Ohio State Football: The Five Most Surprising Players So Far This Season
After two weeks, it seems as if Ohio State has proven itself worthy of being called a national title contender.
The Buckeyes have outscored their opponents 81-31, and have looked very good offensively and defensively.
But one of the keys to this team starting off so well has been the play of some of their unheralded and unexpected players.
Whether they are new to the team, or just rebounding from tough seasons, the key for any team to stay strong is the play of new starters and other quality players outside of your talent core.
If a team has that kind of unexpected stardom, almost anything can happen.
With that said, here are five Buckeye players who have had great starts to their 2010 season.
5. Daniel Herron
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I will be honest when I say I have underestimated the value of Dan Herron this season, but he has proven most of his skeptics wrong, elevating his play early on in 2010.
Herron, who struggled in 2009 averaging only 3.9 yards per carry, has upped that number to 5.2 YPC, despite only taking 21 carries for 110 yards.
But where fellow RB Brandon Saine struggled, Herron shined against Miami on Saturday, running for 66 yards on 14 carries with a touchdown, and added 47 yards on a shovel pass.
Boom lacks the breakaway speed that Saine has, but he does have great vision for finding holes and being relentless in running downhill.
This season, Boom is out to prove his critics wrong after a disappointing 2009, and he is certainly off to a great start.
4. Johnathan Hankins
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While the Ohio State defensive line is one of the best in the country, there's still always room for a big addition.
In the case of this season, that role is filled by freshman DT Johnathan Hankins from Detroit, who is literally a big man at over 320 lbs.
The freshman tackle has done more than enough to impress coaches in practices to warrant a spot on the two-deep, and therefore earned plenty of snaps.
And it hasn't taken long for Big Hank to make his presence felt, including a play against Miami where he pushed an offensive guard within inches of QB Jacory Harris.
Hankins doesn't yet have the big-time athleticism to be an every-down player, but there is little doubt that he makes his presence felt in spot duty.
Buckeye fans should be excited to see a combination of Hankins and star DT John Simon in the middle of the defensive front for years to come.
3. Jordan Hall and Jaamal Berry
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Before the season started, Jim Tressel came up with the idea of putting two fast young players, RBs Jordan Hall and Jaamal Berry, as the kick returners in contrast to the past where he had established veterans return kicks.
So far, the returns have paid great dividends. The two backs have only had six kickoff returns, but they have combined to average 31.3 yards per return, good for 14th in the country.
And Berry and Hall showed excellent promise against Miami, with Berry being a shoelace away from burning the Canes kickoff unit for a touchdown, and Hall bouncing off defenders to get into Miami territory on a later kickoff.
At this point, it is safe to assume that either Hall or Berry will take a kick to the house, so the only question is which one will do it first?
Whatever the case, having these two young guys return kicks was a great decision by Tressel, which has already gotten some rave reviews among fans.
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2. C.J. Barnett
4 of 5With questions looming about the safety position, sophomore C.J. Barnett has erased so many of his doubters early on with hits that should remind Buckeye fans of the late Jack Tatum.
Barnett, who became the surprise starter over Orhian Johnson, has been nothing short of superb so far as a starter, proving to be a big playmaker in the secondary.
C.J., like Hankins, has been quick to make his impact felt, creating the opening turnover against Miami by deflecting a pass into the arms of DE Nathan Williams, and delivering big hits to Miami receivers all game long.
Unfortunately, Barnett was hurt with an apparent knee injury, though recent reports have stated that it is not an ACL injury.
With all likelihood, Barnett should be back sometime in October, the latest being before the Buckeyes' big game at Madison against Wisconsin.
But Buckeye fans should feel good about the future of their safety position in their new No. 4, and should be excited about his future growth and development.
1. Tyler Moeller
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It might not be a surprise to some considering the caliber of player that S/LB (STAR) Tyler Moeller can be after being strong in 2008.
What has been surprising is how well he has responded from his head trauma, and how he became a gamechanger so quickly.
Moeller, the Week 1 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, has shown why he can be a difference-maker, showcasing his freakish athletic ability in being a stout run-stuffer and quick enough to deliver hits in the passing game.
With the return of Moeller, the Buckeye defense adds a huge piece which makes them so much faster with Moeller lining up as the third linebacker instead of at nickelback because he can be both a linebacker and a safety, hence the STAR designation.
And based on the terminology of the STAR, Moeller is no doubt the prototype player for the unique position.
Buckeye fans should expect Moeller to continue to be a disruptive force, and to be the type of player that can take an already great defense to another level.
This article can be found on Storm the Field. Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @bielik_tim.
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