Thoughts and observations: OSU spring game
by Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@opubco.com
Follow me on Twitter @BChatmon
Spring game is over with the White team winning 49-46 over the Orange squad.
My thoughts and observations of the Orange-White spring game:
— Brandon Weeden is outstanding. He made a couple throws today that were NFL level tosses. Cowboy fans should feel really, really good about having him at the helm.
— Justin Blackmon is Justin Blackmon. If he’s on the field, he’s going to perform at a high level, it’s just that simple.
— Anytime you have two NFL players that are going to lead your team (see above), you have to be excited.
–Safety Johnny Thomas was the star of the spring game with a 64-yard kick return, 61-yard interception return, forced fumble and five tackles. Markelle Who?…. Just kiddin’ Markelle.
— I think Joseph Randle and Jeremy Smith have the chance to be one of the top running back duos in the Big 12. They complement each other quite nicely. As crazy as this sounds, it looks like the Pokes will be able to replace Kendall Hunter without a huge drop off.
— If Tracy Moore can consistently perform the way he did today, he could be a big part of the offense. His combination of size, hands and body control makes him tough to cover. It’s all up to Tracy how big a part of the offense he becomes.
— I’m sure Hubert Anyiam is disappointed with his opportunities in the spring game. He had a great spring by all accounts but I don’t remember the ball getting thrown his way very often.
— If Clint Chelf didn’t make one bad decision, his interception to Johnny Thomas, I’d say he had the best day of all the quarterbacks. I think the backup spot is his to lose and I expect him to be the No. 2 this fall as of right now.
–I’m not going to read into the rushing stats too much. The offensive lines were mismatched between the White and Orange squads.
–One problematic stat: The two teams combined to go 6 of 26 on third down conversions.
— J.W. Walsh showed flashes. You can tell he’s a gamer. But you can also tell he’s relatively new to the offense. Give him time to get comfortable with the offense.
— Justin Gilbert looks like he will become a terrific cornerback for the Pokes. His development and progression has to have the coaching staff excited. He’s playing much more physical than he did last season. And he accepts the challenge of being on an island.
Follow
