Eleven Warriors

With exactly 100 days left until The Game, and with my excitement for this OSU season currently at a Spinal Tap 11, I thought that I'd throw out three of my favorite matchups to watch for this year between these hated rivals.

(Note: While I realize that Brady Hoke vs. China Dynasty's buffet on West Lane is a much-anticipated battle, it will not make this list.)

Jake Stoneburner (WR/TE) vs. JT Floyd (CB)

When he’s not making headlines for peeing on stuff, Jake Stoneburner is a dynamic player with a tremendous work ethic, and has the potential to earn his way back into a crucial role on the OSU offense.  The coaching staff recently reported that Stoneburner may still line up occasionally as a tight end, but will spend the majority of time as a wide receiver.  Stoneburner was named to the John Mackey Award watch list, given to the best tight end in the country, but will aim to move his athleticism out wide for his senior season.

JT Floyd, like many current Wolverine players, came in during the dark days of Rich Rod in 2008 (or ‘bye weeks’ as OSU fans refer to them).  Despite not being heavily recruited by many other programs, the South Carolina native has decent speed, has improved his coverage skills with each passing year, and should continue to improve again under the current coaching regime.  Floyd led the Wolverines with 2 interceptions and 8 pass breakups, had 48 tackles, and a forced fumble.

What makes this matchup intriguing to me is that UM does not have a tremendous amount of size in their defensive backfield, so adding another tight end to the field and moving Stoneburner to wide receiver could help OSU exploit that weakness.  Measuring in at 6’, Floyd is the tallest starting DB for the Wolverines, while Stoneburner is currently listed at 6’5”.

Aside from the height advantage, Stoneburner will be much more of a load to bring down than previous wide receivers that Floyd will have faced, since he will be giving up about 60 pounds to the former tight end.

If TSUN decides to try and cover Stoneburner with anyone other than a corner (especially a linebacker), this will create some horrific matchups in speed, as he can still run even with most other wide receivers.

The final component in this matchup is the fact that both players are heading into their senior seasons, and both will have similar, but different goals in The Game.  Floyd will be hoping to keep UM's chances for a B1G title alive and looking for a potential BCS bowl game to cap his year, and Stoneburner will hope to play spoiler, send the Wolverines home with an 'L', and boost his NFL draft stock simultaneously.

Key matchup stat – Jake Stoneburner - 6’5”, 245 lbs VS. JT Floyd - 6’, 183 lbs

Johnathan Hankins (DT) vs. Kyle Kalis (LG)

We often read about recruiting battles between OSU and UM, and they typically refer to a HS player from Ohio who has offers from both schools.  However, in the case of Johnathan Hankins, a.k.a. Big Hank, the Buckeyes were able to go up north and steal a defensive line prospect from Dearborn Heights, MI.  At 6'3" and 317 lbs, "Big Hank" is a fairly easy nickname to come by, but it's his freakish quickness and agility, not just his size, that make him difficult for the offensive linemen to block.  Hankins has worked over the past two years to drop weight and improve on his quickness and stamina, and is already listed as a preseason All-American selection and is on the Bednarik Award watch list.  In fact, as of May, Mel Kiper's 2013 NFL Mock Draft has Hankins listed as the highest ranked B1G player and the number 11 overall draft pick.  Regardless of hypothetical draft scenarios, one guaranteed fact is that with the boost in defensive line talent and depth at OSU this year, Hankins will be a handful for any opposing lineman to match up with, especially a freshman....which leads me to...

Kyle Kalis, the man, the myth, the freshman.  Kalis, an Ohio native, made big waves last year with his decommitment from OSU and subsequent commitment to TSUN, and continued to keep the waters choppy with comments about/to OSU fans.  In his defense, he had made his commitment to Jim Tressel, so the impending sanctions and "resignation" of the coach were certainly reason enough to leave.  However, when he received Twitter comments in poor taste and threats from the 1% of OSU fans that sit in their basement yelling at their mom to bring them meatloaf, he decided to lash out.  The comment that drew the most criticism (read: "laughter") from Buckeye fans was, "November 24th is going to be ugly.  There will be blood on the field and it won't be mine."  As for Kalis' ability on the field, well, it's yet to be seen.  He was more than impressive against high school opponents in northern Ohio, but could get a chance to walk the walk very soon against NCAA competition.

So what makes this matchup one of my favorites?  Ohio boy turned Wolverine vs. M*chigan boy turned Buckeye, upperclassman vs. true freshman, preseason All-American vs. 5* recruit, etc...

However, it should be noted that Kyle Kalis will be battling to earn a spot on the field.  He is currently as low as 3rd and as high as 1.b on the depth chart for the left guard position, so he has his work cut out for him in August.  If he is unable to earn a starting job, then we'll switch this matchup to Kalis vs. OSU fans on Twitter, and assume that he will have to spill the blood of MAC opponents in his limited playing time.

