2016 NFL DRAFT: 'Cardale Jones and the Last Crusade'

Jones looked like the second 'Chosen One' in the state of Ohio at one point.

In Cardale Jones' final game as an Ohio State Buckeye quarterback, he didn't take a single snap.

As the team celebrated it's 44-28 New Year's day Fiesta Bowl win over Notre Dame, the smiles on the players' faces were genuine. Satisfied relief due to a hard fought win against a solid football team was the expression most of the Buckeyes players exued, especially of the guys that would be graduating or entering the NFL Draft and playing with these group of brothers for the final time.

J.T. Barrett started at quarterback (for what would have been the sixth straight game had he not been suspended for one following a DUI arrest) and played well. Joey Bosa, star defensive end and projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, was ejected from the game in the first quarter for targeting Fighting Irish quarterback DeShone Kizer. Running back Ezekiel Elliot rushed for four TDs, flashing the trademark OSU abs to the fans in the back of the endzone after one of them, and doing the iconic Bosa shrug pose after another.

It was a good win for the program but it wasn't a game against Alabama, or Oklahoma, or Clemson. Those teams played the night before, Dec. 31, on the big stage. The Buckeyes were left out of the College Football Playoff. Their hopes were crushed on a last second field goal Nov. 15 at home against Michigan State. The Spartans won the Big Ten championship and locked up one of the coveted final four playoff spots. Bitter and dissappointed, there were questions if many of Ohio State's players would be motivated to play in a lesser bowl game and rather just try to not get hurt and mess up a chance to play in the NFL next year. Alabama would go on to trounce Sparty 38-0 in one of the semifinal games, the night before the Buckeyes took the field in the Fiesta Bowl. That game could have given players incentive to prove to critics that the loss to Michigan State was a fluke and to gripe that, 'we could've played Alabama better than 38-0!'

Again, Cardale Jones did not play.

For that to fully resonate, you have to go back and look at what he and the team accomplished towards the end of the 2014 season. And to get a better understanding of what exactly the 6-5, 250-pound quarterback prospect from Cleveland went through to get there, you have to go back farther on his timeline.

His Twitter timeline to be exact.

Its fair to say that no one outside of the state of Ohio knew who Jones was until the then redshirt freshman took to Twitter and posted this:

Of course this caused a major uproar, and head coach Urban Meyer suspended jones for the following game. It didn't really affect the team at all, as Jones was the 3rd string QB, and Braxton Miller, the 2012 and 2013 Big Ten Offensive player of the year, was the starter. It wouldn't be until the end of the 2014 season that Jones would truly get a chance to blowup on the field and not just on social media.

Miller would miss the entire 2014 season with a shoulder injury, and a competition for starting quarterback between Jones and Barrett began. Neither player had started a game in their careers and Barrett, a redshirt freshman at the time, won the position battle. Other than an early season loss on the road to Virginia Tech, Barrett solidified his role as the starting quarterback and undisputed captain of the team (44 total TDs are school and Big Ten records), leading the Buckeyes to an 11-1 record and a birth in the conference championship game.

But Barrett suffered a broken ankle in the win over Michigan in the final game of the regular season and was ruled out for the year. Now down Barrett and Miller, coach Meyer would have to turn to the same guy he had to suspend the year prior for suggesting he only wanted to play football. He was finally getting his chance to play some.

In his first career start, the 2014 Big Ten conference championship game against Winsconsin, Jones threw for 253 yards and 3 TDs. Ohio State cruised 59-0 and earned a spot in the inagural College Football Playoff with that win and faced No. 1 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide in a semifinal game. Jones once again rose to the occasion and the Buckeyes advanced to the championship game. If there was any doubt left that Jones had what it takes to be a championship quarterback, he erased it when Ohio State defeated the Oregon Ducks 42-20 in the CFP championship game, who were led by Heisman Trophy winner and current Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota.

Jones started three games and went 3-0. And he didn't just game manage. He made plays all over the field.

So how did it get to the point that in his final game ever wearing the scarlett and grey, Jones did nothing but wear a headset and carry a clipboard?

