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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
THIRD-YEAR RESET: TERADJA MITCHELL READY FOR BIGGER ROLE IN OHIO STATE'S DEFENSE AFTER WAITING HIS TURN
As Ohio State’s recruiting class of 2018 enters its pivotal third season in Columbus, we’re taking a look back at each of their first two years as Buckeyes and look ahead at what to expect from them in 2020 and beyond with the Third-Year Reset.
Ohio State will be counting on its class of 2018, which is the highest-rated recruiting class the program has ever signed, to step up in a big way as it looks to make another run to the College Football Playoff despite the departures of many key players from last season.
Each of them have now been with the Buckeyes for two years, and by the end of the upcoming season, all of them will either be on the back end of their Ohio State careers or off to the NFL. So while most of them haven’t played major roles for the Buckeyes yet, the time for them to deliver on their potential is now.
One such player who certainly came to Ohio State with high expectations yet hasn’t seen the field much in his first two years as a Buckeye is Teradja Mitchell. The No. 44 overall prospect in the class of 2018, Mitchell was viewed as someone who could potentially make an immediate impact at linebacker.
Instead, Mitchell has seen only occasional playing time in his first two seasons while waiting his turn behind older linebackers. And with Tuf Borland, Pete Werner, Baron Browning and Justin Hilliard all back for another year, it’s still unclear how big a role Mitchell will have in 2020. Given that he has not redshirted and is already going into his junior year, though, there should be urgency for Mitchell to get on the field for more significant playing time this fall.
Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...in-ohio-states-defense-after-waiting-his-turn
As Ohio State’s recruiting class of 2018 enters its pivotal third season in Columbus, we’re taking a look back at each of their first two years as Buckeyes and look ahead at what to expect from them in 2020 and beyond with the Third-Year Reset.
Ohio State will be counting on its class of 2018, which is the highest-rated recruiting class the program has ever signed, to step up in a big way as it looks to make another run to the College Football Playoff despite the departures of many key players from last season.
Each of them have now been with the Buckeyes for two years, and by the end of the upcoming season, all of them will either be on the back end of their Ohio State careers or off to the NFL. So while most of them haven’t played major roles for the Buckeyes yet, the time for them to deliver on their potential is now.
One such player who certainly came to Ohio State with high expectations yet hasn’t seen the field much in his first two years as a Buckeye is Teradja Mitchell. The No. 44 overall prospect in the class of 2018, Mitchell was viewed as someone who could potentially make an immediate impact at linebacker.
Instead, Mitchell has seen only occasional playing time in his first two seasons while waiting his turn behind older linebackers. And with Tuf Borland, Pete Werner, Baron Browning and Justin Hilliard all back for another year, it’s still unclear how big a role Mitchell will have in 2020. Given that he has not redshirted and is already going into his junior year, though, there should be urgency for Mitchell to get on the field for more significant playing time this fall.
Entire article: https://www.elevenwarriors.com/ohio...in-ohio-states-defense-after-waiting-his-turn
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Will Crall: Teradja Mitchell will lead Ohio State in tackles
A new leader will be taking over as Ohio State’s top tackler this season. Teradja Mitchell has been waiting in the wings long enough behind Malik Harrison, Tuf Borland, Pete Werner and Baron Browning. Harrison led the Buckeyes in tackles in 2019 with 75. The expectation here is that Mitchell will step into Harrison’s spot and pick up where he left off. Mitchell has played sparingly over the last two seasons, so this prediction is based off people who have seen him play in practice and have been very impressed. Mitchell will emerge from a group of younger linebackers to become Ohio State’s next great linebacker.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
LB Teradja Mitchell
For the second consecutive offseason, Teradja Mitchell has been tabbed as a breakout candidate. It could have come last year, but Mitchell was slowed down by a few tweaks, which sidelined him at points in the year. Now in his third season with the Buckeyes, Mitchell is making his way up the depth chart and into the conversation among Ohio State’s best linebackers. To complete the climb into star status, he needs a good training camp.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
TERADJA MITCHELL, DALLAS GANT AND K’VAUGHAN POPE, LB
All three members of Ohio State’s talented trio of junior linebackers could benefit from another year of eligibility, given that they’ve only been sparingly in their first two seasons as Buckeyes and still were unlikely to be starters on defense if a season was played this fall.
With Borland, Werner, Baron Browning and Justin Hilliard all back for their senior seasons, Gant, Mitchell and Pope were all projected to be backups for the third year in a row, leading many to question whether Ohio State made a mistake by not redshirting them as freshmen.
Now, though, all three are essentially getting that redshirt back, giving them the potential to start for at least two years as Buckeyes no matter what happens with the postponed season.
Of course, it’s also possible any of the senior linebackers could return for another year, which could delay the younger linebackers’ opportunities to be starters even longer. But that would be a bit of a surprise, considering that those four all made the Senior Bowl’s Top 250 watch list and will likely pursue NFL careers next year.