Key matchup stat – Johnathan Hankins has roughly 6 quarts of blood...Good luck, Kyle 

Braxton Miller (QB) vs. Denard Robinson (QB)

Hopefully this one doesn't come as much of a shock to you...and yes, it's technically cheating since they don't line up against each other on the field, but this is my blog entry, so let it go.

OSU's mobile quarterback had some magnificent highlights in 2011, but also struggled within an offense that kept his hands tied for most of the year.  Look no further than the Illinois game in which Braxton managed to complete just one pass on four attempts and somehow sneak out a victory, thanks simply to more talent up front than their opponents.  Now, enter new head coach, Urban Meyer and new offensive coordinator, Tom Herman, and we're looking at a whole new world of possibilities for Miller.  Herman has a history of getting the most offensive production imagineable out of his players, and Meyer's proven track record of winning with a dynamic spread offense speaks for itself.  Combine that with the talent that we know is there with Braxton Miller, aside from just his scrambling abilities, and we hopefully will see an immediate difference in production from 2011 to 2012.

Although he still hasn't learned how to tie his shoes, Denard Robinson has proven that he has an uncanny ability to find a small gap in a defense and turn it into a huge play.  His speed is unquestioned, except for when he claims that he's faster than Usain Bolt but that's another story, and his agility and elusiveness make him a defensive coordinator's nightmare.  There are flaws with his game, namely the passing part of it, but his constant threat of bringing the ball down and running helps keep defenses on their heels and gives him more time/opportunity to throw.

While the other matchups could certainly play a huge role in determining the winner in 2012, nothing competes with the Braxton vs. Denard battle.  The 2011 battle had both teams scoring at least a touchdown more than their average point total, and Miller and Robinson destroying their rival's defense with their feet and arms.

Furthermore, Braxton wants to prove that he is the guy that Urban Meyer dreams of coaching at the QB position, and Robinson wants to put UM on his shoulders for his senior campaign and go out on top.  This QB matchup in The Game should be one that will be remembered for years to come.

Key matchup stat – 337 total yards for Denard Robinson vs. 336 total yards for Braxton Miller in 2011

What other matchups are you looking forward to in The Game?

“Games are won in the trenches.”

Sure, we’ve all heard this saying, and that’s fine and dandy if one team has an major advantage in one trench or the other, but what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?  In other words, what can we expect when one of the most touted offensive line recruiting classes goes up against a school’s best defensive line class in years?

Immovable Object (UM Offensive Line) 

Brady Hoke has been on the warpath in his recruiting efforts for the 2013 class, and a large portion of his success has come in the form of gigantic offensive linemen.  His memorable beginning to this hogmolly restructuring came with the highly publicized recruit flip of Kyle Kalis.  Kalis, to date, is Hoke’s most highly touted offensive line recruit, ranking in at #22 overall, the 4th best lineman, and a 5* recruit in the 2012 class, according to Rivals.  Kalis is especially notable, since he had previously committed to Jim Tressel and OSU, but decided to be a Wolverine instead once the allegations hit the fan in Columbus.  In that same 2012 class, Hoke brought in a couple more line fillers, and a 4* prospect in Erik Magnuson, who ranked at #78 overall and more than slightly resembles the fatter version of Mac on “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”  Two of the nation’s top linemen was only the start for Brady Hoke, as he picked up the 2013 class right where he had left off.

M*chigan’s O-line additions in next year’s group could certainly become a force to be reckoned with.  This group, according to ESPN recruiting rankings, includes the #1, #4, and #5 overall offensive guards in the country (David Dawson, Kyle Bosch, and Patrick Kugler, respectively), as well as the class’s #9 and #10 offensive tackles in Logan Tuley-Tillman and Chris Fox.  This enormous group averages in at just under 6’5″ and 295 lbs each.  Not bad for kids that are currently juniors in high school and still have time and motivation to bulk up more before they hit Ann Arbor’s campus.  Each member of this group is ranked by ESPN and Rivals as a 4* recruit, and each was highly sought after by many of the nation’s top schools.  In fact, Chris Fox and Logan Tuley-Tillman also had scholarship offers from Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes.

