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QB Justin Zwick (B1G Champion, National Champion)

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Bucknut319 said:
Yea, there have been a lot of rumblings about this lately...who knows how true they are.
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its easy to be a team player and bide your time when there is at least an outside shot of becoming the starter at some point. but the way things sit now there is 0 chance outside of an injury to smith. while that is very likely considering he is our goal line tb, thats not the way you want to start. if zwick isn't actively shoping for new schools he's a fool. looking back on it now it really does seem like the coaching staff stuck a fork in him around the middle of spring practice. seems really odd to me as zwick really outperformed smith in every way through the first 3 games. the fact that he wasn't given anything resembling a shot after the texas game really says alot about the coaching staffs opinion of zwick.

im really happy for smith, but i feel for zwick.
 
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martinss01 said:
. seems really odd to me as zwick really outperformed smith in every way through the first 3 games. the fact that he wasn't given anything resembling a shot after the texas game really says alot about the coaching staffs opinion of zwick.
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it's arguable whether zwick outperformed smith "in every way" for the first three games, but i'm not going to disagree. a case can be made for either quarterback. however, i think that zwick's disuse after the texas game is the result of two reasons: his fumble at the end of the texas game and job security. putting zwick in for the penultimate drive was zwick's opportunity to entrench himself. while it is asking far too much of a quarterback to define his position by one drive, zwick had plenty of opportunities to secure his position, albeit a year earlier. that fumble -- and his offense's inability to score touchdowns earlier in the game -- closed the coffin. the other reason for replacing zwick with smith is, i feel, that tressel understood the great clamoring that would ensue if he decided to play out a losing season with zwick at the helm, considering that virtually all of columbus desired smith at quarterback. many here are likely going to disagree that tressel would be worrying about his job, and i'm not saying that he would be fired after one losing winning (you know, 6-4 or something like that... not that osu would have that poor of a record with zwick quarterbacking anyway) season due to a quarterback decision. but the seeds of doubt are often planted early and sometimes hastily in columbus, and i'm sure that tressel understands this.
 
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We will probably find out who the number two is this week against Ill. I know that JZ is a great guy but he's definately not the future and it's not two early to get Boeckman some snaps. Biggest problem there, is that if Troy were to be injured, Justin will have to step up . I really don't know. Tough call.
 
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I think that Justin is still #2. Say what you will about him vs Smith (I prefer Smith), Justin Zwick has been a class act in every way. I hope he will get some quality time this weekend, have some fun and throw for a few touchdowns. He deserves it.
 
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Steve19 said:
I think that Justin is still #2. Say what you will about him vs Smith (I prefer Smith), Justin Zwick has been a class act in every way. I hope he will get some quality time this weekend, have some fun and throw for a few touchdowns. He deserves it.
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I couldn't agree more. Smith has really seemed to finally have that lighbulb come on the last few weeks and hopefully it continues. But through all of this Justin has been a class act. He has not said anything to the media now that he has been benched and seems to still be right there doing what needs to be done. If he transfers I wish him luck, but hopefully he stays we can never have enough team players on the roster
 
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Totally agree. I was talking to a friend this afternoon and he said it would be good for OSU if Zwick transfered stating that it would free up a scholarship and give Tood more reps. I am sorry but I just can not see this as the case. Look at all the good teams in college and the NFL they have 2 very capable QB's most of the time. If Smith got hurt I would not lose an ounce of sleep putting in Zwick. I do not have the same confidence with Todd.
 
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I'm wondering why everyone thinks that Zwick is handling the situation with class. I'm not saying the I would be acting any differently were I in his situation, but he doesn't appear to be smiling (unless Troy throws a pick)or cheering on his teammates on the sidelines.

At the Michigan St. game, during the singing of the alma mater down by south stands, Zwick (and Mo Wells for that matter) were not feeling it at all. They couldn't wait to get into the locker room and get out of there.

Zwick is taking this hard from what I've seen. I'm not saying I would be acting any differently whatsoever, but I'm rather classless, so take it for what it's worth. From what I've seen, it's clear that Zwick lacks the leadership qualities that so many players cite as a one of Troy's biggest strengths. I think that had a lot to do with how the situation played out.
 
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I'm wondering why everyone thinks that Zwick is handling the situation with class.
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Probably because he isn't whining to the media (like Troy did last year) about a lack of PT. Or perhaps because he hasn't gotten in trouble off the field (like Troy has done several times). What's not classy about that?
 
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StadiumDorm said:
I'm wondering why everyone thinks that Zwick is handling the situation with class. I'm not saying the I would be acting any differently were I in his situation, but he doesn't appear to be smiling (unless Troy throws a pick)or cheering on his teammates on the sidelines.

At the Michigan St. game, during the singing of the alma mater down by south stands, Zwick (and Mo Wells for that matter) were not feeling it at all. They couldn't wait to get into the locker room and get out of there.

