Recruiting Targets: Hits & Misses

December 17, 2019 by Leave a Comment

In our second installment of the hits & misses content, we will be looking into the class of 2018. Last weeks piece focused on the 2019 class and we will be working our way as far back as we can, but this week is 2018’s weeks to shine.

The recruiting game is great when the dominoes keep falling in place and the recruits commit and stick throughout. It is a terrible thing when coaches leave and there are questions that leave uncertainty, and they all of a sudden look around and ultimately leave for reasons.

The 2018 class was great and it was the last class prior to Coach Meyer’s retirement and this class finished second only to Georgia, but his class could’ve been better if it weren’t for departures from formerly committed players who found opportunities elsewhere.

Chris Olave visiting. Credit: Twitter.

Hit: Chris Olave, WR

When you think of Chris Olave, you think of all the impact plays he has made since he has step foot on campus. From slaying the Wolverines or just making a key play on a tremendous route or blocking a kick, he has made an impact in both years in Columbus. He is one of the biggest gets in recruiting and he was discovered accidentally while scouting JT Daniels in California. While catching passes from his quarterback, Olave was highly underrated and he was recruited lightly, but those who take the time to scout will often find a gem like Olave. That is exactly what the Buckeyes found and he is tearing it up.

Jeremy Ruckert at The Opening. Credit: 24/7 Sports.

Hit: Jeremy Ruckert, TE

Speaking of playmakers, Jeremy Ruckert showed his playmaking skills last week during the Big Ten Championship Game to bring the Buckeyes back from the dead, to secure their third consecutive conference crown after going down 21-7 at the half. On their first score during the second half, Ruckert made a one-handed snag that looked like a Jordan logo that brought the team back to life, that ultimately brought the juice back to the team and it started the run to the finish. This score gave the team the shot in the arm to go on a 28-0 run to close the game out, to win the conference championship for the third straight year.

Master Teague III. Credit: tennesean.com.

Hit: Master Teague III, RB

Who would’ve thought Master Teague would make an impact as a backup to JK Dobbins!? Although he didn’t get a snap in the Conference Championship game, he still has more yards that some starts at the position, as a backup. He has 128 carries and 780 yards and 4 touchdowns. He is averaging 6.1 yards per carry, but imagine if he was the starter? I think he would easily have Dobbins-like numbers, but he has a beast in front of him. If there is a chance where Dobbins stays another year, similar to Chase Young, we will all be excited to see him try to overtake Archie Griffin in the record books, but it is more doubtful than Young’s situation.

Anyway, if he leaves Teague is the next man up with a stable of young, but capable backs in the Cadillac position. He runs with a purpose and he runs through would-be tacklers. He has that burst and the vision and the future is bright with Marcus Crowley and Steele Chambers in the mix too. They have Miyan Williams, a former Iowa State recruit in the fold too and the future is bright with Teague being the leader of next years squad. There are other potential backs in the mix, but if they don’t grab another one, it should be fine. The 2021 class will likely grab two backs to make it up.

Jackson Carman. Credit: Hudl.com.

Miss: Jackson Carman, OT

Jackson Carman was once a heavy, heavy Buckeye lean and he grew up in their back yard in Fairfield, Ohio. He was heavily recruited by Meyer and his staff, but the questions about Coach Meyer’s future was the final nail in the coffin before he ultimately made the choice to spurn the Buckeyes for their CFB Playoff opponent, The Clemson Tigers. He has been inconsistent all year, but his team has dominated 90% of their games this season. If the Buckeyes hadn’t had questions about Coach Meyer’s future, which was the final nail that Dabo had used to steal him away, he would’ve been in the class instead of Nicholas Petit-Frere, but it is what it is.

Substitions: Nicholas Petit-Frere and Max Wray

Aside from losing the top prospect in the state of Ohio, they made waves after they snagged the best Offensive Tackle in Florida in Petit-Frere and they also kept Max Wray in the fold for some needed depth. Petit-Frere has been inconsistent and he was a starter at Right Tackle after Brandon Bowen went down with that gruesome leg injury. Fast forward into the 2019 season, he hasn’t played as much, but he is a solid depth piece and he saw some meaningful snap after Davis was injured and Bowen slid into the Right Guard spot and Petit-Frere played in Bowen’s spot. Petit-Frere will be looked at after Bowen departs this season and they just need more depth to add for the time being.

Micah Parsons. Credit: Inquirer.com.

Miss: Micah Parsons, WDE

In another bizarre situation, the Buckeyes lost out on another Weakside Defensive End/Hybrid Linebacker recruit due to unfortunate circumstances. Parsons was so close to being a Buckeye but an impromptu interaction with the College Gameday crew left many questions and the Buckeyes eventually cut ties with him afterwards to prevent the NCAA from taking action and leveling punishment against them for the interactions between Buckeye Alumni and a highly rated recruit. (Sigh). What could’ve been.

Parsons is a terror on the edge and he has helped Penn State’s defense with his skills and his leadership on the field. In two seasons, he has 177 tackles, 92 of which are solo tackles. He has 4.5 sacks and 4 forced fumbles, with one recovered. He has been on a tear and minus the fact that he is thriving, he has done well for himself and he could’ve been ours.

Substitutions: Tyreke Smith and Alex Williams

Although it was a miss, the Smith and Williams have flashed but not to the extent as Parsons, but they are on their way. Smith filled in admirably for the suspended Young and he flashed his potential during cleanup time when games are put away. Smith has 9 tackles and 3 sacks, while Williams has 8 tackles. They aren’t producing but they are going to be cog’s on the defense in the future. There were clips of Chase Young potentially coming back for a senior season, but we will see what the future holds. Regardless, if he does come back, that frees up a rusher opposite of Young. That would be cool, but we will see if he would turn down a Top 5 pick NFL salary. I am skeptical, but who wouldn’t want that to happen?

Filed Under: B1G Football, High School Football, NFL, NFL Draft, Ohio State Football, Site News

Rumble In C’Bus

November 22, 2019 by Leave a Comment
A collision course between Ohio State and Penn State will be in Columbus this year.

The Ohio State Buckeyes are on the home-stretch of an amazing season and with two games remaining, an old foe will arrive to stand in the way of a College Football Playoff bid. Penn State will visit The Shoe to attempt to de-rail the Buckeyes’ plans to end a two-year drought where they suffered terrible road losses to Iowa in 2017 and to Purdue in 2018. Will the Nittany Lions continue the trend? Will another conference foe, with this particular one being in the same division as the Buckeyes be able to pull it off?

This game is often decided by splash plays from any phase of the game. Penn State has won on a special teams play with a blocked field goal with little to no time left that resulted in a touchdown three seasons ago. Ohio State has won the last two and four of the last five contests. The last two were won by a single point, 39-38 at Columbus and 27-26 during a White Out, where Haskins brought the team back from a three-score hole. This contest will be in Columbus and although the team has yet to play in the second half, specifically the 4th quarter, Penn State will attempt to score early and often, all while leaning on their defense to keep the Buckeyes at bay.

Justin Fields scanning the field pre-snap.

Fields Impending Heisman Push

With a few precious weeks left of the 2019 season, everything the Buckeyes have accomplished is all part of the grander scheme of playing for another National Championship. Penn State is in the way this weekend and the last three-game stretch will most likely be Top 10 contests between CFB Playoff hopefuls that could add a bit of intrigue to the Buckeyes path back to the big dance. They have to fend off #8 Penn State this week, #13 or better TTUN at Ann Arbor in week 14, and #10 or better Minnesota or #12 or better Wisconsin in the Conference Championship Game before the final playoff rankings are released.

Justin Fields has the skills and the platforms these next three weeks to surge up the Heisman rankings if he continues to light up the scoreboard and against this type of competition. 31 passing scores and 10 rushing scores against one single interception is crazy and he could potentially be unleashed in the second half and in crunch-time during the 4th quarter. He is unproven, but if the moment comes, he will be ready. He has a chance to prove why he is Heisman-worthy and if everything goes well, he can overtake former Buckeye and now LSU QB, Joe Burrow for the lead by the seasons’ end. He has the weapons to make a run, but it all depends on his poise during the final stretch.

Young hunting for another strip-sack against Jack Coan.

