Can JUCO Transfer Malcolm Pridgeon Become a Starter for the Buckeyes?
When a team signs a junior college transfer, there is generally no intention of redshirting that player or stashing him for a couple of years. That player is intended to play, or at the very least
compete to play.
When the Buckeyes signed 5-star junior college transfer Malcolm Pridgeon this year, it bolstered an offensive line that needed experience. However, it's still a big step up from Nassau Community College to Ohio State, and as Urban Meyer explained recently, it's a much different process to integrate a JUCO signee as opposed to one coming from high school.
"He was a late take, and I had no intention of taking Malcolm," he said. "Ed Warinner recruited him for a long time and Stud fell in love with him. When you meet this big guy, he’s an awesome person. Very talented guy, and how could you not take him? He’s matriculated great. He was a little bit behind the eight ball because he wasn’t in great shape. He had a lot of academic stuff. He took like 23 hours and he made it. And he’s getting in shape fast. So we’ll find out more during training camp. It is much different."
There was a lot of catch up that went on because a junior college transfer has to hit the ground running as a college student. There isn't the same amount acclimatization that can go on because JUCO players are being brought in to basically be a ready-made contributor.
That hasn't worked out very well for the Buckeyes in the recent past, as junior college signees like Corey Smith and Larry Grant both needed a year to gather themselves and get ready for big time college football. Pridgeon has only been on campus since this summer. He didn't go through spring football, but has made an early impression on teammates.
"Really athletic, big dude," said center Pat Elflein. "He’s learning the playbook, so we’ll see how he does. He’s training hard and we’ll see how he does when camp comes around."
Entire article:
http://theozone.net/Ohio-State/Foot...lm-Pridgeon-Become-a-Starter-for-the-Buckeyes
