10 year-old Keith Alan Byars II
No picture, height, or weight available at this time. But this has the potential to be a long-running recruiting thread.
ozone.legaciesatcamp
Buckeye Camp Lures Kids of Former Buckeyes
By John Porentas
No picture, height, or weight available at this time. But this has the potential to be a long-running recruiting thread.
ozone.legaciesatcamp
Buckeye Camp Lures Kids of Former Buckeyes
By John Porentas
He walked into the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, and despite the fact that he was wearing street clothes just like everyone else, there was no doubt that he was a football player. His physical presence made that unmistakable.
It took just a second to recognize him, and as usual, he was friendly and accommodating when greeted. It also wasn't surprising to find out that his son was in the Ohio State football camp.
"The Second," he said when asked his son's name.
Like so many former Buckeyes, he was thrilled to have his son in Ohio State's football camp.
"I was a camper here at Ohio State," he said.
"I came for my senior year so I did get one year of Ohio State football camp. It's good to see things come full circle."
His little guy is only 10 years old, but for Keith Alan Byars I, it was a thrill for him to see Keith Alan Byars II on a football field at Ohio State.
"I never forced him, but I've been wanting to bring him for the last two or three years. This is a good time. He's been talking about the camp since right after Christmas," said Byars.
It turns out that The Second is a chip off the old block, a bruiser of a football player who likes to run the football.
"This is his first year that he's going to play running back. Last year he played defensive tackle and defensive end. He played some guard, also," said the obviously proud papa.
On the surface it seems a no-brainer that Keith Byars would send his son to OSU's football camp, but Byars resides in Florida, and having his son attend camp at OSU meant that both The First and The Second had to make the trip up to Ohio for camp. Byars said there was never any question in the mind of either The First or The Second as to where he would attend football camp. Byars looked shocked when we asked him why his boy didn't attend a camp in Florida.
"He's a Buckeye," said said in a voice that registered incredulity at the very thought that The Second would go to any other camp.
"He goes to school wearing his Ohio State stuff. You can't give him any Florida or Hurricane or Gator stuff. He doesn't wear any of that stuff. It's Ohio State or nothing at all," Byars said.
He's just 10, but we couldn't resist asking if The Second could break tackles like The First.
"Yeah," grinned Byars, "but he just doesn't know how fast he is yet. He lives down there in Florida so he plays with those Florida boys. He talks about football all the time."
According to Byars, his son is not the only offspring of a former Buckeye who is attending this camp.
"Cris Carter's son Duron is here," Byars said. "He's a little older. He's going to be a freshman."
Also in camp is the grandson of former OSU offensive line coach George Belu. Belu was at camp picking up his grandson who is a fifth grader and a day-camper at the OSU camp.
"He really was excited to come to Buckeye camp," said Belu who is now a scout for the NFL Arizona Cardinals.
