When Curtis Samuel’s name was called during a spring scrimmage in April, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer gave him one simple instruction.
“Just go,” Meyer told the freshman running back, according to Ari Wasserman of Northeast Ohio Media Group. “Just get the ball and go.”
Moments later, Samuel broke through the line and darted past the defense for a 50-yard touchdown.
It was that playmaking ability that caught Meyer’s attention during spring practice. Over the summer, Samuel earned the respect of upperclassmen on the team with his work ethic and maturity.
Speaking at Big Ten media days, star defensive tackle Michael Bennett raved about the young ball-carrier.
“Curtis Samuel has a lot of maturity for his age,” Bennett said, according to Northeast Ohio Media Group’s Doug Lesmerises. “He likes to work and he’s gotten a lot better and a lot bigger. I remember he’s got a different mentality that you don’t see freshmen usually have.”
On the set of ESPN’s Mike & Mike show a few days later, Meyer revealed his excitement for the freshman running back.
“This guy named Curtis Samuel, a kid out of Brooklyn, New York, a true freshman who came in the spring. He really stole my heart,” Meyer said. “He does everything right. He’s a gifted athlete, kind of a freak athlete.
“This kid’s a stud.”
That assessment was just as true last year, when Samuel was rated a 4-star all-purpose back and the No. 59 overall recruit in the country. He had…
Continue Reading: Ohio State Football: Why Curtis Samuel Will Live Up to Preseason Hype
