In my view, the choice of Troy Smith, Doug Datish, and Quinn Pitcock, were all no-brainers. Thus, the semi-surprise is David Patterson.
Reading the tea leaves, what does this reveal? First, who was not selected? Some suggested Justin Zwick should get the nod. I would not object to this--a senior inspirational figure in spite of not being a starter. But if you're going to elect a non-starter, why not Mike D'Andrea or, in previous years, Thomas Matthews. Non-starters just do not get elected captain. So, why not Brandon Mitchell? He was my first guess for the 4th captain. 5th year senior, solid contributor, almost a player-coach, exceptional leader, exceptional student, solid citizen--an ideal role model--I'd follow this guy into battle. I suspect it's because he may not be a starter. I'm sure the coaches will give him plenty of playing time, especially in crucial situations. But if Brandon Mitchell is not the starter, when the DBs have been our biggest question mark, I think that means our DBs will be just fine.
What does it mean that David Patterson was selected as the second defensive captain? Well, one thing it indicates is the team believes he is THE MAN (along with Quinn). I love the message this sends to opposing offensive coordinators. "If you want to beat us, you've got to beat us up the middle. And, you won't beat us up the middle."
:osu:
