Archives for June 2014

Readers Interview with Austin Mack

We here at Men of the Scarlet and Gray, are pleased to announce a more interactive type article.  Last week, we asked you to send questions that you had for class of 2016 star Wide Receiver, Austin Mack.  Mack has offers from many programs around the country, such as Ohio State, Michigan, and Notre Dame.  He is rated as the 78th best prospect in the nation according to 247 sports composite and the 12th rated Wide Receiver.  In my opinion, Mack should be rated much higher, as I think he is one of the most talented recruits in the nation.  He was very excited to have the chance to answer questions from the readers!

Austin Mack loves Ohio State

 What are your top things when you look at a school? Like being close to home, education, coaching staff, and etc?- Zane

The top thing I look for in a school is education. Of course distance matters because I care about my family, but it all depends on the best fit. Also I care about how the coaches treat players and how good I can interact with them.

 Do you have additional summer visits planned?- OSUBasketballJunkie 

 Yes, I am going to MSU on the 12th of July, then going to Ohio State for the Friday Night Lights camp on the 25th , and I’m going to the BBQ in the big house which is also at the end of July. That should be it unless we make a stop to Tennessee on the 17th.

 What has been your favorite part about the recruiting process thus far?- JP

 My favorite part is being able to have the luxury of seeing things that most college fans couldn’t. Growing up as a kid, I wanted to see some of these things like the locker room and the equipment room, and now, since I’ve become more successful, it’s all happening.  It’s pretty special.  Also making relationships with people who I did not think I would, such as (Coach Urban Meyer) is neat too.

Call of Duty or Halo? Who do you model your game after?- El Kaiser

Call of Duty of course! I’m a gamer! But I model my game after Larry Fitzgerald. I can relate my game exactly to his and he is a big bodied receiver like myself. I study most of his routes and tendencies and try to put them into my own.

What is your favorite moment in your football career?- Paul

My favorite moment in my football career so far would have to be when I was a freshman and we won the state championship! One of the best memories in my life. But unfortunately, I wasn’t a big contributor due to our 25 senior starters. So more realistically, my personal best moment is receiving my first big offer from Ohio State. I was on Cloud nine for a while and it was a great feeling.

Name one thing that Ohio State has that Notre Dame does not, and one thing that Notre Dame has that Ohio State doesn’t?- Jesse Sidwell

Ohio State has a more prestigious football program and they have multiple facilities.  Notre Dame has incredible academics. They are compared with Harvard and some Ivy league schools. But the huge difference between them both is one is public and one is private. ND only has about 9,000 kids on campus which is a lot smaller than OSU. But there both great schools and have their own unique, qualities. 

Kayden Lyles Has the Spotlight as a Freshman

Kayden Lyles is used to having the spotlight around.  When your teammate is one of the most heralded recruits in the nation, it helps with the spotlight when it is your turn.  Christian Kirk has done just that for Kayden Lyles.  Kirk is a 2015 WR and one of the biggest recruits in the nation.  Lyles is used to the media always being around for Kirk so it is helping him for when it is his time to shine.  As a sophomore to be, that time is beginning now.  The 6-3 3, 290 pound Lyles already has an impressive offer sheet.  He has received offers from many schools such as Arizona, Oklahoma, Arizona State, Notre Dame, and Ohio State.  With so many offers, he has many options to choose from. About a month ago, him and his brother Kare, A quarterback for the 2016 class, took a trip to Ohio State.  He had many good things to say about the visit.

Lyles loved everything about Ohio State.

“I loved Ohio State!” he said of the visit.  “Everything from the facilities to the campus was just amazing.  I got to spend a lot of time with Coach Meyer and Coach Smith.  Coach Smith is my main recruiter and we have such a strong relationship.  I love how they keep everything real.  They told me about the programs they have for after football because football does not last forever.  Everything about Ohio State was amazing.”

He told me that the best part was just getting to hangout with the coaches.  He loves Coach Smith a lot and he is a big reason why he loves Ohio State.  I asked him about Kare, and what school he chooses having an effect on his decision and he said, although he would love to play with his brother in college, it won’t be a deal breaker to not attend a school.  “Of course I want to go to the same school as Kare,” he said of attending the same school.  “My parents think that would be fun also.  But none of us are concerned about any of that because we have to make the best decisions for us.”

