Who has been the biggest surprise of the year?

[martinss01]

It's gotta be Laurinaitis. He filled in last year for Carpenter, but does anybody really remember him having a huge impact on those games? This year, he's all over the place. Who saw that coming?

*raises hand* jl had a very good game against scum last year. every time mike hart touched the ball he was there. it just so happened guys like pitcock, hawk, and schlegs beat him there... he was quiet against nd but then... that really wasn't a game his name was going to get called alot unless he was sacking the qb or doing something bad.

jl is playing very solid football and his confidence grows every week. he still has a ton of learning to do. but he has the potential to be a really special player.

I voted for Yao. Gholston is a good choice, too, and I'd put him as the second biggest surprise, but Yao has played exceptionally solid corner despite never starting as game.

yep, yao was my choice as well with gholston and mitchell coming in second. though it seems i was one of the few who wasn't sold on mitchell at the end of last year.

Pittman's rushing is just a little better that last year's (aside from the early-season TDs). Gonzo is Gonzo...no surprise here. I think Laurinaitis' play has exceeded the expectations of many (but not me...I knew he'd have a good year, just at SLB :)).

exactly correct. but i think we are seeing both pitt and gonzo doing more not because they didn't have the ability before. but because of the growth of others. troy has really grown as a qb and when he needs a receiver, he looks to gonzo when in the past he would run. because of the increase in the effectiveness of the passing game, it has really opened holes for pitt in the running game. not to mention the emergence of beanie and wells light. i think it was bollman who said last year their options to running the ball was pittman, tired pittman, and exhausted pittman. well, that isn't the case anymore. we can keep pitt reletively fresh for 4 quarters. that makes a huge difference.

 

[Channel Surfer]

I think the biggest surprise of 2006 is James Laurinatis after last years linebackers left people were wondering who would lead after they left. Nobody is wondering any more everybody know James Laurinatis is the real deal.

 

[jwinslow]

So many options for this question. Personally, I think we have a lot of guys who had plenty of hype (at least on this board), but still managed to exceed it. Smith, Pittman, Gonzo, Datish, Patterson come to mind.

It's gotta be Laurinaitis, especially with the position switch. He still has things to work on, but I have to remind myself how young this kid is. Just keeps making big plays.

Yao is a great option as well.

 

[808 Buck]

Honestly, how many of you out there expected Yao to hold that starting spot for the duration of the season? I thought one of the younger corners would have grabbed that position by now, but Smith keeps making plays. Great story of hard work and perserverance. Second, for me, would be Laurinaitis in coverage. I thought he would be solid against the run, but to have had the impact that he has had versus the pass, that has surprised me. The emergence of Curtis Terry is a nice story as well. That's still a work in progress, but when we start seeing teams that like to pound the ball, watch out for CT. Tell you what, this is a fun topic to discuss when you are 5-0.

 

[LordJeffBuck]

Actually, almost anyone BUT the three whom you mentioned...

Pittman rushed for 1,300 yards last year - not surprising that he's better this season.

Gonzo has been a clutch performer since Michigan 2004.

JL had a pedigree and great high school resume, and he played well in his brief time last season, in huge games against Michigan and Notre Dame.

My surprises:

1. All of the DB's except Jenkins (Russell, Mitchell, Yao, and Washington); especially BMitch, who had been so disappointing in previous seasons.

2. Jay Richardson - everyone said that seniors (especially 5th-year seniors) excel under JT, but in previous years I had seen nothing from Richardson which would indicate that he would play to a high level. Instead, he's having a very fine season, and will be in the NFL a year from now.

3. The offensive line - like the rest of the offense, these guys are playing to a championship level. Datish and Downing (again, two fifth-year seniors) have been particularly impressive.

4. All of the young talent - playing second and third teamers with the game on the line? Against Texas? Are you kidding me? Some teams rebuild, others reload, but the elite stay at the top of their game - better put Ohio State in that "elite" category.

 

[OH10]

*raises hand* jl had a very good game against scum last year. every time mike hart touched the ball he was there. it just so happened guys like pitcock, hawk, and schlegs beat him there... he was quiet against nd but then... that really wasn't a game his name was going to get called alot unless he was sacking the qb or doing something bad.

jl is playing very solid football and his confidence grows every week. he still has a ton of learning to do. but he has the potential to be a really special player.

