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LB Mike D'Andrea (official thread)

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We thought we were suffering a hit after the 2002 season when we lost Wilhelm and Grant, and yet their replacements turned out alright. I think we may not lose as much as we think when Hawk, Carpenter, and Schlegel graduate.
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This weeks two deep made a huge statement about next years LBs. First you have 'Schlegel OR Hoobler' listed and then you have Kerr popping up behind Hawk. With D'Andrea back that gives you some honest to gosh competition among four quality athletes all of whom will have at least two years with some level of experience. We may not have two AA candidates next year, but our LBs will be a strength, not a weakness.
 
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People tend to forget that D'Andrea had beat out Schlegel as the MLB last year and started until he got hurt. If Mike can have a completely healthy season in 2006, he has a good crack at All American recognition and a first-day pick in the 2007 draft.
 
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MililaniBuckeye said:
People tend to forget that D'Andrea had beat out Schlegel as the MLB last year and started until he got hurt. If Mike can have a completely healthy season in 2006, he has a good crack at All American recognition and a first-day pick in the 2007 draft.
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Possible yes...probable no. All-American status is often a carry-over from the previous season.

MDA has yet to show the instincts to be great. He has shown glimpses but not enough to be that extraordinary player we were all expecting.

Hawk has those instincts that cannot be coached...MDA has the ideal measurables.

MDA could be hell on the outside...but he still has to show me he is the man for the middle.
 
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If he gets his half-season this year along with a full season in 2006, I really think he could get to the point he'd be a serious AA consideration. He really looked like he was finally picking up the nuances of the game early last season. He won't be a Hawk, but I doubt we'll see many more like A.J. for a long time...
 
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MililaniBuckeye said:
If he gets his half-season this year along with a full season in 2006, I really think he could get to the point he'd be a serious AA consideration. He really looked like he was finally picking up the nuances of the game early last season. He won't be a Hawk, but I doubt we'll see many more like A.J. for a long time...
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Good points and I hope your version is correct.

However, in all honesty, do you see him being the full-time starter/major contributor as a Senior? I could see him splitting time as JT gets the young pups their experience for the next few years. That type of scenario could affect an All-American campaign....however, if he is head and shoulders better than the younger player, it won't matter as he won't be sharing snaps.
 
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osugrad21 said:
Possible yes...probable no. All-American status is often a carry-over from the previous season.

MDA has yet to show the instincts to be great. He has shown glimpses but not enough to be that extraordinary player we were all expecting.

Hawk has those instincts that cannot be coached...MDA has the ideal measurables.

MDA could be hell on the outside...but he still has to show me he is the man for the middle.
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I completely agree, this is what I have been saying for a long time......I'm glad that someone shares the same vantage point.

LB is instinctive......I haven't seen it out of Mike........He has been strongest when he is blitzing, I just don't see his natural knack for the ball.
 
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link

8/31/05

<H1 class=red>D'Andrea receives extra year

</H1>

Wednesday, August 31, 2005 Jodie Valade

Plain Dealer Reporter
Columbus- Mike D'Andrea is "excited" and "relieved" that he will have another chance to show why he was a highly recruited linebacker headed to Ohio State in 2002.

The NCAA granted D'Andrea a medical redshirt waiver for last season, Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel said Tuesday.

The waiver allows D'Andrea, plagued by injuries during his first three seasons, to rehab his injured right knee and return later in the year. The former Avon Lake standout then hopes to play all next season.

<SCRIPT language=JavaScript1.1 src="http://ads.cleveland.com/RealMedia/ads/adstream_jx.ads/www.cleveland.com/xml/story/s2/s2osf/@StoryAd"></SCRIPT>
D'Andrea tore the anterior cruciate ligament in practice before the fourth game of last season, but he didn't know the severity of the injury and limped through that game against Northwestern. He missed the final eight games, and has had surgery twice - first to repair the torn ligament, then to remove scar tissue last month.

Though the knee has limited his participation in training camp, D'Andrea said he's optimistic he will recover this season. Tressel said he is hopeful D'Andrea can return by the end of September.

"It [the knee] still has its ups and downs, but the downs are a lot less," D'Andrea said.

D'Andrea also missed three games in 2003 with a separated shoulder. He has been limited to 44 tackles in his three seasons.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-4654
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I really didn't see anything special of D'Andrea in his 3 1/2 games last year. He still doesn't get it as a middle linebacker. Just doesn't have the instincts to be dominant with those physical attributes of his. He looked pretty good blitzing against Marshall and NC State, that's all he was able to do in those games. D'Andrea still hasn't been able to come up when not blitzing and fill the hole like a Wilhelm or Katzynmoyer. D'Andrea always seems to be a step or two slow on the football field and offensive lineman were able to find him and block him pretty easily. I really don't think there is much of a chance that he is all-big ten, let alone all-american, in 2006.
 
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7 45 33 48 said:
I really didn't see anything special of D'Andrea in his 3 1/2 games last year. He still doesn't get it as a middle linebacker. Just doesn't have the instincts to be dominant with those physical attributes of his. He looked pretty good blitzing against Marshall and NC State, that's all he was able to do in those games. D'Andrea still hasn't been able to come up when not blitzing and fill the hole like a Wilhelm or Katzynmoyer. D'Andrea always seems to be a step or two slow on the football field and offensive lineman were able to find him and block him pretty easily. I really don't think there is much of a chance that he is all-big ten, let alone all-american, in 2006.
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Uh, maybe because he didn't have the same amount of experience as Katzenmoyer and Wilhelm? Neither of them got hurt, and D'Andrea was stuck behind an All-American in his true frosh year and saw next to no PT. Mike has had a lot of breaks go against him and never got the experience to allow him to "let his head catch up with his body". Even Wilhelm said himself that when D'Andrea catches on the the mental part of the game, look out. He made several run-down tackles in the Cincy and Marshall games that I can recall, and he seemed to be in position a lot more than he was in his limited PT the previous two years. Keep in mind that it was his first season as the starter, giving him a chance to have the game sink-in, and it was really starting to click for him.

If he remains 100% healthy for 2007, he will be the most talented MLB on the team and Tressel will start him, especially as a fifth-year senior. If he's 100% by mid-season, he may just take over the MLB from Schlegel, and no one has been complaining about Schlegel's play.

Some people have blown him off solely because he didn't come in and take over the game like everyone thought when he was recruited.
 
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Also, if you'll recall, there wasn't an enormous amount of enthusiasm for Wilhelm before the 02 season. However, he busted his ass during the offseason and had a career year. It's more than possible that we will see the same kind of production from MDA.
 
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