This damn brain, it never turns off. A blessing and curse, I tell you.
As soon as I heard Joe Halahumi will be sidelined for a while, I had the wild idea of converting Obum Gwacham into a hybrid TE. I asked Cliff Kirkpatrick to present that idea to the coaches and get a response, but I haven't heard back.
Is it that far fetched? Antonio Gates was 6'5 240 when he decided to quit basketball and play football at Kent State. Gwacham is 6'5 225 right now. Say he adds 15lbs over the summer…hmm.
Intriguing.
With Gwacham's height and athleticism he'd be a nightmare for linebackers and safeties. And with four top WRs signed in the latest class, there will be a log jam at that position. Meanwhile, Tyler Perry (Central Coast, represent!) is the only legitimate, healthy TE left on the roster.
What do you think?
Plausible, creative idea, or too much Cosmo Kramer impracticality?
I think its legitimate, except for the fact that te.s need to block because OSU’s walk-on O-line needs the help. That might take him another year. I agree he’d be a tremendoys match-up problem (which is one reason it won’t happen, makes too much sense).I
It’s probably as likely as when I thought Gwachum would make a good d-end because of his size and athleticism. It wasn’t even a consideration.
Then they went out and recruited d’Vante Henry.
As it is, Perry still needs weight to play at the position. Even if Gwachum were to be moved there, he would need a good 35 pounds to play. I think it’s more likely that Will Storey is tasked with this type of position change that Gwachum.
Everyone knows I like Kellen Clute. But it does upset me that we let Hayden Plinke go to Boise and we didn’t give Andy Avgi the time of day… now more than ever.
On that note, I’ve heard that someone else is going to retire from the team due to injury. Has anyone else heard this?
If it happens, does the staff go out and get another TE?
Riley do something outside his comfort zone? Paint dries faster. Riley will lose atleast 8 of the next 10 against Chip Kelly if we keep him around for another decade and keep dreaming of Sun Bowls with the Mexican border drug wars of Juarez audible in the distance. He doesn’t have a clue how to do enough of a change to earn a victory against Chip. If it comes it will largely be because of a costly turnover or something and mostly dumb luck. Brennan likes strategy we are told so we can only pray he may actually have an idea or two..not just Riley’s stabs in the dark.
I don’t know if he can block well enough. If you bring him in a TE it is no different than bringing him in at WR in a tight formation. Also what happened to Prince? Is he done for? I thought he was decent. The roster says Hamlett is up to 255 not sure if he is any good. Honestly I would rather see Obum used as a WR where he has a huge mismatch and if we are that desperate for a TE use a undersized athletic OT as the 6th blocker… though I am not sure we have one of those OT’s on the roster so who knows.
Prince tweaked an ankle about a week ago. He’ll be fine in a couple weeks.
Hamlett isn’t an h-back. The two things he showed in high school are blocking and catching abilities. He’s almost definitely strictly a TE.
It’s a nice thought but we won’t see it.
I thought Colby Prince was serviceable and bordering on “legitimate”? Last spring/fall he supposedly showed good hands and he’s 6-3 266, so i imagine he can block. I think i read he sprained his ankle last weekend.
That said, i doubt Prince is a “game changer” like Gwachum or someone more athletic could be.
Obum might not be open to the idea, either, since he is a track guy (might not want to put on the weight).
Someone needs to convert…Storey isn’t a bad option. He’s listed as 214lbs, though.
He’s stuck in limbo because he’s just a good football player. He can play just about anywhere if he wanted, and it looks like he’s stuck at S/LB. I’m thinking he’s slotted to be that hybrid LB we’ve always had. But even requires another 20 pounds for playing time.
Will Storey’s problem is that he’s Jim Jensen incarnate.
