Meet Your New Buckeyes
So, the big fish is still thinking things over, but Ohio State signed 19 other future Buckeyes on a busy and drama saturated day. Scout has the class at #7 while Rivals has the unit ranked 9th. An improvement over last year when the services ranked the 2007 class as 16th and 15th respectively (in fairness, only 15 were signed last season and the services put weight on class size — Jim Delaney smiles).
Once again, Tressel’s class didn’t suffer any last-minute defectors, which in this day and age, is really saying something. While relatively small compared to the top-ranked classes (Alabama, Notre Dame and Miami if you’re looking for consensus among the major evaluation services), the Vest continued his tradition of selectively taking the top talent and not filling slots with 2-star warm bodies. Peep the official site for a fancy chart and recruit bios.
I won’t rehash any of the Pryor bits because chances are, you all know just as much — if not more — about it than we do. I will say that from all accounts and speculation, he was on his way to Cbus before his father encouraged him to take another look at Penn State (the Oregon stuff is a smoke screen). He has until April 1 to make up his mind and coaches are now in a “quiet” period in which they’re only allowed to contact unsigned recruits once per week. You can bet a few dozen top coaches will give it one more try.
One positive surprise was the signing of Orhian Johnson (ATH/FLA) who looks quick, because.. do-rags=speed, right? GoBucks89 may be on to something with the Gamble reference from earlier today. He definitely shares the same build and home state as the former cornerback.
SEE ALSO: 2007 Class as IIT Students
16 Responses
hmm, I can’t be the only one that sees Orhian Johnson and says “FLAAAVA FLAV”.
Anywho, all our LOIs came in relatively early, we had not surprise defections, and a had a pretty nice pick up to go with a stellar class that had already declared. Pretty good day today.
vico - February 6th, 2008 at 11:49 pm - #
I would be perfectly content if the Buckeyes signed 15-25 FLAAAVA FLAVs every year.
Jason - February 6th, 2008 at 11:55 pm - #
Scout has Orhian at 6′4″ 190 while Rivals has him at 6′2″ 178… Anyone know which is correct?
Dave N - February 6th, 2008 at 11:57 pm - #
Dave, I’m pretty sure he’s 6′3″/184.
Jason - February 7th, 2008 at 12:02 am - #
When in doubt, go with Bucknuts’s measurements. They have him at 6′3 190
vico - February 7th, 2008 at 12:11 am - #
That clearly must be wrong as it’s not the average of the Scout and Rivals numbers.
Jason - February 7th, 2008 at 12:21 am - #
When in doubt, average it out? Makes sense to me.
Dave N - February 7th, 2008 at 12:30 am - #
99% percent of recruits numbers are inflated because they are reported by the recruits or their coaches, so you can only believe numbers that were recorded at scouting combines or camps.
I like the average it out idea though.
cl - February 7th, 2008 at 12:38 am - #
Under another header, I was critical of JT and the Boys for not being good finishers. I still think that OSU has trouble with recruits that make their commitments on LOID, but I should have praised OSU’s recruiting machine for not losing any previous commitments via defection (a la p*nn st*t* and Michael Shaw).
Vico’s point, above, is well taken: OSU doesn’t seem to do well with late decisions, but does a very good job of keeping committed guys in the fold, which is a big part of recruiting.
Joe Fox - February 7th, 2008 at 9:22 am - #
Wikipedia entry on Chris Gamble: “Gamble has boasted of a 40 inch (101.6 cm) vertical jump, and ran a 4.45 forty yard dash in the NFL Combine.”
Orhian Johnson Rivals profile…
Forty: 4.51 secs
Vertical: 40 inches
Looks to me like JT and the boys have found another gem overlooked by the big Florida schools.
GoBucks89 - February 7th, 2008 at 10:49 am - #
part of me wonders why Tressel is doing so well with that. I think (i.e, I’m guessing) it has a lot to do with Tressel being honest in the recruiting pitch and encouraging other recruits to take visits elsewhere. So, by time you’re committed to Ohio State, you’re absolutely 100 percent sure it’s what you want to do (i.e, Willie Mobley surviving the late press by Tim Brewster to come to Minnesota and be a tight end). On Mobley’s story, read this for a laugh: http://www.twincities.com/ci_8190767?source=most_viewed
Along the way Mobley even received a bogus letter allegedly signed by Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel. The letter, dated Jan. 8, advised Mobley that his “football future would be best suited elsewhere.”
vico - February 7th, 2008 at 10:50 am - #
“…read this for a laugh: http://www.twincities.com/ci_8190767?source=most_viewed”
What really got my attention was the end of the article. Eden Prairie had *twenty* kids sign letters-of-intent? Twenty? I thought Dublin Coffman had a good signing day, but - geez.
Is Corey finished “editing and cropping” the Andrews photos from the m*ch*g*n game yet, or am I stuck with the Oreo photo? :) The poor guy probably took the photos to dinner and a movie, in hopes that the magic from the “Mannequin” movie would strike twice.
Joe Fox - February 7th, 2008 at 11:14 am - #
about the 20 students thing for Eden Prairie, I don’t think all of them were football. The photo of Mobley signing his LOI was right next to some lady with a Boston College sweatshirt on signing hers. What for, I wouldn’t know.
http://images34.fotki.com/v1124/photos/7/798917/5884725/willie1-vi.jpg
vico - February 7th, 2008 at 11:20 am - #
Easy now Joe. It may take me longer for a couple of reasons:
1. I am retarded when it comes to computers. If I wouldn’t have lived with Jason for over four years, I would still be using a Texas Instrument.
2. As mentioned, OSU’s email system is weird, so there are a few emails I received over 60 times. Therefore, I have to delete most of the conversation, in order to get the picture to download.
3. It takes some guys longer to “edit and crop”.
Corey - February 7th, 2008 at 11:42 am - #
Good point Vico. And it’s worth pointing out that Eden Prairie is the Dublin of the Twin Cities. Wayzata, where Animal is from, is the Delaware of the Twin Cities.
Jason - February 7th, 2008 at 1:18 pm - #
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