The Predator’s Return

Chase Young has been the talk of Buckeye Nation and he has ended his two-game suspension for taking money to fly his girlfriend to the Rose Bowl. He is now back with a massive boulder of a chip on his shoulder and he has returned to haunt every offensive opponent that he has left on his schedule. James Franklin was sarcastic during a press-conference stating that “Chase Young is back for good-old Penn State”, and he might have been the source that got Young in the weeds, but we will never know and it is all in the past now.

Big boy football in the Big Ten will continue and the chase for rings is still on-going. Young’s addition will add more juice to the defense and they will try to punish Penn State. They will have their hands full with Hamler and Friemuth, but I can see their assigned defenders coming out with an edge. Hamler will be matched up with Wade, who he beat for 90+ yards and a score on a slant route. Borland and/or Harrison will be guarding the seams, where Friemuth has hurt defenses. This defense has not given up many splash plays, but this will be a test against Hamler and company. The opposing running backs are good too, so we will see how or if the Buckeyes can negate the playmakers and the young opposing quarterback.

Penn State defense after a key play.

Defensive Firepower

The Penn State defense has been a stellar group up until being upended by Minnesota. They have a top defense highlighted by a former recruiting target, Micah Parsons. I am not 100% on what happened, but he approached the college gameday staff and something happened that affected his status, and I am assuming it was illegal. He quickly fell out of the short-list of defensive targets before heading to Penn State. Now, two years later, he is leading this defense and he will be looking to ruin the Buckeyes’ dream season. He plays in an aggressive defense that matches up in talent with the Buckeyes, but do they have the depth?

The Buckeyes have loads of depth players on offense and on defense. They will look to flex their muscles with it in order to wear down this defensive group. This group of Slobs has a chip on their shoulder and they have been great so far. This will be another great test to see where they are at and I am planning on them being ready. They have already proved it against Wisconsin and Michigan State. They have a rough road ahead, but the focus will be on Penn State.

Dobbins continuing his domination on the ground for the score.

Running Wild With Depth

The Penn State message boards were on something this week, and they called Dobbins a one-trick pony and they called out the Cadillac position for its “lack of depth”. One thing that Dobbins isn’t, is a one-trick pony. He plays and runs hard, and he can catch the ball when necessary. He is a key cog in this offense and he has been amazing when leaned upon. He is certainly aware of the comments and I think he will punish this defense.

He also has a couple of partners that accompany him in the backfield in Master Teague and Steele Chambers. DeMario McCall is there and he is a change-of-pace back that plays in garbage-time. Marcus Crowley got hurt a couple of weeks ago, but the walk-on backs can be valuable cogs as well, but this game will be centered on Dobbins and Teague. This will be a bloodbath and we can only hope that the line opens up a bunch of holes for team Stiff Arm and Harm.

An overhead of The Shoe in Columbus, Ohio.

Buckeye Bonus

This weekend is homecoming week and it marks the last game for the Buckeye upperclassmen. With a big-time opponent on the schedule in Penn State, this is where the Buckeyes use their magic to re-load to take over those who are graduating and those who might leave early for the NFL. They have been on one of the best runs and it can only help their needs to restock the cupboard and what better platform than against one of your rivals in Penn State? This week will have a large group of potential targets and a few current commits will be on-hand to seal the deal. With or without them, the Buckeyes have been successful on the recruiting trail with Ryan Day and his staff, and I do not see that changing. This week is a recruiting milestone and with a big win, they can potentially flip and snag a few before the early signing day period.

Matchups To Watch

  • Fields versus Clifford
  • Zone 6 versus Penn State Back Seven
  • Hamler and Friemuth versus Ohio State Back Seven
  • Chase Young and The Rushmen versus Penn State O-Line
  • The Slobs versus Parsons and Gross-Matos

Prediction:

I want to predict this close, but I feel that the talent and depth would put the game out of reach. The last two games have been close between both teams, but this might be the year where the close games cease to exist. I think with the potential narc on Penn State’s sidelines and with Young returning, I think of TTUN beatdown in 2018.

The Ohio State Buckeyes defeat The Penn State Nittany Lions 48-17.

