Buckeye Tailbacks - 2004 (official thread)

[Clarity]

i have high hopes for lydell this season but i would say he has greater than a 50% chance of being labeled a bust after his OSU career is over.

he simply lacks patience to wait for the hole develop and the vision to see the hole.

i have higher hopes for haw and pittman (in that order, pittman needs to learn to block this summer and fall camp big time, haw has played fullback previously so i presume he is at least serviceable in picking up a blitz.)

I can get on board with all those statements. I think Lydell *could* turn things around like Chris Perry did. But I wouldn't bet just a ton on it. I think there are a number of similarities between the two (but that could be this black tar heroin I'm smoking, just for the sake of reasonable deniability later). But I think it's more likely we see the younger guys step up.

I hope Lydell blows it up though. I like the guy, I want to see hiim succeed, I couldn't have had more respect for the way he (at least in all ways we as fans could see) absorbed the loss of the starting job. I'm a huge fan of his attitude, how highly he thought/thinks of Eddie George, his love for the program, etc. {jokes}Plus he's the future Mr. Susan's Daughter!{/jokes}

One thing we can all agree upon is that if he starts racking up 150-200yard average games (by some unexpected miracle) -- it's a great thing.

In terms of what I realistically expect from him, if I was going to join a pool or something, I'd put him right at, or immediately under or over 1000 yards on the season. Something like 850-1050 wouldn't shock me at all. Not exciting, but I don't know we could complain.

 

[Bucklion]

Include me in that list. I like Ross (and Hall, for that matter). I don't think he'll have a big enough season to go down as one of our best ever, but I think he can certainly go out with a good year. I think the young guys will get plenty of time, but I think Ross could realistically get 100 a game if he really steps up. He does seem vulnerable to injury though, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see. He may go down as an underachiever, but...given the circumstances, the backs we had, and winning a NC in a year he contributed, I find that hard to be a bust.

 

[BIATCHabutuka]

{jokes}Plus he's the future Mr. Susan's Daughter!{/jokes}

perhaps susan and offspring can elaborate on lydell's ability to see the hole.

gives an entire new meaning to the A gap.

too bad lydell doesn't play defense for the sake of this joke, i got tons of penetration material going to waste here.

 

[Naplesbuckeye]

I think that we all have very good reason to be skeptical of him and what he will/won't do. However, I would love to be in his shoes this year. I am in Real Estate Sales and when I started 11 months ago all people could do was tell me how I wouldn't be able to make money or that I needed experience to flourish. I love when people tell me that I can't do something or when I am doubted...I always rise to the occassion.

Hopefully, Lydell thinks/works this way and shows some people up. I really believe that if he has 1000 yards and 10+ touchdowns that we could be playing in for it all this year. I think he or the running game is more important than our QB situation.

 

[buckiprof]

If he stays healthy, and plays at around 215, he will have a very good year this year. At least 1000 yards IMO.

We seem to be focusing (myself included) on his senior season and the measurables (yards per game, TD's per game, etc) we would love to see from him. As a senior, and by definition a team leader, another important impact he can have this year is by educating the likes of Haw and Pittman on what it takes to be successful at this level. The impact he has in this area is much harder to quantify, assuming that he has an impact in this area.

 

[daddyphatsacs]

Mark this down, I've been saying this all off season. Lydell Ross will go over 1000 yards this season if he stays healthy. He has the tools, he just has been plagued by nagging injuries. He will have a Chris Perry like season and will be a top 4 round NFL draft pick next season.

I think that our offensive line will be much improved which should also improve the situation.

 

[Carmen Ohio]

OSU Backs

Traditionally have big senior seasons. The comparison isn't to Chris Perry it's to Jonathon Wells, Derek Combs and Eddie George. It takes a lot of physiciality to be a back at OSU and for most of our guys it takes 3 to 4 years to get there. Lydell had the moves but didn't have the body as a freshman. He might have been deflated as a sophomore playing behind MC. Last year he finally had the body but was playing hurt. I'm expecting Lydell to put everything together to help give Ohio State the most lethal running attack in the Big Ten this year. Our line is faster... the two fullbacks are playing great, one good enough to cover one back sets... Pittman lit it up in the Spring game.... Haw is on his way and Mo Hall wants to show us something. The only team I'd give the early edge to is Minnesota because all their guys are proven, but by mid-season people won't be talking about what happened to our running attack since MC left.

 

[SanClementeBuck]

Lydell is certainly not a bust. We shall all witness how the talented lad does this season, come November.

With others here, I believe Mr. Ross will have a great senior year...and we'll be proud of him on and off the field.

 

[LouisHMartinez]

Trotting out the Lets-blame-the-offensive-line excuse for him ?

I think that our offensive line will be much improved which should also improve the situation.

Then tell me why Wells and Clarett combined for 2500+ yards and 30 TDs behind it ? The line isn't Lydell's problem: it's his lack of vision. And put me in the group that says this year's line is going to be AWFUL.

 

[Brutus1]

Fittingly , you'll be alone in that group, where you deserve to be.

AWFUL ! Your stupidity never ceases to amaze me. Keep up the great posts,
Lois.

 

[kippy1040]

I agree with BuckeyeRob on this one. Lydell played with intensity in the Indiana game his freshman year and if you remember correctly that J. Wells came back in the Northwestern game and lit em up in that one. He so a young ffreshman take his spot and decided that this was not going to happen and the rest is history. Sometimes it takes an underclassmen to step up to the plate when he is called to do so. Lydell is not a BUST. To label him as such, is somewhat lacking.

 

[Brutus1]

3. He has been the the RB in an offense where the passing game was a third thought and his OLine couldn't move very fast.

Lydell , first 3 years: 1951 yds 22td
Wells, first 3 years : 1133 yds 11td


Seems to favor Ross , huh ? If you call LR a bust, then what do you call Wells? You stupid ass.

 

[LouisHMartinez]

Which teams did Ross gain most of yards against in his career ?

Wells showed up against good teams even before his Senior year as I mentioned earlier, Ross has not. Give Ross Minnesota, Michigan State, Indiana, and he's a world beater but against good teams he disappears.

I'm betting Joe and Haw and Pittman carry the load for us this year, not Ross. And lets hope he does a good job of mentoring the youngsters.

 

[Naplesbuckeye]

How can this uears line be worse than last year? I don't know if that is possible...we can only get better up front.

We have a litany of backs and someone will emerge!

 

[Brutus1]

Yards are yards and Ross had more of 'em in his first 3 seasons than Wells did.

Double the td's , too.

I'm betting Joe and Haw and Pittman carry the load for us this year, not Ross. And lets hope he does a good job of mentoring the youngsters.

I agree with you there.