Lyles still has a long way to go in his recruitment.  He does not have a set date on any visits this summer, but is going to Arizona State sometime in Mid-July.  I asked him how playing with all the talent around him like Kare and Christian Kirk, and he said it has just been a lot of fun.  Kirk has also been giving him a lot of advice on his recruitment.  He told him about staying humble throughout the process and to work on getting better each day. Lyles is definitely taking that advice with him as he goes through the process.  He is a special talent and I know he loves Ohio State.  He also told me that distance would not be a factor, saying whether he goes an hour away to school or 18 hours away, as long as it is the best fit for him.  Ohio State is going to be in his recruitment until the end.

 

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/3289529/highlights/94259502

You can also follow Kayden on twitter:  

Austin Mack Wants to Answer Your Questions!

Austin Mack Wants to Answer your Questions!

 

We here at Men of the Scarlet and Gray are going to try something a little different.  Class of 2016 Star Wide Receiver, Austin Mack, from Indiana, wants to answer YOUR questions! Yes, you, the readers!  Austin holds offers from many of the top programs around the midwest including Ohio State, Michigan and Notre Dame.  I’ll be picking a couple of questions from you, the readers, to ask Austin.  So Ask Away!

Jonathon Cooper is Ohio’s Next Great Defensive Lineman

As you have read before from previous articles, Urban Meyer does not have to search far and wide in the 2016 class for the best talent across the nation.  A lot of the talent he can recruit is right in the home state of Ohio. That does not change when you meet Gahanna Lincoln’s Jonathon Cooper.  Cooper is one of the nation’s most sought after recruits in the nation.  The 6-3 and 215 pound prospect has offers from the likes of Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky.  One offer that he really wants is an Ohio State offer.  Although they have been showing a lot of interest, they have not pulled the trigger on an offer.  He has been trying to earn an offer from them by going to some of their camps.  He went to a camp on June 8th and thinks he helped himself a lot with his performance.

Kentucky is the favorite for Cooper, but with an Ohio State offer, they would join Kentucky at the top.

“I did very well!” Cooper said of his performance at the camp.  “I played both linebacker and defensive end so I was coached by both Luke Fickell and Larry Johnson.  I played well for both positions but they told me I could really do well as a pass rusher, so that is what they would want me to play.”

Cooper did not walk away with an offer from Ohio State after the camp, but that did not discourage him or shake his interest in Ohio State.  He likes Ohio State a lot and one of the main reasons is because of the bond between coaches and players.  “I just like how the coaches treat their players,” he said of why he likes Ohio State. “I also have a very strong relationship with Coach Fickell.  I call him from time to time and we do not even talk about football most of the time.”

Cooper did tell me that although he really likes Ohio State, it is Kentucky that is the favorite.  He holds an offer from Kentucky and loves everything about the program.  He did tell me that if Ohio State did offer him, they would jump up right in the top group with Kentucky. He does not plan on making a decision until after his junior season of football.  As for the rest of the summer, he is going to be working hard in the weight room and on the practice field for the upcoming season.  He is going to be at Kentucky’s Friday Night Lights on July 18th and then Ohio State’s Friday Night Lights on July 25th.  I think that Ohio State is going to offer him right after that camp.  I think when he is offered, Ohio State is going to become the favorite.  I think that Cooper is going to be a part of this class.  He does love Ohio State, they just need to show him how interested they are and offer.  He is a very talented prospect and one that we should be keeping track off during his recruitment.

MotSaG Chat With 2016 Ohio OL Gavin Cupp

downloadOhio is one of the best talent producing states in the country.  That trend continues for the 2016 class, especially for offensive linemen.  Tommy Kraemer and Liam Eichenberg are very well known prospects and already have offers from Ohio State.  Another huge offensive tackle that is on Ohio State’s radar, and working hard to get an offer, is Leipsic’s Gavin Cupp.  Standing 6-6 and weighing about 280 pounds, Cupp stands out amongst his teammates and competitors.  With offers already from Bowling Green and Toledo, but interest from many more like Notre Dame, Illinois, and Ohio State, his recruitment is starting to heat up.  The good think is that Cupp is no stranger to Ohio State.  He most recently visited for a camp this past weekend.  He told me that he learned a lot and competed very well.