The performance Jones put on last year did not go unnoticed by NFL scouts and Jones, who was a redshirt sophomore at the time, was eligble for the 2015 NFL Draft. Analysts and the like projected him to go in the 3rd or 4th round. With Barrett coming back to OSU after breaking records, and Miller also poised for a return, Jones had the decision of leaving for the pros rather than returning to Colombus with the other two guys who were previously ahead of him on the depth chart going back there. But Jones decided to stay in school (irony) and from that point until the first game the next fall, the controversy of who would start at QB in 2015 for the Buckeyes was born. Meyer finally named Jones the starter before the team's first game. Barrett was backup and Miller made the transition to H-back over the summer to utilize his speed and agility as a runner and receiver. To say Jones was lackluster to start the season would be accurate. When you compare it to what he did in the final three games of the previous season, it would be easy to call him a bust. After a particularly poor performance against Indiana, Jones took to Twitter with some rather somber tweets and even changed his bio so that it said "3rd string quarterback." Barrett went back to being the starter the following week and, save for a game where he was suspended for getting a DUI, started the remainder of the team's games and handled almost every snap. Following the Michigan State game, his final game at the Horshoe in Columbus, Jones announced on Twitter (where else would he say it?) that he intended on forgoing his senior season and entering the NFL Draft.

So what is the next step for the legend that is Cardale Jones?

He didn't play much at all towards the end of his career, and definitely will take a hit in his draft projection from last year, but he has the size and the arm to be able to play quarterback at the next level (Cam Newton doing what he's doing right now will help prospects like Jones in the future). What he put on tape this year was brutal at times and he injured himself running the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine.  All he can do now is have a good day at OSU's pro day Mar. 11 and hope that he can build off the three spectacular games that he has on tape.

Maybe he gets picked up late in the draft and makes a living as a backup. Maybe he doesn't make it in the NFL at all. Somehow, someway, and sometime, a coach or GM is gonna break out the tape from his first three starts though, and look back in amazement at the next level poise he displayed and the offense he generated.

Throwbackz: 'College Dropout' NCAA Football Legends/ NFL Busts: Peter Warrick, WR, Florida State Seminoles, 1996-99

Matt Leinart, Heath Shuler, and Brian Bosworth aren't the only guys that could've been cast in that DISH Network 'going back to college' commercial, where these former college greats with lackluster NFL careers link in a coffee shop and pine the days of their college glory. 

Many college stars and can't miss talents over the years have proven the concept that professional football is an entirely different entity in itself. 

For every late-round gem like Tom Brady and Terrell Davis, you have a Ryan Leaf or Ki-Jana Carter. 

It's just how the game works.  Potential in football is so unpredictable. 

As the 2014 college football season approaches (the first that will feature a four-team playoff rather than the Bowl Championship Series polling format), I recall some of the most electrifying and hard-hitting players to ever play in college, but didn't quite make a name for themselves in the pros....

'Monumental Mistake'

Paterno's reputation now tarnished by one monumental mistake.

It's just a statue.  Taking it down won't change anything.  It won't reverse the well-documented actions of former Penn State D-coordinator Jerry Sandusky.  It won't give back those child victims their innocence.  It won't take away 60 years of what Joe Paterno was able to accomplish in State College, PA on the football field. 

What it will do, or will symbolize, is a program in the most dreaded of turmoils making a point to move forward.  The past cannot be erased; we have no control over that.  But our future can at least slightly be determined by the choices we make now.  With this mentality in place, the best thing to do right now is for Penn State to move forward as a university and football program, and it starts by taking care of the small things that they can control, such as taking the statue down. 

Some might argue that it should remain erected as a reminder that no matter how big we get, we should still 'do the right thing'.  But I argue that, especially for the victims and those directly or indirectly effected by the actions of Sandusky and the passivity of Paterno, the statue's likeness is a reminder of a once revered leader of men, a father and father-figure to many, actually stood pat for some 14 years while knowing of egregious misconduct by someone he employed, and could have taken swift action in preventing these transgressions from occurring, but for some reason unbeknown to us, failed to act in the manner or character in which we all expected him to.  As a man and a father, I believe that JoePa's inaction is inexcusable.  Clearly, the main 'bad guy' in the situation is Sandusky, whose direct actions were the beginnings of the deterioration of a once pristine football program.  But Paterno not making an immediate decision on the matter was a big mistake.  BIG MISTAKE.  Over time, maybe more leniency and forgiveness can be applied to JoePa, but every mistake has consequences.  This mistake deserves the 'mea culpa' of penalties.  Take the statue down.  Furthermore, I think the Penn State Football program needs to shut it down for at least one year. 

Shutting down football might be good going forward for PSU.

