Josh Dooley
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Why linebacker is actually Ohio State football’s most intriguing spring practice position battle
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes have plenty of talent at the LB position but very little experience... Both on the field and on the sideline.
When fans, media types, etc. talk about the most important player(s)/position(s) on a football field or team – at least in terms of affecting a game’s outcome – linebacker is rarely mentioned near the top of anyone’s list.
Linebackers tend to get recognized or ridiculed as one of the reasons that Team A or Team B struggled and/or lost, but receive little (if any) credit when their team comes out on top. Sure, the Ray Lewis’ of the world get plenty of love, but few view even the best linebackers as franchise players or super impactful game-changers.
Look no further than Ohio State’s last national championship team for evidence of this: Middle linebacker Joshua Perry led the 2014 Buckeyes in tackles with 124, however, his name is rarely (if ever) mentioned among the top five players or “heroes” on/for that championship-winning squad. One is far more likely to hear Zeke, Cardale, J.T., Bosa, or Bell.
There is also a case to be made for Darron Lee (a LB), but that kind of supports my argument, doesn’t it? Perry had 33 more stops than Bell, OSU’s second-leading tackler, yet his name does not seem to be held in the same reverence as the group above.
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Jim O’Connor-USA TODAY Sports
**I acknowledge that most diehards do remember Perry quite fondly, but you get my point, right? Let’s at least agree that the No. 37 jersey was not exactly a top-seller during his tremendous career.
My general point here is that I think linebackers are perpetually underappreciated and/or undervalued. And with that being said, I wish to make a case that Ohio State’s LB position battle will be one of the most intriguing storylines of the team’s upcoming spring practice session(s). Humor me, won’t you?
Surely, Will Howard’s development at quarterback is or eventually will be the top story in Columbus, specifically pertaining to OSU football. But I believe that the team’s LB battle – specifically LB2, next to Cody Simon – should not be far behind. Because not only are the Buckeyes tasked with replacing two experienced starters in Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers, but they are also being tasked to do so with a first-time full-time position coach and a very shallow depth pool from which to choose players.
And while some might minimize the impact of the LB position, I happen to think that having two guys in the middle of the field, both of whom know what they’re seeing and what they’re doing, is pretty damn important.
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Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Right now, the Buckeyes essentially have two similar groups of players to choose from — who could, or I guess will, eventually fill the vacant LB role (or roles, you never know): Those with little experience and those with none.... Less than ideal, right?
The frontrunner for the spot opposite Simon seems to be third-year athletic marvel Sonny Styles, however, there is the teeny, tiny, little issue of him (Styles) currently being listed as a safety. That, and Ohio State coaches have been anything but committal when asked about moving Styles to LB on a regular or full-time basis. So sure, Styles as LB2 sounds great in theory. But in reality, and as of Feb 29, he is a safety with very few reps at anything resembling the LB position.
Another third-year player who has been mentioned as a potential starting LB for the Buckeyes is Ohio’s top-ranked player from the Class of 2022, C.J. Hicks. An actual, natural LB, Hicks was rated as the No. 2 player at his position coming out of high school, and many people just assumed that he was destined to become a star in Columbus. But through two seasons, Hicks has done little to inspire confidence.
That is not to say the Dayton native deserves any sort of criticism, though. Unfortunately for Hicks, he has been LB4, 5, or 6 on a depth chart that is rarely utilized beyond No. 3. Eichenberg, Chambers, and Simon monopolized snaps at the position for the past two seasons, leaving only scraps for Hicks and others. And when the latter did see the field (rarely), he looked raw, green, out of position, flat-footed, you name it. That’s what happens when a player gets a handful of game reps once a month!
Others vying for a LB role include Kourt Williams, Gabe Powers, Arvell Reese, and possibly even Garrett Stover. Which means we’re talking about a fifth-year player who has unfortunately never been able to stay healthy, a third-year player with even fewer competitive reps than Hicks, a hybrid athlete who may or may not even play LB, and a true freshman. So, like, how is the LB not wildly intriguing!?
If I wanted to, I could argue that things at the position appear downright bleak... Now I won’t, because I happen to have a great deal of faith in both Styles and Hicks, as well as new LB coach James Laurinaitis. But what I will do is point out that anyone who looks at this position group with anything less than curiosity and/or intrigue is living in a fantasy world. We are are truly entering the great unknown here, folks!
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Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
Laurinaitis’ status as a first-time position coach certainly adds to the intrigue, but he basically occupied the role last year, while also having other responsibilities. So I'm not really worried about that. However, I would be lying if I said that Styles, Hicks, and/or any of the others are a sure thing. They’re not. Otherwise, this position battle would not be so damn interesting.
Good ‘backers go unnoticed, while the bad ones stick out like a sore thumb. And OSU fans have seen both play in The Shoe. Those who underperform face a great deal of criticism, and there is absolutely a future scenario in which Styles, Hicks, etc. are forced to do the same. They could hear boos from their homes fans or receive stupid, ignorant messages via social media. I would never wish that upon any Buckeye, but that’s just sort of the world we all live in.
Foolishness aside, my hope is that these guys at linebacker just play out of their collective minds. But it is the furthest thing from a guarantee, which is why I cannot wait to start following the position battle in less than a week’s time. Finding out the favorite to start at right tackle or tight end is great, but I would much rather see or hear about the next Ryan Shazier.
