Archives for April 2015

So you want to be a recruiting expert? You think you can read and talk to and converse about recruiting many hours every day and have a firm grasp on what is happening and who will and who wont become a Buckeye. So you go out to dinner with your family and enjoy a nice meal and come home to watch Scandal or whatever 🙂 and you log onto your computer to check Twitter and BOOM some committed but who, what, why, and honestly to what extent? Tuf Borland you say but wait didnt I just crystal ball him to Wisconsin because practically every member of his family played for the Badgers? How did OSU land this very talented young man? How did no one not a single person with connections at the highest of levels know this was a possibility let alone happening? Well the only thing I could come up with was 59-0 is truly a Legacy Destroyer. OSU beat Wisconsin so bad in the B1G Championship game that a sure bet to be a Badger has decided he wants to be a Buckeye. So lets hear it in his own words…

Extremely excited to say I've decided to attend The Ohio State University!!

— Tuf Borland (@Tuf_Borland) April 17, 2015

Tuf Borland is a 6’2″ 225 lbs Four Star Linebacker from Bollingbrook, Illinois. What does Tuf bring to OSU? Well lets not ignore his name he is a tough player with great instincts. He has speed and power and can play any of the LB positions but will likely end up playing in the middle. It is just a huge coup for the staff to take away a player who would have gone to a rival school and now can help defeat those rivals.

You willwant to watch his highlights so do that here.

On March 10th, Ohio State began spring practice, and had fifteen spring football practices available before the conclusion of spring practice on April 18th in Ohio Stadium. Over the past few weeks, I have ranked the top ten questions facing Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer and his coaching staff as the Buckeyes retake the football field after concluding the 2014 season as the national champions.

These articles have been submitted from areas of lowest concern to highest concern. While Ohio State returns the overwhelming majority of its 2014 team, and welcomes in a highly-touted recruiting class, it will be important for Coach Meyer to convey to his team that complacency within the player ranks could derail any hopes of the Buckeyes repeating as national champions in 2015.

Thirteen practices in, with two practices remaining, including the April 18th spring game. Opportunities to make positive impressions upon the coaching staff regarding the depth chart are becoming scarce.

Earlier in the series, my questions and focus was upon emerging players at backup positions, a clear testament to Ohio State’s depth across the board. The final articles will focus upon position areas where Ohio State has lost a player(s) to graduation or eligibility, which is why I have ranked these position groups higher in terms of importance.

1. Defensive Tackle

Key Players/Contributors Lost: Michael Bennett (eligibility)

Key Players/Contributors Returning: Adolphus Washington (Senior), Donovan Munger (Redshirt Sophomore), Joel Hale (Redshirt Senior), Tommy Schutt (Senior), Michael Hill (Redshirt Sophomore), Dylan Thompson (Redshirt Freshman), Tracy Sprinkle (Redshirt Sophomore)

Before proceeding too far into this article, some words of thanks and best wishes to Michael Bennett. Bennett was a key contributor to Ohio State’s national championship run in 2014, and will be missed along the defensive line this coming season. Best wishes to Mr. Bennett as he prepares for a hopefully lengthy NFL career.

Think your last job interview was weird? Ohio State DT Michael Bennett takes us inside the NFL's 3-month process. http://t.co/ZNroiwWAcC

— Andy Staples (@Andy_Staples) April 14, 2015

Now that we have thanked Mr. Bennett, the next person to thank? Adolphus Washington. Why? Because if Mr. Washington had declared for the 2015 NFL Draft, the Ohio State interior defensive line would be completely bereft of any notable experience.

Do you think I am being overly critical? Why not ask Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer his thoughts on the topic – Coach Meyer has used the phrase “very disappointed” when talking about the backup defensive linemen within the program, thanks to the linked article from the April 1st edition of The Columbus Dispatch.

Who has emerged, or can emerge as a starter to take over for Michael Bennett?

Tommy Schutt is the first name listed by Coach Meyer, but Schutt does not have a lock on the starting job for the fall. According to Coach Meyer, Schutt would start, “As of right now, he and Adolphus would be starting inside — as of now. I’m not ready to say he’s the guy yet.”. Not exactly a ringing endorsement, in my estimation.

