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RB Antonio Pittman (Official Thread)

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Another thing, Tony Pittman is not as good IMO as Maurice was. So it's not like he'll be instant Heisman candidate and have everybody in the world bugging him.

One could easily write a counter article where he says we should play Pittman because look how well Archie handled that and look at what a swell guy Archie is...and make just as much sense.
 
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I would think that if the potential is there to redshirt Pittman they would do it. But I don't think Ross is as worried about Pittman taking reps from him as he is about Joe.


It was a remarkably stupid article, but hey they need something to write about during this time of the year :stupid:
 
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All of the kids who have enrolled early (and I realize that number is only three counting MC) have played as true Frosh.

I don't know what kind of conversations go on between the players and JT when they are considering this option, but I can't imagine a kid making that choice and then getting a RS unless he absolutely did not earn reps on the field. If Pittman gets himself in the three deep at TB - and he certianly looks headed in that direction - he would not be a happy camper if they kept him on the shelf because they wanted to keep that year of eligibility.

This could get REAL interesting if Haw shows up and starts putting on a show.

Oh the troubles we have. Woe is us.

Sorry HH - I didn't mean to overlook Kennedy. But my head hurts if I try to think about more than 6 tailbacks at the same time.

(Woody would be pleased. A pair and a spare and two spare pairs.)
 
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I didn't even read the article but I was able to infer from the responses to it that it read, in effect, that Pittman should sit, even if he gives us the best shot at winning. That thinking won't win us the Fred Davises or even the future Tony Pittmans in recruiting if we just bench freshmen because they're too good or could turn into jackasses because of the limelight.

I'm glad to know that Jim Tressel and his sage wit are in charge. Ever watch the TV show Kung Fu? Tressel reminds me of Kwai Chang Caine running a football team.

Reporter: Why did you play the Freshman, Coach KC Caine?
Caine: His legs were fresh and his hard work, and talent made us confident that he would perform most satisfactorily.
Reporter: Coach, are you worried that he'll try to go pro next year?
Caine: I am only concerned about his well-being and his performance both in the classroom and on the football field.
Reporter: Was it smart to play him, since you can't redshirt him now, and he only has three years of eligibility left?
Caine: He ran for 200 yards and 6 touchdowns after our upperclassmen were ineffective. He opened up the passing game and our offense was able to achieve its goals. Yes, we believe we made the right decision.



Trev Alberts: Well, the Buckeyes won ugly again today and we predict at least 3 losses. They've got to look more like USC or Oklahoma in order to be a dominant team by chucking the ball downfield 35 plus times a game and giving up at least 20 points to make it interesting enough to watch just barely beyond mid-third quarter.

Mark May: Ohio State's just not good. They're going to lose next week at home against Marshall. You heard it here first, Trev, the Buckeyes will lose next week and won't even make it to a bowl game.


I'm already getting fired up to hate those guys this fall. I've got my mute button ready.
 
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Oh8ch said:
All of the kids who have enrolled early (and I realize that number is only three counting MC) have played as true Frosh.
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I think we'll certainly see that broken this year with Steve Rehring. He certainly got a head start on all the other incoming freshman but is simply not ready to see the field.
 
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I see Blue Devil foggy thinking has not changed much in 40-50 years. Pittman should play if he is good enough and sit if he is not. That MoC had or got a fat head is no reason to suppose that he will. Back in my day frosh couldn't play, period. Fortunately wiser heads prevailed and that foolishness was abandoned a few years later.

RLC65 Newark Wildcat :wink2:
 
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good article today on Pittman in the ABJ

http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/8562516.htm?1c

Ohio State freshman Tony Pittman got his first inkling of what he didn't know about college football when defensive end Simon Fraser came barrelling around the end of the line.

It was midway through the Buckeyes' 14 spring practices and instincts told the young tailback from Butchel to bash the onrushing 6-foot-6 senior in the numbers.

