Quick Hitter: Van Jefferson Visit Recap

July 17, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Follow: @Mike_Rockstedt

I was able to talk to Van Jefferson’s Head Coach at Ravenwood High School Coach Hester and he was able to share a few things about the visit after he spoke with the Jeffersons.

  • It was a great visit and all of the Jeffersons enjoyed themselves.  They were there for 24 hours
  • They got to spend most of the time with Urban Meyer one on one.
  • The negative things out there about Urban Meyer and the system were a concern to the Jeffersons, but they have all been answered on this visit and by the visits in Spring Ball.
  • Urban Meyer has taken over his recruitment, very good news for all involved, and is important to the Jeffersons.
  • He told me that this visit reassured Van WHY Ohio State is one of his favorites.
  • Coach Trakas used to coach at Ravenwood, now he is a coach at Ohio State as a QB intern.
  • We talked a little bit about Urban’s “system” and he told me that all those questions have been answered.
  • Van is still planning on visiting UGA next weekend.

 

Filed Under: B1G Football, College Football, College Football Recruiting, High School Football, Ohio State Football Tagged With:

Which Top 2015 WR is Hoping to Earn an Offer at FNL?

July 17, 2014 by 1 Comment

Follow: @Mike_Rockstedt

Lawrence Cager grew up rooting Ohio State.  The 6-5, 210 pound receiver from Maryland, was a huge fan of Troy Smith and he is one of the main reasons why he is a Buckeye fan.  He also liked the USC Trojan teams of the 2000’s, and what is not to like? They won almost every game during that era and were the most dominant team during that time. Cager is one of the best receivers in the nation and might be playing for one of those teams in the future.  He is rated by 247sports as the #151 player in the nation, which he says is a huge honor but he is not satisfied with that.  Cager is working to be the best.  Last week, Cager was able to showcase his talents on national television at The Opening at Nike’s headquarters.

Lawrence Cager Loves Ohio State

“The Opening was a lot of fun,” Cager said of the event.  “The best of the best was there playing against each other and competing.  I thought that I performed very well against the competition.  Overall, it was a lot of fun to be there.”

Cager is hoping to take the things he learned at The Opening and showcase them at Ohio State’s Friday Night Lights.  He is hoping that with a solid performance, he could get an offer from Ohio State.  It is the offer that he wants the most.  He loves everything about Ohio State.  He talked to me a little bit about why he is so intrigued by Ohio State.  “I grew up rooting for Ohio State,” said Cager of why he likes Ohio State.  “I loved Troy Smith, he was my favorite player.  I also really like Coach Zach Smith, Larry Johnson, and Urban Meyer.  All of them are great guys.  Urban Meyer always has a winning program and I love that.”

Before he receives an offer, he knows that he needs to perform well in front of the coaches.  He is very eager at the chance to do that and is getting ready for the camp.  He told me that he can’t wait to compete at the camp and prove to the coaches that he is a great receiver.  He recently took a trip to Alabama and camped there, and he feels that they are close to offering also.  Alabama is another offer that he really wants.  He is hoping for the same at Ohio State Friday Night Lights.  Ohio State is at the top for Cager and he has made no secret about it.  I asked Cager what he would like to say to Buckeye nation and he told them, “Watch out for me! I am going to ball out at FNL, and if I play at Ohio State, I am going to make a huge impact.”  Cager should get an offer after the camp.

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Filed Under: B1G Football, College Football, College Football Recruiting, High School Football, Ohio State Football Tagged With:

Neville Gallimore Brings Canadian Flavor to The Opening

July 16, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Follow: @Mike_Rockstedt

The Opening, held each year at Nike’s headquarters in Oregon, is a prestigious event held for the best of the best in high school football.  Neville Gallimore, with his participation, became the first Canadian prospect to play in the event.  Gallimore, as we all know, dominated the Columbus NFTC and as a result, was invited to this all star challenge.  He is not only showing off his skills for himself, but wants to prove to people that Canada has a lot of talent, just like the United States.  The Opening was his chance to show the nation why Canada deserves a fair shot at gaining credibility for football.  Gallimore, of course, did not disappoint, and he was able to enjoy every moment of it.

Gallimore is a huge prospect.

“Everything from the plane ride to chilling in the hotel room was awesome!” Gallimore said of the event.  “Everything about The Opening was great and I had a lot of fun.”