“I learned a bunch of new things from Coach Warriner,” he said of the camp.  “I tested much better in some of the combine numbers and I felt like held my own against some very good competition.  I love coach Warriner a lot and loved working with him.  He wants me to come back and keep working hard to earn an offer.”

Cupp did not earn an offer at this camp, but the coaches told him to work hard in the off-season, during the football season, and to keep coming back to camp to earn an offer.  He was able to tour some of the campus, but not all of it as it did not work out after the camp.  He loved everything Ohio State had to offer that he was able to tour on his visit.

“I got to see a couple of things on campus like the Woody Hayes center which was really cool!” Cupp had to say of the Ohio State.  “I also got to sit in on an academic meeting.  Other than that though I did not get to tour the campus a lot because it did not work out after the camp.”

Cupp is not afraid to talk about how he grew up an Ohio State fan and loves Ohio State.  He follows Ohio State football throughout the season and is really optimistic about this upcoming season. When I asked him what he would like to say to Ohio State fans he said, “You guys have a great program.  This is going to be a good season for Ohio State football and I am so excited for it!”   That could get Buckeye fans pretty excited knowing that he is going to be following the team throughout the season.  For the off-season he is just going to be focusing on the football team.  He wants to win a state championship and told me it’s not about Gavin, it’s about Leipsic.  He has great humility to turn the attention away from an individual, and focus it on the team.  I think Cupp is going to work very hard to earn an Ohio State offer as he is determined and motivated to earn the respect from the coaching staff.  When he gets that offer, I think he is going to be a part of this class.  He is a very good football player, but an even person.  This is a recruit every Ohio State fan should follow on the recruiting pitch.

247Sports Page

Highlights

@gavin_cupp

TE Recruiting Class of 2015

Tight End recruiting has been rather difficult the past couple of recruiting classes for Ohio State.  Well, the 2013 recruiting class had one of the nation’s best tight ends in Marcus Baugh, but his Buckeye career has gotten off to a rocky start.  This past class, Urban put all of his eggs in one basket, trying to court Mike Gesicki to don the Scarlet and Gray.  Gesicki ultimately spurned Ohio State, after many thought he would choose the Bucks, to play for James Franklin and Penn State.  Now this current recruiting class.  The top of their board was Chris Clark.  They jumped on the Clark bandwagon early and thought that would pay dividends.  It did not as Clark chose Michigan while on his visit just days ago.  Clark did want to love Ohio State, but just could not get over Michigan.  So where does Ohio State go from here now that they have whiffed on their top TE target?  I break down the recruits who I think could be next to get courted by Urban Meyer and staff.

1. DeAndre McNeal-Mesquite, Texas

I absolutely love this kid.  After dominating the recent Ohio State camps, I have been just gushing over his abilities.  I have heard from many people that he could be the next Tight End they put the full court press on.  I think that he is trending very much so in Ohio State’s favor.  He loves everything about Ohio State.  He was not ready to commit at the camp, and is going to take a couple more visits.  He has confirmed with me that he is going to be at Alabama on July 13th, and that he is going to the West Coast to visit UCLA today.  He told me that Ohio State is recruiting him at Wide Receiver right now but is not reluctant to playing a different position, saying, “Whichever helps the team, I’m down with.”   I think he projects more as a tight end at the next level, although he told me that him and Urban have not talked about that.  He is planning a September decision and does not know when he is going to be back at Ohio State.  I like the Buckeyes chances here very much.