It’s also possible that any of those seniors could opt out of a winter or spring season, which could open the door for Gant, Mitchell or Pope to start sooner, and even one big season next fall could be enough for any of them to make their mark as Buckeyes and legitimize themselves as NFL prospects. But it's a good benefit for all of them – and for the experience of Ohio State’s linebacker unit in 2022 – that they have the opportunity to stay for a fifth-year senior season in their back pockets.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Teradja Mitchell | LB | No. 3
I know that this statement will anger some of you, so I’m just going to get it out of the way now: Tuf Borland will be Ohio State’s starter at middle linebacker for the entire season (and likely next season as well), barring some sort of unforeseen injury — and even then, he’d probably find a way to play after having a leg amputated anyway.
However, as we have seen in recent years, when it comes to linebackers, starting does not necessarily guarantee a stranglehold on playing time. Though Borland started the entire 2019 season at Mike, his back-up, Baron Browning, ended up on the field for a significant number of snaps as well, as evidenced by Eleven Warriors’ season total snap count.
By 11W’s count, Borland ended the Fiesta Bowl with 425 plays, while Browning had 368, despite missing two games due to injury. That means that the starter, Borland, averaged 30.36 plays per game, while the reserve, Browning, averaged 30.67. And while the assumption might be that most of Browning’s plays came in garbage time, that’s not really the case, as after the first series, Tuf and Baron more or less rotated for the duration.
With Browning being moved over to the Sam linebacker position for the fall in conjunction with Pete Werner moving to Will, that means that there’s an opening to play behind/alongside Borland, and I think that Teradja Mitchell has earned the opportunity to split time in the middle of Ohio State’s defense.
The Virginia native came to Columbus as the No. 44 player in the 2018 recruiting class, and has patiently waited his turn to get on to the field consistently, and as far as I’m concerned, he’s past due to get that opportunity. The OSU linebackers have been a sore spot ever since Billy “Best Man” Davis decimated the previously iconic position group.
But, under new LB coach Al Washington’s leadership the Silver Bullets are returning to form, and I think that Mitchell can absolutely be a part of that resurgence this year. He is an incredibly athletic and intelligent player, and I am excited to see what he can do with an increased role on the defense this fall.
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
With the runway clear, it seems like Mitchell has the inside track to replacing Werner at the Will.
“I look forward to playing football,” he said. “That’s my favorite thing to do. It’s always been the same approach to just look forward. As an older guy and a leader, I am definitely looking forward to this camp.
“It’s a blessing to be here. I’m happy to be in this situation. That wait helped me develop as a player mentally and physically. I’m ready to showcase that and play ball.
“I’ll be playing the Will. I’m a very aggressive linebacker. I’m a contact seeker. I love contact. I look forward to thumping some guys.”
Mitchell would be eligible for an extra year of eligibility in 2022 due to the pandemic. He was asked if he is looking at this chance to start as a possible two-year opportunity to showcase himself for the NFL.
“I have not really looked at that,” he said. “Right now, I am just falling in love with the process. I am coming in every day and putting my head down and working. God has a plan for me. Whatever his plan is, I’m all-in on that. I’m coming in and working. Whatever happens happens.”
Mitchell was listed at 6-2 and 235 pounds on the spring roster, down seven pounds from his playing weight of 242 last year.
“Naturally, I’m a big guy,” he said. “I’ve been as heavy as 255 in the past. During the season, I switched to a vegan diet. That helped me drop. I just added fish to my diet. I still eat a vegan diet, but I added fish. That helped me drop some weight.
“My favorite fish is probably salmon. It makes me feel a lot better. I wake up in the morning and I feel good. I just feel so much better. I feel faster and quicker. I have more energy than I’ve had previously.”
With a starting spot in his sights, Mitchell said he is working hard off the field to prepare himself.
“I’ve been watching film more than I did any other time,” he said. “I found myself pulling out my iPad and going on Thundercloud and watching film. This is the best I have mentally prepared for the game. I am constantly watching film.”
Mitchell admitted he has had some mental blocks that have held him back in the past.
“Personally, I struggle with performance anxiety,” he said. “You have to get comfortable, play your role and watch film. It’s your football IQ and feeling comfortable out there.
“I’ve talked to players and coaches. We have a wonderful staff here that will develop you. That’s why I came here. They will develop you in all areas. It’s a wonderful place.”
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Teradja Mitchell following Ohio State blueprint to stardom
Teradja Mitchell knows the path in front of him at Ohio State.
He knows there’s a format, a master plan, that comes with being a Buckeyes linebacker. He has seen it in action for three seasons. Mitchell had the chance to watch four hard-working grinders lay out the plan for he and his pair of classmates in the linebacker room.
Now, Mitchell must put that plan to good use this spring and into the summer. This spring is Mitchell’s first at Ohio State in which the depth chart seems to be in his favor. And if he follows that path set forth by Buckeyes linebackers before him, he has a chance to be the next star of the Silver Bullets defense.