Gallimore’s roommate was non-other than Ohio State’s very own Jashon Cornell.  Of course, this is a time to enjoy but Cornell was recruiting him here and there.  He told me that he got to spend some time with both Cornell and Justin Hilliard, and not all of the conversations were about football.  They have truly built a good relationship off the field as well and it has helped Ohio State’s chances for landing the big target.  Gallimore talked a little bit about how their friendship helped Ohio State.

“It’d be awesome for all of us to play together,” Gallimore said of his new friends.  “It definitely helped the chances with Ohio State because it shows the type of players they recruit.  Justin and Jashon are great guys and it kind of shows the team that Ohio State wants.  They are guys I would love to play with.”

As for the rest of the summer, Gallimore is unsure of what visits he is going on, but is hoping to come to Ohio State for Friday Night Lights.  He has just been invited to and accepted an invite to the Army All American Game and is very excited for that.  Gallimore is still pretty open in his recruitment and is enjoying everything about it.  I like Gallimore a lot as he is very humble and talented.

Filed Under: B1G Football, College Football, College Football Recruiting, High School Football, Ohio State Football Tagged With: , ,

Could Donovan Peoples Jones Be the Next Michigan Star at OSU

July 15, 2014 by 1 Comment

Follow: @Mike_Rockstedt

Michigan was good to Ohio State in the 2014 recruiting class.  Ohio State landed one of the best corner backs in the nation in Damon Webb from Cass Tech in Michigan.  Ohio State is hoping to continue that trend with class of 2017 WR Donovan Peoples Jones.  Jones already has a couple of offers from North Carolina, NC State, Ohio State and Miami and  other schools have been showing interest such as Michigan, Michigan State, Tennessee, and Penn State.  Ohio State has really been recruiting him hard he tells me and he is very interested in Ohio State.

Donovan Peoples Jones already has an Ohio State offer.

“They have a great program all around,” Jones said of why he likes Ohio State.  “They have a great tradition and I have a good relationship with all of the coaches.  I also want to major in a medicine field and I love the medicine school at Ohio State.”

Jones told me that he knows he wants to study medicine but is not sure which specific part of medicine.  The medicine school has a big appeal to Jones and it shows how much effort he puts into academics by considering the academic side of things.  He has been to Ohio State before and got a chance to get a better feel for the overall feel in Columbus.  He got to check out the facilities and be in on the position meetings.  He had many good things to say about Ohio State’s facilities.  “The indoor field was pretty nice,” Jones said of the facilities.  “The weight room was also state-of-the-art.”

As for the rest of the Summer, he is going to camps at Tennessee, Penn State, and Ohio State for Friday Night Lights.  He has been busy this summer with camps and visits to many different schools across the nation.  I asked him what Damon Webb has told him about the recruiting process and Damon has been talking to him a lot.  “Damon is telling me to keep working hard and that if I continue everything is going to fall into place.”  Donovan is very excited for the season.  His recruitment is just getting started and I think he is going to get more and more offers.  He already has an impressive offer list but it is only going to get bigger.  It can only help that Damon Webb is at Ohio State for Jones’ recruitment as I am sure Damon Webb is going to try and bring him here.  Jones is very talented and he going to be one of the top WR’s in the nation for the 2017 class.  He is a recruit that every recruiting  fan should follow.

Follow Donovan: @dpeoplesjones 

Filed Under: B1G Football, College Football, College Football Recruiting, High School Football, Ohio State Football Tagged With: ,

Want to own something OSU great Mike Vrabel once owned?

July 15, 2014 by 1 Comment

As everyone reading this post should know by now Mike Vrabel a Buckeye in the truest sense of the word has accepted a position coaching in the NFL and is moving his family to Houston, Texas. While this saddens so many of us Buckeye fans that he wont be standing on the sideline for OSU games anymore this was an opportunity he could not turn down and we understand that. What it does mean though is that the family has to move and when you move across country you have to get rid of some things because a purge is needed.

In there lies the awesomeness of this here post. You see the Vrabel family is auctioning off many of those belongings that they can’t take with them….

Who doesn’t want a signed Chevy Chase Caddyshack poster?

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How about the place where he kept his beer cold then after finishing them he probably smashed the cans on his forehead?

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How about the place where Coach Vrabel cooked copious amounts of meat products for himself and his players?