2. Jake Pickard- Millburn, New Jersey

Being a New Jersey resident myself, I always root for the New Jersey players.  Jake Pickard is a very good talent.  He has a very impressive offer list including the likes of Oregon, Boston College, Louisville, Rutgers, and more.  Ohio State is an offer that he really wants.  He camped at Ohio State this past weekend but did not come away with an offer.  He told me that if Ohio State were  to offer, they would shoot up on the list to join his top group of schools.   He did love Ohio State and everything they had to offer, but cannot do much else because he does not have an offer from them.  He is visiting Oregon in July and possibly Ohio State again for Friday Night Lights.  He does not want to wait too long on the Ohio State offer though and if he is not offered by Ohio State before FNL, he could be an Oregon Duck.   His visits in July to both Oregon and possibly Ohio State, should give us a better understanding of his recruitment. If Ohio State offers, I like the Buckeyes chances very much.

3. CJ Conrad-  Lagrange, Ohio- Kentucky Commit

Ah, the story of CJ Conrad is one of the most interesting recruiting stories of this class.  Urban Meyer loves his tight ends and he did not have to search far and wide for one of the nations best.  CJ Conrad is from the Buckeye State and he was all Ohio State if Urban Meyer offered.  I think that he would have committed on the spot had he been offered.  He has visited Ohio State, dominated NFTC’s and camps, and even was invited to the opening, the most prestigious summer camp, held on Nike’s Campus in Oregon.  He was heavily recruited by many schools and ended up choosing Kentucky.  Because they recruited Clark so heavily, they did not offer Conrad.  He did feel kind of slighted I am sure because he grew up loving Ohio State.  Now that they have whiffed on Clark, maybe they go after Conrad.   He has been in contact with Ohio State and he says that they want him to camp.  He refuses to camp there because, he has shown them enough and his accolades speak for themselves.  He told me that his heart is always going to be with Ohio State, but that Kentucky was the best school and choice for him.  I asked him straight up if there was any chance that an offer from the school his heart belonged to, Ohio State, would cause a flip in his committment, and he responded with, “Nope, not a chance.”  Do I believe him?  Yes.  Do I believe him a lot? Not really.  I think that ultimately, it would be hard for Conrad to turn down an offer from his love.  I am not saying that he would flip, I’m just saying that with the passion and love he has for Ohio State, an offer from them might make him second guess his choice with Kentucky.  I’ m not sure that he is going to get an offer if he does not camp, so this is becoming a chess match almost between Conrad and Ohio State.  Stay tuned for this as if he gets offered things could heat up.

 

Ohio State lands #10 via a flip

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Kevin Feder is the newest commitment of the 2015 class and this time it is via the flip method that all OSU fans have grown use to seeing since Urban Meyer became the head coach. This time he went after a recruit committed to Miami of Florida. Kevin Feder is a 6’9″ 305 lb GIANT of a kid from Ramsey, New Jersey. The 3 star commit has just recently converted to OT from DT and will be able to play both at the next level but projects to OT. Feder had committed to Miami back in January but attended a camp at OSU this past week and was offered. It didn’t take long for Kevin to make the decision to flip to become a Buckeye and announced it on his Twitter just a few minutes ago…

New Top247 For 2016 Released

Our favorite recruiting site here at MotSaG 247Sports has released their newest rankings for the 2016 class and there are quite a few people to cover. So lets break it down by commits, leans, and targets.

COMMITS
George Hill- 43rd in the nation, #3 RB, and #3 in Ohio.
Tyler Gerald- 143rd in the nation, #7 OG, and #11 in Ohio.

LEANS
Tommy Kraemer- #36
Dwayne Haskins- #42
Brandon Ferns- #60
Prince Sammons- #63
Nick Bosa- #64
Nate Craig- #71
Patrice Rene- #78
Justin Layne- #97
Ethan Tucky- #99
Jarrett Guarantano- #100
Demario McCall- #110
Austin Mack- #120
Jonathon Cooper- #162
Zach Sandwisch- #169
Jake Hausmann- #207
Luke Farrell- #228

TARGETS
Rashan Gary- #5
Keion Joyner- #7
Liam Eichenberg- #8
Ben Bredeson- #20
Daelin Hayes- #53
Sam Bruce- #67
Stephen Smothers- #72
Brandon McIlwain- #106
Miles Sanders- #133
Tyrece Speaight- #190
Malik Barrow- #230

Josh Myers Adds to the Talent Pool in Ohio

Standing 6-6 and weighing 280 pounds, Josh Myers is already one of Ohio’s best players for the 2017 class.  The offensive tackle has offers from some of the top programs around the country.  The offer sheet includes the likes of Florida, Michigan, Kentucky, and Ohio State.  Myers knows what he is looking for as a right fit.  He told me that he wants a place that provides a family type atmosphere.  Most of the schools he is being recruited by provide that, including Ohio State.  There are many things that Josh loves about Ohio State including the rich history that Ohio State has and the fan support.  He also has a great relationship with Coach Hinton.  Hinton is his main recruiter and Myers talks to him the most.