The guy is a legitimate Butkus candidate as a true sophomore. If you're saying you saw that coming, I either have to call BS or you're Nostradamus.

 

[rocketman]

JL, B. Mitchell, Gholston, and Rose on defense. The Brians on offense, Troy Smith's right arm, and of course Gonzo. I thought going into the season Gonzo would make the clutch catches but never, ever for a second did I think he would do that...yeah, THAT...in a game.

 

[Oh8ch]

Antonio Smith.

 

[cincibuck]

I voted other... who expected the kicking game to remain at the same high level we've enjoyed the last four years? Trepasso and Pettry have been very much a part of this season's success. Next would be the play of the corners and safeties... but then you have to add the linebackers too. I kept reading preseason comments from Troy Smith and Pittman about how tough the defense was going to be and kept saying, "yeah, right. This is for PR," and then it turns out that they knew, because they were getting whacked by these guys in practice. Then add Robiskie and Hartline to the list, and give some props to Roy Hall who's made some big grabs... and finally who knew that Justin Zwick would stick with the team and be positive, supportive. That's real class.

 

[smith10ginn7]

I voted for Laurinitis. I knew he would be a good player, but oh my the interceptions. The INT's is what put him over Gonzo for me.

 

[BearBuck27]

I really wanted to vote for more people than you had listed, but I went w/ JL. I figured he'd be very solid this year, but I didn't expect this type of playmaking out of the true soph.

 

[Yertle]

Okay, first of all, WHAT IN THE HELL IS PITTMAN EVEN DOING ON THIS LIST!?!?! A 1,300 yard rusher from the previous year is a surprise??? Come on. He's on pace to barely break that this year, so I don't get it.

Just busting your balls, and no disrespect to the two voters who chose Pittman, but he should not be a surprise to any Buckeye fan.

Laurinaitis is my pick. A lot of solid choices though, especially on D. I'm not at all surprised by Gonzo, so on offense I'd have to go with Robo or Rehring. On D, there is Yao, Anderson Russell (although he might have to win the award next year now), Donald Washington, and Gohlston.

Not to get us off topic, but surpises from a negative look would be Boone (No offense #1 boone fan, but he has struggled until Iowa), Jamo, Nick Patterson, Freeman, Hall (granted, he was hurt), and Nicol. I think all 6 of those guys have a ton more to show us than what they have done so far. The golden lining is most of them has shown flashes of brillance in the last game or two.

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

Okay, first of all, WHAT IN THE HELL IS PITTMAN EVEN DOING ON THIS LIST!?!?! A 1,300 yard rusher from the previous year is a surprise??? Come on. He's on pace to barely break that this year, so I don't get it.

Just busting your balls, and no disrespect to the two voters who chose Pittman, but he should not be a surprise to any Buckeye fan.

Laurinaitis is my pick. A lot of solid choices though, especially on D. I'm not at all surprised by Gonzo, so on offense I'd have to go with Robo or Rehring. On D, there is Yao, Anderson Russell (although he might have to win the award next year now), Donald Washington, and Gohlston.

Not to get us off topic, but surpises from a negative look would be Boone (No offense #1 boone fan, but he has struggled until Iowa), Jamo, Nick Patterson, Freeman, Hall (granted, he was hurt), and Nicol. I think all 6 of those guys have a ton more to show us than what they have done so far. The golden lining is most of them has shown flashes of brillance in the last game or two.

Struggled... ok, depending on how you define the term.

...until Iowa... No, and I really don't care what dictionary you're using.

He graded out at 89% and was OL of the week after the Penn State game. JT said that he had been dealing with "a little soreness" up until that week. He gave the impression that he was expecting Alex to become dominant, and soon. He showed exactly that last night, and against better DEs than he'll face until Nov. 18th.

 

[Yertle]

Oops, I forgot about PSU. I would have to agree with you - he's had two good games in a row now. But, before that, he struggled.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

...He showed exactly that last night, and against better DEs than he'll face until Nov. 18th.

Can't recall (I'll have to rewatch the game), but was Boone on Iweebahdoobah? Old "mush-mouth" hardly had his name called last night...