Fewer Redshirts Likely this Football Season

Next week Ohio State will transition from fall practice to game preparation. The staff will gear down heavy hitting and start crystallizing the starting groups. It is also a time where true freshman will make a last ditch impression for playing time or find themselves on the sideline permanently for the year.

Redshirting is a boring but necessary byproduct of college football. It helps maintain balanced numbers across seasons and it provides developmental time for those who aren’t quite ready. This year’s group of blue-chippers numbers fifteen. The small class was hammered in recruiting rankings but it will, interestingly, most likely yield fewer redshirts - so says me and Coach Tressel. Also notable is the fact we only have 74 or 75 scholarship players (ideal is the max 85).

I've taken on the task of guessing who will see the field as young pups. This hypothesis is based on articles I've read and juicy gossip that passes the smell test. Much like last year, I have broken down the possibilities into three groups: Guaranteed to Redshirt, On the Cusp, Guaranteed to Play.

Already, this is hard. Much harder than last year where I only missed two or three of my guesses and when it was pretty clear who was ready or what positions presented a logjam for playing time. Not so now. In fact, I’m not confident that anyone is guaranteed to be holding clipboards. I'm leaving this big board blank which virtually assures I'll be wrong and that’s okay.

So, we’re already top heavy signifying the strength of the class. Some of these players would be redshirting during ‘typical’ years but because we are frighteningly thin at corner (especially in terms of available experience), you cannot omit players like James Scott. Though we are better off at safety, I can see Nate Oliver or Rocco Pentello getting scrub time if it warrants. Devon Torrence is flip-flopping positions and Solomon Thomas just happens to be behind three of the best defense ends we've seen at Ohio State in considerable time.

Talk of practice so far has been defensive tackle Cameron Heyward. He'll get PT in the first game of the year. Close behind is Taurian Washington who drew comparison's to Michigan's Mario Manningham from at least one Ohio State QB. Eugene Clifford was perhaps the most highly acclaimed recruit and he's lived up to billing from all indications. Daniel Herron will see action based on depth at RB and my less than optimistic outlook on Maurice Wells. Brandon Saine will return kicks at some point, if nothing else. The only stretch here is Brian Rolle who I peg as the small, undersized underdog of the class.