Our Honor Defend

If bowl games are too boring, or the performance of the Big Ten representatives too painful to watch, curious Buckeyes can always change the knob on their moving pictures box to another FCC-authorized television transmission carrier¹ to watch future Buckeyes take the field in the 2009 Army All-American and Under Armour games.

Traditionally, the United States Army’s Army All-American Bowl was the premier high school prepster exhibition football game.  However, ESPN and Under Armour were not content with the United States military having such a lofty place in amateur athletics and felt that they, the Worldwide Leader and garden variety athletic undergarments supplier respectively, had to undermine the position of the United States military.  After all, they are the Worldwide Leader and garden variety athletic undergarments supppliers respectively.  And just who the hell is the United States military anyways, and why should they be trying to promote military service as a worthwhile endeavor in this post 9/11 period?  And why should those scoundrels be uncontested in the field of high school football exhibition games?  There’s valuable advertising revenue to be had for ESPN and merchandise to be sold for Under Armour, doggone it.

ESPN and Under Armour felt that it was time to stand up to that great corporate menace — the United States military and its roughly 10 year reign of terror over the high school exhibition game market — and set up the first ever Under-Armour All-American game last year to compete with that great bully.  They even had the games on the same day, if my memory serves me faithfully.  However, the Army All-American Bowl had established itself as a 10 year long brand name for high school footballers and the Under-Armour Game was, for all intents and purposes, a fly-by-night endeavour by all parties involved².  Accordingly, the latter game was basically a JV game while the Army All-American Bowl was much more watchable.

ESPN and Under-Armour did not make the same mistake twice.  It changed the date of the game and jumped on the bigger name prospects earlier than the Army All-American Bowl got around to their usual invitations.  This year, the second annual Under-Armour game arguably has the better collection of talent.  Moreover, unlike last year, Buckeyes will be equally represented in both games.  Last year, Andrew Sweat was the lone Buckeye verbal at the Under-Armour game, compared to the half of the 2008 class that was in San Antonio by this time last year.  If you have time or interest, here’s the future Buckeyes that will be playing in both games.

US Army All-American Bowl (January 3rd, 2009; 1pm ET; NBC)

Last year, JB Shugarts was the lone Buckeye playing for the West team, with 9 other future Buckeyes playing for the East.  This year, all 5 current verbals playing in this game will be playing for the East.

• Dorian Bell (#1, Gateway HS; Monroeville, PA)
• Corey Brown (#16, Gateway HS; Monroeville, PA)
• Justin Green (#26, Male HS; Louisville, KY)
• John Simon (#54, Cardinal Mooney HS; Youngstown, OH)
• Jamie Wood (#29, Pickerington Central HS; Pickerington, OH)

Of these five current verbals, I think you should pay careful attention to Corey Brown and John Simon.  In Brown’s case, he’s getting Chris Gamble comparisons for excelling at both the wideout and corner positions.  He’s listed as a wideout at the Army All-American Bowl website but may end up primarily as a cornerback at Ohio State.  I think cornerback is where he’s best and, if he finds his way to the field on defense, his ability to smother opposing receivers is certainly worth watching.

Simon is worth watching for another reason.  Most Buckeye fans are thrilled at the prospect of having Johnny Simon in the interior, given that defensive tackle has been a glaring weakness for Ohio State for the past few seasons.  It has often times left Laurinaitis exposed to pulling linemen.  Most people feel Simon is a significant step up in the caliber of talent previously recruited at that position (his strength numbers are probably unparalleled for the position in the past few years), but I’m worried about Simon’s hands.  The hands tend to idle when they need to be engaging.  Consequently, he can be pushed off the ball.  This might be a debilitating limitation in years to come when his relative advantages in high school are no longer enough.  Even if my observations of his highlight reels are off base, he’s worth watching because he’s all-Buckeye.

If you’re interested, you should also pay attention to Jamie Wood.  Rivals is really high on the Pickerington Central product, but I’ve never gotten a good read on him.

Other notables in this game

• Craig Drummond (#52, West).  The Illinois defensive end was an early target of the staff before the recruitment eventually cooled.  Current Illinois verbal.
• Shaquelle Evans (#1, West).  Inglewood, CA wide receiver.  Strongly considered Ohio State, but is currently committed to Charlie Weis.  Shaquelle’s great credentials aside, if you’re unaware of the invitation policy for the US Army All-American Bowl, here’s a helpful guide: If you’re committed to Notre Dame, you get an invite to the US Army All-American Bowl regardless of how good you actually are.
• DJ Fluker (#72, West).  Foley, Al-uh-BAMA defensive tackle and heir apparent to Terrance Cody in Alabama’s class. 6’7 and 325 pounds.  That’s a big ol’ boy.
• Nick Kasa (#44, West).  Colorado defensive end who made waves earlier this year when he openly criticized Terrelle Pryor for how he handled his recruitment.  Kasa decided to take the higher road in recruiting and verbal to Urban Meyer.
• Chris Watt (#66, West).  Illinois lineman who eschewed Ohio State for Notre Dame earlier this year.
• Tajh Boyd (#10, East).  Tajh was the recruiting casualty for the Volunteers following the Lane Kiffin hire at the University of Tennessee.  He’s currently uncommitted and seriously considering the Buckeyes, along with Oregon and Boston College.
• William Campbell (#74, East).  Remember when he decommitted from Michigan, and most Michigan fans assured themselves the only reason for the decommitment was to be earnest with other coaches on his other official visits?  He was going to end up at Michigan, remember?  Will Campbell decided to take out the suspense for Michigan fans.  Now Michigan knows what it’s like to be burned by a Cass Tech product on the recruiting trail.
• Jake Golic (#44, East).  The other son of ESPN “personality” Mike Golic, who will follow his older brother and father to Notre Dame.  He’s a 2-star tight end and, basically, a legacy recruit at Notre Dame from a state not usually known for a wealth of football talent (Connecticut).  Remember what I said earlier about the US Army All-American Bowl invitation policy?
• Marcus Hall (#79, East).  Cleveland Glenville product and currently uncommitted.  He may end up at Ohio State when it’s all said and done.
• Kevin Newsome (#12, East).  Remember him, Michigan fans?
• Justin Turner (#21, East).  Unlike just about everyone else, Turner is still committed to Michigan.

