Update on Fred Davis and Jeff Byers

[crazybuckeye]

I thought you guys might want a quick update on two recruits from last year that ended up at USC. Fall camp is about two weeks away and summer conditioning is nearly over. The one player who keeps getting singled out as an absolute monster is Jeff Byers. No one I've talked to has ever seen anyone work as hard as this kid. At the other end of the spectrum is none other than Fred Davis. The upperclassmen are totally dismayed at his lack of effort. One quote was " Its obvious that he hasn't put in any work". Pete's pissed. Enjoy !

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Thats to funny.......I guess the California sun has gotten him lazy.....good luck fred.....

[LordJeffBuck]

The Byers info doesn't surprise me at all - he seemed like a really great kid, a super athlete, and a very dedicated, disciplined, and talented player. Outside of Ginn, I thought that Byers was the only other "can't miss" prospect whom the Bucks were after last year. He'll probably be an All-American some day.

I don't know much about Fred Davis as a player, but he did enrol early at USC, which indicates that he is (or was) pretty serious about his football future.

[AJ Nicholson]

I watched a couple of FD's games when he was a senior. He got shut down by mediocre Toledo HS football teams. I was impressed with him, I just thought with his size and speed he had a lot of upside.

Outside of Ginn, I thought that Byers was the only other "can't miss" prospect whom the Bucks were after last year. He'll probably be an All-American some day

agreed.....

[LightningRod]

Schweiger looked pretty darned good in the Army all-star game. That kid had a motor that wouldn't quit, and he was constantly in the east backfield disrupting plays. USC also got a can't miss with Schweiger.

[Buckskin86]

nice espn article on Byers

no doubt that he is going to be a good one

College football's great anomaly is a true freshman starting on the O-line. But don't bet against Jeff Byers. The incoming USC freshman has a chance -- a pretty good chance -- to become the first Trojan offensive lineman to start the opener since Travis Claridge did so back in 1996.
Jeff Byers was the nation's top O-lineman recruit last spring.
In his prep career at Colorado's Loveland High School, Byers not only dominated as a center, he also made 200 tackles (51 for negative yardage), 13 sacks and forced 13 fumbles. Last week he was honored as the Gatorade National High School Player of the Year in football. (Dwight Howard, who was the first overall pick in the NBA draft -- took home the overall boys award.) Recruiting analysts touted Byers as the best center to come out of high school in two decades. "Jeff does things on a football field you're not sure were possible until you see him do it," says Loveland coach John Poovey.


And after eight weeks at USC, the rock-solid Fort Collins-native has already impressed some of his new USC teammates.


"He has the right attitude," says QB Matt Leinart. "A lot of freshmen don't know what it's really like to work hard and he's setting a good example and we need that. We need guys to step up." Especially since the Trojans only return one starter up front.


Linebacker Matt Grootegoed says from observing Byers in workouts, he wouldn't be surprised at all if the kid starts the Trojans first game. "He's already so strong and mature," says Grootegoed.


Byers admits that is his goal. Although that doesn't necessarily mean he has to start at center. USC O-line coach Tim Davis' rule is that he starts his best five linemen, meaning even if Byers doesn't overtake center Ryan Kalil, who is coming off an impressive spring, the true freshman still could get the call to open up when the Trojans meet Virginia Tech Aug. 28.


The 6-foot-4, 295-pounder (he's up almost five pounds since coming west) says he appreciates the praise and the honors he received from his prep days, but realizes those types of things mean little once the Trojans start fall camp. "Right now I've got a clean slate, meaning I'm a big nobody," he says.


Maybe so, but Trojan fans should be excited to know he is a very big and imposing nobody at least.

[LordJeffBuck]

Nice find, Buckskin!

Even though he chose USC over OSU, I'll be rooting for Byers (except when we play the Trojans, of course). He's a quality kid, and really epitomizes the spirit of college football - hard work, team play, positive attitude, loyalty, dedication. I just wish he would've seen the light in Columbus.

[MyDixieWrecked]

Even though he chose USC over OSU, I'll be rooting for Byers (except when we play the Trojans, of course).

I will also be rooting for Jeff, just not his team Jeff handled the recruiting process perfectly. He took all 5 visits, played it close to the vest and choose the school that was best for him. He was a class act all the way. I remember the bucknuts radio he did when they asked him the probability of him being a buckeye and he said: I have narrowed it down to 5 schools and I am taking 5 official visits so I would say the chances are 20%. Not that that means much, but it is just so hard to dislike this kid, even though he choose U$C