#GoBucks

Filed Under: B1G Football, College Football, College Football Playoff, College Football Recruiting, High School Football, NFL, NFL Draft, Ohio State Football

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: Position Battles (Part III)

December 22, 2017 by Leave a Comment

With this matchup being approximately a week away the focus will be on the defensive position battles between Ohio State and USC.  This matchup will feature Ohio State and their Top 10 defensive unit against a reinvigorated defense that has won 5 straight.

Defensive Line:

The Rushmen package that Coach Johnson has installed has worked tremendously well for the Silver Bullets.  The combination of Bosa, Lewis, Holmes, and Hubbard will be used to solely to disrupt Sam Darnold and cause chaos.  It has worked for most of the season, and why not go back to the well.

The depth and talent of the players on Ohio State’s bench are ridiculous, and most, if not all of them are starters at any other school in the nation.  That is the best part about having such a coach like Coach Johnson on to mentor them.

In the interior, Sprinkle and Jones will start the game with Hill and Landers relieving them when they get tired, and they are a pretty talented group of individuals who could all wreak havoc on the trenches.

They are 20th in the nation in total sacks and 13th in team tackles for loss.  They are averaging 2.85 sacks per game and 7.7 in total yards lost.  USC needs to control the trenches to succeed in this matchup because if the floodgates open, it’ll be a long day for Darnold.

Rasheem Green was once an Ohio State target when he was coming out of high school, but things did not work out.  Unlike Ohio State, who runs a 4-3, USC runs the opposite, a 3-4.  Rasheem Green, Josh Fatu, and Christian Rector all start for the Trojans, and they all are space eaters in the trenches.

USC is 6th in the nation in team sacks edging out the Ohio State’s unit with 3.31 sacks per game.  Running a different scheme has its advantages, but the Ohio State Offensive Linemen are one of the most talented groups that USC has faced, so it will have to be determined come gameday.

Linebackers:

Both teams have an embarrassment of riches at the LB positions.  Ohio State has Baker, Borland, and Worley as starters, with Jones, Harrison, and Booker in the wings.  Together, they make a formidable trio for defenses and they are the second level behind the Rushmen.

Baker is a potential first rounder that can do it all.  In coverage, as a spy, even as a blitzer, he will do everything he can to make an impact.  Worley and Borland play well at their new positions.  Worley moved back outside while Borland took Worley’s spot in the middle, and it has worked out pretty good.

USC has quite a formidable combination at LB, and I think they are the reason why their defense has so many sacks.  The USC linemen occupy blockers while the LB’s knife through to seek out the Quarterback.

Led by Iosefa and Smith, this unit is scary good and they could give the right side of the line fits.  They are ranked as the 56th best team in the nation in tackles for loss, but I have a feeling that they will get to Barrett a lot this game due to the inconsistency of the right side, but I do not think it will be as bad as two years ago.

They will do enough to disrupt Barrett and his decision-making process, and they will most likely take the Buckeyes backs down a couple of times in the backfield.  This matchup will be between NFL Linebackers prospects, who are trying to make it to the next level.

Defensive Backs:

Denzel Ward leads another talented group of DB’s at Ohio State, along with Damon Arnette and Kendall Sheffield at Cornerback.  The definition of a shutdown corner in a long line produced by Coach Coombs, he will look to stop USC’s best playmaker on offense like he has done all season.

At Safety Damon Webb, a hard-hitting safety will patrol the top quarters along with Jordan Fuller to prevent the big plays downfield.

Collectively, BIA will be looking to prove once again that they are the Best In America by locking up USC, but Arnette and Sheffield must avoid the costly penalties that have been a problem for them this season to be successful.

Jack Jones, Iman Marshall, and Chris Hawkins lead the DB’s, and they will look to stop the Buckeye speed.  A lot of teams outside of Oklahoma and Iowa were unsuccessful in preventing the speedy WR’s from getting behind them, but they have the talent in the secondary to do so.

Like Ohio State’s starters, they will be tasked to stop a talented offense and they have the skills and the talent to certainly do so, but it is easier said then done.  Ohio State loves those crossing routes, but I feel like in order for this unit to succeed, they must stop Dobbins and Weber, and Barrett too from establishing a balance and establishing the run.

If they successfully make Ohio State one-dimensional, they will most likely have success.  If not, I think it’ll be a long day.

