Spring Finals: Linebackers

We all know by now that spring has come and gone, football wise that is, so we will be taking a look into all the positions, tell you how they did, and where they might be this fall. Today's topic is the Linebackers.

Some people say that Penn State is Linebacker U. For the past couple of seasons, Buckeye fans have had the pleasure of disagreeing with them. From Spielman, to Hawk, to Laurinatis, and now to Homan and co. The Buckeyes have been graced with some great linebackers over the years, and have produced with them to. Linebackers are mainly focused on the rushing game, as they have to attack that running back and make the big play. Sometimes they drop back, and can steal a couple from you though. Just look at Homan's pick in the Rose Bowl. That was 1 of the very many key moments of the game. This year's core consists of speed, power, and just overall good playing. It may not be the Schlegel-Hawk-Carpenter trio, but they will get the job done this year. We also have some good players coming in from this class that could make an impact right away.  

Spring Finals: Safety

We all know by now that spring has come and gone, football wise that is, so we will be taking a look into all the positions, tell you how they did, and where they might be this fall. Today's topic is Safety.

The Safeties have always been the second line of defense behind the corners in pass protection. Fortunately, they don't just stand there on runs either, so they get a buck load of tackles during the season. Safeties are generally big corners, that hit hard, and leave some memories. Ohio State last year had Kurt Coleman, an outstanding safety, but was picked in the 7th round. The only reason in my mind was that he was a tad too slow, and the size. Size is important, but when your good at everything you do, it shouldn't matter. This year we have some great talent and will be able to use more of it in the past. One more quick note that will send smiles everywhere across Buckeye Nation. Anderson Russell is not on the roster, nor is there anyone that plays like him. (Sorry, still haven't gotten that edgy feeling away whenever I think about him). We've got some people coming back, but for the most part, you will be seeing some new faces deep in the defensive backfield this year.

Spring Finals: Cornerback

We all know by now that spring has come and gone, football wise that is, so we will be taking a look into all the positions, tell you how they did, and where they might be this fall. Today's topic is the Cornerbacks.

The cornerback position is important because they are the first protection when it comes to the passing game. Ohio State has been blessed with loads of decent, top tier corners including Malcolm Jenkins, Chris Gamble, Shawn Springs, and many others. This season the spot holds one of the deepest positions which contains two seniors starting, and a sophomore backing them up when things get too rough.

Just to give you an update.

The Spring Finals series is going pretty well, and I enjoy doing it. We all know that we reached the offense finals, with the offensive line capping it off, so now we move to the defense. This is a schedule that will be pretty close to the actual one.

Tuesday: Cornerbacks

Wednesday: Nothing, (will be busy all day.) This is why I need a writer!

Thursday: Safety

Friday: POW

Saturday: Linebackers

Sunday: Defensive Line

As seen above, I still need a football writer. I also could use a basketball one, but we will worry about that when the time comes. If your interested, email us @ insidetheshoe2009@hotmail.com or leave a comment!

Spring Finals: Wide Receiver

We all know by now that spring has come and gone, football wise that is, so we will be taking a look into all the positions, tell you how they did, and where they might be this fall. Today's topic is Wide Receiver.

The Ohio State wide receivers have had some pretty good cores in the past, including Santonio Holmes, TG2, Gonzo, Hall, and more. The 2010 group is looking to make a statement that they can be one of the groups in that list itself. The receivers always play an important role at Ohio State, but this year, they have to do work to impress. We start with Mr. Posey.

Spring Finals: Tight-End.

We all know by now that spring has come and gone, football wise that is, so we will be taking a look into all the positions, tell you how they did, and where they might be this fall. Today's topic is Tight-End.

The Tight-End position is adored by everyone. Except Ohio State. Since 2003, when Ben Hartsock (33) and Ryan Hamby (18) combined for 51 catches, OSU tight ends have averaged 18.5 receptions a season. How's that for a stat? I don't know if Tressel has run away from using the tight-end because of things like this (look for 2:28), or because they are just too good of blockers not to use every play. Either way, we have too much talent from this group not to get some balls thrown this way this year. It truthful all starts with Jake Stoneburner, the WR converted TE.

Spring Finals: Fullback

We all know by now that spring has come and gone, football wise that is, so we will be taking a look into all the positions, tell you how they did, and where they might be this fall. Today's topic is covering the fullback. As you can see in this picture, fullbacks are key to a running backs openings. They are called the lead blocker for a reason. When a quarterback hands off to a running back, the RB is going to be looking for a hole quick, and it should come right of the shoulder of the fullback. So with that, let's dive right in to the fullbacks that are currently attending The Ohio State University.

Spring Finals: Quarterback

We all know by now that spring has come and gone, football wise that is, so we will be taking a look into all the positions, tell you how they did, and where they might be this fall. Today, we start with the Quarterback.