LB Thomas Matthews (official thread)

[Buckskin86]

in your program and was the #1 LB at the Spring Game according to Chris Spielman.

This one's for you HH!

Chris said he thought Thomas had the best game of any of our LB's. I was also impressed.

Maybe we found our new C. Grant? It will be tough for him to get playing time with Hawk in front of him but he could bring an extra speed dimension off the edge. Hopefully he get's some PT this year.

[Helpinghand]

Thanks Skins, he has been working really hard to gain some weight and speed!

Fastest LB on the team. #1 in speed!

16 Solo Tackles in 2 games. #1 in Tackles in 2 games!

4.5 Sacks in 2 games. #1 in LB Sacks in 2 games!

[sears3820]

What's Matthews' weight up to right now Hh?

He definitely looked like he's added a bit of mass and just as important, kept his speed.

[CleveBucks]

It'll be nice to rotate Matthews, Kerr, D'Andrea, and hopefully even Freeman, in for the starting LB's. The 4th quarter is where this will pay off big. How big is Mattthews now?

[Helpinghand]

T.J. is 190lbs as of last thursday.

[PQBuckeye]

The linebacker spot is an embarrassment of riches. I think the position has seen three better starting backers, but has never had this type of depth.

I think this is the first of many positions that JT will stockpile with talent. The DBs are about to overflow with skilled players to be followed by O-linemen, rbs and wrs. It's all part of the grand scheme and is maturing each year. I see JT working from a philosophy of depth, speed and versatility and doing so in a state and at a school that can support his vision year after year.

Tressel teams will be hard to derail by injury because of the rare depth that should very soon be a characteristic of all Buckeye teams.

[KillerNut]

If nothing else he will be a special teams star.

today...coach t and spiels were in agreement that this group of linebackers just may be the best....top to bottom...in the history of ohio state...

hawk
danimal
carpenter
the boar hunter
kerr
freeman
matthews

all seven would start at any school......

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

the next few years we should be known as "linebacker U".....

[Buckeye737]

At the spring game I couldn't help but think that both the scarlet and gray teams' LBs were as good as 90% of all DI schools. That was with D'Animal on the sidelines to boot. Unbelievable depth at LB.

[HineyBuck]

I saw that both Troy Smith and Ted Ginn gave credit to Thomas Matthews, mentioning both his pre-game talk and his talk during Friday night chapel, as driving home the importance of the OSU-Michigan game. I've seen other occasional references to Thomas Matthews' leadership in the locker room and on the sideline.

What a fine young man Thomas Matthews must be. You know he always wanted to be a starter, and he could have started on many other teams. Any other guy could easily have gotten down on himself and the program. But he played his special teams role with relish, and he became one of the spirtual leaders of the team. We will all miss the senior leadership of the likes of Dustin Fox, Simon Fraser, NUUUGE, and others. But we may never realize just how important Thomas Matthews' leadership was to this team.

Congratulations on a fine career and best wishes for all good things in your future.

Our #1 was better than their #1

[exhawg]

Hopefully he can become a GA and go into coaching. He looked really good in the spring game last year, but was cursed to be behind Hawk this season.

[AKAKBUCK]

OH yeah- Thomas was getting them going right before kickoff too.

Good luck and Thank You to Thomas Matthews and all the Seniors.

[BuckeyeTrail]

it is people like him that make you proud to be a Buckeye.

[kippy1040]

I thought this threat was most deserving of bumping it back up to the top. I would have loved to been in that Chapel to hear what he said. It must have been an inspiration to all the team members. A fifth year senior coming forth and being a leader in what he believed is the kind of things you need to have on your team.

You can be a leader in so many ways without setting foot on the playing field. The words that we speak to others can ignite something deep inside of a persons character. It has happned to me quite a few times. I know the feeling. Kuddos to Thomas Matthews.