Zwick is taking this hard from what I've seen. I'm not saying I would be acting any differently whatsoever, but I'm rather classless, so take it for what it's worth. From what I've seen, it's clear that Zwick lacks the leadership qualities that so many players cite as a one of Troy's biggest strengths. I think that had a lot to do with how the situation played out.
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Much as I thought Zwick was way, way overhyped when I saw him play at Massillon, he has carried himself very well in every way in my opinion. He lost his job last year, yet gutted an injury out in a Bowl game to lead us to victory (and if I remember, it actually saved us a redshirt or something, I could be wrong on that). He's also a very smart kid, who I'm sure is getting a good education, and will no doubt be successful whatever he does in the future, which I'm sure he;s also taking into consideration. He's the kind of kid that you want representing your school as an alumnus, and as a fan. If he plays again consisitently, I could see him setting himself up for a memorable senior season. If not, I have a sneaking suspicion that he will get at least one big opportunity to step up big for the Buckeyes, somewhere, sometime. If he does, I have no worries about him putting forth the effort and physical investment necessary to be the best he can be, and that's all anyone can ask. If he doesn't look or sound like a "team guy" to some people all the time, I believe he has SHOWN himself to be one, and that's good enough for me.
 
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If you think Zwick has not shown class, try to see life from his perspective. He arrived at Ohio State and was heralded. In his freshman year, he was supposed to supplant Craig Krentzel and Columbus resounded with the chants of "Justin Zwick is just in time."

From those high expectations, he has fallen. Somewhat due to injury last year, somewhat because his style of play has not fit into his coach's plans and perhaps somewhat because of comparative skills.

I did not observe him or Wells and would not be surprised if he is taking things hard.

But throughout all of this, he has not done one thing that embarrassed himself, his team or his University. When asked to contribute, he has done his best on every occasion. A lot of top Div 1 programs would start him today.

There is life after football. Even really good college players rarely get more than a few years in the pros. Whether he is an injury away from starting, stays at OSU but never starts again, or transfers somewhere else, what I see in Justin Zwick tells me that he is going to be a real success in life. No matter what happens, he will always be a Buckeye.
 
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Probably because he isn't whining to the media (like Troy did last year) about a lack of PT.
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Do you mean in this interview that was blown WAY OUT OF PROPORTION?

Q: If things stay the way they are now all season and nothing changes, are you leaving?

TS: "I can't say that right now. I wish I could, I can't say that right now.

My whole demeanor and my whole understanding of everything here as far as football goes, I understand that it's not just me and it's not just my personality. It's a whole thing. It's group oriented. It's kind of hard of going through the transition of wanting to help the team (as a backup) to possibly being in the race (as a contender for the starting role) to now you've got to go back to helping the team, but I said before, when I got here, that I'm a team player, team first, team first always. Whatever I can do to help the team I will."

Q: Do you think Coach Tressel has handled the quarterback situation the right way and have you talked to him about the amount of playing time you've had?

TS: "I haven't talked to him yet."

Q: With Zwick struggling against NC State, do you feel that you should have got some playing time?

TS: "That's kind of the frustrating thing about it, but Coach Tressel is doing this for a reason. Everything happens for a reason, so I'm going to roll with it"

Q: Is it were common-place for players to be left somewhat in the dark at times regarding their status.

TS: "I could be, it could be common, I don't go around worrying about what the other players have going on, but now that you say that, it could be. I know that they don't really owe us an explanation, but at the same time where this guy isn't really doing all the wrong things, then I think that something needs to be said."

Do you think there's any reasons that you haven't got more playing time?

TS: "It's not like I'm going out and M-F'ing everybody and missing reads and calling the wrong plays and things like that. I think that sometime when you're in a situation like this, something needs to be said"

Q: Do you think you got a fair shot?

TS: "That's for you guys to decide, I really can't say anything on that because I don't really want to put myself in a situation where I say this and there's repercussions of what I said to the media has something to do with my playing time or my future here, so that's for you to decide. It's a lot more than what you think. A lot more stuff goes on than what you think. Sometimes what you say in situations can be used against you. I'm in a situation where I don't want to say what I really want to say and that be used against me. I just pray. I just go about it that the Lord has blessed me with this and I have some type of path that he's going to take me through. Everything will be all right."

The media then asks whether his involvement in an incident at Morril Tower last year in which several OSU football players were involved in a fight situation was being held against him and being considered as a factor in whether he would earn playing time.

TS: "A couple of situations could have arose. Just the whole thing with me being great friends with Maurice Clarett, which I still am, and I wish with all my heart that he was still here, but a couple of things could have been held against me."

Q: Were you upset that you didn't see any action against NC State?

TS: "Of course I was upset. Going back and talking to my high school coach who is sort of like my mentor, Ted Ginn Sr, he just let me know to put it in God's hands, and that's what I did. Some of the things that went on in that game I can't really control. I can only control what Troy Smith does, the positive and negative things that happen to me.

Q: Troy, have you considered leaving Ohio State?

TS: "This year I can do nothing. I have to evaluate the things I have to do now, stick out this year hopefully and good things will happen. I'm a quarterback. When I get my shot to go to the NFL I'm going as a quarterback. That's the thing that I want to do, and that's the thing that I will continue to make myself better. It's not like I'm going to go out after practice and run routes to try to get better. I'm a quarterback first, but if I have to help the team in other areas I will. That's my goal right now; game by game to help my team win, but as a human being, I'm not happy. I'm not going to sit here and say that everything is peaches and cream and that I have no feelings, because this is my life.

For 90% of the guys in the team, this is what they want to do after college. They want to go to the NFL to make some money to take care of their immediate families back home, their mothers, their sisters, their nieces, their nephews, and I'm not going to say they're playing with my life, but it's sort of like they have puppet strings with it. It's not like this is happening and I can just block it out. This is happening to me, and like I said before, this is my life, so I think about it all the time. I've got to envision myself on the video game winning the Heisman."
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