This situation shows that the people in charge of running the football program at the university knew that they had a potentially damning ordeal on their hands and rather than stemming off what had transpired and accepting whatever backlash that may have occurred, decided to sweep the dirt under the rug and do its best to keep anyone from finding that mess.  This is not the behavior that is expected out of 'Penn State Football', let alone any football program for that matter.  But especially in Happy Valley, where the three words 'Penn State Football' has been a symbol of what college football once was and what its supposed to be; no names on the back of the jersey, plain and simple uniforms, and a head coach that could promise a kid that he would be there for all four years of his enrollment and would not bolt for another high profile college job or high paying NFL gig.  All of that is lost now and it is time for rebuilding.  Southern Methodist in the 80s was dealt the NCAA 'Death Penalty' after paying recruits, being penalized for it, and continuing to do so after the fact.  Similarly, officials at Penn State were aware of the investigation into Jerry Sandusky, and did little to nothing on their own to really look into the 'red flags' that former assistant and PSU quarterback Mike McQueary pointed out, and continued to let him work with young kids.  This to me is a clear dysfunction.  It's dysfunction on a whole other level than paying college kids to play (which, frankly, probably still goes on today many programs).  Those years of abuse, the victims can't ever get back.  The reputation of 'WE ARE PENN STATE' will forever be marred, but is salvageable.  The program can be brought back to some semblance of dignity, but it won't be done by living in the past, but rather by doing the right thing in the present and looking toward the future.

2012 NFL Draft 'Underrated' Prospects: 'Ball Don't Lie'

Wright has prototypical NFL slot receiver attributes.

WR - Jarius Wright - Arkansas
5-10 182 Warren H.S./ Warren, AR
(11/25/1989)
2011 Stats: 66 rec., 1,117 yds, 12 TDs

Breakdown:  Get open.  Catch the ball. 
It's harder to do than it sounds but receivers that do those two things consistently, the ball will always find them.  Wright was the main target of Razorbacks quarterback Tyler Wilson in 2011 on a team rich with pass-catching talent because he was the best at doing those two things.  Wright now holds the single-season record for receiving yards (1,117 yards) at Arkansas and in the Oct. 1 Southwest Classic against rival Texas A&M, Wright had a signature game that no Razorback fan will soon forget.  Wilson found Wright again and again against the Aggies defense in clear passing situations as they trailed by as many as 18-points for most of the game.  Wright had 13 catches for a school-record 281 yards en route to a 42-38 come-from-behind win.  He also made the key heads-up play of the game, diving on a fumble by teammate Cobi Hamilton in the end zone that led to a 35-35 tie in the 4th quarter.  Click here to see highlights of Wright 2011 vs. Texas A&M.

NFL Skill Set:  With more NFL teams opting for the spread offense, the value of the slot receiver is at an all-time high.  Wright fits the Wes Welker-mode of receiver with his ability to kill you in the short passing game on crossing routes, finding soft spots in zones, and occasionally burning defenders deep on seem routes.  The 4.42 he ran at the NFL combine combined with his ability to run sharp, precise routes and making catches under duress make him tough for any spread offense system team to overlook.  Click here to see highlights of Wright 2011 vs. Vanderbilt.

Allen's main focus is getting the football.

S - Antonio Allen - South Carolina
6-2 201 Fork Union Military (VA), Trinity Catholic (FL)/ Ocala, FL
(9/23/1988)
2011 Stats: 82 tackles (9 TFL), 3 INTs, 4 FFs, 3 FRs, 1 TD

Breakdown:  Defensive technique can be taught but having a nose for the football is mostly instinctive.  Antonio Allen has the latter in abundance, and when combined with speed, size, and an aggressive attitude, he is well deserving of the 'ball-hawk' safety title.  Allen finished his Gamecock career with 198 tackles, 23 tackles-for-loss, 3.5 sacks, 4 INTs, 6 FFs, 4 FRs, and 2 TDs.  Not bad for a guy who came into South Carolina as a linebacker and saw limited action his freshman and sophomore years.  Click here to see highlights of Allen 2011 vs. Auburn.

NFL Skill Set:  Allen is always near the football because of his ability to diagnose run or pass quickly.  Showed the speed to beat blockers to the ball carrier in college despite running a mediocre 4.67 second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine.  Physical player that will shed blocks quickly (17 reps of 225-lbs. at the combine) and embraces contact rather than avoiding it.  Has a knack for being in the right place at the right time in pass coverage and attacks the ball at its highest point through the receiver. Click here to see highlights of Allen 2011 vs. East Carolina.

2012 NFL Draft 'Underrated' Prospects: 'Size Matters . . . Speed Kills'

Hemingway makes tough catches in traffic.