“There’s been a blueprint set up with those four guys that just left,” Mitchell said. “I just kind of followed the blueprint and just stepped into the role. I have to be the leader in the room now, being the older guy, me, Dallas and K’Vaughan. So it just kind of comes natural to me because we’ve seen what it takes to lead the unit. Just following the footsteps of the older guys.”
The plan could have crumbled after Mitchell’s freshman year when former linebacker’s coach Billy Davis departed the program. After Ryan Day took over for Urban Meyer, he brought in Al Washington from Michigan to lead the linebackers unit. Coaching changes aren’t always easy for young players. Mitchell made sure to stick with the Buckeyes. Washington has made the expectations clear inside the linebackers room.
Washington knows what it takes to be an Ohio State linebacker. His father played linebacker for the Buckeyes. So when it comes to helping Mitchell reach his potential — another part of the plan — Washington has been helping him for two seasons.
“The standard of Ohio State linebackers, this thing, it goes well beyond, years, so we talk about that all the time,” Washington said. “We’re aware of that. … The standard is the standard. That’s non-negotiable. That’s something that we have to, when we do our day-to-day business, something we have to think in the back of our mind. The guys that are in the room now, they’ve worked really, really hard. They’ve taken advantage of their gaps in time to earn that position, that standard of being a linebacker. But they have to continue to do it. It’s a day-to-day thing.
“We’ve got to see better. Every day, it’s a daily thing. They do have work to do. They do have to continue to take advantage of they time that they have to get better and to uphold that standard.”
Entire article: https://lettermenrow.com/ohio-state...yes-teradja-mitchell-linebackers-depth-chart/
Teradja Mitchell knows the path in front of him at Ohio State.
He knows there’s a format, a master plan, that comes with being a Buckeyes linebacker. He has seen it in action for three seasons. Mitchell had the chance to watch four hard-working grinders lay out the plan for he and his pair of classmates in the linebacker room.
Now, Mitchell must put that plan to good use this spring and into the summer. This spring is Mitchell’s first at Ohio State in which the depth chart seems to be in his favor. And if he follows that path set forth by Buckeyes linebackers before him, he has a chance to be the next star of the Silver Bullets defense.
“There’s been a blueprint set up with those four guys that just left,” Mitchell said. “I just kind of followed the blueprint and just stepped into the role. I have to be the leader in the room now, being the older guy, me, Dallas and K’Vaughan. So it just kind of comes natural to me because we’ve seen what it takes to lead the unit. Just following the footsteps of the older guys.”
The plan could have crumbled after Mitchell’s freshman year when former linebacker’s coach Billy Davis departed the program. After Ryan Day took over for Urban Meyer, he brought in Al Washington from Michigan to lead the linebackers unit. Coaching changes aren’t always easy for young players. Mitchell made sure to stick with the Buckeyes. Washington has made the expectations clear inside the linebackers room.
Washington knows what it takes to be an Ohio State linebacker. His father played linebacker for the Buckeyes. So when it comes to helping Mitchell reach his potential — another part of the plan — Washington has been helping him for two seasons.
“The standard of Ohio State linebackers, this thing, it goes well beyond, years, so we talk about that all the time,” Washington said. “We’re aware of that. … The standard is the standard. That’s non-negotiable. That’s something that we have to, when we do our day-to-day business, something we have to think in the back of our mind. The guys that are in the room now, they’ve worked really, really hard. They’ve taken advantage of their gaps in time to earn that position, that standard of being a linebacker. But they have to continue to do it. It’s a day-to-day thing.
“We’ve got to see better. Every day, it’s a daily thing. They do have work to do. They do have to continue to take advantage of they time that they have to get better and to uphold that standard.”
Entire article: https://lettermenrow.com/ohio-state...yes-teradja-mitchell-linebackers-depth-chart/
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ScriptOhio
Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
Timing is everything, and if it isn’t on your side, patience better be.
“It’s been very difficult,” Mitchell said this spring about remaining patient. “But it’s a commitment I made to this program my junior year when I committed. I’m all in on this program and I know that in the end it was gonna work out for me, so I just kept my head down and worked every day.”
Mitchell found a role on the Ohio State defense the past two years, tallying 12 tackles in 2019 and seven in a shortened season last year. He may have had veterans in front of him, but he didn’t just sit back and wait for his day to come. He has been preparing for it. Mitchell believes he used his time wisely and is prepared to prove himself this coming season.
“It’s just a blessing to be here and I’m happy to be in this situation,” he said. “That wait, it helped me to develop as a player mentally and physically. So now that I’m here, I’m ready to showcase it and ready to ball.”
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Absolutely and I hope he gets rewarded in full by becoming the next great OSU LB. For the record, I think that's coming either way, Mitchell is legit. Bought into the program and it's his turn.
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