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You get the point I assume by now there are seemingly 100s of items for sale and anyone can bid and win some piece of the Vrabel family history. Curious how to bid? Let Coach Vrabel tell you himself…

Filed Under: B1G Football, College Football, High School Football, NFL, Ohio State Football Tagged With:

MotSaG Chat with Ethan Tucky

July 15, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Can you imagine what it is like to be a top 100 recruit in the nation? How about a Top Linebacker in the country? Now also imagine you grew up 30 minutes from Ohio State that has arguably become the greatest Linebacker producing school of modern football era. That is exactly what Ethan Tucky is dealing with right now. The 6’2″ 210 lbs LB from Delaware, Ohio is a 4 star recruit and a top 100 player in the country according to 247sports. I was lucky enough to talk to Ethan tonight and get his reaction to his visit to Ohio State today.

downloadEthan Tucky has been an OSU fan his whole life and who can blame him he grew up a stones throw away and during what has been a golden era of Buckeye Football. When I asked him about the pressure of landing a Buckeye offer and choosing OSU being a hometown kid he had this to say… “A little yes, I try to be very open with recruiting though. In the end I am just trying to find the right fit for me.”. Who does Ethan list as his favorite football player of all time none other than former Buckeye Great James Laurinaitis. A player that every OSU fan hopes the next LB will compare to even a little bit.

You would think being so close to OSU he would have visited a million times but in reality today was his first visit ever to the campus. His impression of the campus was surprising to me he said of it… ” It wasn’t as big as people told me. I mean it is not small or anything but once I got on it the size didn’t matter to me.”. That tells me he wont be intimidated by OSUs vast size and that it wont be a negative factor for him.

What part of his campus tour did he enjoy the most? This also was very telling in my opinion. He said of the visit to OSU that he enjoyed the most… “The coaching staff feel, they really felt like good friends. So I enjoyed being able to open up and be comfortable with them.”.

It didn’t take long from his visit today for Ethan to list his Top 10 schools as he tweeted this message out shortly after our interview ended…

https://twitter.com/akaEthanTucky/status/488852207698472960

Even that list which he clearly claimed had no order was telling. Sure he put Ohio State #1 which has at least some feeling of being his favorite. But to not even list Michigan in his Top 10 shows you how much he loves OSU as a fan and how much an offer would be for him. The staff told him an offer is forthcoming once they see him play this fall in his new position as an OLB. He played DE last season but every school is chasing him as a LBer at the next level.

He doesnt have any visits scheduled for the rest of the summer but may travel to Michigan State to see their campus if he can arrange it. If I was a betting man I would put all my money on Ethan getting his offer pretty quickly into this coming HS FB season and him committing not to long after that. He is exactly the kind of person and player that Meyer loves and that OSU fans will enjoy watching play for years to come.

Filed Under: B1G Football, College Football, College Football Recruiting, High School Football, Ohio State Football Tagged With: ,

2015 O-Line Recruiting- Commits and Targets

July 14, 2014 by Leave a Comment

By: Michael Rockstedt

Follow: @Mike_Rockstedt

The Offensive Line has become such a strong point for Urban Meyer and staff while they have been in Columbus.  That has not changed with the 2015 class.  Securing two commits already, Urban Meyer is still searching for a couple of big prospects to fill needs across the line.  I take a dive into who I think is going to end up in the class along with the two commits.

1. Grant Schmidt-Sioux Falls, South Dakota– Commit South Dakota is not necessarily your recruiting hot bed when searching for the best talents in America.  Grant Schmidt begs to differ.  The 6-6, 275 pound lineman hails from the great state of South Dakota and was a bit of a surprise commit to many.  He came to Columbus for a camp and then a visit the next day, and committed on the visit.  He was one of the recruits that kind of got the ball rolling for the class.  Schmidt is a big, strong guy and should be getting more attention as the season goes on.  I think it’s pretty neat that Schmidt is from South Dakota because not too many players come to Columbus from there.  Schmidt fills a position of need for this class and could have a chance to compete from day one.

2. Kevin Feder- Ramsey, New Jersey- Commit Big is an understatement when you are talking about Ohio State commit Kevin Feder.  Standing 6-9, 305 pounds, not many people can compare in height to this kid.  Originally a Miami commit, Feder switched to Ohio State a couple of days after he camped and visited.  His commitment was one of many in the month of June for Ohio State.  There are not many prospects like Feder in college football and I think that puts him at an advantage.  Don Bosco is also one of the best football programs across the country.  Always producing top-tier talent, Don Bosco is usually ranked top 10 in the nation for football, year in and year out.  Feder brings a unique advantage to the game with his size so it is going to be interesting how his size translates to the next level.

