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CB E.J. Underwood (transfer to Pikeville)

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AJHawkfan said:
Damn. I hate to hear that. This doesn't help anyone.......
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Not to be a jerk... but it's a hell of a windfall for his new school. They just locked down one of their corner spots.

In all seriousness, best of luck to EJ, let's hope he can make the best of this fresh start.
 
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ajhawkfan- he's helping himself out by, trying to keep his dream alive by school first, for he can keep playing football .

remember what Tressel said that he was the best athlete on the team
and at least he left with respect not like some of those other players who blamed OSU for everything
 
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akronbuck said:
ajhawkfan- he's helping himself out by, trying to keep his dream alive by school first, for he can keep playing football .

remember what Tressel said that he was the best athlete on the team
and at least he left with respect not like some of those other players who blamed OSU for everything
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I understand that for him to play football, this is the only option left. He would've helped himself a lot more by staying elgible at OSU. For him to get exposure and possibly move on to and NFL career, he needed to be playing for OSU, not a community college.

How could he have blamed the University? He is the one who didn't get the grades. Not sure how much respect that carries.....
 
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AJHawkfan said:
How could he have blamed the University? He is the one who didn't get the grades. Not sure how much respect that carries.....
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While I agree with you, it didn't stop some of the spew that was coming from ESPN and some of our malcontents (like Sammy Maldonado) from trying to blame OSU. Sad that it strikes us as refreshing that a player doesn't try to hold the program accountable when they can't make the grade.
 
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I think EJ played a lil more than a few games and his experience could have helped us out alot thbis year, had he stayed on top of his grades...

Underwood signed with Ohio State in 2002 out of Hamilton (Oh.) High School. He played in all 14 games as a true freshman, but missed much of 2003 due to injury. He played in eleven games and had 29 tackles in 2004
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This decision does not eliminate EJ's chances of playing in the NFL. First of all, he was good enough to receive a scholarship offer to play DB at one of college football's reigning DB factories. He will have the same size, instincts, and talent to utilize. It is just up to him to do whatever it takes to stay on the field. Once you get to the combine, or in front of scouts, it won't matter to them where he finished his college career. Watch any Monday Night Football game this season. At the beginning of the game, they roll through the starters with each one saying their name, and where they played. I guarantee you that at least once a game, someone will say where they played, and you will say, "HUH?" Obviously, he could dominate and people will say that he should have because of inferior competition. Or he could just do okay, and people will wonder why he didn't dominate. His back is now against the wall by playing for Campbellsville (?), but it's up to him where he lands next. Good luck EJ! Buckeye for life.
 
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He could certainly still make the NFL, but he will have to overcome questions about his play when Dustin Fox was out last year. The Iowa and Northwestern games come to mind, and EJ blew his coverage big time in those games.

I hope him the best. Tressel doesn't just throw compliments often like the one he gave EJ when calling him as talented a DB as he's had at OSU.
 
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I am impressed by his accepting that the problems he has are of his own doing and by his not dropping out of school but rather going somewhere where he may finish school. As others have said in this thread, contrast that to some of the other malcontents who left tOSU and then blamed the University for their departure.

Good luck, EJ.
 
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link

10/23/05

It's not like playing in the 'Shoe.

There are no crowds of 80,000 or 90,000 people, no national television. His team isn't showered with the best of everything from food to clothes to accommodations. But Pikeville College had what E.J. Underwood needed.

"It's kind of different than Ohio State, but it's still football," Underwood said.

The Hamilton High product, who played as a freshman cornerback for the 2002 Ohio State national championship team, is playing his final college football season at Pikeville, the No. 7 NAIA team, which plays at Georgetown College on Saturday. He decided to transfer this summer after struggling with academics and family problems. His father, who has diabetes, became seriously ill during his third year at OSU.

"I felt like I needed a personal change," he said.

Underwood had tried to transfer to NAIA Campbellsville to play with Cincinnati native David Pool, but when many of Underwood's credits didn't transfer, Pool referred him to Pikeville, where his Carson-Newman teammate, Jerry Mynatt, coached. Mynatt was happy to take on both E.J. and the middle Underwood brother Jammal, who transferred from Thomas More.

"E.J. came in with no Division I personality or attitude," Mynatt said. "Whatever we ask him to do, he does it. ... We can put him in a situation that as an athlete, he can do things other kids can't do."

E.J. has seized the opportunity to shine at a smaller college in the hunt for national recognition with a 5-0 record heading into Saturday night's game.

He specializes at defensive back, where he has 22 tackles and leads the team with five pass break-ups and two forced fumbles. He is also spending time on offense and special teams for the first time since high school. He has averaged 14.3 yards on three catches as a sometimes receiver and is one of the team's leading punt and kickoff returners, averaging 16.1 yards per punt return and 34.2 yards per kickoff return. He also returned a punt 77 yards for a touchdown in the second game this year.

"I was a little rusty at first, but now I'm back in the swing of things," E.J. said.

He's also gotten on track academically and is set to graduate next summer, he said.

"He's matured down there," said E.J.'s father, the Reverend Elmer Underwood, who has recovered from his illness. "He's challenged down there, and he is getting ready to move to the next level."

The Rev. and Pamela Underwood have been waiting for the day when their three sons, a trio of cornerbacks out of Hamilton, are on college rosters at the same time. But circumstances have left E.J. as the only one to cheer for this season. Brandon, the youngest and a redshirt freshman at Ohio State, re-aggravated a shoulder injury he suffered in a high school all-star game in 2004 after just one game with the Buckeyes this season. The injury will require his second offseason surgery in two years, Rev. Underwood said.

Jammal is sitting out a transfer season but will be ready to play this spring, when Mynatt said he could become one of the best players in the league.

The sophomore was often in the shadows of his two brothers but has developed tremendously, including sprouting 3 inches since high school, said E.J., who is enjoying the time with his middle brother after a year on the same team with Brandon.

"I'm fortunate," E.J. said. "I don't know any other brother in America who can spend time with both of his brothers at two different universities."

While Jammal and Brandon still have a couple years in their college careers, E.J. is continuing to focus on his NFL dreams, saying he hopes to be invited to college all-star games and NFL combines.

E-mail [email protected]
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