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LB Marcus Freeman (HC Notre Dame, Constant Backtracker)

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Dispatch

4/16/06

Expectations high for Freeman

Sunday, April 16, 2006

Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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Marcus Freeman is quiet, pleasant and polite — the exact opposite of what everyone expects him to be on the field this fall.

The Ohio State sophomore linebacker raised eyebrows last spring with some fine plays but ended up taking a redshirt year after developing complications from knee surgery.

Now, with A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter and Anthony Schlegel gone, Freeman leads the list of players expected to fill that vacuum.

No one, however, should expect Freeman to say that.

Told that many observers believed he was good enough to start last year on any team that didn’t have Hawk, Carpenter, and Schlegel, Freeman looked a bit embarrassed.

"It’s a great compliment to hear people say stuff like that," he said.

The Huber Heights, Ohio, native looks cut out of the ideal linebacker mold.

He is 6 feet 2, 230 pounds, and runs "between a 4.4 and 4.6" in the 40-yard dash, he said.

Freeman is penciled in as the starter in Hawk’s old spot at weakside linebacker.

But any predictions about what he might do this season must be left to others.

"He needs to have a huge impact," linebackers coach Luke Fickell said. "He needs to be one of our true leaders. We’re looking for a big impact."

Fellow linebacker Mike D’Andrea’s eyes lit up when talking about Freeman’s potential.

"The sky is the limit with him," D’Andrea said. "He has unbelievable athletic ability. He’s one of the hardest workers on the team, even with that ability, which will make him even more dangerous.

"He watches film (and) he does everything right, which is a good recipe for success."

Freeman lettered as a freshman in 2004. He likely would have been the first linebacker off the bench last season, but he suffered a knee injury in the season opener and had arthroscopic surgery. A staph infection set in, keeping him out until about midseason.

By that time, everyone concluded that redshirting would be best. Freeman now has three seasons of eligibility.

"It was tough to watch your teammates, knowing you want to be out there," he said, "but it’s all worth it in the long run."

The only outward sign of Freeman’s self-confidence is found on his jersey. He wears No. 1.

"Somebody told me it’s kind of a bull’s-eye," he said. "It’s a number not many people have. I’m ready for it. I’m excited."

[email protected]
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A couple of my friends played bball at Wittenberg and I met his older brother at a party out there in Springfield. They have the exact same face but his brother is probably 5' 10" 180 at best. Marcus definately got blessed with the size. He was an extremely nice guy and was expecting a lot from Marcus just like the rest of us. We were talking about how much pub Marcus will get with all the storylines about replacing our 3 studs from 05'. As long as he stays healthy he is going to be a heck of a player.
Here's to a healthy year for Marcus :cheers:

OSU is the NFL U
 
Upvote 0
BuckeyeBiz said:
A couple of my friends played bball at Wittenberg and I met his older brother at a party out there in Springfield. They have the exact same face but his brother is probably 5' 10" 180 at best. Marcus definately got blessed with the size. He was an extremely nice guy and was expecting a lot from Marcus just like the rest of us. We were talking about how much pub Marcus will get with all the storylines about replacing our 3 studs from 05'. As long as he stays healthy he is going to be a heck of a player.
Here's to a healthy year for Marcus :cheers:

OSU is the NFL U
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Are you talking about Michael? He's tall as hell man, no way he's only 5'10". I'm 5'8" and he towers over me. I used to take Tae Kwon Do with him and Marcus when we were kids, and their mom went to my church. I remember when I could kick his ass... of course probably not so much anymore :P
 
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pakman said:
Are you talking about Michael? He's tall as hell man, no way he's only 5'10". I'm 5'8" and he towers over me. I used to take Tae Kwon Do with him and Marcus when we were kids, and their mom went to my church. I remember when I could kick his ass... of course probably not so much anymore :P
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I don't remember his brother's name and he may be taller than 5'10" but the point is he is small in comparison to his little brother. I am 6-5 and I definately had inches on him.
 
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Wayne's Freeman to start for OSU
By Doug Harris

Staff Writer

COLUMBUS | Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Heacock is still trying to make sense of the Buckeye football team's muddled linebacker picture, but the one thing he's sure of so far is that Marcus Freeman deserves a spot.

The third-year sophomore from Wayne High School sat out last season with complications from a knee injury. But this year he's been flashing the form that made him a Parade All-American in high school, impressing the coaches with his versatility.

"We're just kind of identifying who the other two guys are going to be playing along with him and where everybody fits in the puzzle," Heacock said. "But the neat thing about him is he can play — and has played — all three positions.

"He's the whole package. He's smart. He's big, strong, fast. He just does it all."

But the 6-foot-2, 242-pound Freeman knows the competition is fierce, and he shows up each day like a guy just trying to prove he's worthy of a uniform.

"There's a ton of guys pressing behind me who are great players," Freeman said. "Every time we ... practice, I have to make sure I'm at my best."

Freeman endured a stretch of hard luck last season that may have turned self-help guru Tony Robbins into a pessimist, tearing his meniscus on the opening kickoff of the first game and then developing a staph infection that knocked him out for the entire year.

"When it first happens, you say, 'Why me?' " Freeman said. "But when I was in the hospital, I did a lot of thinking. God does everything for a reason. I'm thankful for everything I learned through that injury."

The lesson?

"Not to take anything for granted," he said. "You have to play every play like it's your last."
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http://www.daytondailynews.com/sports/content/sports/osu/daily/081306osufb.html
 
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