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We have a new Buckeye. Columbus Marion-Franklin quarterback Verlon Reed made it official with a verbal to the Buckeyes. Notice I did not say athlete. Reed is coming in as a quarterback. I think we will see him stay there. I have taken some time this morning to look over Reed. You can take a look yourself at ScoutingOhio.com: http://scoutingohio.com/index.php/view-profile.html?task=userProfile&user=1656&name=Verlon.Reed
I will tell you what I see. I see a player who is clearly a pass first quarterback. Unlike so many athletic quarterbacks, Reed is as comfortable in the pocket as he is outside of it. In fact, when getting adequate protection he is content to sit back there. That means he is setting his feet and throwing the ball. Another thing I notice about him is the accuracy. I was looking at the much overrated Devin Gardner this morning too. He is not an improved player mechanically and his accuracy is mediocre at best. Another thing, Buckeye fans. The number
of reps missed by Taylor Graham is worrisome. He has played in just a handful of games in the last two years, and the number of practice reps he has lost just can't be dismissed. I always believe in improving the quarterback position whenever you have the opportunity. Neither Graham nor Reed will need to be ready right away. I like the decision to take another quarterback.
John Hankins has become a hot commodity. Michigan is pushing hard and so is Florida. Some are nervous. I am only slightly nervous as the kid keeps getting inhome visits but consistently says Ohio State is #1. Alabama is the latest to offer. I like that two SEC schools are coming after a kid in this part of the country. He also has an offer from Oklahoma. Pretty impressive list of schools in general but more important, they are schools with a history of producing top drawer NFL caliber defensive linemen. He was supposed to have a decision by tomorrow. I may get a little more nervous if he postpones the decision. He said his Dad is ill so that may eliminate the southern schools but it won't eliminate Michigan.
The Big Ten is talking about expanding again. I love the idea. I think we are getting hurt by teams having so much time off between the last competitive game and the bowl game. Other conferences get more practices. I don't know if this is going to happen. There is more than football to consider. The Big Ten has a higher academic standard than most of the other conferences. Notre Dame is the perfect school but it is not in their best interest to come in. They are a conference unto themselves and get to keep all the money should they make a bowl game. They would be under pressure to play Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State every year. I have not seen Notre Dame run from competition but that is asking a lot of any school especially one that is never going to give up its traditional rival game with USC. The other schools that fit the academic profile, Rutgers, Boston College are not a good fit geographically. WVa, Cincinnati and Louisville are small market schools that lack the academic standards. Penn State does not play Pitt any more. I think they would raise a stink about adding them to the conference. I have heard Missouri and Nebraska. Missouri is in a big conference and has one possible rival game in Illinois. Nebraska is going to step away from a couple of great rivalry games with Oklahoma and Texas to play in a conference they have no connection to? I don't understand why that name is even in the conversation.
I would love to see this happen but I think the odds are against it unless Notre Dame can be convinced to come in.
We lose Robert Rose and Duron Carter for the bowl game. I don't know how much this hurts us. Not so much for this game but for next year. Rose could have been an asset for next year. He have been hard on him and others have praised him The truth is somewhere in the middle. He has not lived up to expectations but he has played well when healthy. He could help us next year should Cam Heyward leave early but you have to think the staff is ready to look elsewhere after the aggravation that Rose has been with his academics. I can see them saying it is not worth it to get him a medical redshirt and put him on the depth chart and then find he is still not taking care of business in the classroom. I don't think Carter is allowed to practice. That is huge. These bowl practices are where we see the young guys get the kind of attention they need to become better players. He was being counted on for next year. He was odds on to be the starter. That has to be in doubt now.
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