Ohio State Football: DeVier Posey to Gear Up vs. Penn State

It may be all a little too late for the Buckeyes' 118th-ranked passing offense, but senior wide receiver DeVier Posey will return to the field this Saturday following his infamous 10-game suspension.

“He is going to be emotionally on fire,” receivers coach Stan Drayton said, according to the Columbus Dispatch. “I think that is something that a young group (of receivers) is going to benefit from. Not only that, but the way that DeVier prepares, during the process before the actual game, he absolutely loves it. … Our young men are going to learn from that. He’s going to be the one who is going to pull those guys in and say, ‘This is how you do it.’ So I’m excited about that.”

Posey was suspended for the first five games of the season for his involvement in receiving improper benefits from tattoo parlor owner Ed Rife. However, soon before he was expected to make his first start against Nebraska in Week 6, the NCAA hit him with an additional five games for receiving too much pay during summer part-time jobs.

“This has been extremely hard on this young man, and you close the door, and he bleeds on you, you know?” Drayton said. “But this is also his escape. When he walks into this (football) facility…he knows he is around family, he is around brothers, he is around coaches who believe in him and trust in him and know him. This is his comfort zone.”

It's a given that true freshman quarterback Braxton Miller is excited to have an experienced wide receiver to throw to. He's passed for more than 100 yards in just one of seven starts this year.

Even the defense is expecting big things out of Posey. The secondary is especially aware of the future NFL wideout's capabilities after the countless times of attempting to cover him in practice.

“He’s going to bring a lot of experience to the offense,” safety Christian Bryant said. “He’s going to bring a lot of joy to this team. He should be a big impact.”

Saturday's showdown with Penn State is also Ohio State's Senior Day, meaning Posey is returning just in time to take part in the tradition of presenting a rose to his mother on the field.

Posey has 1,793 career receiving yards and 16 touchdowns and has at least one reception in 27-straight games. Jake Stoneburner, the tight end, is the team's second-leading receiver with 402 career yards.

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