What is up? Welcome to your daily Buckeye Blitz for Thursday. Hope you’re having a Thirsty Thursday or maybe putting out your thirst with some drinks. January 26, 2023. I’m your host Joe from the Buckeye Cast. Like I mentioned yesterday, if you’re a listener from Spotify, or you wouldn’t be, it’s not like a planet or something, if you listen through Spotify, we have hopefully fixed those issues. Please let me know, contact me somehow, comment on the video, well not in the video, but somehow contact me, email me Joe at thebuckeyecast.com, and let me know if you’re still having trouble with Spotify. I believe we’ve corrected every issue.
Anyways, today we’re talking too deep offense, today we’ll do offense, tomorrow we’ll do defense, and I’m sure these depth charts will get obliterated once Spring ball starts, but we’ll see. For the most part though, I think these should be pretty accurate. O-line is always a bunch of moving pieces because you got, if you’re talking 2 deep, that’s 10 dudes, and maybe even an 11th or 12th if you got two guys that are really close in competition.
So anyway, here we go, starting off with quarterbacks. I got my guy Kyle McCord from New Jersey, 6’3, 222, the junior. Got him starting, I just think that extra year in the system and working with these receivers, especially working with the receivers gaining that timing. Don’t forget, he went to high school with Marvin Harrison Jr., so they’ve already got a strong report going, and I think that just puts him a notch above Devin Brown. Do not take this as a slight towards Devin Brown, it’s not as black and white as it as you need to make it out to be. Them Brown is just in his second year on campus, so let’s just chill out, he’s got plenty of time. I don’t think he’s gonna hop in the portal after Spring ball anyways, so let’s chill out and give Kyle a chance. I think he’s done enough in practice, he goes against one of the best defenses in the country, except for a couple games, anyways, for the most part, he goes against a much tougher defense, let’s say that than most Big Ten defenses.
All right, running back, Tre or Miyan, Miyan or Tre, I’m going Tre. I think Tre gets the start, but I think you’re going to see an even split of carries. We saw this early last year in the first few games before they started getting dinged up, like 15, 16 carries, something like that each in the first few games, at least. Please, can somebody stay healthy for an entire season? Jesus. So, Treveyon is going to be a junior, Miyan’s a senior, and we’ll see how they get this done. Don’t forget, Miyan’s been on campus one year longer than Tre, Miyan came in in the 2020 class, so not that that matters, they both redshirted, but regardless, just wanted to point that out.
So, I see an even split there. The starter really doesn’t matter, I think, but I think it probably goes to Tre. A wide receiver, so we’ve got a lot of moving parts here as well. The first starters should be pretty obvious outside of injury. You’ve got to preface this entire episode of the show outside of injury. This is how I see it. Marv, obviously, Emeka inside, Fleming outside. That’s how they finished the season.
Then, behind them, I’m waiting for Jayden Ballard to step up. I hope this is the year. He’s been around for a long time, hasn’t really proven himself yet in my opinion. Six to 195 pounds, he’s a junior. Really need him to step up. So I’m going Jayden Ballard behind Marv. Then behind a Emeka is the X-Man, the weapon Xavier Johnson. Behind Fleming, and this, this is this was a tough one. I had a lot of guys to choose from. He could have gone with a freshman, but I went with Kojo Antwi because of his versatility, his size. I think he can play inside or outside. And I’m going Kojo. I think he’s a tough son of a, and he kind of gives me that kind of toughness, kind of like a Fleming, you know, built kind of like a Fleming. Maybe not as tall, but he’s, you know, a strong dude.
And I was gonna go, I was thinking Innis because, you know, he’s gotten such like rave reviews from all the recruiting Hawks, but I don’t know if I could put a freshman in there yet. I don’t know if Brian Hartline can just yet. Let’s, let’s get him through spring, and well, actually, I don’t think he’s even coming in until summer. So anyway, Innis, let’s, let’s give him some time. Carnell Tate, I know, is a five star, and then the Rodgers and Rogers boys are studs too, but, and you got to remember, we got, we got three other stud, you know, second year guys at receiver, you know, guys that are going to be looking for the ball, you know, so that’s what I’m going with. My number twos are Jayden Ballard, Xavier Johnson, Kojo Antwi.
