Jaamal Berry needs Field cred and not street cred

While he is battling charges of drug possession in Miami and most likely facing tough disciplinary action from his newest coach Jim Tressel I for one would like to see the Jaamal Berry story turn around. A running back from South Florida with deadly Florida speed could have competed right away. The highlights show an extremely quick multifaceted running back that could be a good receiving option out of the backfield or a threat to go the distance from the draw play. The charges have put his first year in jeopardy, but if he can continue to work hard and stay out of trouble he should get his shot.

When the story first broke, everyone immediately plagued him being the second coming of Maurice Clarett. Talent wise that wouldn’t be so bad. The Ohio State Buckeyes won a national championship with the freshman back that was destine to win a Heisman trophy if he would have stayed in college. The end story of Maurice Clarett is what everyone remembers. He challenged the NFL’s rule of requiring three years in college before going to the NFL draft. After losing the case to the NFL he did later get an opportunity to make the Denver Broncos, but dashed his professional dreams with a bad attitude and even worse work ethic that forced the team to cut him before he ever got to the field, unusual for a Denver Broncos team that at the time had a scheme that could make any running back a staple in the NFL. When he returned to Ohio the worst happened. A desperate Clarett was arrested for robbery and assault with a gun. Sent to prison his name is now synonymous with the word trouble to any Ohio State Fan.

College football has had it fill of athletes that have gotten in trouble. Ohio State does have one story in a Heisman winner that did take the opportunity to turn his career around, Troy Smith. After being caught taking money from a booster he was suspended from a bowl game and put back in to competing for the starting quarterback position with the highly talented Justin Zwick. Troy Smith proved to be the leader that the Buckeyes wanted on the field through hard work and steady execution. He went on to win the Heisman trophy and is currently with the Baltimore Ravens. Though his NFL career has had a few cases of bad luck he is still working very hard and knows how to continue to look forward.

Jaamal Berry has shown the image of a gangsta that in South Florida might have had a lot of street cred. He now has to work harder and hopefully he will earn some field cred in the Horseshoe that will help the buckeye fans forget all about his beginning and see him with the opportunity to lift a Heisman Trophy someday.