Position Battles:

DL:  Due to the different defensive schemes, this matchup is close.  From a talent standpoint, I will give the edge to the Buckeyes, but the production edge goes to USC.  The biggest factor will depend on which offensive line shows up.  If 2016 Ohio State shows up, USC wins easily.  If this seasons team does, Ohio State wins.  I am counting on the 2017 team to show up so I will give the slight edge to Ohio State.

LB:  Both units have a lot of talent that is starting and on the bench.  With Ohio State, they have been good, but inconsistent.  Baker tends to gamble and run himself out of position and Borland is good, but young.  USC will blitz like crazy and they have a lot of former Buckeye targets on their roster that will show up in the game.  With that, I declare this draw because there are too many variables that could swing either way.

DB:  This matchup features NFL prospects on both sides.  Ward is a lock in the 1st Round and everyone else is looking to get drafted.  Ohio State suffers from inconsistency outside of Ward, and when Arnette and Sheffield struggle, the game is almost unwatchable.  On USC’s side, Marshall and Marvell are looking to improve their draft position with a great performance against a Top 5 team and fellow conference champion.  I will give the Buckeyes the slight edge.

Special Teams:  I did not forget about this unit, but it will be an important part of the game in regards to the field position battle.  Ohio State has improved a lot over the course of the season, but USC’s unit is better in my opinion.  If USC can dominate this phase, they will be in line for an 8th straight win over the Buckeyes, but I think they finally break the streak.

Prediction:  Ohio State defeats USC 31-20

All things considered, I think the Buckeyes earn a victory in this contest.  The 7 wins in a row comment on Twitter, kind of gave the “Basic Defense” vibe and the last thing the Buckeyes need is more bulletin board material after being left out of the playoffs in favor of Bama.  I would love to see a decisive victory over USC, but I think both teams come out swinging with NFL draft positions being up for grabs.

Filed Under: B1G Football, College Football, College Football Playoff, College Football Recruiting, High School Football, NFL, NFL Draft, Ohio State Football, Pro Football, Site News

Buckeyes Have 4 Star Massive Monday

January 19, 2016 by Leave a Comment

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The Ohio State Buckeyes had a massive Monday in the recruiting world. Urban Meyer and staff picked up three more commitments as we are fast approaching National Signing Day. A quarterback, wide receiver and linebacker made it known they will be playing in Columbus for the Scarlet and Gray starting next season. 12 Star Monday is a day that might have shaken the Big Ten again since two new Buckeye commits were flips from Maryland plus it made everyone remember Buckeyes are the head of the class still. Many have been jumping on that maize and blue bandwagon crowning them the East winners next year over a top recruiter that has three national championship rings (Senor Khakis has zero for the record).

Yesterday’s announcements put Ohio State back in first overall in the recruiting ranking in the nation. They jumped the previously mentioned Wolverines and LSU. The three pickups for the Buckeyes brings the 2016 class to 21 commitments now. We will have something shortly about how many more they can take and targets. Let’s discuss who announced yesterday their intentions to don the Scarlet and Gray for their college career.

Dwayne Haskins
6’3 198 QB Potomac. MD (The Bullis School)

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The pro-style passer announced his commitment to Ohio State flipping from the Maryland Terps. He has dreamed about playing for Ohio State and his dream will now become a reality. Haskins threw for 2,217 yards and 20 touchdowns in 9 games his senior season. He is a drop back passer with a quick release but can run if he has to. Will be interesting to see how he will be used in Urban’s offense. All recruiting services have Dwayne listed as a 4 star.

National Rankings
Scout– 4 star #13 QB
Rivals– 4 star #5 QB
247Sports– 4 star #3 QB
ESPN– 4 star #3 QB

Dwayne Haskins Higlights

Keandre Jones
6’3 198 LB Olney, MD (Good Consel)

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Another flip from Maryland Jones comes in reminding folks of a Ryan Shazier style player. Not as fast as Shazier if memory serves me right but he does possess speed and athleticism. Runs a 4.64 in the 40 yard dash. He plays outside linebacker and can rush the quarterback but has the size and athleticism to play the Will position also. With the departure of Joshua Perry and Darron Lee there is opportunity to possibly see the field but realistically probably needs to red shirt a year get some weight on his frame.