This recruitment of 7 intimidating offensive linemen (not counting any 3* recruits at the position) in less than two full years shows that either Brady Hoke has some confidence issues and is unhappy with his own weight, thus surrounding himself with bigger people to feel better about his image, or more likely, that he plans on getting M*chigan back to the days of beating your opponent at the line of scrimmage and daring them to stop your run game first.  At first glance, this future UM O-line certainly seems like an immovable object, but…

Unstoppable Force (OSU Defensive Line) 

Urban Meyer, although he has the reputation for being a purely offensive-minded coach, has shown that he has a knack for loading up his defense with nearly unblockable linemen, highly skilled linebackers, and lightning-fast backs.  Ohio State fans still shiver when thinking back to his 2006 team at Florida that absolutely manhandled a formerly powerful OSU offense to the tune of 82 total yards (35 passing on 4/14, and 47 rushing), 5 sacks, and 1 of 9 on third down conversion attempts.

Urban, much like Hoke, arrived on the recruiting scene with a bang.  Unlike Brady Hoke, however, who has built a large portion of his future teams around his offensive line, Urban went to work on his future defense.  Out of Urban’s completed 2012 class and still in progress 2013 group, 10 of his top 11 recruits (by ESPN’s grading system) are on the defensive side of the ball.  Urban’s top prospects are both 5* recruits, according to Rivals, in defensive ends Noah Spence and Adolphus Washington.  This pair, along with Se’Von Pittman, are ranked by Rivals as the #2, #7, and #15 best defensive ends in the 2012 class.  Spence, is also the #4 overall prospect according to ESPN.  This threesome was not alone on the defensive line, as Meyer also flipped the highly touted Tommy Schutt from Penn State to Ohio State.  Schutt, a big time run stopper (6’3″ and 300 lbs) at defensive tackle is ranked as the #6 prospect in 2012 at his position by Rivals.  

Similar again to Hoke, Meyer didn’t take a slower approach to his powerful future defensive line, but instead dove full force into making sure that it would be locked and loaded in the upcoming years with more recruits in the 2013 class.  He first got Billy Price to commit, who is listed as the #11 overall defensive tackle in his graduating year.  On top of that, the Buckeyes just added another top level player in Joey Bosa, from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.  Bosa is a freakish talent who stands 6’6″ tall, weighs in at roughly 260 lbs, and can do a standing back flip on cue.  Oh, and he can also chase down a mobile QB and nearly decapitate a running back going around the end.  Bosa is the nation’s #2 defensive end prospect, and should compete for playing time with the other talents on the OSU line.

Go back and look at Urban Meyer’s national championship runs in 2006 and 2008, and you’ll come back talking about Tim Tebow, Percy Harvin, Aaron Hernandez, and the infamous spread offense that Meyer takes with him everywhere he goes.  However, something that is often overlooked is the quality of his defenses.  In those two seasons, 28 games in total, Meyer’s squads allowed more than 21 points just twice, and a great deal of their success began with fast, strong, athletic defensive linemen who were constantly in the face of the opposing quarterbacks.   

Isaac Asimov answered the immovable object vs. unstoppable force conundrum by saying that, quite simply, both forces could not exist in the same world.  Well, that doesn't happen to help at the moment, since both forces appear to be doing well and residing just 3 hours away from each other.  Something eventually has to give between UM's incoming offensive linemen and OSU's incoming defensive linemen...

As a Buckeye fan, I certainly hope that another classic football cliché holds true, and defense wins us a championship!

As nice as it has been to brag about Ohio putting 4 teams into the Sweet Sixteen, it’s now time to focus on a matchup that will end the season and send home one of those teams.  The Bearcats of Cincinnati are an interesting team to meet in the tournament, because they play a 4 guard rotation, and also dominate many games in the paint.  The numerous guards help to provide them with tremendous speed and athleticism on the court, and their big man, Yancy Gates, is a beast underneath and can hold his own with most players in the country.  This is certainly going to be a tough game, and one that will likely resemble an OSU versus Michigan State game with a high level of physicality anytime a player gets near the paint.  Compound that with the fact that Cincinnati fans/students seem to think that Ohio State is the devil and will no doubt be pulling out all the stops to send their in-state enemies home to Columbus.

Regardless, these teams once battled for National Championships, so it’s nice to see them facing each other again in a very meaningful game.

Below are my positional breakdowns for this Sweet Sixteen matchup…

#1 Guard (Cashmere Wright vs. Aaron Craft)

Cashmere Wright (#1, 6′, 170 lbs), Cincinnati’s point guard, has struggled shooting the ball in the tournament, so far.  It’s hard to imagine those struggles improving when going up against the best on-ball defender in the country in Aaron Craft, but that’s what Wright will need to have happen in order to keep Cincy in this game.  In his first two March Madness games in 2012, Wright is 6-18 from the field and just 1-8 from behind the arc.  Craft, on the other hand, is 8-11 from the field in games against Loyola (MD) and Gonzaga.

