The Most Exciting Player of 2005

[osugrad21]

1) Bush & Ginn...Bush gets the nod due to his being a playmaker for a longer period of time in CFB, but this is a Buckeye board so Teddy gets the tie

2) Vince Young

3) Adrian Peterson

4) Brad Smith

5) Reggie Ball

 

[OilerBuck]

My top 5:

1. Reggie Bush (USC)
2. Ted Ginn Jr. (tOSU)
3. Devin Hester (Miami)
4. Steve Savoy (Utah)
5. Vince Young (Texas)

Also considered:
Omar Jacobs (BGSU), Laurence Maroney (Minn), Chris Leak (Fla), Adrian Peterson (OU), Reggie McNeal (T A&M)

You may not know about these guys...YET:
Eddie Royal (VT), Derek Hagan (ASU), Jason Hill (Wash St.), Calvin Johnson (GT), Jamario Thomas (N. Tex)

P.S. I would like to thank everyone who made it possible for me to get to 1,000 posts. I am hoping that this milestone, combined with my increasing NCAA 2005 skills will soon allow me to find a coaching position on the collegiate level.

 

[Oneshot]

Holy Crap Jamario Thomas didn't graduate?

He's gonna be huge next year. Bank it.

Good call on Omar Jacobs, also. Very overlooked.

 

[bucknut11]

Jamario Thomas was a freshman

 

[Zurp]

Also considered: Omar Jacobs (BGSU), Laurence Maroney (Minn), Chris Leak (Fla), Adrian Peterson (OU), Reggie McNeal (T A&M)

I'm surprised more of you haven't mentioned Adrian Peterson. I don't know enough about this subject to get really involved with the conversation, but I would have thought that a Heisman candidate from last year would get more recognition.

 

[OilerBuck]

I'm surprised more of you haven't mentioned Adrian Peterson. I don't know enough about this subject to get really involved with the conversation, but I would have thought that a Heisman candidate from last year would get more recognition.

I put him ONLY for that reason. When I hear exciting or explosive, Peterson doesn't come to mind. He, like every great player, has his moments but he is one of those guys that will run you over and wear you out consistently. I'm not saying he's not great, because he is...

When you think exciting, you hold your breath everytime they touch it because they can turn a loss into a touchdown and you feel you are lucky if you "hold" them to a 5 or 10 yard gain on a play. I don't picture Peterson being in that group.

 

[rocketman]

When you think exciting, you hold your breath everytime they touch it because they can turn a loss into a touchdown and you feel you are lucky if you "hold" them to a 5 or 10 yard gain on a play. I don't picture Peterson being in that group.

A la Ginn's 40 yard scramble during the Alamo bowl. After watching the replay my friend said "Ah man...he didn't take it all the way!" half-expecting Ginn to score like his NCAA 2005 team on super-easy mode.

Checking threads on hornfans.com to see what their impressions are of the Sept. 10th game, you'll run across comments such as "Ginn is fucking scary" or "Ginn gives me nightmares." And every once in a while someone says "Ginn is overrated" or "Chizik > Ginn" but they quickly get shot down by about a hundred veteren posters. Someone replying to Snyder being as good as gone to Marshall said something along the lines of "I don't care. OSU's defense is still going to be ridiculous, and Ginn is still fucking scary."

(Off topic, but funny...you'd be surprised how many Texas fans on other forums think the OSU-Texas game will be played in the pitch-black darkness of the night, or that night games will somehow benefit them because the stadium will be so dark...)

 

[osugrad21]

When you think exciting, you hold your breath everytime they touch it because they can turn a loss into a touchdown and you feel you are lucky if you "hold" them to a 5 or 10 yard gain on a play. I don't picture Peterson being in that group.

I can see that but at the same time he is exciting because I know he is a special talent. His vision is exceptional, his speed is well above a normal back, and his power is underrated.

Peterson will make a great run a few times per game...knowing it could be on any carry is what makes him exciting.

 

[jwinslow]

AP is clearly talented, but I think his chances on a list like this are quite slim after his showing in the Orange Bowl. Of course that is unfair, but many of us are skeptical of how much of his success was in relation to the poor Big12 defenses he faced. I think he's special, but need to see it against a defense I respect before I'll buy it. He probably did face a venerable run D, however I'm only familiar with his Texas, OkSU, & USC games.

