Yardbarker: Daniel Herron

Ohio State Preview By The Numbers

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:00:22 -0500

Penn State Value (Nat'l Rank) Value (Nat'l Rank) Ohio State Buckeyes Advantage Rushing Offense (ypg) 182.0 (33) 86.4 (6) Rushing Defense (ypg) Push Passing Offense (ypg) 247.1 (34) 173.6 (14) Passing Defense (ypg) Push Pass Efficiency 146.6 (20) 96.7 (8) Pass Efficiency Defense Push Total Offense (ypg) 429.1 (24) 260.0 (6) Total Defense (ypg) Push Scoring Offense (ppg) 30.7...

Ohio State Wide Receiver Ray Small Makes the Most of a Kick Off Return

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:55:57 -0500

Ray Small 2009 Ohio State Buckeyes Wisconsin" width="256" /> Ohio State Wide Receiver Ray Small Makes the Most of a Kick Off Return

Ray Small’s big moment finally came when he returned a kick off for 96 yards and a touchdown this past Saturday against Wisconsin in the Horseshoe. This score came immediately after Wisconsin attempted to get back in the game after early turnovers that resulted in touchdowns for the Buckeyes. Small worried if there was a penalty on his team but the Buckeyes were in the clear.

By Steve Patterson

Ray Small had mostly been returning punts or playing the fourth string wide receiver position. But with Daniel Herron out for the later part of Ohio State’s 31-13 victory over the Badgers, Small got his opportunity to return a kick and showed the blazing quick speed that all fans knew he possessed. The return put Ohio State on top by 15, limiting Wisconsin to mostly pass the ball which was not easy against a pass rushing defensive line that has disrupted passing quarterbacks all season long.

Ray Small came to Ohio State from Cleveland Glenville and everyone was sure they had the next Ted Ginn Jr in hand. But some slight academic issues and lapses in making team meetings on time have led to disciplinary actions against Small for most of his career. As a freshman he caught 8 passes for 68 yards with one catch resulting in a touchdown. As a sophomore he scored twice and finished the year with 267 yards. As a junior he returned a punt for a touchdown 69 yards but only put up 149 yards without a score.

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Ohio State Defeats Indiana With a Balanced Attack

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 13:31:13 -0500

Ohio State Defeats Indiana With a Balanced Attack

The Buckeyes traveled to Bloomington Indiana and took care of business while getting some good experience in the passing game and the running attack. Does Ohio State’s win mean Ohio State is the best team in the Big Ten or does it mean Michigan isn’t as good as their record indicates? With Michigan’s struggle against Indiana last week, it’s very possible the answer is the Wolverines still need improvement.

By Steve Patterson

Best Team in the Big Ten

Although the best team in the Big Ten will not be known for some time, Ohio State made a solid case yesterday defeating Indiana 33-14 on the road. Ohio State came out early and scored 10 points before Indiana had an opportunity to get close to scoring. A couple of missed field goals by OSU kicker Aaron Pettrey and a nice drive primarily to IU wide receiver Tandon Doss made the game close at one point (10-7). But Ohio State put another 14 points on the board before half-time putting the game out of hand for the Hoosiers.

Freshmen Score

After the Tandon Doss score, Ohio State moved quickly down the field and in three plays scored again with a 23 yard pass to DeVier Posey in the end-zone. An Indiana turnover led to another OSU score with a 8 yard completion to freshman fullback Zach Boren for his first score of the season. One of the stories of the game is the freshman that got on the board for the first time. In addition to Boren scoring, freshman Duran Carter scored his first touchdown with a 5 yard catch early in the first quarter.

Offensive Balance

Ohio State finished the game with 159 yards passing and 219 yards rushing. Most of the rushing yards came from Brandon Saine who rushed for 113 yards with his first start of the season as Daniel Herron did not play while he recovers from an ankle injury. Terrelle Pryor added 63 yards and a rushing score while Jordan Hall got 11 carries for 37 yards. Saine averaged 6.6 yards per carry against the IU defensive which has been poor at run stopping for years.

Buckeye Injuries

Two Buckeyes were injured during the game. Jonathan Newsome limped off the field after a special teams coverage play. He was incorrectly referred to as Andrew Miller when the injury happened by the Big Ten announcing crew. More worrisome was the leg injury to Dexter Larimore, a starting defensive tackle, that took him out of the game and could sideline him for a number of weeks.