Wright, like the other Cincinnati players, plays aggressively on both sides of the ball, so Craft will likely appreciate the 5 days of rest that he got after the Gonzaga game, because Cashmere and Co. will likely use a lot of motion to keep OSU running and switching.  I don’t think that Aaron Craft will have the offensive output that he had against the Bulldogs, but should be close to 8-10 points.  Similarly, I think that Wright will have a handful of assists in Thursday’s game, but will be held to under 10 points against the Buckeyes.  Overall, I think this matchup is a push, since both players will produce close to their normal numbers.

#2 Guard (Dion Dixon vs. Lenzelle Smith, Jr.)

Dion Dixon (#3, 6’3″, 195 lbs) will be a good matchup for Lenzelle Smith, Jr. because of his size and skill set.  Dixon is quick and has the ability to drive the lane and score in the blink of an eye, averaging 13.1 points per game.  However, he’s just an average shooter from the field (37%) and is allergic to the arc (26%).  Smith Jr. will need to be alert and active defensively, as Dixon and his teammates are quick off the dribble and able to drive and score against less athletic teams.  OSU will  need to prove that they are able to defend this and force the outside shot whenever possible.  

LSJ will need to make a shot here and there for the Bucks, move his feet and get into position on defense, and most importantly, grab rebounds!  Having such a good rebounder at our #2 spot could go a long way in keeping offensive possessions going and ending the Bearcats looks at the other end.  Once again, I think that both guards will be close to their averages, so I’ll push this matchup as well.

#3 Guard (Jaquon Parker vs. William Buford)

Ok, Buckeye fans, it’s the game that we’ve been waiting for…  you know, the one where Buford scores 20 points and plays to his potential.  I think that Thursday will be that game for William Buford, and hopefully the first of 4 to come in this tournament run.  Jaquon Parker (#44, 6’3″, 210 lbs) gives 3 inches to Buford, although Parker can certainly play bigger than his size.  Parker is a very versatile player that can bang underneath and grab boards or hang back and hit from outside (38%).  Buford will need to be on the top of his game, defensively, to prepare for Parker’s diverse attack.

However, I think that it is on the offensive end of the court that Buford will make his stand.  Parker may be called upon to help in doubling-down on Sullinger and/or Thomas in the paint, and this should leave Buford with some open looks.  If Buford can hit a couple of early shots, I think that his confidence will sky-rocket and he will nail 3-4 deep balls and a handful of mid-range jumpers.  Naturally, he’s going to keep his streak of charging fouls going for this game, but I am giving the edge to Willy B in this one.   

#4 Guard/Forward (Sean Kilpatrick vs. Deshaun Thomas)

It’s only fitting that the hot hand for the Bearcats should be lined up against OSU’s X Factor in this in-state battle.  Sean Kilpatrick (#23, 6’4″, 215 lbs) led Cincy with 18 points in their win over Florida State, matching Thomas’ total against Gonzaga.  Kilpatrick, like many of Cincy’s players, is not necessarily the fastest or quickest person on the court, but simply has the entire package and natural ability to get to the lane, protect the ball, and get a good look at the basket.  This helps them all, including Kilpatrick, to be solid players in all aspects of the game, whether it be scoring, grabbing rebounds, or playing lockdown defense.  This guard is no exception, but he happens to be the Bearcat that I least want to see with the hot hand.  He is most consistent scorer on the team, leading the way with 14.3 points per outing, is the most likely candidate to put the ball up from deep, and also happens to be second on the squad in rebounds and assists.

(Spoiler) So why do I like Deshaun Thomas in this matchup?  Because Thomas can also hit from behind the arc, is an offensive rebounding freak of nature, in the kindest sense of the word, and has 3 inches on Kilpatrick.  For some of the other matchups, that height factor might not play a big part, but because Cincinnati hates giving up space in the paint, I think that’s exactly what Matta will try to do.  And what better player to throw into the mix down low than a guy that has a remarkable knack for finding the ball and getting it up quickly, like Thomas?  Kilpatrick may still get his 12-14 points in this game, but Thomas’ presence inside will force Cincinnati to bring extra help and fold down onto he and Sullinger, thus allowing Buford a look from outside.  Advantage = Thomas.

#5 Forward (Yancy Gates vs. Jared Sullinger)

Yancy Gates (#34, 6’9″, 260 lbs), as I mentioned above, is a monster in the paint.  When not suspended for 6 games for voilently suckerpunching people in the face during basketball games, Gates uses his giant frame to get and maintain good position under the basket.  Like many people, after I watched that clip of Gates knocking a player out cold in a bench-clearing brawl, I never wanted to hear his name, read about him playing ball, or see him on TV again, and yet here we are.  It’s nice to know that a player can be suspended for almost half of a football season for receiving free tattoos in exchange for his hard-earned trophies, and yet a thug that punches someone on the court and send them to the hospital will be allowed to play in 85% of his games in that season…but I digress.

