How Does Bradley Roby Compare to Other Great tOSU CB's?

[Tlangs]

I think the safety play killed the perception of Roby this year. When you have unreliable safeties it affects the way you play the game.

 

[cincibuck]

For those who didn't have the pleasure of watching him, Colzie was special. Teams played away from him as often as possible because he had the offensive skills and ability to take the ball back from wherever he caught it. Again, as some of you have mentioned of others on this list, Colzie had the benefit of playing in a talented backfield, but his skill level meant that the safeties were free to cheat toward the other side of the field.

As I look at that list I see a string: Springs beget Winfield, who beget Plumer. That is, there always seemed to be an overlap, a freshman Winfield playing with a junior Springs and Plumer coming along to be mentored by Winfield. In each case there was a moment in a crucial game when the older player was injured and the younger would have to step up. In each case they did.

That didn't happen this year.

 

[buckeyesin07]

As I look at that list I see a string: Springs beget Winfield, who beget Plumer. That is, there always seemed to be an overlap, a freshman Winfield playing with a junior Springs and Plumer coming along to be mentored by Winfield. In each case there was a moment in a crucial game when the older player was injured and the younger would have to step up. In each case they did.

That didn't happen this year.

This is a really good observation. When you say it didn't happen this year, do you mean Roby (a 4th year player) should have been tutoring/mentoring a Reeves? Not saying I disagree with that premise at all, just wondering. And while I think Doran Grant has struggled at times, it's actually pretty amazing he's come this far considering the theory above (which I happen to agree with).

 

[cincibuck]

This is a really good observation. When you say it didn't happen this year, do you mean Roby (a 4th year player) should have been tutoring/mentoring a Reeves? Not saying I disagree with that premise at all, just wondering. And while I think Doran Grant has struggled at times, it's actually pretty amazing he's come this far considering the theory above (which I happen to agree with).

Didn't think of it in that manner - recruiting is a crap shoot and from what I recall reading after the 2013 LOI Day most of us on this site were pretty sure the bucks had come up with plenty of talent to replace the talent lost in the back seven spots. For whatever reason that just didn't happen. Maybe Roby wasn't the mentor type, but my guess is that the projected talent wasn't ready for prime time and didn't get ready in the course of the season.

Flat out lack of talent hasn't happened very often at OSU, especially in the last twenty years.

And it wasn't just at CB. This was also the third straight year without at least a second LB to work with Shazier, the difference being that this time there was no Zack Boren to fill in.

Spring will be an interesting time around WHAC and even then we may not have answers. One thing seems sure, there are lots of opportunities for someone, anyone, to step up.

 

[buckeyeintn]

For those who didn't have the pleasure of watching him, Colzie was special. Teams played away from him as often as possible because he had the offensive skills and ability to take the ball back from wherever he caught it. Again, as some of you have mentioned of others on this list, Colzie had the benefit of playing in a talented backfield, but his skill level meant that the safeties were free to cheat toward the other side of the field.

As I look at that list I see a string: Springs beget Winfield, who beget Plumer. That is, there always seemed to be an overlap, a freshman Winfield playing with a junior Springs and Plumer coming along to be mentored by Winfield. In each case there was a moment in a crucial game when the older player was injured and the younger would have to step up. In each case they did.

That didn't happen this year.

Against Northwestern, Colzie returned a punt and an interception for TD's in the first 2 minutes of the second half. Turned a 14-10 halftime lead into a 28-10 lead which then turned into a rout. Special is an accurate description. The interception he timed so perfectly he looked like the intended receiver.

 

[Saw31]

Roby in his sophomore year was the best corner I've seen at tOSU since the '69 crew, other than Winfield (the best corner cover I've ever seen at tOSU). In his junior year, he was mediocre. Not sure why.

Winfield doesn't get the recognition he deserved. GP,IA. Winfield was a coverage ace and a tackling monster against the run. Best one in my imo and the one I rate everyone else against...

 

[LordJeffBuck]

Winfield doesn't get the recognition he deserved. GP,IA. Winfield was a coverage ace and a tackling monster against the run. Best one in my imo and the one I rate everyone else against...

For his career, Winfield had 278 total tackles (19th best at Ohio State) and 224 solo tackles (6th best at Ohio State). Winfield led the team with 100 tackles in 1997 (almost certainly a record for a Buckeye CB), with 82 being solo tackles (5th highest season total at Ohio State) and 8 TFL's.

 

[C-busBuck]

For his career, Winfield had 278 total tackles (19th best at Ohio State) and 224 solo tackles (6th best at Ohio State). Winfield led the team with 100 tackles in 1997 (almost certainly a record for a Buckeye CB), with 82 being solo tackles (5th highest season total at Ohio State) and 8 TFL's.

And when Winfield played Press coverage, the WR rarely got into his route cleanly. He was just an awesome CB.

 

[AKAK]

Winfield doesn't get the recognition he deserved. GP,IA. Winfield was a coverage ace and a tackling monster against the run. Best one in my imo and the one I rate everyone else against...

Not that I matter, but, I'll just say it. Winfield is the best defender, period, that I ever saw play for Ohio State, in my IMO.

 

[BIATCHabutuka]

Not that I matter, but, I'll just say it. Winfield is the best defender, period, that I ever saw play for Ohio State, in my IMO.

agree 100%. best buckeye defender in my life is antoine winfield unless maybe you include jack tatum but I was born in 71 and don't remember him outside of highlights, the nfl, and my 1968 rose bowl dvd.

how there could be a place called the NFL hall of fame without either jack tatum or antoine winfield in it is beyond me.

 

[cincibuck]

agree 100%. best buckeye defender in my life is antoine winfield unless maybe you include jack tatum but I was born in 71 and don't remember him outside of highlights, the nfl, and my 1968 rose bowl dvd.

how there could be a place called the NFL hall of fame without either jack tatum or antoine winfield in it is beyond me.

Sadly, the hit on Daryl Stingly and Jack's reaction to the press afterwards hurt him.

 

[mattynokes]

It's hard to say where he ranks. I think he was poorly used for his skill set. It seems the generic OSU fan that can't name players beyond Miller, Hyde, or Shazier see a ball thrown to Roby's side of the field and automatically think it's his fault. Not that I'm saying anyone on here fall into that category, but I think a shitty scheme clouds how good he really is.

 

[Bill Lucas]

Not that I matter, but, I'll just say it. Winfield is the best defender, period, that I ever saw play for Ohio State, in my IMO.

I loved the Winfield years and the Clements years. Both of those guys were special.

 

[AKAK]

I loved the Winfield years and the Clements years. Both of those guys were special.

Yes. But I didn't mean just DB's.

 

[Yertle]

There should be a "below 10th" pick. Roby was mediocre at best. Sorry, but this last year he wasn't the best DB on our team... and we weren't exactly filled with studs.