3. Drew Richmond- Memphis, Tennessee. Drew Richmond has made it known that he grew up an Ohio State fan.  There is no doubt that he truly loves Ohio State.  The 6-5, 320 pound tackle, has offers from all over the country including Alabama, Tennessee, Ole Miss, and Ohio State.  He has been on visits all over the country and is taking a visit to Ohio State for Friday Night Lights.  His recruitment is going to be interesting down to the wire, but I think it is a Ohio State versus SEC battle, with Alabama, Tennessee, and Ole Miss, being the biggest threats.  It is going to be interesting to see how his visit goes at Friday Night Lights.  If he enjoys the red carpet treatment he is most likely going to get, then I think Ohio State could be his end point.  I think the SEC schools are going to be a big challenge for Ohio State.

4. Matthew Burrell- Woodbridge, Virginia. Matthew Burrell is another guy who has made it no secret how much he loves Ohio State.  He has been to Columbus a couple of times now and loves it there.  I really like Ohio State’s chances here.  He is very close with a couple of Ohio State commits and targets such as Justin Hilliard, Jashon Cornell, and Damien Harris.  I know there are a couple of other schools that he really likes and schools that are recruiting him hard such as Alabama and Florida State.  He is still very wide open with his recruitment but is narrowing it down piece by piece.  He hopes that he can return for Friday Night Lights but is still working some things out.  He is not committing until after he takes his official visits, which I am sure Ohio state is going to get one.  I like Burrell to be another piece to the 2015 class.

Filed Under: B1G Football, College Football, College Football Recruiting, High School Football, Ohio State Football Tagged With: , , ,

Coach Coombs is important to Class of 2017 ATH Aapri Washington

July 10, 2014 by Leave a Comment

By: Michael Rockstedt

Follow: @Mike_Rockstedt

In the beginning of the week, we did an article on Class of 2016 running back Robert Washington. Today, we sat down with his cousin and class of 2017 star, Aapri Washington, from Huntersville, North Carolina.  The 5-9, Athlete has six offers already from the likes of Boston College, Mississippi State, Syracuse, Wake Forest, Old Dominion, and Ohio.  Some of the other schools that have not offered but are showing interest are Arizona, UNC, NC State, West Virginia, and Ohio State.  Aapri has been to Ohio State a couple of times now including April 15th for a visit and most recently on June 21st for a camp.  He had nothing but good things to say about his recent visits to Ohio State.

“In April I got to visit the campus and the facilities were excellent!” he said of his visit.  “I love the stadium also.  It definitely lived up to the expectations that Ohio State has.  At the camp in June, I got to work out with Coach Coombs and it was awesome getting to learn from him and have him coach me.  The competition was great and I had a great time. I could definitely see myself as a Buckeye.”

Coach Coombs is one of the biggest reasons why Washington has such a strong interest in Ohio State.  He told me that they have built such a strong relationship and it continues to grow.  “He is a father figure to me,” Washington said of his relationship with Coombs.  “I trust him a lot with everything.  He said if I need anything at all he would be there to help me.  He is taking me under his wing.”  Coombs is a very personable guy and a very popular figure among Ohio State fans and recruits.  It is nice to have a recruit trust a coach like that.  Coombs is building strong relationships with a lot of these players and it is doing wonders for Ohio State.

Aapri Washington’s recruitment is just starting, but that does not mean he is not busy.  He has been all over the country this summer on visits, going to camps etc.  He does want to get back to Ohio State for a game.  When he is not playing football, he enjoys hanging out with friends and relaxing.  The recruiting process has not been stressful for Aapri because his cousin has been giving him good advice throughout it.  “He tells me that I need to be patient,” Aapri said of the advice Robert has given him.  “He tells me not to stress about the whole process.”  Aapri is certainly making a name for himself on the camp circuit.  I am excited to follow him on the recruiting trail as he gets bigger and stronger.  I think that he is going to be a highly rated player in his class.  I asked what he would like to say to Buckeye fans and he said, “Go Bucks!”  Aapri Washington is a recruit that every fan should follow.

Highlights: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/3103531/highlights/123165375

Give him a follow on twitter also:  

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

Answers to Staff Questions

July 9, 2014 by 1 Comment

By: Michael Rockstedt

Follow: @Mike_Rockstedt

Thank you for all of those who submitted questions to the “Ask the Staff.”  We here at MotSaG love any reader interaction we can gather and it’s good to know that people are reading.  Let’s get to it!

 

When does Damien Harris pull the trigger and is it going to be good news?- Jason

This is the question of the hour.  If you follow recruiting I am sure you know that Jashon Cornell and Justin Hilliard are very close with Damien Harris.  I think Hilliard and Cornell joining Ohio State helped out big time with Harris.   He has made it no secret how much he loves Ohio State, but the same goes with Kentucky. He has committed to Michigan once before and is adamant about not committing again until signing day.  But as we realize with a lot of these players, the process gets stressful.  I think that Harris could commit at anytime, but wouldn’t be surprised if he dragged it out until signing day, only because he committed once before and does not want to decommit again.  I like Ohio State to land Harris in the end, but Kentucky is going to give them one heck of a push.