Gates averages very close to a double-double per game, with 12.4 points and 9.1 rebounds.  Both he and Sullinger use their physiques very well to get themselves under the rim for boards and points.  Sullinger definitely holds the edge over Gates in shooting ability, as he can back out for mid-range shots and deep balls, where as Gates’ output comes largely from the paint.  The Bearcats will likely throw Justin Jackson (#5, 6’8″, 210 lbs) into the game to battle with Sully as well, but the real competition will certainly be between Gates and Sullinger.  Even more so than Sullinger versus Sacre (Gonzaga), I think that this matchup between the big men will be an epic battle that ends with Ohio State’s star on the winning end. 

I expect both players to be at or above their averages in points and rebounds, but for Sullinger to outscore and outrebound Gates on Thursday night in Boston. 

Overall Prediction:  This game has all the makings of a down-to-the-wire thriller.  Both teams can play solid, fundamental defense and have a number of players to account for offensively.  Ultimately, I think that this game is decided in the paint.  If Yancy Gates is able to own the box and force OSU outside for its looks, then the Buckeyes could be in trouble.  Likewise, if Ohio State is able to play through Sullinger and Thomas down low and kick the ball out for open shots by Buford, Smith and Craft, then the Bearcats will be headed home.  My edge goes to OSU in a tight one.

OSU  70 – Cincinnati 65   (a touch of irony for the 1961 NCAA Championship game)

Follow me on Twitter @ScarletandGame or @AJBorland

The first round matchups for schools that are seeded #1 or #2 tend to give us a glimpse at a smaller school that may not be on our radar for the other eleven months out of the year, and Ohio State’s game against the Loyola (MD) Greyhounds on Friday night is no exception.  Unless you’re a diehard MAAC fan, a relative of a student, alumnus, or faculty member, or just have a passion for all things Maryland, I’m assuming you’re like me and need some more information about the Greyhounds.

Loyola University (Maryland) is located in Baltimore, was founded in 1852, and has a student population of just under 4000.  To my knowledge, this will be just the Greyhounds’ second appearance in the Big Dance (1994), so with nothing to lose, they aren’t simply arriving in Pittsburgh on Thursday night to shake hands and play dead.  Loyola is coming off of a four game win streak, including a solid run through the MAAC Tournament.  They may need to work through the rust, as they won’t have played a game for ten full days before OSU meets them this week.

Instead of more vague facts about Loyola (Ex. – You could fit the capacity crowd from a Greyhounds’ home game inside of Value City Arena approximately nine times over), Scarlet and Game is going to give you our best breakdown of the on-court matchups that you’ll see in this game.

#1 Guard (RJ Williams vs. Aaron Craft)

RJ Williams (#12, 5’8″, 155 lbs) will have the unenviable task of bringing the ball up the court for the Greyhounds and going up against the best on-ball defender in the country, Aaron Craft.  To be fair, that would be a tall order for any point guard in the nation, as Craft has been able to cause the best to look silly at times.  Case in point, Trey Burke, the Big Ten’s Co-Freshman of the Year, averages 2.8 turnovers per game, but in three meetings with Craft, has turned the ball over sixteen times.  What makes this individual matchup even more lopsided in OSU’s favor is the six inch height advantage that OSU’s resident Rubik’s cube expert will have over Williams.

I never thought I’d type this sentence, but Craft is averaging twice as many points per game as Williams (8.6 to 4 ppg).  In fact, Aaron has RJ topped in nearly every significant category, although Williams has been better in protecting the ball than Craft, averaging only 1.5 turnovers per game.  I’m going to go out on a pretty sturdy limb, however, and predict that Williams will at least double that on Thursday.  This battle, without a doubt, belongs to OSU’s First Team Academic All-American, Aaron Craft.

#2 Guard (Dylon Cormier/Justin Drummond vs. Lenzelle Smith, Jr.)

Dylon Cormier (#3, 6’2″, 176 lbs) has been inconsistent in his scoring for the Greyhounds lately, but will most likely have to be a factor if the team wants to scare Ohio State on Thursday.  Cormier will have the scoring advantage over Lenzelle Smith, Jr., but that shouldn’t come as a biggest surprise, since LSJ only puts up six points on about five shots per outing.  Dylon may be in for a bit of a shock, however, as Lenzelle is not your typical #2 guard.  Many would argue that, despite being two inches shorted than Buford, Smith is actually the #3 guard/small forward of the group.

