Ohio State Football: Black stripes removed good news at RB and front 7
Ohio State football players who have lost their black stripes has to please defensive coaches as well as running backs coach Tony Alford.
Three more players on the Ohio State football team lost their black stripes and are now considered Buckeyes. Two of those players, along with others who have achieved that distinction, has to make position coaches in the front seven and running backs coach Tony Alford very happy.
It was reported by Kevin Harrish of Eleven Warriors defensive tackle Taron Vincent, running back Brian Snead and quarterback Kory Curtis had their black stripes removed Saturday.
Vincent was the top ranked DT in the 2018 recruiting class and the No. 20 player overall per the 247Sports Composite. Snead was ranked as the 3rd best RB and the No. 80 recruit in the country. Curtis was a walk-on from Cape Coral, Florida last year.
Mr. Harrish also listed the players who have lost their black stripes either in the spring or during fall camp. The list included five true freshmen and walk-ons Aaron Cox (DL), De’Shawn White (WR), Tate Duarte (TE) and Curtis.
Here are the five players from the 2018 class who may now be ready for prime time:
- DT Tommy Togiai
- LB Dallas Gant
- LB Teradja Mitchell
- DT Taron Vincent
- RB Brian Snead
Just think what defensive line coach Larry Johnson may do with Vincent, and Togiai who was ranked as the 3rd best DT in the 2018 recruiting class. There is a good chance these two players will have an impact this season with the way they are progressing.
And who better to develop them into stars down the road than the Magician.
Linebackers coach Billy Davis has to love the fact Gant and Mitchell have earned the right to have their black stripes removed so soon. I wrote in a previous article I believe the linebacker corps could be a strength on this year’s team even though there are holes to fill. I thought these two freshmen could compete for playing time and it appears that could be the case.
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While the unit is loaded with talented veterans, Mitchell competing hard in the middle and Gant doing the same on the outside will make the unit even better. I’m even more confident now in my assessment of the LB situation.
Coach Tony Alford has to be ecstatic about how RB Brian Snead has progressed in such a short amount of time. The running backs coach will want to have at least one of his freshman running backs ready to play by the first game of the season.
With J.K. Dobbins and Mike Weber carrying the load there shouldn’t be a problem at the position, if they stay healthy. Anybody who follows college football is aware a guy carrying the ball could be injured on any play.
Consequently coach Alford will want to have a little more depth at running back so Snead losing his black is promising. At the very least the freshman may get his feet wet which will help the Buckeyes going forward as Weber will probably be moving on after this season.
Next. Three potential upsets in 2018. dark
Five talented freshmen have now lost their black stripes and coaches Johnson, Davis, and Alford are glad they did. And I’m certain defensive coordinator Greg Schiano is pleased as well. Others will lose their black stripes soon I’m sure as the 2016 Ohio State recruiting class is a talented bunch.