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Buckeyes have plenty of talent at the LB position but very little experience... Both on the field and on the sideline.
When fans, media types, etc. talk about the most important player(s)/position(s) on a football field or team – at least in terms of affecting a game’s outcome – linebacker is rarely mentioned near the top of anyone’s list.
Linebackers tend to get recognized or ridiculed as one of the reasons that Team A or Team B struggled and/or lost, but receive little (if any) credit when their team comes out on top. Sure, the Ray Lewis’ of the world get plenty of love, but few view even the best linebackers as franchise players or super impactful game-changers.
Look no further than Ohio State’s last national championship team for evidence of this: Middle linebacker Joshua Perry led the 2014 Buckeyes in tackles with 124, however, his name is rarely (if ever) mentioned among the top five players or “heroes” on/for that championship-winning squad. One is far more likely to hear Zeke, Cardale, J.T., Bosa, or Bell.
There is also a case to be made for Darron Lee (a LB), but that kind of supports my argument, doesn’t it? Perry had 33 more stops than Bell, OSU’s second-leading tackler, yet his name does not seem to be held in the same reverence as the group above.
**I acknowledge that most diehards do remember Perry quite fondly, but you get my point, right? Let’s at least agree that the No. 37 jersey was not exactly a top-seller during his tremendous career.
My general point here is that I think linebackers are perpetually underappreciated and/or undervalued. And with that being said, I wish to make a case that Ohio State’s LB position battle will be one of the most intriguing storylines of the team’s upcoming spring practice session(s). Humor me, won’t you?
Surely, Will Howard’s development at quarterback is or eventually will be the top story in Columbus, specifically pertaining to OSU football. But I believe that the team’s LB battle – specifically LB2, next to Cody Simon – should not be far behind. Because not only are the Buckeyes tasked with replacing two experienced starters in Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers, but they are also being tasked to do so with a first-time full-time position coach and a very shallow depth pool from which to choose players.
And while some might minimize the impact of the LB position, I happen to think that having two guys in the middle of the field, both of whom know what they’re seeing and what they’re doing, is pretty damn important.
Right now, the Buckeyes essentially have two similar groups of players to choose from — who could, or I guess will, eventually fill the vacant LB role (or roles, you never know): Those with little experience and those with none.... Less than ideal, right?
The frontrunner for the spot opposite Simon seems to be third-year athletic marvel Sonny Styles, however, there is the teeny, tiny, little issue of him (Styles) currently being listed as a safety. That, and Ohio State coaches have been anything but committal when asked about moving Styles to LB on a regular or full-time basis. So sure, Styles as LB2 sounds great in theory. But in reality, and as of Feb 29, he is a safety with very few reps at anything resembling the LB position.
Another third-year player who has been mentioned as a potential starting LB for the Buckeyes is Ohio’s top-ranked player from the Class of 2022, C.J. Hicks. An actual, natural LB, Hicks was rated as the No. 2 player at his position coming out of high school, and many people just assumed that he was destined to become a star in Columbus. But through two seasons, Hicks has done little to inspire confidence.
That is not to say the Dayton native deserves any sort of criticism, though. Unfortunately for Hicks, he has been LB4, 5, or 6 on a depth chart that is rarely utilized beyond No. 3. Eichenberg, Chambers, and Simon monopolized snaps at the position for the past two seasons, leaving only scraps for Hicks and others. And when the latter did see the field (rarely), he looked raw, green, out of position, flat-footed, you name it. That’s what happens when a player gets a handful of game reps once a month!
Others vying for a LB role include Kourt Williams, Gabe Powers, Arvell Reese, and possibly even Garrett Stover. Which means we’re talking about a fifth-year player who has unfortunately never been able to stay healthy, a third-year player with even fewer competitive reps than Hicks, a hybrid athlete who may or may not even play LB, and a true freshman. So, like, how is the LB not wildly intriguing!?
If I wanted to, I could argue that things at the position appear downright bleak... Now I won’t, because I happen to have a great deal of faith in both Styles and Hicks, as well as new LB coach James Laurinaitis. But what I will do is point out that anyone who looks at this position group with anything less than curiosity and/or intrigue is living in a fantasy world. We are are truly entering the great unknown here, folks!
Laurinaitis’ status as a first-time position coach certainly adds to the intrigue, but he basically occupied the role last year, while also having other responsibilities. So I'm not really worried about that. However, I would be lying if I said that Styles, Hicks, and/or any of the others are a sure thing. They’re not. Otherwise, this position battle would not be so damn interesting.
Good ‘backers go unnoticed, while the bad ones stick out like a sore thumb. And OSU fans have seen both play in The Shoe. Those who underperform face a great deal of criticism, and there is absolutely a future scenario in which Styles, Hicks, etc. are forced to do the same. They could hear boos from their homes fans or receive stupid, ignorant messages via social media. I would never wish that upon any Buckeye, but that’s just sort of the world we all live in.
Foolishness aside, my hope is that these guys at linebacker just play out of their collective minds. But it is the furthest thing from a guarantee, which is why I cannot wait to start following the position battle in less than a week’s time. Finding out the favorite to start at right tackle or tight end is great, but I would much rather see or hear about the next Ryan Shazier.
Continue reading...