Smith Jr., like most Matta system starters, plays a very aggressive on-ball defense, and his reach and two inch height advantage, as well as the 25 pounds that he has on Cormier, could reduce this Loyola guard’s output down from 13.1 ppg.  Don’t be surprised to see Justin Drummond (#2) in this position too, as he gets almost 25 minutes on the court, and offers a bit more size (6’4″, 190 lbs).  Either way, I think that Drummond + Cormier will combine for between 20 and 25 points, compared to Smith Jr.’s six to ten.  This will probably be the Greyhounds’ most successful position on Thursday, so I’ll make some Baltimore natives happy and give them the edge on this one.

#3 Guard (Robert Olson vs. William Buford)

This matchup will be interesting to see, as it will have the best deep ball shooter from Loyola going heads up against Ohio State’s sharpshooter, William Buford.  Robert Olson (#25, 6’4″, 191 lbs) averages just 11.2 points per game, but has attempted and made more three pointers than any other Greyhound baller on the roster.  His three-ball shooting percentage is just over 44%, but he has made it easy to compare to Buford in this category, as both have amazingly attempted the same amount of threes this season (147).  Of those 147, Olson has made 13 more than Buford, so it’s obvious that he should be a major concern.  If there is one aspect of the game that quickly evens out a #2 versus #15 matchup, it’s having a hot shooter from behind the arc.

William Buford has been streaky for most of his senior season, but with all due respect to Olson, Willy B has been streaky against some of the best teams in the country.  Olson’s four point performance against the Marist Red Foxes, by comparison, makes Buford’s four point showing against #1 seed Michigan State back in February seem a bit easier to swallow.  Advantage = William Buford.

#4 Forward (Erik Etherly vs. Deshaun Thomas)

For yet another game, Deshaun Thomas will be lined up against a team’s best scoring threat.  Erik Etherly (#24, 6’7″, 219 lbs) is averaging 13.5 points per performance, and has the ability to bang underneath and pop out for a mid-range jumper.  Etherly also leads his team in rebounding, with just under eight boards per game, but I’m guessing that he has not faced too many offensive rebounding freaks like Thomas in his career.  On top of that, it’s tough to tell if Etherly is 100% healthy, due to back related issues from carrying his team through the MAAC Tournament.

Although both players will line up equal in height, Thomas’ athletic ability should give him the advantage in this matchup.  On top of that, the “X Factor” has really progressed on both ends of the court in the second half of the season, and will likely test Etherly’s defensive talents early and often.  In this battle of scorers, I have to lean towards Indiana’s third leading all-time scorer in high school history, Deshaun Thomas.

#5 Forward (Shane Walker vs. Jared Sullinger)

Set up anyone against Sullinger in the paint, and few will walk away with better numbers than this Northland High School grad.  Give him someone who is only averaging six rebounds per game in a mid-major conference, and Jared should eat him alive.  Compound that with a loss in the Big Ten Tournament’s final game, one that obviously angered OSU’s All-American, and you have a recipe for a first round party in the paint.

Sullinger has the advantage in points, rebounds, weight, booty, and talent.  Other than that, this should be a good matchup.  I tried to hold back on this one and be fair, but if you saw the look on Jared’s face after the loss to Michigan State on Sunday, then you know that Shane Walker (#5, 6'10", 222 lbs) is in for a rude awakening at approximately 9:50pm on Thursday night.  Advantage = Sullinger.

Overall Prediction: Obviously, based on the matchups above, I am giving this one to the Buckeyes.  There have certainly been easier #15 seeds to go against, and Loyola worries me a bit, but the Bucks’ talent should prevail in this one.

OSU  84 – Loyola (MD) 65

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When the dust had settled last month and the 2012 recruiting classes had been established, it was clear that Ohio State and M*chigan had separated themselves from the rest of the Big Ten.  Based on Scout.com’s rankings, OSU and UM finished 3rd and 4th in the country, respectively, and the next closest B1G team was Michigan State at #38.  The rankings can prove to be slightly inaccurate as the years progress and players improve or peak, but it has been proven that the better your recruits, the better your chances of winning it all.  As Ron Burgundy said, “It’s science.”

Urban Meyer has taken some heat from other Big Ten babies coaches about his recruiting style, but without breaking any known rules or NCAA regulations, he was able to transform Ohio State’s 2012 class from an unranked unit, into one of the top classes in the country in just a matter of weeks.  Brady Hoke, similarly, was able to bring in M*chigan’s best recruiting class since the now overrated class of 2005, which at the time was ranked #2 in the nation.  Both coaches bring a tremendous amount of passion and love for their sport and school not only to the sidelines, but to the recruiting game as well.  It may be tough to compare their style of recruiting for the ’12 class, as Urban was on an abbreviated schedule and hit the high schools full force after his hiring, while Hoke was busy preparing his team for its first BCS game in roughly 100 years (that might not be factual).