College Football Handicapping: Ohio State vs Toledo

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:19:00 -0500

The Ohio State Buckeyes and the Toledo Rockets will both be trying to pick up a win on Saturday when they battle at Glass Bowl. Oddsmakers currently have the Buckeyes listed as 20½-point favorites versus the Rockets, while the game's total has not yet been posted. Ohio State was defeated 18-15 by USC in Week 2 as 7-point underdogs. The teams played UNDER the posted total of 45.5. Daniel Herron had 44 yards rushing with a touchdown in that loss for Ohio State. Aaron Opelt threw four to...

2009 Ohio State Football: The Super Sophomores

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 21:40:47 -0500

Remember back in 1968? Well I certainly don't—that was way before my time. But being a young Buckeye fan means lots of research and reading to learn the rich tradition of Buckeye football. While tampering about what to write about for my next article, I was thinking about that rich tradition the buckeyes have. I remember hearing and reading about the 1968 season, with 13 (10 starters) sophomore members of that team being known as "The Super Sophomores." While it may be har...

2009-10 OSU Position Preview: Running Back

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 09:03:42 -0500

2009-10 OSU Position Preview: Running Back

It’s no secret that with the departure of bruiser Chris “Beanie” Wells to the NFL after last year will definitely be a big loss for the Bucks, but with Terrelle Pryor at QB, OSU will more likely run out of a shotgun anyway, which probably wouldn’t have suited Beanie’s smash mouth style.

By David McKinney

This year, the backfield will be made up of a bunch of players with very few snaps. Daniel “Boom” Herron looks to be the favorite to start, and his hybrid slashing and between-the-tackles style could really help out the confidence level of Pryor if he turns it on. Brandon Saine was hurt last year, so he was unable to build upon his incredible freshman year, where he became the clear heir-apparent to Wells. Those two will likely get most of the snaps this year, but coach Jim Tressel is already looking for new blood to help fill Beanie’s shoes, including some players coming in this year, and some who won’t even sign until February.

Jaamall Berry is a slashing running back out of Miami, Florida, and the only thing that worries me about him is that he could be the next Maurice Wells. Wells had all of the talent to be a great slashing back, but he always settled for running between the tackles, where he was unable to use his speed. Berry is also a bit undersized at just 193 pounds, so the pounding of a Big Ten season may take its toll on him before long. Carlos Hyde – a bigger back who also has speed - was supposed to be the steal of this recruiting class, but he was declared ineligible and won’t step on campus until at least next year. Jordan Hall was a throw-in type player in this class and will probably be redshirted. Next year, however, the Bucks have already found a gem in 6’2”, 216-pound Roderick Smith out of Fort Wayne, IN. He probably lacks elite speed, but scouts rave about his “football speed,” and boast about his ability to separate from defenses. He should, however, be able to take a pounding between the tackles and could even bring back some fond memories of Beanie, the man they are all trying to replace.

Bo Delande had a Good Spring Camp along with Buckeyes

Tue, 05 May 2009 19:25:39 -0500

Bo Delande had a Good Spring Camp along with Buckeyes

A red-shirt sophomore out of Hilliard Davidson Ohio, Bo Delande, had a good Spring camp along with a number of other running backs that showcased their skills this past month in the Gray vs. Scarlet game. At 6’1” 185lbs, Delande has good size and speed for a running back in the Big Ten. During his high school career he help lead the Wildcats to a Division I state title and walked on at Ohio State the following summer.

Texas Wins An NCAA Playoff Semifinal Game! Unimportant Fiesta Bowl

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:38:30 -0500

Well at least the last few minutes were exciting. In fact, I decided to avoid the first three quarters altogether (mainly because the bands were already driving me crazy before the game even started), and just take in these final few moments. Ohio State scored to take the lead, with two minutes to go, on a nice run by Daniel Herron, but with OSU's recent history in Bowl Games....you just knew they left too much time on the clock.... That was Senior Quan Cosby, and that my friends is a fi...

Texas beats Ohio St, wins Fiesta in snoozer-turned-thriller

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:30:58 -0500

The Buckeyes led 6-3 after a dull first half but it was a whole different ballgame in the second. Both offenses decided to wake up and Ohio State seemed headed toward victory after a touchdown run by Daniel Herron with 2:15 to go and later forcing Texas into a 4th and 3 with under a minute left. ...

