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tOSU Linebackers History (Merged)

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i thought they were listed as 1A and 1B with Schlegel getting the nod. i don't care, i'm just glad we have them all!

and speaking of LBs, who's pumped about Bobby Carpenter? this guy's gonna be a big-time star before it's all over. at 255 pounds, i'd expect to see all the running backs going towards Hawk's side cuz he's not gonna hit quite as hard as Bobby will!
 
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I thnk they want to get MDA some more reps with the 1's since he missed most or all of the spring. They already know what Schlegel can do. If they can use some of these practices to get MDA back up to full speed, our D is going to be all that much more amazing.
 
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badphish said:
Read somewhere Fickell says they're switching up. One day D'Andrea is with the ones, the next its Schlegel. I don't think Schlegel is the guaranteed starter though at all.
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Yep, I read the same article. D'Andrea also said he was going to be used to rush the passer some in the Nickel and I really think he could excel in that role. No matter who starts we should get much better production out of the middle linebacker this fall.
 
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It's exciting to think that MDA is healthy and has adjusted to the mental part of the game. The fact that he will spend time at MLB AND Rush End just goes to show what an athlete and talent this guy is.

Hopefully, this will be Mike's breakout year.

GO BUCKS!! :osu:
 
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What a dilemma...run away from Hawk and into Carpenter...or run into the middle and see D'Andrea or Schlegel...That is if the RB can get away from Patterson, Pitcock, Frazer...I can't wait to see the defense play!!
 
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scarletngray said:
It's exciting to think that MDA is healthy and has adjusted to the mental part of the game. The fact that he will spend time at MLB AND Rush End just goes to show what an athlete and talent this guy is.

Hopefully, this will be Mike's breakout year.

GO BUCKS!! :osu:
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Just to make sure, did I miss something? I haven't seen anything to indicate MDA would be lining up anywhere but LB.
 
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Dispatch Best Linebackers

http://www.1460thefan.com/tf.php?story=dispatch/2004/08/29/20040829-E1-01.html

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http://www.1460thefan.com/tf.php?story=dispatch/2004/08/29/20040829-E1-02.html

Linebackers will try to live up to legacy
Current group may be Buckeyes’ best
Sunday, August 29, 2004
Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

People think Ohio State’s linebackers are going to be pretty good this season. The Buckeyes backers might even believe that themselves.

But coach Jim Tressel gave his talented charges a needed dose of historical perspective this preseason by making the players read up on former Buckeyes greats at their position.

Bobby Carpenter, for one, was affected by the tutorial.

"I read about (Chris) Spielman and Pepper Johnson, and it really inspires you to go out there and play hard," said Carpenter, a junior. "Guys like Marcus Marek — (Tressel) said, ‘You’d have to average 14 tackles a game for four years to eclipse his tackling mark.

"So it’s pretty tough to go out there and live up to those standards, but we’re trying our best."

But can the current group be the best in Ohio State history? That is an open question. They certainly are receiving plenty of preseason attention.

Most publications have Ohio State or Iowa ranked as the Big Ten’s best units. Some place the Buckeyes among the top in the nation.

And even if they don’t end up being regarded as the best group ever, they have a shot at being known as the deepest, anyway.

Junior weak-side linebacker A.J. Hawk is on three preseason watch lists for major national awards, including the Butkus (top linebacker) and Walter Camp (top player).

Carpenter played well last year in a parttime starting role at the strong-side spot. Anthony Schlegel was all-conference at Air Force two years ago and may start in the middle.

Junior Mike D’Andrea was rated the top linebacker in the nation coming out of high school, and he appears ready to start living up to that promise.

The list goes on: freshman Marcus Freeman looks very good, transfer John Kerr (suspended for one game for a violation of team rules) led Indiana in tackles in 2002, and fifth-year senior Thomas Matthews had a good spring and should contribute, too.

"They’re big, strong, fast kids who are really smart," Tressel said. "And when your linebackers are smart and they can see things right, we think we can do some good things with them."

Part of what makes playing for Ohio State a memorable experience is the sense of history and tradition players say they feel.

Johnson, an assistant coach for the New England Patriots, talked about that recently. He was a freshman in 1982 when Marek was a senior, then he played his last two years next to Spielman.

"I picked up the baton from one guy who left and passed it on," Johnson said. "Those guys played with passion and a lot of pride, and that was exciting and made it fun."

Spielman said he grew up following Randy Gradishar, Tom Cousineau, Glenn Cobb and Marek, among others.

"There is a proud history, and it humbles you to be a part of it," he said.

Hawk said he was aware of that history even before Tressel’s mandated reading assignments. He said he watched Spielman and Johnson and listened to his dad talk about Gradishar and others.

"It’s exciting to be part of something that should be a pretty big deal," Hawk said.

So where will the 2004 linebackers fall on the historical scale? "Athletically and talentwise, they are as good a group that has been here," Spielman said. "They have the ability to be the best."

Then, though, came the magic word: potential.

"But they will be judged by their production on the field, that’s how you judge a group," he said. "Talentwise, they have it. Whether they use it, we’ll see."

To their credit, the current players understand.

Asked whether they could be the bestever group, Carpenter smiled sheepishly.

"In two years, we’ll tell you how it all shapes out," he said. "We enjoy the praise, but it’s also a great responsibility. When you get a lot of hype, you’d better produce.

"There’s a lot of pressure, but it’s why you play at Ohio State. The school has a storied tradition at linebacker. You want to be the best you can be, and I think everyone is trying to live up to that."
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Jim Tressel is a master motivator

I never cease to marvel at JT's coaching skills. He reminds me somewhat of the man who I believe will go down as the greatest NFL coach who ever lived, when his career is over -- Joe Gibbs. (This isn't merely my Washington DC prejudice. Vince Lombardi coached here too. But Gibbs will prove he's the better coach of the two when all's said and done. If you don't know much about Joe Gibbs, take the time to learn. He is a motivational genius.)

There are two great motivators in life -- fear and greed, the stick and the carrot. The truly great coaches, or CEOs, or Generals, know how to use them together to get the results they want from the folks under them. They make sure their people fear the consequences of poor performance and crave greedily the benefits of great performance.

Like Gibbs, JT is a master motivator. He never publically trashes anyone, but he is never totally pleased either. He regularly discusses what's wrong with his team, but always generically, avoiding hurting individual players, while taking personal responsibility for poor team performance. He instills fear of failure, but never in a way that crushes spirit or morale.

Then there's the carrot part. He showers his players with praise when they deserve it, but exposes them to things like the OSU Linebacker History to show them that they still have a ways to go. He dangles that carrot and gets great players to strive to become legendary players.

Jack Park's opinions of the great OSU linebackers were enlightening and right on (Glad to see someone remembers Hubert Bobo). But the best part of this story is the fact that JT made the guys read and consider it. What a motivator!

The one thing every Buckeye fan should know -- regardless of win and losses -- is that Jim Tressel is getting the absolute best his players have to give. That may not always be enough to win, but it's all anyone could ever ask of a coach.

Buckskin, thanks for posting that piece here. It made me proud.
 
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