RB Jaamal Berry (Transfer to Murray State)

[Merih]

Yeah I knew about the hamstring injury...as well as the offseason surgery (not widely known). I know Tressel thought that he was going to be ahead of Hall for the 3rd RB spot. Hall has performed admirably however. I think Tressel just feels that this kid has a spark, which leads me to believe he won't redshirt. All other kids that have redshirted don't get nearly as much talk from Tressel, but it seems Jim talks freely about Berry every week.

 

[Merih]

I'd rather see him RS IMO.

Fair enough but I think that given Rod Smith coming in next season as well as (possibly) Carlos Hyde, it wouldn't hurt too bad to have some class separation between the three. In any case, we are loaded with talent at runningback, and playing a fourth this season wouldn't be a bad thing in my mind.

 

[NFBuck]

If he can't go in the next two weeks, I'd say RS is the way to go. But, if he's capable of contributing with the tough stretch of games after that, you want all your weapons at your disposal.

 

[Merih]

Exactly. Especially with the increased emphasis on the short passing game. Running a screen or toss to Berry sounds good to me.

However, if we keep seeing the wrinkle from last week in which Flash Thomas worked out of the backfield from the shotgun, then I see Berry red shirting this season.

 

[Buckskin86]

Ohio State Buckeyes coaches wonder what to do with freshman running back Jaamal Berry
By Doug Lesmerises
October 08, 2009

Marvin Fong, PD File
Jaamal Berry's injuries have kept him from playing for the Buckeyes this season. Berry hurt his hamstring in a preseason camp and is now nursing an ankle injury.

Columbus -- Buckeyes freshman running back Jaamal Berry creates a lot of conversation for a player who has never seen the field. The nation's No. 5 running back in this freshman class, according to Rivals.com, Berry had an ankle injury as a senior at Miami Palmetto High School, an arrest in Miami over the summer, then a hamstring injury during preseason camp.

The Ohio State coaches have said they would like to play both Berry and Jordan Hall as freshmen running backs, and while Hall had 11 carries at Indiana last week, giving him 103 yards on the season, it was news that Berry even made the 70-man travel squad as the third-string tailback since Dan Herron was hurt. Then, according to OSU coach Jim Tressel, Berry had two very good practices on Tuesday and Wednesday . . . and now he's hurt again. So the delay continues, as do the questions about whether one of top five recruits in this Buckeyes class might redshirt.

"If he were looking like he did in Tuesday and Wednesday's practice, you would certainly consider playing him in the right circumstance," Tressel said Thursday.

Herron and Brandon Saine will continue to share the No. 1 running back duties, while Hall has proven he can help as a third option. There typically aren't enough carries for four tailbacks, but with Berry's talent, getting him real action at all, even if it's limited and in a handful of games, might be what's best for his career.

"We try not to think about [redshirting] a whole bunch with tailbacks," Tressel said earlier in the week, "because you can be thinking for a moment that you're just fine and two turned ankles later, you're not so fine. So we want him preparing as if he's got to be ready to play.

Ohio State Buckeyes coaches wonder what to do with freshman running back Jaamal Berry | Ohio State Buckeyes - cleveland.com - - cleveland.com

 

[martinss01]

redshirt. big 10 ball has already started and we still don't know when he will be back. he's a freshman. we already have 3 tb's who are doing just fine. obviously you make sure he's ready to play in case of injuries. but at this point, there is very little to gain by playing him 2 or 3 snaps per game.

 

[Bleed S & G]

Someone who is more knoweldgeable than myself:

What is there to lose by redshirting Jaamal? If we redshirt him, and we need him later in the year - we can bring him in to play, correct?

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

Someone who is more knoweldgeable than myself:

What is there to lose by redshirting Jaamal? If we redshirt him, and we need him later in the year - we can bring him in to play, correct?

Yeah... A redshirt isn't like a "status" so much as a post season determination - you either qualified for it - by not playing at all, or you did not.

 

[Bleed S & G]

Yeah... A redshirt isn't like a "status" so much as a post season determination - you either qualified for it - by not playing at all, or you did not.

Ok, cool. So every player who dosen't see the field gets an extra year of elgibility?

 

[jwinslow]

Correct, but only once. You have 5 years to play in 4 seasons. Players can redshirt during any season of their career (frosh or seniors) by not playing one snap all season.

Medical redshirts are a different breed, and are applications (which can be denied unfairly at times) to the NCAA. You can play in a small percentage of games and still apply for a medical redshirt.

 

[scarletngray]

Not sure if this has already been addressed, but is there a certain point in the season where the coaches must officially redshirt a player in order to be granted a redshirt? Other than actually playing, is there anytime during the season where a redshirt is lost if it is not declared?

:osu:

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

Not sure if this has already been addressed, but is there a certain point in the season where the coaches must officially redshirt a player in order to be granted a redshirt? Other than actually playing, is there anytime during the season where a redshirt is lost if it is not declared?

:osu:

Don't think so. Using the 04 Alamo bowl as an example... when Zwick went down, they used Ginn at QB specifically so they didn't have to burn up a year for Boeckman just for that game, as TB was defacto second string, more or less, with Smith being ineligible.

 

[ant80]

Ohio State Buckeyes coaches wonder what to do with freshman running back Jaamal Berry | Ohio State Buckeyes - cleveland.com - - cleveland.com

I think this quote is telling from the article.

"We try not to think about [redshirting] a whole bunch with tailbacks," Tressel said earlier in the week, "because you can be thinking for a moment that you're just fine and two turned ankles later, you're not so fine. So we want him preparing as if he's got to be ready to play.

I don't think Berry will RS. If he does RS, it will be because of injury.

 

[IronBuckI]

I think this quote is telling from the article. I don't think Berry will RS. If he does RS, it will be because of injury.

I read that to mean exactly the opposite of what you just said. At this point in the season, I think that Berry will redshirt. If he doesn't redshirt, it will be because two, or more, of the other three tailbacks got injured.

 

[jazzman]

If he can't go in the next two weeks, I'd say RS is the way to go. But, if he's capable of contributing with the tough stretch of games after that, you want all your weapons at your disposal.

Agreed. The redshirt issue really comes down to whether Jaamal can contribute or not...especially when we have a tough last 3 games, i.e., at Penn State, home v Iowa and at Michigan.....we will need his services. Also, Boom, Zoom and Jordan are not every down backs.....the workload needs to be shared here. I think we are hoping to find in Jaamal a guy who has that 'it' factor....that ability to make something out of nothing and take it to the house. There is a very real possibility that he may be that, but JT hasn't got a chance to see that yet. Also, it is not just up to JT whether to redshirt him or not....Jaamal probably has much to do with this decision as anyone. Also, RB is a position that does not need as steep of a learning curve when jumping into college football from high school. I say we should use all the weapons we have, and Jaamal could just be that spark that we need that propels us into the National Championship picture.