S Donte Whitner (Buffalo Bills)

[AirForceBuck]

I really like todays article - showed that our Backs arent just speed, but strength as well:


"Whitner back at CB in spring Drills"

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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Once upon a time, Donte Whitner was considered one of the top cornerback prospects in the nation. Then a funny thing happened in his first few practices at Ohio State. Every chance he got, he brought the wood. He smacked people, whether they were receivers, running backs or tight ends.

What a waste, thendefensive coordinator Mark Dantonio and then-defensive backs coach Mel Tucker thought. Because in that season of 2003, Whitner was not going to beat out future first-round NFL draft pick Chris Gamble at corner.

"But Donte showed us pretty early we needed to get him on the field," Tucker recalled before taking a job in February with the Cleveland Browns.

Besides, Whitner’s style shouted strong safety. So they put him at nickel back, the fifth defensive back in passing situations, worked him into some of the rotation at strong safety, and set him up for a couple of seasons of ruling the roost from that enforcer spot.

But then another funny thing happened last year. Tyler Everett stepped up his game, proving to be a playmaker who also seemed to cover better than Whitner. They competed all season for the starting strong safety job.

They are expected to do the same in the fall, though you couldn’t tell it by what’s going on in practice this spring.

Everett is being held out of contact as a precaution after offseason arthroscopic knee surgery.

And Whitner? He’s spending some time at cornerback.

One reason is because the Buckeyes must replace departed three-year starter Dustin Fox, and the glut of safeties — including Nate Salley, Brandon Mitchell and Nick Patterson — gives them the chance to roll Whitner over there.

The second reason is because Whitner is the first to admit his coverage skills might have rusted a bit as he went big-hit hunting at safety the last two seasons. In other words, he can use the work.

"I do feel I have to improve on my cover skills," Whitner said. "And if I get back to the level I was when I first came in coming out of (Cleveland Glenville) high school, then I feel it will be a big plus for the team."

Not that defensive coordinator Mark Snyder and new defensive backs coach Paul Haynes want to see Whitner lose his knack for the attack.

"The coaches don’t want me to change," Whitner said. "The coaches here like physical corners.

"At safety, I feel I can make a lot more plays. Coach (Jim) Tressel feels I can make a lot more plays there, but if something happens, he’s not hesitant to put me at corner."

Everett also could play corner in the fall. But all eyes will be on freshman Jamario O’Neal when he makes his entry in August.

Like Whitner, O’Neal was considered one of the nation’s top cornerbacks in his class, and he is from Glenville to boot. "I do feel Jamario can come in and compete right away," Whitner said. "Coming into fall camp, he will be able to compete for a starting job."

[osugrad21]

According to the Nate Salley article on BN, the plan is to get Tyler, Salley, Ashton, and Whitner on the field as the starting four. He also said Nick Patterson and Sirjo Welch are coming along nicely.

[martinss01]

"The coaches don’t want me to change," Whitner said. "The coaches here like physical corners.

yes yes... physical corners good. deon bad. if whitner is even fox capable in coverage, we are going to have a very good set of dbs. whitner will be winfield-like in run support. omfg!!!! is it time for the spring game yet???!!!?!

edit: seems a few people might think im dissing fox. fox was one heck of a corner period. as mili and a few others noted further down in this post, the kid made a TON of big plays. you'll be hard pressed to find a more sure tackler in the open field. when i said "if whitner is even fox capable" i wasn't dissing fox though i can see how people might get that impression. fox is the standard. he's everything i would want in a cb and the guy every "great upcoming" cb will be compaired to in my mind. fox is my measuring stick of excellent corners. guys like springs and winfield set the bar to high imo. if your "fox good" i have no fear putting you in any situation at cb.

[Bucky Katt]

I don't know about anyone else, but it seems to me that Donte is more of a "playmaker" than Fox. I don't know much about his coverage skills, but he seems to have a knack for being in the right place at the right time. I certainly hope he continues to live up to his high school hype.

[AKAKBUCK]

Why do you guys want to rag on Fox now? Even if its not completely directed at him? He's gone. He started for 3 years... and I hope to god we don't miss him.

[MililaniBuckeye]

Originally Posted by Bucky Katt

I don't know about anyone else, but it seems to me that Donte is more of a "playmaker" than Fox. I don't know much about his coverage skills, but he seems to have a knack for being in the right place at the right time. I certainly hope he continues to live up to his high school hype.

Fox made dozens of good plays during his tenure. Granted, occasionally he was so quick he closed too fast on receivers and got flagged, and he was off somewhat during this past Michigan game (don't know why he kept letting Edwards get dehind him when he is faster than Edwards), but he was solid as a rock through his three seasons. Hey, how many other white corners do you see in football, at any level?

[buckeyeboy]

It seems that the two of you are agreeing -- Fox wasn't much of a playmaker, but he played solid CB for us for 3 years. Although there were times when he wasn't phenomenal (like at PSU in '03) and I don't recall him ever making a game-changing play, he was dependable.

[MililaniBuckeye]

Originally Posted by buckeyeboy

It seems that the two of you are agreeing -- Fox wasn't much of a playmaker, but he played solid CB for us for 3 years. Although there were times when he wasn't phenomenal (like at PSU in '03) and I don't recall him ever making a game-changing play, he was dependable.

Where am I agreeing that Fox is "not a playmaker"? And when did Whitner ever make a game-changing play?

[jwinslow]

Originally Posted by MililaniBuckeye

Where am I agreeing that Fox is "not a playmaker"? And when did Whitner ever make a game-changing play?

Hmm... maybe NC State INT, especially since our offense put on its all-time worst performance I've ever seen that day.

[MililaniBuckeye]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeFROMscUM

Hmm... maybe NC State INT, especially since our offense put on its all-time worst performance I've ever seen that day.

Fox made a leaping interception in the end zone in a 2002 game to prevent a TD...can't recall which game it was, though. That was the first example of his "mad hops" during a game. A DB with a normal vertical jump would not have got that INT.

[jimotis4heisman]

as everyone knows, im not a fox fan....hes atleast a solid plyaer more likely a helluva player. problem is i compare him to the springs, plummers, clements, winfields of the world.

[Carmen Ohio]

Originally Posted by MililaniBuckeye

Fox made dozens of good plays during his tenure. Granted, occasionally he was so quick he closed too fast on receivers and got flagged, and he was off somewhat during this past Michigan game (don't know why he kept letting Edwards get dehind him when he is faster than Edwards), but he was solid as a rock through his three seasons. Hey, how many other white corners do you see in football, at any level?

The first thing the defense concentrated on in that game was stopping Hart... my guess would be that he read run as long as he could knowing he could catch Edwards. His total game was one of the great things about Fox that makes me amazed at the lack of appreciation for this kid.

[Oneshot]

In retrospect, did we shoot ourselves in the foot by not letting Whitner get practice at corner because Gamble was the starter for that spot?

Now, Whitner's cover skills have decreased, and we have a gaping spot at corner. Should we have let Whitner stay at corner? Or maybe even redshirted to wait out Gamble for a year?

[jwinslow]

I'm not really sure what the definition of a playmaker is on defense, but I'll take a dependendable DB over a playmaker DB like gamble anyday. Heck, I bet Underwood could have made a few big plays but he was always trying so hard to do so that he got burnt constantly.

Either way, Fox was a great corner at tOSU looking at his entire package. Whitner should be able to develop into a similar type of corner with less hops but more pops.

[MililaniBuckeye]

Oneshot, read the previously-posted comments on how the staff said he was too good to keep off the field even with Gamble and Fox at the corners. If Whitner "is all that" as a corner, he'll earn the starting job and be good there.