National Rankings
Scout– 4 star #13 OLB
Rivals– 5 star #6 OLB
247Sports– 4 star #12 OLB
ESPN-4 star #9 OLB

Keandre Jones Highlights

Binjimen Victor
6’3 177 WR Pompano Beach, FL (Coconut Creek)

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Buckeyes Zone 6 is in need of some additions and they received one today. The wide receiver corp last year was thinned out due to injuries and it showed. Noah Brown is one of the biggest pieces coming back for Buckeyes but he is going to need some help and the incoming freshman will have just as much a chance to see the field. Victor can fall into the category of maybe seeing the field early, he isn’t a super fast athlete but he has good hands. He caught 42 passes for 846 yards and hauled in 15 touchdowns in his senior season. This is a good get for Ohio State and much needed.

National Rankings
Scout– 4 star #10 WR
Rivals– 4 star #18 WR
247Sports– 4 star #4 WR
ESPN– 4 star #44 WR

Binijimen Victor Highlights

Urban Meyer is proving why he is one of the best recruits. He has Maryland fans upset and crying now declaring this is a rivalry (OK). There is still some more time before national signing day so we will see how he has the Buckeyes positioned for the future which as it has been for some time since he stepped foot on campus: bright and national championship bound.

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

A surgeon’s lasting legacy

December 17, 2015 by Leave a Comment

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At the age of 72 years young, physician and author of ‘Any given monday’ Dr. James Andrews is arguably the most well-known Orthopaedic surgeon in the world. Andrews has been the go-to-guy, for the last thirty years, when it comes to treating professional and collegiate athletes. The list of athletes, that have trusted the future of their careers to the surgical skill of Andrews, is quite impressive; including but not limited to: Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson, Charles Barkley, Peyton Manning, Mariano Rivera, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and John Smoltz just to name a few. Yet, you would hardly know that Andrews is such renowned and accomplished man by listening to him speak, as he will tell you that “humility is the first step to greatness and if you don’t have humility,  you probably won’t get very far in any profession.” No doubt, a lesson he learned from his modest upbringing in north Louisiana.

In 1942, Andrews was born in the small town of Homer, Louisiana, about three hours east of Dallas. During the early 60’s, he was an undergraduate and All-SEC pole-vault champion at Louisiana State University. Ultimately Andrews stayed at LSU until he graduated from med school in 1967. After graduation, now Dr. Andrews, left Baton Rouge and headed to New Orleans, where he completed his surgical residency at Tulane.

Fast forward about a decade, as he prepares himself to perform a procedure on a patient, a young James Andrews has become starstruck by the man that lies on his table awaiting operation. This particular patient is not just any patient, this is Jack Nicklaus, the number one golfer in the world. Andrews begins to gather his focus, and he proceeds with the procedure. Just months later, Nicklaus would go on to win the Masters. About six months later, Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens won the American League Cy Young, with the throwing shoulder that had been surgically repaired by Dr. Andrews. Both of these major successes put Andrews on the map as one of the best specialist in sports medicine.

Fast forward to the present and Dr. Andrews is still the best Orthopaedist in sports medicine. He has performed over 2,500 Tommy John procedures, more than anyone else in the world. He has performed over 40,000 surgeries; and to this day, performs over 1,100 surgeries per year. Most notably in recent years he has operated on Drew Brees, Joe Flacco, Tom Brady, LeBron James and Braxton Miller just last year.

After all he has accomplished, Dr. Andrews surely has nothing left to prove in his profession. Through medicine, he has left his mark on the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, PGA and NCAA. Yet, he shows no signs of slowing down. He still makes himself available, not only to the rich and famous but to the average joe as well, as he strives to help more and more patients each day. Not only is Dr. Andrews striving help patients surgically but he continues his research, at the Andrews Institute, on sports mechanics in an effort to mitigate preventable injuries. Dr. Andrews has not only changed patient care with respect to Orthopaedic surgery, he has extended the careers of thousands of athletes.

