Nobody wants to see mugshots of any Buckeye football player, Unfortunately, this article contains a couple, so if you're squeamish, you better look away.Once again, offseason scandal has plagued the Buckeyes this summer — thankfully on a much smaller scale this time around compared to the Tatgate scandal that led to Jim Tressel's dismissal, a horrifically disappointing 2011 season, and the eventual one-year postseason and bowl ban given to the program by the NCAA.
Only three players thus far have decided to break the law “allegedly”. The latest was senior linebacker Storm Klein, who was potentially in the mix for a starting position this upcoming season, before being charged with domestic violence and assault.
Preceding Klein on the Buckeye blotter were TE, Jake Stoneburner and OL, Jack Mewhort. While Klein decided to rough up his child's mother, Stoneburner and Mewhort publicly urinated during memorial weekend, and then ran from the police.Klein was dismissed from the team by Meyer on July 8th. Stoneburner and Mewhort lost their scholarships for the summer, and despite the charges being dismissed against them, at last check, they remain suspended indefinitely — for the time being anyway.
I mentioned these incidents to lay a foundation so I could pose a question that has been bothering me since last season when we fell apart late in games.
Where is the player leadership on this team, especially from the upperclassmen?
I know they vote on captains each year, but I didn't see the captains gain control of the team late in games last year, or during this offseason either.
Sure, it's only three players with relatively minor charges compared to last year, and extremely minuscule compared to what happened at Penn State, but exercise your brain and think.
Who was the leader last year on the field? Miller goes down vs. Nebraska and the team completely fell apart.
Was it Fickel? He gets the blame because he was the head coach, but there has to be upperclassmen leadership on the field and in the locker room. Anyone that has played sports knows exactly what I am talking about.
I give props to John Simon because he is a beast and led the defense on the field making a lot of heroic plays, however, I can’t name anyone from the offensive side of the ball that I can say was a clear leader.
Boom Herron gets partial credit for the last two games of the year, but it just wasn’t near enough in my eyes.
The 2012 season will be upon us in no time, and who is going to lead the team this year on (and off) the field and in the locker room?
Urban Meyer will have them ready to play each game — that's a given — but so did Fickell for the most part last year.
Then again, in many games, we looked like we never arrived at the stadium until late in the game.
The Silver Bullets need a leader to emerge with only 48 days until the season kicks off and “Urban Warfare” begins!
Even though I question who will lead come September 1st, I will have my jersey and Buckeye beads on, ready to ride or die, and cheer our Buckeyes to victory!
@BlockONation @Nick_Weav
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We do understand that these are kids in grown ass mens bodies, but you are at a historic program and you have to conduct yourself accordingly. Who is going to be the leader in the locker room to them, get your mind right this is The Ohio State University!
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