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LB Palaie Gaoteote (Official Thread)

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brodybuck21 said:
Nice fumble recovery
Click to expand...

Yes it was:

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Buckeyes linebacker Palaie Gaoteote IV (21) crawls after a Toledo fumble, and picks it up, during second half action in the game between the University of Toledo Rockets and the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus on Saturday, September 17, 2022.

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Buckeyes linebacker Palaie Gaoteote IV (21) celebrates his fumble recovery during second half action in the game between the University of Toledo Rockets and the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus on Saturday, September 17, 2022

https://www.cleveland.com/galleries/YGTZ6HYJYFACHLHN33JPPI3PFM/
 
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OHIO STATE LINEBACKER PALAIE GAOTEOTE IV STRIVING TO “HELP THE TEAM ANY WAY I CAN” DESPITE SMALLER-THAN-EXPECTED ROLE

Palaie Gaoteote IV isn’t playing the role he envisioned he would have in Ohio State’s defense this season, but he’s still trying to make as big of an impact for the Buckeyes as he can.

Through the first nine games of the 2022 season, Gaoteote has played only 28 snaps. New defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Jim Knowles has leaned almost entirely on his starters in his position group, and as a result, Gaoteote has seen only occasional defensive snaps despite currently being fourth in the linebacker pecking order behind Tommy Eichenberg, Steele Chambers and Cody Simon.

In his first interview session of the season Wednesday, Gaoteote acknowledged he isn’t playing as much as he thought he would be. But he says he’s trying to take advantage of the snaps he is getting and do what he can to help the team win.

“It's definitely been different, but it's definitely a role that I've embraced,” Gaoteote said. “Coming into the season, I expected a lot of things and things didn't happen that way. So the role that I have right now, I plan to play to the best of my ability and just help the team any way I can.”

For the most part, Gaoteote’s role this season has been playing on special teams, where he has played 86 snaps between the kickoff coverage, kickoff return and punt return teams. Gaoteote has received acclaim for his performance in that phase of the game, earning special teams player of the game honors after both of Ohio State’s first two contests of the year against Notre Dame and Arkansas State.


https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...-way-i-can-despite-smaller-than-expected-role
 
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brodybuck21 said:
OHIO STATE LINEBACKER PALAIE GAOTEOTE IV STRIVING TO “HELP THE TEAM ANY WAY I CAN” DESPITE SMALLER-THAN-EXPECTED ROLE

Palaie Gaoteote IV isn’t playing the role he envisioned he would have in Ohio State’s defense this season, but he’s still trying to make as big of an impact for the Buckeyes as he can.

Through the first nine games of the 2022 season, Gaoteote has played only 28 snaps. New defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Jim Knowles has leaned almost entirely on his starters in his position group, and as a result, Gaoteote has seen only occasional defensive snaps despite currently being fourth in the linebacker pecking order behind Tommy Eichenberg, Steele Chambers and Cody Simon.

In his first interview session of the season Wednesday, Gaoteote acknowledged he isn’t playing as much as he thought he would be. But he says he’s trying to take advantage of the snaps he is getting and do what he can to help the team win.

“It's definitely been different, but it's definitely a role that I've embraced,” Gaoteote said. “Coming into the season, I expected a lot of things and things didn't happen that way. So the role that I have right now, I plan to play to the best of my ability and just help the team any way I can.”

For the most part, Gaoteote’s role this season has been playing on special teams, where he has played 86 snaps between the kickoff coverage, kickoff return and punt return teams. Gaoteote has received acclaim for his performance in that phase of the game, earning special teams player of the game honors after both of Ohio State’s first two contests of the year against Notre Dame and Arkansas State.

https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...-way-i-can-despite-smaller-than-expected-role
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Although he is a fifth-year senior, Gaoteote could still potentially play another year of college football. Because he played in only two games at USC in 2020, that season should count as a redshirt year for Gaoteote, allowing him to still use the extra year of eligibility all players were given in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Gaotoete said he is still working with Ohio State’s compliance department, however, to sort through his eligibility for 2023.
Even if he is able to play another year of college football, Gaotoete isn’t certain whether he would return to Ohio State for a third season. How much of a chance Gaoteote would have to earn a bigger role on Ohio State’s 2023 defense would likely depend on whether Eichenberg and Chambers stay for another year or enter the 2023 NFL draft.
Those decisions, however, will be made after Ohio State’s 2022 season is over. For now, Gaoteote is focused on playing for the Buckeyes and trying to help the team achieve its goals.
“I've definitely been thinking about what I'm gonna do next year,” Gaoteote said. “But as for now, I really don't have a plan. I'm focused on our goals of beating the team up north, getting to the Big Ten championship and hopefully win the national championship.”
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Apparently there is a possibility that he'll come back and play another year, i.e. 2023.
 
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Gaoteote said he hasn’t spoken to first-year defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Jim Knowles much about his impending decision, but has talked to his parents and uncle, former NFL defensive end Ma'a Tanuvasa, about what he should do next. Gaoteote said it’s “fair to say” it seems unlikely he’ll return to Ohio State, but that he still doesn’t know what his final decision will be.

“Right now, just kind of praying on it, seeing where my faith leads me to and we'll go from there,” Gaoteote said.
 
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