Joel Hale, in a manner comparable to Chase Faris, has switched back from offensive line to defensive line, for his final season of eligibility in 2015. Unfortunately, Hale suffered a torn calf muscle this spring, and will be out four to five weeks.

Others in the mix could include Donovan Munger, Tracy Sprinkle, Michael Hill, and Dylan Thompson. Thompson was redshirted last season, due to a broken kneecap. Munger, Sprinkle, and Hill could all fall under that “very disappointed” category, as stated by Coach Meyer.

Help is on the way, with recruits arriving this summer. The issue with that is two-fold in 1)are these players physically prepared and capable of contributing as true freshmen, and 2)what does that say about the aforementioned “very disappointed” category if true freshmen are emerging over returning upperclassmen?

Are my concerns about defensive tackle overly alarming for Buckeye fans? Perhaps. After all, the 2015 season opener at Virginia Tech is not until the evening of September 7th, and the crucial summer conditioning months and fall camp will take place between then. Until then, I will hold onto the defensive tackle position as the biggest concern for the Buckeyes until toe meets leather the night of September 7th in Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia.

In what has become an annual rite of passage OSU and Coach Meyer have landed their QB commit. The 3 Top choices are all similar in rankings and styles and ability. The one thing that the guy they landed had over the other 3 was he wanted to be a Buckeye the most and put in his commitment first and landed the coveted spot as the only QB in the 2016 class.

I'm glad to Officially announce that I have Committed to The Ohio State University ! #BuckeyeNation ⭕️ pic.twitter.com/YGUnK8CSCx

— TWall (@Official_Wall5) April 15, 2015

Tristen Wallace is a 6’3″ and 230 lbs Four Star QB from Desoto, Texas. Tristen comes from the same high school as OSU player Dontre Wilson and plays some of the biggest HS competition in the country. He is a Dual Threat QB who throws and runs the ball on a really good level. He is a big kid but very fast with a 4.4 forty time. He will remind you of JT Barrett although maybe not as accurate of a passer he is a more polished runner at this point in his life. He will become the leader of the 2016 class and help to recruit other top notch players.

One thing that has been a topic of conversation since the day Urban Meyer stepped on campus was “How long will he stay at Ohio State?”. People who hate Urban or Ohio State have hoped for Urban to leave ASAP but Coach Meyer has stated he loves being at OSU and wants to stay here for a long time. Today he was granted the ability to stay for more years and paid more money. Here is a few highlights from the release OSU just put out….

The contract of Ohio State University Head Football Coach Urban Meyer has been extended through the year 2020 and will make him the highest paid coach in the Big Ten Conference in terms of annual compensation, Vice President and Director of Athletics Gene Smith announced today. The contract changes are subject to Board of Trustees’ approval at its next meeting, scheduled for June 3-4.

Meyer’s previous contract ran through the 2017 season and would have paid him $4.9 million for 2015. The new terms and extension, retroactive to Feb. 1, 2015, give Meyer a six-year contract through the 2020 season with an end date of Jan. 31, 2021. Meyer will make $5.8 million in total compensation for 2015 and, with annual raises, will average at least $6.5 million per year over the next six years.

“I am honored to serve as football coach at The Ohio State University and to represent this great university,” Meyer said. “It is a privilege to coach and mentor the young men in this program, and I want to thank President Drake and Mr. Smith for their support and their trust in me.”

Meyer is the winningest* coach in college football with an .845 winning percentage and a 142-26 overall record. He has led the Buckeyes to a 38-3 record, is undefeated in Big Ten regular season play at 24-0, and his 2014 team won the eighth national championship in school history along with winning the school’s 35th Big Ten championship.

Congratulations to D'Angelo Russell! He's the 2015 Jerry West Award winner #CBBAwards. pic.twitter.com/gZtYbOJR3z

— ESPN College BBall (@ESPNCBB) April 11, 2015

Given to the best Shooting Guard in the country.