Malik Jefferson and Jerome Baker will we be able to have both of them in the 15 class?- Nick

I am going to answer this with my prediction that Baker is going to choose Ohio State on Friday.  The simple answer is yes.  Malik Jefferson is such a talented player that you just don’t say no to.  I have spoken with Jefferson before and he is visiting for the Illinois game and has a very strong interest in Ohio State.  Malik Jefferson is the type of talent that you just don’t deny a spot in this class.  He is a longshot as I think Texas A&M is the leader.  Also, Florida is giving Baker a hard time with his decision.  Let’s get Baker in the fold and go on from there.

What are your Honest thoughts on Jared Payton 2017?- Michael Jones

Jared Payton is a 5-11, defensive back and is part of the 2017 recruiting class.  I like his game and I am excited to see his talents progress to the varsity level.  He grew up a Florida fan, but loves Ohio State as well.  I think his recruitment is just heating up and he is only going to get bigger on the recruiting trail.

What is the latest with Van Jefferson? Do you like the Buckeyes chances?- Elliot

Much like the Damien Harris question, Van Jefferson is the next recruit everybody wants to know about.  Van has been trending for the past couple of weeks for Tennessee, but I do not agree with that.  I have spoken with a couple of people in the Jefferson camp, and they are very much into Ohio State.  They love Urban Meyer and how he would prepare Van for life after football. He is visiting on July 16th and this is a chance for Ohio State to show him why they are the school for him.  I have been saying for a while now that I still think Ohio State is the team to beat.  I am sticking with that.  He hopes to decide on his birthday, July 26th, but if not then, sometime before the summer is over.  I like the Buckeyes here.

Hey guys, I was wondering what OSU chances are at landing Brian Cole?- Anthony

Brian Cole is a very interesting prospect.  He is rated the top prospect in Michigan and many people feel like this is a two team race between Michigan State and Michigan.  Ohio State is making things interesting as he has visited here before and could be coming back for FNL.  I expect him to stay in state and choose either Michigan State or Michigan.

 

Filed Under: Ohio State Football

“Maybe I’ll be in Scarlet and Gray Soon!” MotSaG Chat with Marcus Williamson

July 9, 2014 by Leave a Comment

When you are a freshman, often times you are not ready to begin thinking about where you are going to play college football.  But if your lucky enough, like class of 2017 ATH from Westerville, Ohio Marcus Williamson, it can start that early.  Williamson is a 5-10 athlete but most people think he is going to play corner back or wide receiver at the next level.  He has one offer, one from Toledo, but has been gaining interest from many other schools.  He gained some interest from Indiana after he camped there, Ohio State and Michigan State have also been showing a lot of interest. He has a very strong interest and even told me that if Ohio State offered, they would immediately be one of the favorites.   He likes many things about Ohio State and had many good things to say about the program.

Marcus Williamson is a great prospect and he loves Ohio State.

“My whole family has been Buckeye fans since I was little,” Williamson said of why he likes Ohio State.  “I live in Columbus and it’s great to see how passionate the fans are.  They also have always had a winning tradition.”

Williamson grew up around a Buckeye family and around the Buckeyes so it is easy for him to love Ohio State.  He recently took a trip to the neighborhood school and was able to camp and impress the coaches as best he could.  “I went to the camp and ran a 4.45 forty,” he said of the camp. “I feel like I did excellent in the drills.  I think I performed very well at the camp.”  He was not able to check out the campus and facilities, but said that he wants to get up there soon to check out the academic side of things.

Marcus Williamson’s recruitment is starting to heat up now and I am sure he is going to get more offers and more interest soon.  He keeps in regular contact with Coach Coombs and they are starting to build a good relationship.   It is good that he has been in contact with Ohio State early as I’m sure they are going to be keeping tabs on him in the future about how he develops his game.  I asked Marcus if there was anything he would like to say to Buckeye Nation, and he said, “ I’ve been working hard. Maybe I’ll be in scarlet and gray soon!”  Marcus is a hard worker and I expect him to get bigger and better.  His recruitment is going to get very busy as more teams get interested.

Give him a follow on twitter: @WW_Marcus 

 

 

Filed Under: Ohio State Football Tagged With:
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