Yet another new Riley article by ted miller. Calls him the “Sheriff of Mayberry”. Mayberry is not where top recruits want to play. They like cocky coaches and cocky programs. How can Mayberry ever be more than middle of the road with better year(s) just as much fluke as anything else?
http://espn.go.com/blog/pac12/post/_/id/21206/osus-riley-sheriff-of-mayberry-is-doing-just-fine
Tinker is right. We need a POWERFUL and RECOGNIZEABLE brand. Mayberry needs to go to the birds. This is college football. Tough types like Harbaugh who earn every players respect or innovative coaches who have faith in their players to outplay their opponent over 4 quarters and dominate like Chip Kelly get the wins and national respect. Riley wants to be lost in a 1950s sitcom. Get some attitude and coach your players to confidence and some cockiness. A word that isn’t in the Riley vocabulary. I am convinced Riley would have been a nun if he was a woman and born a century ago. I want attitude and desire and heart. We didn’t come back on anyone last year. Compare that to all the heroics (late game and otherwise) of Erickson’s 2000 team where they just willed themselves to keep winning every week, played with a high level of attitude, had cokcy players and let all other teams know they planned on winning.
So you’re saying we should get the Chipster to be our TE?
Yes, weight and blocking might be an issue here, but at the same time we’re talking speed and height and ability to catch the ball. Heck, throw Obum in as a pass catching on certain plays just to mess with them. Sometimes he blocks, sometimes he just starts sprinting.
Honestly, does anyone know how to block well on this team anyway?
But all in all, this sort of creative thinking/problem solving isn’t allowed at OSU. I think it’s in the by-laws somewhere.
Yeah, maybe we use a lineman on 1st and 2nd down, and Gwacham on 3rd downs? Is the staff even formulating a backup plan, or is it “let’s wait and see if Joe comes back so we don’t have to think about this now”?? I don’t know because the media doesn’t tell me. Why aren’t the beat writers asking questions like “Riley, have you thought of converting anyone to TE?” ??? Honestly, is that an unfair or difficult question to ask a coach?
I’ve been keeping track of the errors in the Oregonian and Gazette….I’m at 5 after 3 days. I have them all saved in a text file if anyone wants proof. I’m convinced they don’t have editors.
Go to the Jumbo set.
if they didn’t run it last year with McAndrews I don’t think we will see it this year. It is a thought though. Also I am not opposed to Obum lining up in different positions but it wont really make him a true TE.
how about you go on O-live and ask PBuker about it on the live chat going on?
Beavs might land a JC to the 2011 class. Robert Atiga from Snow. He’d play MLB. Still wants to visit Arkansas but has the Beavs in the lead.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-pbW9hGv8I
Thing that is nice to see is he tackles low. Some nice open field tackles, too.
Cool, guy moves pretty quick for being ~6’3″ 220+
I should have added he has offers from Washington, Utah, and Arkansas.
It’s nice to recruit guys who have other D1 offers, I’m not going to lie.
Nicer yet when you win those guys. I like JCs that can come in and contribute right away. This would be one more step to reclaiming ourselves as Linebacker U.
He actually wraps and tackles guys behind the line of scrimmage? CLEARLY he’s not supposed to be a Beaver. Pankey thinks he’s flashy.
Paea still hasn’t been drafted…mid 2nd round.
Ouch.
Just sent Riley a tweet regarding Gwachum as a TE…
I want an answer, dammit.
Lathen Wallace got arrested for assaulting a police officer. Sure not gonna miss him.
Do you guys think Quizz will be drafted?
A bunch of guys came out of the draft after he was told his potential position (i.e 3rd/4th round)…makes you wonder if he’ll even be drafted. That might turn out to be a mistake.
Paea to the Bears 53rd overall…
Riley has the cover of ESPN college football today if you haven’t seen it:
http://espn.go.com/college-football/
Quizz to Atlanta
Gabe Miller to Kansas City
Both 5th round.
I was not surprised to see Quizz in the 5th (I figured somewhere in that range) but Gabe Miller? Ahead of Quizz?