S Brandon Mitchell (official thread)

[FKAGobucks877]

With all this talk going on about Youbouty, Underwood, and Ginn, I was wondering what happened to Brandon Mitchell. He started the first half of last year, then fell off the face of the earth. I know we're loaded at safety, but do any of you seeing Mitchell getting any significant PT this year? And along the same lines, how often does Everett see the field?

[gbearbuck]

A lot of talent and not enough spots on the field to play... too bad for those that don't start, however at least we are ok if somebody goes down to injury...

[DaytonBuck]

hopefully Brandon, Tyler and the rest of the secondary back ups can become special team demons

[Buckeye737]

Brandon could be the man coming in for the dime. I'm guessing that Fox, Underwood, Salley, and Whitner start. I think Youboty is the nickel guy and Mitchell/Everitt come in for the dime.

[coxew]

It seems to me like we stopped seeing Mitchell about the time Donte started to emerge as the nickel back. I think Whittner was hurt early in the year. Something I noticed about Mitchell's game that I didn't care for was he always seemingly tried to deliver a knock out blow. He did it against NC State and gave up a TD against BG due to his failure to wrap up.

[JCOSU86]

I thought they were contemplating a move to LB for Brandon? Isn't he something like 6'3" 225+?

[LoKyBuckeye]

He's listed as 6-3 190lbs. He may have bulked up in the off season though.

[BuckNutty]

Originally Posted by coxew

Something I noticed about Mitchell's game that I didn't care for was he always seemingly tried to deliver a knock out blow. He did it against NC State and gave up a TD against BG due to his failure to wrap up.

Very true. Mitchell is a good player but he needs to learn to make the tackle instead of trying to knock a guy out every time. I was at the BG game and remember the play you're talking about. He's only going to be a RS Sophomore, right? He'd start on most teams in the Big Ten, we just have unreal depth in the secondary.

[coxew]

Originally Posted by BuckNutty

Very true. Mitchell is a good player but he needs to learn to make the tackle instead of trying to knock a guy out every time. I was at the BG game and remember the play you're talking about. He's only going to be a RS Sophomore, right? He'd start on most teams in the Big Ten, we just have unreal depth in the secondary.

Yes, he will be a RS sophomore. I guess I'd rather see him try to knock a guy out and occasionally not succeed than to have a guy back there that is afraid of contact.

[BuckNutty]

Originally Posted by coxew

I guess I'd rather see him try to knock a guy out and occasionally not succeed than to have a guy back there that is afraid of contact.

Between Salley, Whitner and Mitchell I don't think that's a problem

[IronBuckI]

Originally Posted by coxew

Yes, he will be a RS sophomore. I guess I'd rather see him try to knock a guy out and occasionally not succeed than to have a guy back there that is afraid of contact.

Not sure if being a sure tackler equates to being afraid of contact. Just not being reckless.

As much as I love our defense, I think that we were way over aggressive quite a bit last year. Fraser lost contain at least once per game. Gamble overplayed just about every stop and go route. Quite a few times in the Michigan game Nate Salley overpursued, and took bad angles on Chris Perry. There were quite a few times where our front seven overran a play, and were reduced to throwing an arm out, and hoping the ball carrier would go down. Especially in the Michigan game.

There's a big difference between playing aggressively, and playing recklessly.

[coxew]

Not sure if being a sure tackler equates to being afraid of contact. Just not being reckless.

My point was basically that I can't stand seeing corners that don't want to hit and make a tackle but would rather dive at the feet to take someone down. This is a very bad habit that a lot of secondary players develop in high school or earlier. They practice form tackling and technique in practice than when they get in a game they start diving.

[FKAGobucks877]

Originally Posted by coxew

My point was basically that I can't stand seeing corners that don't want to hit and make a tackle but would rather dive at the feet to take someone down. This is a very bad habit that a lot of secondary players develop in high school or earlier. They practice form tackling and technique in practice than when they get in a game they start diving.

I agree--Gamble had this problem all last year. There are times when making an "ankle tackle" ends up giving the ballcarrier an extra 3-4 yards, and possibly a first down. The thing these guys need to learn (if they haven't) is how to lay on the big hit, and still hold on with your arms.

Getting back to topic, I think there was more to Mitchell/Whitner last year than Whitner's being banged up. I'm almost positive than Mitchell started at least the first couple of games, and a RS frosh doesn't do that here unless they are stellar. Maybe he then got injured? I don't remember seeing him play at all in the second half of the season (Mitchell).

[BB73]

The commitee also includes a couple of coaches, who are in effect helping to determine their new boss. I like the timing of this announcement, right after last night's band visit to the Geiger home.

OSU Press Release

President Karen A. Holbrook today announced the appointment of 15 members of the University community to the committee that will conduct the search to replace Athletics Director Andy Geiger, whose retirement is effective June 30.

"With broad representation from faculty, staff and students, as well as our Board of Trustees, the committee's makeup reflects our recognition that athletics is an integral part of the University," said Holbrook.

She said she plans to charge the committee with conducting a search that is thorough yet expeditious. A first meeting has not yet been set.

"The mission of this committee is to advise the President with respect to the qualities and qualifications of an Athletics Director who will best serve this University, and to identify finalists for the position," said Joe Alutto, dean of the Fisher College of Business and chair of the committee. He said the fact that members have different levels of experience with athletics will be helpful in ensuring that different perspectives are considered.

"The successful candidate will have an extremely wide and deep range of skills and experience, and our committee is reflective of that," Alutto said.

The members of the search committee are:
- Tami Longaberger, chair of the Board of Trustees
- John Bruno, athletic faculty representative and professor of neuroscience and psychology
- Beverly Moss, academic liaison with athletics and professor of English
- Christian Zacher, a member of the Athletic Council, professor of English and director of the Institute for Collaborative Research and Public Humanities
- Deb Mason, Athletic Council member and vice president of Undergraduate Student Government
- Brian Joseph, faculty member at-large and Distinguished University Professor, departments of linguistics and Slavic and East European languages and literatures
- Joe Breschi, men's lacrosse head coach
- Lori Walker, women's soccer head coach
- Susan Henderson, associate director of athletics
- Archie Griffin, president/CEO of the Ohio State Alumni Association
- Janine Oman, an athletic trainer and a clinical instructor in the College of Medicine and Public Health
- Brandon Mitchell, a student-athlete on the football team
- Jackie Schardt, a student-athlete on the women's volleyball team
- Richard Hollingsworth, associate vice president for student affairs

Ex-officio members of the committee are David Frantz, secretary to the Board of Trustees and professor of English; Chris Culley, University general counsel; and Curt Steiner, senior vice president for external relations.

Also, the search firm of Baker-Parker of Atlanta has been hired to assist with the search. Baker-Parker has been involved with a number of high-profile searches for the NCAA as well as for athletic directors for the University of Washington and Indiana University.

Holbrook has asked Geiger to spend the next several months prior to his retirement working in three key areas:

- Helping to move the Student Athlete Support Services Organization further under the aegis of the Office of the Provost;

- Creating a different reporting relationship for the athletics Compliance Office to align it more closely with the University's Office of Legal Affairs;

- And creating and executing a more comprehensive Booster Education program which will begin with the first 2005 Football Season mailings in early February.

[jwinslow]

I just saw that too and was considering posting it.

I wonder what his role is? I bet they just want a lot of different perspectives and such. Anyone know much about Brandon Mitchell's personality on the team?