Filed Under: College Football, High School Football

Building a Dynasty: 2016 Class Prediction

September 21, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Since taking over for the Buckeyes in 2012, Urban Meyer has amassed a top 10 recruiting class every year – with an average national rank of 4.25 during that four year span.  That might not be all that surprising considering this is Ohio State; a school which resides in a high school football hot bed and is the only in-state college football power. But unfortunately for Urban Meyer, he took over the Buckeyes after the worst season in over 100 years and he was facing a steep uphill climb. He was fighting against his fellow Big Ten coaches and their constant negative recruiting tactics – Ohio State was a broken and corrupt program who had been beaten by the likes of conference foes Michigan, Penn State, Michigan State, Nebraska and Purdue.  Brady Hoke and Michigan were coming off a Sugar Bowl victory and their first win against the Buckeyes since 2003.  Outside of the B1G (the southeast in particular is an area coveted by Urban and for good reason) the discussion wasn’t only about the on-field struggles of the Buckeyes, but how Urban Meyer can’t be trusted.  Look what he did to the Florida program.  He walked out on his players and left the program in disarray.  Would you want your son to play for a coach like that?  

Urban’s response to all this negativity?  He simply flipped several big name recruits, ensuring that his peers knew that Urban hadn’t lost a step in the living rooms of top prospects.  Noah Spence (heavy PSU lean), Tommy Schutt (ND commit), Brionte Dunn (flirted with TUN), Se’von Pittman (MSU commit), Taylor Decker (ND commit) and Kyle Dodson (Bert was sad) all pledged to the Buckeyes during the first few months of Meyer’s reign.  That momentum has continued on for Meyer and his staff.

The scariest part of all of this for non-Buckeye fans?  Urban’s 2016 and 2017 classes are currently projected as being the best of the bunch (both classes are currently #1 in the country).  Let’s take a look at how this 2016 class currently stands, and where it could finish by signing day.

Current Commits: (247 Composite rank)

QB: Tristen Wallace (179)

RB: Kareem Walker (31)

WR/HB: Demario McCall (44), Austin Mack (101), *George Hill (129), Kierre Hawkins (304)

TE: Jake Hausman (100), Luke Farrell (155)

OL: Michael Jordan (124), Tyler Gerald (143), Jack Wohlabaugh (413), Gavin Cupp (555)

DL: Nick Bosa (5), Jonathon Cooper (26), Malik Barrow (299)

LB: Tuf Borland (281)

DB: Wayne Davis (317), Kareem Felder (793)

P: Drue Chrisman (874)

Total: 19 commits
*I don’t expect Hill to be a part of this class.  I think he eventually ends up at MSU or Pitt.

 

The biggest need right now is at DB and interior DL, areas where the Buckeyes continue to recruit the hardest.  Now lets get to some prognostication…

DT Antwuan Jackson (56) – Arguably the top player on the staff’s board currently and he fills a major need.  Just unofficially visited Columbus for the Hawaii game, meaning an official visit is to be expected later in the season.  Auburn has been the main competition so far.


(247 Sports)

WR Binjimen Victor (71) – This position group has been about as fluid a situation as they come during this cycle.  Other names like Nate Craig-Myers and Donnie Corley we have heard about for months, but Victor is trending up right now.  Another big body receiver coveted by the NFL and a recent emphasis in recruiting by the OSU staff.

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(247 Sports)

DB Jordan Fuller (123) – Quiet kid but has always been in constant contact with the staff.  Will need to get him on campus for an official this fall.  Has unofficially visited Rutgers, Notre Dame, TCU, Stanford, Penn State and Michigan State recently.  Brother attends UCLA.


(247 Sports)

DB Damar Hamlin (151) – Pulling kids out of the Pittsburgh area is always tough, but the Buckeyes have been on this kid forever and he has been to campus numerous times.  Final four looks like it could be OSU, PSU, Notre Dame and Pitt.


(247 Sports)

DB Tony Butler (530) – This is my dark horse pick.  Every year there is someone who flies under the radar until the last minute and the Bucks swoop in and steal.  I think the staff will be impressed with his senior game film at St. Eds and put on the full court press late in the process.  A one time Pitt commit and Michigan lean who is now considering schools outside the B1G footprint, he is an interesting prospect to monitor this season.