All right, tight end. So I’m starting off obviously, Cade Stover is your starter. Please stop hurtling guys and landing on your back. Yourself up, just lower the shoulder, you’ll be fine. But behind him, I, I don’t know. I tried flipping a coin, I couldn’t, I couldn’t get it. So I don’t even know on a coin. I don’t think Joe Royer/Gee Scott Jr. I think we’ve seen more of Gee Scott at least last year anyways, to compare their snaps. Gee Scott Jr. had 140, Joe Royer only 35. Now, like we talked about recently on the daily Blitz, Joe Royer dealt with off-field problems. You know, his mom passed away last year mid-season, and he had mono before that. So can’t control that, it’s unfortunate, but that’s where we’re at. So that’s why I, I couldn’t, you know, last spring we heard all about how Joe Royer was, was making strides. He was the next man up and all this, but you know, we just, we haven’t seen it, and it’s hard to just project somebody from practice, you know, into second second guy at tight end. So that’s why I go Joe Royer/Gee Scott Jr.
Okay, O-line, this is where it gets a little interesting. So I know we’re probably gonna have a debate about this, so hit me in the comments, hit me on Twitter, email me, whatever you like. I’d love to have some back and forth with you guys. I have, from left to right, left tackle. I got Donovan Jackson sliding out, okay? Taking that left left tackle spot. Let me tell you why his size is what makes me feel good about this. So, he’s six four, three hundred pounds. I know it’s not super long. He’s not a Dawand Jones. He’s not even a Paris Johnson. But, six four, three hundred pounds, and he has the athletic ability. That’s the important part. You gotta have that athletic ability. And you know, here’s a five star coming out. So, let’s not forget how good this guy is. And, good first years as a starter last year. Let’s see him slide out now.
Let me tell you why I want him sliding out with the left tackle. That’s because I need to get Enokk Vimahi. I need to get Enokk Vimahi on the field. And, Matthew Jones has returned at the other guard spot. So, those are my two guards. Enoch is left guard. That’s what pushes, not really pushes, but that’s why it allows us the flexibility to slide Donovan Jackson out to tackle. So, I go Donovan Jackson left tackle. Enokk Vimahi left guard.
Center, this one was a tough one because he just came into the program, but I’m going with Vic Cutler. I think my guy Vic Vicky is going to come in. He’s got a good head on his shoulders. He’s smart as, and he’s perfect size, and he’s already been in a division one program for a few years now. So, I think he’s gonna pick up and take the reins at Center. Now, Right Guard, we just talked about Matthew Jones. Stick him, leave him there. Don’t mess with it. Josh Fryer, finishing up our left to right. Josh Fryar going in at right tackle. I think he’s perfect, and he has experience. So, what he had last year, I got his snaps right here. Josh Fryar had exactly 231 snaps last season. Just to touch on Enokk, Enokk had 116. That’s why I feel like those guys are your next men in, I guess you could say.
So, what’s the hell of us second teamers? So, second teamers, tackles. I don’t know. I’m going to Shabola. Got some snaps last year. Zen Michalski got a few. I’m going with those two guys, Tegra/Zen, as my backup left tackle. At guard, I’m going Carson Hinzman, second year guy. At Center, Jacob James. And at right tackle, George Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick also got some snaps. He got like nine last year. I haven’t seen enough of him, but I feel like he’s been around the program long enough and should have his body built up, should know the playbook. I feel like he should be ready. Tegra, you know, got in, got 52 snaps last year. That was the most between him, Chrisman, Fitzpatrick. You know, like I said, Zen had 79, Jacob James 79. So, that’s why I think Tegra is in and Zen Michalski are your backup left tackles. And who knows, I mean worst case scenario, you could flip Josh Fryer over to left tackle if Donovan goes down, something like that. So, let’s see how these second teamers fare in Spring practice.Â
You know maybe somebody makes a leap that we weren’t expecting. I personally think Tegra is going to be one of those second year guys that makes a jump. But let’s see how things play out. But that’s all I got for you today. Offense too deep depth chart. Talk to you later. Go Bucks!