Recruiting for next year’s 2013 class, on the other hand, is already underway, and has allowed us to see how these coaches attack the recruiting scene when given time to prepare and develop a strategy.  In my opinion, both are off to a great start, but they are also extremely different in their approaches to building their team and reeling in their players.  To make a comparison in styles, Urban Meyer appears to be using a fishing pole, while Hoke has thrown a net into the waters.  As I’ve taken a more in depth look at each coach’s current offers, a few interesting things have jumped out at me.

Urban Meyer

Meyer has verbalized offers to approximately 73 high school juniors, landing 5 of them so far.  Of his offers that are currently on the table, 4 of them have verbally committed to TSUN (Logan Tuley-Tillman, Dymonte Thomas, Wyatt Shallman, and Chris Fox).  That foursome consists of 2 offensive tackles, a fullback, and a safety from Ohio.  On the other side of the coin, UM had offered scholarships to 4 of OSU’s 5 commits, as well.

At this time, OSU’s 5 total commits out of this group of 73 include 4 Ohio natives, including the top in-state prospect at offensive line, cornerback, defensive line, and athlete.  The only player that has given his verbal from outside of Ohio is currently rated by Rivals.com as the top player in the state of New Jersey.  Despite 3 of our first 5 commits being on the defensive side of the ball, Meyer has only targeted 25 defenders so far, and the class will likely be leaning heavily toward the offense when it is said and done.

As you’ll see, both coaches’ last job is still very much a part of their current recruiting, as they are attempting to strike the same areas they once did while the waters are still hot luke warm.  Meyer has insisted that he will recruit the top players within Ohio’s borders, and his current commitments would certainly back that up, but you may be surprised to learn that Ohio isn’t where his search has directed him the most.  He and his staff have offered 10 players from Ohio, but have unloaded 14 offers to high schoolers in the Sunshine State (That’s Florida, not Colorado, for any Old School fans).  Obviously, Meyer feels that his 2 National Championships that he brought to the great retirement state might land him some of their top talents, and who can blame him?

Beyond Ohio and Florida, Urban has cast his line in a few specific locations multiple times, namely Texas (7), Georgia (6), New Jersey (6), and North Carolina (5).  From there, he has mostly thrown out individual scholarships to athletes in the midwestern states.  Ohio’s offers are extremely well balanced by position, but if you do a quick check through the remaining offers, it’s clear that Meyer is significantly biased towards Florida for his skill positions.  In fact, of his 14 Florida offers, 8 of them play either RB or WR.

In comparison to TSUN, Meyer has been fairly tight with his offers, but I would expect more to be extended over the summer, as the coaches get a chance to scout players at camps.  No matter where they come from or when they commit, the chances are Meyer’s recruits will continue to be highly ranked, seeing as 66 of the 73 offers made so far have been to players listed in ESPN’s Project Top 150.

Brady Hoke    

Brady Hoke and his staff have offered roughly 30 more players a scholarship than OSU’s coaching staff.  That is 40% more offers than their rivals down south, which is a fairly staggering number when comparing schools that will essentially be bringing in the same number of players.  M*chigan will most likely have a few more scholarships to offer, thanks to Tattoogate and a small senior class for OSU, but this clearly doesn’t account for the difference in the number of offers.

Hoke is off to a hot start, due in large part to his aggressive strategy thus far.  He has certainly cast a wide net out early and been able to bring in a total of 14 players already.  Of his 14 commits, 4 turned down OSU offers to go to Ann Arbor.  The other 10, including 4 players from the state of Ohio, had not received an offer to come to Columbus in the fall of 2013.  10 of TSUN’s current commitments will be lined up on the offensive side of the ball, and they continue to exit the RichRod era and join the Hoke Era by bringing in more top offensive line recruits.  Hoke’s top two states, commitment-wise, are Ohio and M*chigan, tying with 5 each.  After that, he has a pair from Illinios, and individuals from Colorado and Pennsylvania.

Similar to Urban, Brady has not left his San Diego State (pronounced “Whale’s Vagina”) coaching/recruiting roots in the past.  He has extended offers to 9 players in the state of California, compared to just 1 by Urban Meyer and OSU.  On the other hand, whereas Meyer prefers the players in Florida, Hoke has only offered 3 players from the Jeb Bush state, but has a thing for the players in Texas.  I’m assuming this has more to do with him being able to swing by the Big Texan Steak Ranch and try the 72 ounce steak challenge, than the actual players, but I digress.  Regardless of the motive behind it, Hoke has handed out 12 offers to Texans.  Outside of Ohio (15 offers), Texas (12), and California (9), Hoke has continued tossing out scholarship offers like Mardi Gras candy.  He has at least 6 offers out to players in M*chigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Virginia.

