.

Ben walked away with MVP honors.

Now, he's pushing 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds and can run and block and catch like no one else that size.

He's the rarest form of a tight end.

And he's still learning, still growing into all of that talent and potential.

PSU recruiting spotlight: Ben Koyack a rare talent - The York Daily Record

 

[wadc45]

BN $ - Koyack Talks TE In OSU Offense

3/22

By BK...favors Penn State, Ohio State and Notre Dame and plans to visit all three again...says he is still thinking about how teams use their TE but it isn't the most important thing.

 

[Buckskin86]

Recruiting Notes: Oil City tight end Ben Koyack nearing 20 Division-1 offers
By Joshua Funk
April 11, 2010

There?s something about ?oil belt? football in northwestern Pennsylvania and Division-1 quality tight ends. Half a decade ago, Franklin Area?s Nate Byham generated a high level of D-1 interest, played in the Big-33 Classic and went on to Pitt.

There?s another oil belt tight end following in Byham?s footsteps. Come national signing day next February, this latest prospect will surely be inking a D-1 letter of intent. The only remains, ?Where?? because, to date, the cream of the crop have extended him offers.

Oil City Area?s Ben Koyack, a 6?5, 230-pound senior-to-be, is up to 17 Division-1 offers, according to his profile on Rivals.com. Koyack is easily the most sought-after (and probably best) tight end prospect in the state this 2011 recruiting class ? with Downingtown East?s Tyler Kroft securing the #2 spot.

To date, Koyack has received offers from Boston College, Cal, LSU, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Pitt, Purdue, South Carolina, Southern Cal, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Koyack only played in seven games last year, but he put up gaudy numbers nonetheless. He hauled in 43 passes for 748 yards (17.4 yard average per catch) and seven touchdowns. Koyack opened the 2009 season with a nine-catch, 249-yard, two-touchdown performance against Meadville.

But he also had respectable performances in games against stiffer competition. Koyack caught seven passes for 82 yards and a score against Sharon Area, and against 4-time defending District 10 ?AA? champion Wilmington Area, Koyack snared nine passes for 97 yards.

As a sophomore, Koyack caught 48 passes for 800 yards (16.67 yard average per catch) and 10 touchdowns. In his final three games of the 2008 season, against Eisenhower, Hickory and Reynolds, Koyack caught 22 passes for 434 yards and seven touchdowns.

Recruiting Notes: Oil City tight end Ben Koyack nearing 20 Division-1 offers | PennLive.com

 

[wadc45]

Scout $ - Five-star TE Contemplating Rutgers Visit

4/17

From the Rutgers site...talks about his contact with Coach Schiano...says he is most familiar with Notre Dame, Ohio State and Penn State and that's why they are the top schools on his list. Plans to decide before his senior season.