Under Armour All-American Game (January 4th, 2009; 8pm ET; ESPN)

The Buckeyes will be better represented in Orlando this year than in San Antonio.  Five current Buckeye verbals will be in attendance, with more than a few others that are worth watching.

• CJ Barnett *** (#7, Northmont HS; Clayton, OH)
• Jaamal Berry (#5, Palmetto HS; Miami, FL)
• Duron Carter (#2, St. Thomas Aquinas HS; Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
• Jack Mewhort (#74, St. John’s HS; Toledo, OH)
• Melvin Fellows, Safari Planet (#91, Garfield Heights HS; Garfield Heights, OH)

*** Barnett will be playing for the white team.  Berry, Carter, Mewhort and Melvin Fellows, Safari Planet will be playing for the black team.

All five current verbals are worth watching on their own merits and via their commitment to The Ohio State University.  I’d pay careful attention to Carter and Mewhort.  Duron Carter, if you weren’t aware, is the son of NFL and Buckeye legend Cris Carter.  He’s not a speedster by any stretch, but he should have the proper pedigree elsewhere.  Look for how he’s able to create separation in the secondary.  Also, he has Hines Ward-caliber enthusiasm for downfield blocking.  That is always nice.

It goes without saying that Jack Mewhort should also be given attention during the broadcast.  Given our offensive line woes this season… and last season… and the end of the season before that, Mewhort becomes a necessary object for careful eyes.  Jack is the no. 1 rated center in the class of 2009 by Scouts. Inc and ESPN, but I’m not sure that’s where he’ll end up.  Bollman told Mewhort he will start in the right tackle rotation and, more than likely, move inside unless his performance is exceptional.  Watch and take notes accordingly.

Other notables in this game

• Marlon Brown (#4, White).  Marlon, from Memphis, TN, is one of the few remaining scholarship offers for 2009.  Most feel he’ll end up at wide receiver, but I think he’d be a brutal safety.  He’s currently down to Ohio State and a handful of SEC schools.
• Ra’Shede Hageman (#88, White).  Unlike James Laurinaitis and Willie Mobley, Ohio State did not yank this Minnesota prepster from the North Star State and from the grasps of the Gophers.  He opted for Minnesota over Ohio State.
• John Martinez (#59, White).  This offensive lineman from Utah wanted to attend Ohio State, and waited as long as he could.  An offer was not forthcoming and Martinez, to his credit, decided that he needed to move on.
• Corey Adams (#68, White).  Corey is originally from northeast Ohio, but relocated to Scottsdale, Arizona a few years ago.  The defensive tackle prospect is one of the few remaining scholarship offers for Ohio State in the 2009 class.
• Darrell Givens (#3, White).  Darrell committed to Ohio State after the Spring Game, but opted to switch his commitment to Penn State a few months later.  Ohio State’s approach to recruiting got a little screwier following that, in my opinion.  Rumor has it that Givens wanted to get back in a few months ago, but the coaching staff told him they had moved on.
• Anthony Fera (#1, White).  Anthony is JB Shugarts’ next door neighbor in Houston.  He was committed to Michigan, but switched to Penn State.  He was interested in Ohio State, but understandably did not want to take their greyshirt offer.
• Russell Shepard (#10, Black).  Percy Harvin at the QB position, and cousin to Eddie George.  He’s committed to LSU.
• Victor Marc (#9, Black).  Victor is a former HS teammate of Etienne Sabino and Travis Howard, but transfered from Miami’s Dr. Krop HS to Hallandale.  He was interested in Ohio State for the longest time, but an offer was just not going to come.  He eventually verballed to USF.  Victor is unusual in that he was thought to be a recruit for just about every non-line position, including quarterback.  The Under Armour game will feature him as a tailback, though I have no idea if that’s the position he’ll end up playing at USF.
• Andre Debose (#1, Black).  Andre’s second gear is outstanding.  Ohio State offered him a scholarship, but the Buckeyes are currently not in the running for his LOI.

Lest we forget…

There’s also the 2009 Offense-Defense All-American Bowl for your viewing pleasure.  The game will be held on January 2, 2009, 5pm ET on Fox College Sports.  However, you probably don’t get that station.  Reid Fragel and Chris Fields will take the field in this game, both playing for different teams.  Last year, Keith Wells was at this game.

1. This method of demodulation is good only until that date (February 17, 2009) where all moving pictures broadcasts are digitally modulated in accordance with FCC mandates.  Fortunately for you, sports fan, the exhibition games occur before that date. [↩]
2. Again: it was on the same day as the Army game. [↩]