Week 13 College Football Observations

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:48:17 -0500

It has been a while since I've been free on a Saturday and able to make my weekly college football observations. I've only had like two days off in the last 3 1/2 weeks, so needless to say, I haven't had an overabundance of free time.

This week, I tried to make some observations, but I also had ...

Videos of Ohio State Carnage of Michigan

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 02:47:45 -0500

Here are some Buckeye highlights/ Michigan low lights from the game this weekend. Not too bad although the pre game refreshments combined with my overall physical giddiness watching the game did not help. I am sure Rich Rodriguez is kicking himself for not taking the Alabama job right about now. Another year of not making a bowl and he is gone.

Week 12 Big Ten Recap

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:11:39 -0500

Ohio State - 30 :: Illinois - 20 Illinois managed to hang around for most of the game and nearly got out of the first quarter with a tie. However, Ohio State blocked a punt for a safety with a minute or so left in the opening quarter, and from then on the Buckeyes had control of this game. ...

No Beanie 'Till Badgers?

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 17:28:51 -0500

While I'm a bit upset that Ken Gordon was only able to listen to "some" of the Jim Tressel press conference today - you know, since his job is to blog the Buckeyes and all - there were some takeaways. Most important of the group: No Beanie Wells this week.

Beanie Wells: Injury Updates

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:42:41 -0500

When a player goes down like a pile of bricks, making nary an attempt at recovering his own fumble, can you blame the Buckeye faithful for simply assuming the worst as their running back is being carted off of the field? We have all heard a handful of different updates regarding the status of the Heisman hopeful, ranging from a hangnail to ligament damage. Okay, no one really mentioned hang nails, but anything shy of turf toe and one would have to question what exactly happened given Wells...

Buckeyes trying to put Penguins on ice??? DTI's notes for Week One..