Pittman, known as Antonio in high school, quickly found out that wasn't the best idea.

``I told him, 'Don't try to hit him in the chest. You've got to chip him. Go low and he'll go down like a big tree,' '' OSU running backs coach Dick Tressel said. ``Tony said, 'I don't know how to do that.'

``In high school you can't block below the waist. Now all of a sudden he's got to block Simon Fraser.''

The example given by Tressel, brother of Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, shows what Pittman must learn and the transition that he must make to gain playing time when OSU opens the 2004 season Sept. 4.

Pittman proved last weekend that he can handle the biggest responsibility of the position.

At the spring game in Ohio Stadium, Pittman carried 21 times for 105 yards and led his Scarlet team to a 13-0 victory. He took over for senior Lydell Ross in the second quarter after Ross scored the game's only touchdown on a 1-yard run.

``I came back to my old self, what I did my junior year.'' Pittman said. ``I was running on two good legs instead of one.''

His senior year was marred by a turf toe injury, but Pittman still totaled 1,300 yards and 17 touchdowns. As a junior, Pittman rushed for 2,235 yards and 35 touchdowns.

To get a head start on his college career, Pittman graduated from high school in January and enrolled at OSU, taking three classes this quarter. He figured that he had to make all that worthwhile with a splashy debut April 24.

``I had to come out and show my ability and that I was going to be helpful to the team,'' he said. ``I was getting kinda discouraged in practice, like when I couldn't take this rep. In the spring game, it all paid off.

``I don't think I took anyone by surprise. They wouldn't have brought me here.''

Jim Tressel was cautious with his praise after what was essentially a scrimmage. He will have two seniors returning in Ross and Maurice Hall, sidelined this spring with knee problems. Senior fullback Branden Joe proved in the Fiesta Bowl that he deserves some carries, and freshmen Erik Haw and Dennis Kennedy will arrive in August.

``I thought Tony had a good spring,'' Jim Tressel said afterward. ``He didn't have winter conditioning, and when he got here, he didn't know much about what we were doing. But he stepped in and he learned. The hardest thing for a young back to do is pick up the blitz protections.

``But I think we feel good about the way he played. I'll say this, Tony Pittman heads to the goal line.''

Dick Tressel said Pittman's big day didn't muddle the backfield picture.

``It just makes it better,'' he said. ``It's like you're looking at a picture, going from three colors and adding a fourth. This is great.''

Dick Tressel said the most impressive thing Pittman showed was explosiveness.

``Tony's strength is he recognizes his opportunity and bursts to that opportunity,'' Dick Tressel said. ``He's got pretty good vision and tremendous acceleration. If there was a crack, he was able to get through it before the defenders were able to respond.

``That's one thing you can't develop. That comes from God-given ability and a bunch of repetitions.''

Pittman had been excited for his chance the whole week before. On Saturday morning, he woke up at 3:30 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep, so he came to the Woody Hayes Athletic Center at 8:30 a.m. for a 1 p.m. game.

``That's happened before but not in a long time,'' Pittman said of his sleepless night. ``Probably not since my first game at Buchtel. But I wasn't nervous about the situation.''

Pittman said the OSU coaches introduced the offense to him in stages so he didn't feel overwhelmed.

``He learned quickly and paid attention, so it didn't surprise me he was able to run the ball that well,'' Dick Tressel said.

Pittman said one of the day's highlights was turning his jersey over and seeing his name on it for the first time. Another was running down the tunnel to the field, something he had been waiting for since his official visit last season.

Even as the feelings of awe start to subside, Pittman knows there is still much to learn.

Getting comfortable with the receiving duties that might be expanded for OSU's tailbacks doesn't appear to be a problem. Pittman took a screen pass for a 25-yard gain that was called back by a holding penalty.

``He's had less difficulty showing us he can catch,'' Dick Tressel said. ``It's the intricacies of the patterns we run moreso than his ability to catch it and take off.''
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