(247 Sports)

 

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

MotSaG Podcast: Blacksburg Beatdown Rainbow Warrior Preview

September 9, 2015 by 1 Comment

Yes Chip Minnich and I recap what happened at Lane Stadium with our beloved Buckeyes walking away with a big win. We also discuss the upcoming game against the Hawaii Warriors their next opponent.

Besides all this great content Chip and I make some predictions on some of the big games for the seconf week of the 2015 college football season. We even added some bonus content talking about some high school football.

As always hope you enjoy the show. Don’t forget besides listening to us on Buckeye Sports Radio you can subcribe to our show on iTunes, Stitcher, Soundcloud and so much more. Just search Men of the Scarlet and Gray (no longer MotSaG Live). Please leave us some comments on iTunes and ratings really would mean a lot to us if you were able to take the time out and let us know your thoughts on the show.

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

2016 Four-Star Wide Receiver Austin Mack Commits to Ohio State

June 7, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Photo: 247Sports

Photo: 247Sports

The 2016 recruiting class continues to grow in size and talent for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Wide receiver Austin Mack, a four-star wide receiver in the 2016 class, committed to the Buckeyes this morning. The Fort Wayne, Indiana product committed to Ohio State after unofficially visiting Columbus on April 11. Mack is the 24th highest rated wide receiver in the country in the 2016 class according to 247Sports’ composite rankings. He is now the 16th player in the 2016 class for the Buckeyes and the second wide receiver added in the class.

Here’s Mack’s comments on officially joining Buckeye Nation:

Mack stands at 6’2″ and weighs 205 pounds. He was recruited by Kerry Coombs and Zach Smith. Mack had offers from multiple schools. Among the schools vying for him and offering him were Michigan, Alabama, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Wisconsin and many more. Of course, as always, here’s the official “boom” from Director of Player Personnel, Mark Pantoni:

Check out the highlights of newest Buckeye Austin Mack below, courtesy of Hudl:

To see even more highlights, click here.

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

2017 4 Star Running Back Todd Sibley Commits to Ohio State

April 19, 2015 by Leave a Comment

The rich keep getting richer. The Buckeyes get a fifth commitment this weekend, 4 star running back Todd Sibley who plays for Archbishop Hoban in Akron, Oh. Sibley will be joining teammate 2016 commit ATH Jonah Morris along with new teammate and 2017 commit QB Danny Clark.

Sibley(5’11, 205) had TTUN really really wanting him to become part of the alleged turn around chose instead to stay in Ohio and try to win National Championships.

Welcome to Buckeye Nation young man can’t wait to see you on the field.

Instead of boring you with stats here is his highlight tape:

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/2783591/highlights/196579376/v2

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

2016 Four-Star Defensive End Malik Barrow Commits to Ohio State

April 19, 2015 by Leave a Comment

Photo Courtesy: 247 Sports

Photo Courtesy: 247 Sports

The talent just keeps pouring into Columbus, as the Buckeyes land another highly rated recruit today. Defensive end Malik Barrow, a four-star defensive end in the 2016 class, announced via Twitter he’s coming to Buckeye Nation. The Tampa, Florida has verbally committed after visiting Ohio State the past two days. Barrow is the 17th highest rated strong-side defensive end in the country in the 2016 class according to 247 Sports’ composite rankings. He is now the 12th addition to the 2016 recruiting class and the third recruit to join the class this weekend. Barrow now makes up three defensive ends in the 2016 class, joining fellow four-star defensive ends Terrell Hall and Jonathan Cooper.

Here was his announcement on Twitter just a while ago:

Barrow stands at 6’3″ and weighs 260 pounds. It was his first visit to Columbus this past weekend, which speaks volumes to how great of recruiters the Ohio State coaching staff is to get a commitment so quickly. He was recruited by Tony Alford and Larry Johnson. Barrow had offers from several different schools, 21 in total. Among the schools that offered him were Michigan State, Nebraska, Kentucky, UCLA, Mississippi State and a host of others. I have a feeling that Mr. Barrow won’t be the last recruit to commit today to the Buckeyes and we’ll be hearing multiple booms from Mark Pantoni.

Check out one of the newest Buckeyes, Malik Barrow below in these highlight videos courtesy of Hudl:

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