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:15:37 -0500

For the second consecutive year, #2 Ohio State will take on their 71-North opponent Youngstown State to open up the 2008 college football season. In 2007, the Buckeyes handed the Penguins their first season-opening loss in 11 years when they defeated them 38-6 in front of 105,000 scarlet and gray fans at Ohio Stadium. For many top-25 teams not named Michigan, the first game usually plays out as follows: A somewhat competitive 30 minutes of football followed by another two quarters of second-team work. This is due to the fact that many upper level division 1A schools elect to schedule FCS opponents as preparation for the more difficult non-conference opponents and corresponding conference games. OSU has YSU, Georgia will play Georgia Southern, Oklahoma takes on Chattanooga and West Virginia tackles Villanova. No offense meant to the highly gifted championship subdivision teams but they simply do not match up talent wise and after this first few quarters their fate is almost inevitable. With that being said, look for an exciting game as the first one always is, full of scoring, nice defensive plays, plenty of Buckeyes off the roster and a 30-point win. More specifically, below are some of the exciting elements to look for during Saturday's game on both sides of the football. Offense- Look for the Buckeyes to employ three quarter-back, back, backs- While Todd Boeckman will see the major majority of snaps this season, the first two games will be an opportunity for OSU to showcase their talent waiting in the wings. Second-team member Joe Bauserman and high school star Terrelle Pryor will see plenty of action against the Penguins as noted by coach Jim Tressel during Tuesday's media luncheon. You might even get a glimpse at points during the first half!!! Look for Ohio State to throw the football 60 times between the three in what should prove to be a true aerial assault in Columbus. Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom- While all eyes will be on RB Chris Wells' for the first game of what could be a Heisman Trophy Award season, OSU's primary backup situation is also a high topic of discussion going into this Saturday's game. With Brandon Saine dinged up and mostly being limited to kick-return duties, freshman Daniel "Boom" Herron has jumped the depth chart and will receive plenty of carries throughout the game. He might lack the luster of a Wells or Saine, however, his nickname is well warranted. The Warren G. Harding graduate had a great spring game and has made his presence felt throughout fall camp. Watch out for no. 1 to find the endzone and rack up some big time yardage in his first game in the "Shoe". Redemption Song- The first game of the season is a chance to turn over a new leaf for many Buckeyes who would rather but the 2007 behind them. For wide receiver Ray Small, his first two seasons in the scarlet and gray attire have been anything but storybook. While he has shown flashes of brilliance which drew comparisons to former OSU receiver and Glenville high school star Teddy Ginn Jr., his off the field issues and inability to play consistent football has all but quieted those discussions. For Small, 2008 could not come fast enough and it has shown. Sporting a new number (no. 82 from 4) and a refreshed attitude, the speedster has put together a tremendous fall workout and is close to earning back his spot as the third wide receiver on this talented football team. If he can put the pieces together, Todd Boeckman will have the true deep threat he was lacking for most of last season. Whose that Freshman in the window?- Terrelle Pryor aside, the Youngstown State game will give fans the opportunity to catch a glimpse of some of Ohio State's other top-ranked freshman talent. Wide receivers DeVier Posey and Lamaar "flash" Thomas, offensive lineman Mike Adams, Mike Brewster and J.B. Shugarts and full back Jermil Martin may all get time at various points throughout the game. Special Teams 0.8?- If there was one glaring weakness in OSU's squad during the 07? season, it was their truly awful kick return game. The Buckeyes ranked 117th out of 119 D1A teams, kind of mind blowing for a school with so many offensive playmakers. With this being said, OSU coaches have tweaked many of the assignments and believe this will pay large dividends this year. Running backs Brandon Saine and Daniel Herron will handle the return duties in place of last season's unit of Maurice Wells and fill ins such as Brian Robiskie and Ray Small. Defense- Lawrence and order- Losing Big Ten Lineman of the Year Vernon Gholston will without a doubt affect the Buckeyes at points this year, how much will depend on the play of returning defensive end Lawrence Wilson. Pegged as an up and coming star by defensive coordinator Jim Heacock, the former St. Vincent-St. Mary two-way star suffered a devastating leg injury which sidelined him for the entire season. Healthy and ready to contribute, no.87 will be a key to OSU's success on defense this season and watching him back on the field should stir the defense up something fierce. Secondary measures- With starting cornerback Donal Washington and reserve safety Jamario O'Neal on the bench for the first two games, it is, no pun intended, open season for the Buckeye secondary. At CB, Chimdi Chekwa will get the nod aside All- American Malcolm Jenkins with Andre Amos, Shaun Lane and Devon Torrence all seeing extended playing time. This could be a crucial element to the success of OSU's last line of defense later on in the season when they see four and five wide out sets. At S, converted linebacker Jermale Hines and Aaron Gant will spend large portions in the game with Nick Patterson also getting a look. Homan sweet Homan- The next star in the making, Ross Homan finally gets his shot to prove he can fill the spot once occupied by OSU LB great A.J. Hawk. He has the size and speed to be a true run stuffer and the third piece to possible the nation's best linebacker unit. His downfall has always been the inability to stay healthy but he says those days are well behind him. In the house of pain that players like Speilman and Katzenmoyer built, it is time for no.51 to get him some, tackles of course. If he improves as he should and starts 10 games this season, he will be an All- Big Ten selection and get national recognition, no question. Whose that Freshman in the window?- Similar to the offensive category, many Buckeye Freshman should see playing time against YSU depending on the severity of the game. LB Etienne Sabino and Andrew Sweat could step between the lines and make their first career tackles on Saturday. On the line, Solomon Thomas (red-shirt) Keith Wells and potentially Nathan Williams will get their feet wet with the immediate size and skill set they bring to OSU's end position. In the secondary, Nate Oliver (red-shirt), Rocco Pentello (red-shirt) and Zach Domicone likely will take off the practice jerseys and become members of the official game day active rosters. Keep the roster "OH" so close- It is almost unfair how many quality athletes OSU can trot onto the field at any given moment. Too bad you can only put 11 on at any given time because you know there are some MAC teams whom would kill for those hanging around on the sidelines. However, defensive coordinators Jim Heacock and Luke Fickell have found a way to combat this fortunate dilemma: Call them athletes and play them at numerous positions. LB's Curtis Terry, Tyler Moeller and hybrid LB/DE Thaddeus Gibson will see time at numerous positions and in different formations throughout the season. On Saturday, keep your eye on Moeller during nickel formations as he could head to safety and for Terry in 4-3 base defenses on passing downs. Gibson should be down all season as a blitzing defensive end and could be a huge contributor.