“Coach Hinton is just so laid back and easy to talk to,” Myers said of Hinton.  “He also is very funny.  I have a very good relationship with him.  I like coach Hinton a lot.”

He recently took a visit to Ohio State in March and loved every part of it.  His favorite part was getting to meet the coaches, including coach Urban Meyer.

“Meeting Urban Meyer was cool!” He said of meeting Meyer.  “I have seen him on TV so many times and then to actually get to know him personally, away from coaching, is just cool.  It was also surprising meeting all of the coaches and realizing that they are normal people too.  Yea they are famous head coaches, but they are normal people like us.”

Myers likes Ohio State a lot but he is wide open in his recruitment.  His goals for this upcoming season are not individual goals, but a team goal of winning the state championship.  He is the only returning starter for an offensive line that graduated four seniors, so he wants to improve his leadership, not only for the line, but the whole team.  The rest of the summer consists of training for football and basketball.  In fact, Myers was running a basketball camp earlier yesterday.  He is visiting Ohio State for Friday Night Lights and is very excited about getting to visit there again and also get to hangout with his friend Danny Clark.

Myers recruitment still has a long way to go, but I like where Ohio State stands right now.  Danny Clark has been recruiting him for a while now and I think that can only help.  He is not going to decide for a while on where he is going, but you can be sure Ohio State is going to be in this until the end.

247sports Page

Highlights

 

 

MotSaG Chat with Lawrence Cager

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Lawrence Cager is a top Receiver coming out of the 2015 class. He is from Towson, Maryland and is 6’5 weighing around 210. He attended an OSU camp last June. He holds offers from many top programs in the country. 247 has him as a top ten player coming out of Maryland.

Keep reading below to see my interview done with Lawrence.

247sports Profile

Andrew: How has the recruiting process been?

Lawrence: It’s been picking up ever since I got invited to the opening.

Andrew: What schools are showing interest?

Lawrence: Main ones are Ohio State, Notre Dame, Rutgers, Wake Forest, Oklahoma State.

Andrew: What schools are recruiting you the hardest?

Lawrence: Notre Dame, Ohio State, Rutgers and Wake Forest.

Andrew: Is there a list at this point in the process?

Lawrence: My top five are Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Rutgers, Wake Forest but I have 8 other offers.

Andrew: Where have you visited?

Lawrence: Ohio State, Penn State, Indiana, Oregon State, Oregon, Washington, Florida State, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Wake Forest, Purdue, Toledo, UCONN, Virginia Tech.

Andrew: Any upcoming visits?

Lawrence: Virginia, Wake Forest again, NC State, North Carolina, Rutgers again, Alabama, Tennessee, Clemson I think, Kentucky and maybe Oregon State again.

Andrew: How was your Ohio State visit?

Lawrence: I loved it, Coach Zach is a fun guy, so is Coach Larry.

Andrew: You talk to any Ohio State recruits?

Lawrence: I’m really close with Rahshaun Smith, Steven Smothers and Cam Chambers.

Andrew: When would you like to commit?

Lawrence: Beginning or middle of the season I’m projecting. But after I take visits at Ohio State and Notre Dame again and if it goes well I may commit earlier.

Andrew: What did the Buckeye coaches tell you?

Lawrence: Coach Larry Johnson told me that before they offer me, they just want to see more of me because I only played half the season last year so therefore my film isn’t as long as it should be, he said he really likes me, he and Coach Zach, they just need to see more.

Andrew: Is there anything else you want people to know?

Lawrence: I feel like I’m underrated, just watch out for my display of talents at the opening!

Highlights

Follow him on twitter: @LC3era_8