WR - Junior Hemingway - Michigan
6-1 225 Conway H.S./ Conway, SC (12/27/1988)
2011 Stats: 34 rec., 699 yds, 4 TDs

Breakdown:  Playing receiver in a spread-option offense won't get you many accolades or eye-popping statistics, so it's easy to see why a player like Hemingway can fly under the radar.  It also doesn't help when your quarterback for the past two seasons, Dennard Robinson, broke the FBS single-season rushing mark for a QB and was the primary focus of Big Ten defenses.  What is noticeable though is that when Robinson needed to pass, the guy he felt most comfortable slinging it to was Hemingway.  Robinson is not known for his accuracy as a passer and many of Hemingway's receptions were acrobatic grabs of errand passes.  The fifth-year senior often had to fight off double coverage as it became known that Robinson would try to find him first in passing situations.

NFL Skill Set:  Hemingway is 6-1 but plays more like 6-5 because of his 78-inch wingspan.  Add that the 225-pounder put up 21-reps of 225-pounds at the NFL combine (second best among WRs at the combine) and his potential as a physical possession-type NFL receiver is more solidified.  Hemingway ran an average 40-yard dash (4.53 seconds) at the combine but was the top wide receiver in the 3-cone drill (6.59) and the 20-yard shuttle (3.98), illustrating his agility and his ability to stop-and-start coming out of breaks.  Click here to watch video of Hemingway 2011 vs. Notre Dame and Northwestern.

Pead led the Big East in rushing in 2011.

RB - Isaiah Pead - Cincinnati
5-11 197 Eastmoor Academy (OH)/ Columbus, OH (12/14/1989)
2011 Stats: 237 att., 1,259 yds, 12 TDs/ 39 rec. 319 yds, 3 TDs

Breakdown:  The Bearcats football team bounced back from a down year in 2010 (4-8, 2-5 Big East) and finished with a 10-3 record in 2011 and a share of the Big East Title.  Much of that success has to be credited to Pead's offensive production.  Pead led the conference in rushing and was third on the Bearcats in receptions.  Whats more is that Cincy quarterback Zach Collaros had a below-average season passing (1,940 yards, 20 TDs, 14 INTs in 10 games) and defenses game planned to stop the run.  No problem for Pead, who plays with an unwillingness to be brought down by the first tackler.

NFL Skill Set:  Pead clocked in a solid 4.47 second 40-yard dash time at the combine but it's watching his game tape that makes him stand out.  Pead has a knack for anticipating gaps in the defensive line and cutting back once he reaches the second level; qualities that are good if he goes to a NFL team with a zone blocking scheme. When he finds those gaps, he hits them aggressively and with strong acceleration.  He also implements this ability in the passing game when receiving screen passes.  Pead is a strong runner who keeps his legs moving and showed he can move the pile in college and could not be brought down by arm-tackles.  Click here to watch video of Pead 2011 vs. West Virginia.

WeekleeInsperayshunFrumThaWurldUvSportz

Thank you Auburn Tigers freshmen running back Michael Dyer!  Because you reminded us that even when you think you're down, you're really not . . . not until the (proverbial) whistle blows!

1/1/11 . . . Plus One. . . Get It?

The Horned Frogs have alot to prove.

 O.K. so we all know that college football on the FBS level will never have a playoff because of the amount of money involved with the BCS bowl games.  Understood and no need to beat a dead horse.  But can we revisit this "plus one" idea again?  The plus-one scenario seems to me to be the most logical compromise between advocates of the playoff system and the computer-based Bowl game system.  Because really, the current system just really isn't fair.  Suppose TCU beats Wisconsin today in the Rose Bowl?  They will have beaten everyone on their schedule, including two top 5 ranked BCS schools (Utah and Wisc.) and have no championship to show for it.  I know that their conference schedule is filled with patsies but you put them on a neutral field with the Big Ten (co-) champions and they win to go to 13-0, you have to say they deserve atleast a shot.  Can we figure this thing out?  It's 2011.  Time for college football to revisit this so once and for all there can finally be a true national champion. . . With that being said, I have the Badgers over the Horned Frogs, 38-17.

Happy New Year!!!!

Game Predictions

MSU senior linebacker Greg Jones

N'Western 25 - Texas Tech 21

Spartie 20 - Tide 17

JoePa's 21 - Urban's 20

Michigan 38 - Miss St 28

Oklahoma 55 - UConn 13