As for hornfans.com, do any bpers post over there?

 

[osugrad21]

AP had 25 carries for 82 yards in the OB...not a great day, but not a horrible day for an 18 year old freshman in the NC game...especially considering Sooners all around him had quit in the 2nd qtr.

On the year, 13 games, AP rushed 339 times for 1925 yards and 15 TDs. Now the Big XII defenses may have been exposed, but nearly 2000 yards in a season is still amazing...and again, he is 18.

In 10 games, Jamario Thomas ran 285 times for 1801 yards and 17 TDs. The Sunbelt defenses are even worse, but just watching the kid play, you know he has exceptional talent...and he is also 18.

This thread is a matter of opinion of course considering it is asking who you personally consider exciting. However, looking through the various lists, I see plenty of players who face similar, if not worse, defenses than Oklahoma. AP deserves the same recognotion IMHO.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

Ginn, Bush, and Hester all have that special explosiveness and elusiveness that put them in their own class. However, neither Bush nor Hester make opponents think, "Oh, fuck, he's got the ball..." like Ginn does. Bush and Hester had highlight TDs last year, but show me where they made the type of plays like Ginn did in reversing his field to make a huge gain out of nothing or the kind of play he made against Indiana, where he weaved between and outran half the defense after catching a tipped pass while leaning against the flow of the play. Maybe Bush and Hester have similar-level physical speed and moves, but as the thread topic asks, Ginn is the most exciting player of 2005.

 

[OilerBuck]

A la Ginn's 40 yard scramble during the Alamo bowl. After watching the replay my friend said "Ah man...he didn't take it all the way!" half-expecting Ginn to score like his NCAA 2005 team on super-easy mode.

I have never heard a more accurate description of the feeling when Ginn gets the ball. Everytime he touches it, you feel like you've turned the corner on NCAA 2005 and are one juke away from taking it to the house. If Donte Hall is the human joystick, Ted Ginn is the human turbo-button.

As far as the comparison of Adrian Peterson and Jamario Thomas, I can really identify with the AP supporters. I gave Jamario huge props for being a freshman and didn't do the same for AP, which is inconsitent on my part. Further reflection takes me back to two games 1. Texas game where AP gets his one leg taken out, manages to stay up and go another 8 yards, not to mention complete dominance. 2. Okie State (A poor run defense) but still, Adrian looked like Eddie vs Illinois. I think opposing teams heart must stop everytime he hits the second level and I'm probably just being biased because he is so balanced rather than having a single tangible attribute that sticks out. This year's campaign will cement his standing among the elite or as a product of a great offense.

 

[sandgk]

Ginn is a Genius at Play

I've said this before but its worth repeating...


I never before have seen a player like Ginn wearing Scarlet and Grey before.

I've seen a player like Hester, seen one with _some_ of the moves of Bush in S & G - but never, till I saw Ginn had I seen one quite like him.

All others may have electrifying moments -- Ginn is Purely Electric.

Its like Deion on Offense, though without the show-off attitude.

I take nothing away from Hester or Bush, both of whom are excellent football players, clearly top of their class -- but Ginn is in a different class entirely.

I know its from a different sport guys but the moves Ginn puts on, the creativity and flair in his game -- Well, the parallel that keeps coming to this old and befuddled brain is the top speed dribble Maradonna made through an English soccer team --- from one end of the field to other, taking on and beating _every_ player on the team. Its sometimes shown on sports shows with the caption "Genius at Play".

Savor Ginn now -- its going to be a long time before ANY college team sees someone like him again.

 

[Zurp]

I think there's a very good chance that we're all biased. It's easy for us fans of tOSU to say Ginn is better than Bush, Hester, or even a mountain of naked women. But it would be sweet to hear some fans of other teams say the same.

 

[AKAK]

I think there's a very good chance that we're all biased. It's easy for us fans of tOSU to say Ginn is better than Bush, Hester, or even a mountain of naked women. But it would be sweet to hear some fans of other teams say the same.

Well- the Texas/Ohio State game will be a national event... so there's the stage... (Sure the Michigan Game was too, but, everyone else had their own games to watch)... if he does his usual magic.... they'll all know.