Sure, this is a lot of information to digest and take in, when all you really want to know is who OSU gets compared to who M*chigan gets, but I can’t get enough of this recruiting stuff!  To wrap it all up, Hoke has extended more scholarship offers, to date, than Michigan State and Wisconsin combined.  It’s tough to argue his strategy, though, seeing as he’s landed 14 players, including 11 potential Top 150 prospects (MSU and Wisconsin have 1 Top 150 player right now, combined).  Meyer, on the other hand, has been a bit more selective in his recruiting approach for 2013, but is still shooting 100% in bringing in Top 150 players.  If the 2012 and 2013 classes are any indication, this rivalry is only going to get better.

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Last week I wrote about some of the offensive needs that the team would encounter after the 2012 season, and what recruiting offers were currently out there to address those needs.  Now it's time to focus on what wins championships, according to the old saying, and that is defense.  Urban Meyer made some huge pick-ups in his first "year" of recruiting at OSU, especially on defense, and has already continued that trend into the 2013 class.

Despite some upcoming offensive needs, 3 of our first 4 players committed to the 2013 class at this time (Cam Burrows, Billy Price, and Eli Woodard) play on the other side of the ball.  So what can we expect to see in our defensive recruiting efforts next year?

(Side note - the targets/offers that you see listed below are as of 2/27/12 and WILL continue to change on a regular basis.  In fact, I pulled the information from ESPN's website, so there's a good chance that some of it is outdated already)... 

Defensive line
Ohio State loses: Garrett Goebel, John Simon, Nathan Williams
Goebel, Simon, and Williams will certainly be missed on the defensive front, as they have proven to be consistently good performers on the field.  However, even with these tremendous departures, the Bucks should not be the least bit vulnerable at this position.  Let's face it, nearly every other B1G school would die to have Darryl Baldwin, JT Moore, Johnathan Hankins, Adam Bellamy, Michael Bennett, Steve Miller, Kenny Hayes, Chase Farris and Joel Hale waiting jump into the starting lineup (if not already there).

And for those astute readers out there who noticed a few names left off of this list, congratulations.  In the last paragraph describing our cupboard full of talented D-linemen, I didn't even mention the all-star cast that Urban is bringing in this year, which includes Noah Spence, Adolphus Washington, Se'Von Pittman, and  Tommy Schutt.  In other words, I'd see us grabbing another player, other than DT Billy Price, but wouldn't expect more than two in this class.
Needs: One or two
Ohio State targets: Henry Poggi (*my prediction), Elijah Daniel, Tashawn Bower, Joey Bosa, Lewis Neal
Commits: Billy Price

Linebacker
Ohio State loses: Storm Klein, Etienne Sabino
OSU will lose two formidable linebackers in Klein and Sabino, so I'd look for them to add three guys in this class.  My initial prediction is that Jaylon Smith, younger brother of RB/LB Rod Smith, will be the first to commit, and stands the best chance of getting on the field quickly.  He is a freak of an athlete, and could probably start at a few different positions of his choice, depending on which school he selects.  Courtney Love is an under-the-radar LB right now, or at least as under-the-radar as you can be when carrying offers from USC, Oklahoma, and OSU.  Expect his stock to rise this season when he begins crushing ball carriers in Youngstown, OH with Cardinal Mooney.

I'd love to see Alex Anzalone fill a third a final LB spot in this class, but would not be surprised to see that the player that comes is not on our offer list yet.  I think Fickell/Withers will want to wait and watch some of the 2012 HS season or at least summer camps before throwing out more offers.
Needs: Three
Ohio State targets: Ben Gedeon, Peter Kalambayi, Courtney Love (*my prediction), Jaylon Smith (*my prediction), Alex Anzalone
Commits: None

Secondary
Ohio State loses: Zach Domicone, Travis Howard, Orhian Johnson
The Bucks did not necessarily stockpile talent in the secondary in the 2012 class, but appear to be doing so for next year.  The commitments of Cam Burrows and Eli Woodard (#2 and #4 CBs in the nation, respectively) are a huge start, but I'd expect two more guys to join this class in the secondary before all is said and done.  My own thoughts would be that "Athlete" Caleb Day and early M*chigan commit, Dymonte Thomas, eventually join this crew.  Day is a local boy (Hilliard, OH) and with some improvements to his speed this year and next, could make for a solid safety contender.  Thomas, another Ohio native, has already committed to TSUN, but with his cousin, Bri'onte Dunn, in this year's recruiting class, I think he may make the jump back to Columbus.  It may take a big game in The Shoe in November and constant texts from his cousin to sway him, but he would be another good pick-up for this class, despite his poor decision-making skills thus far.
Needs: Four
Ohio State targets: Leon McQuay III, Vernon Hargreaves III, Kendall Fuller, Caleb Day (*my prediction), Taquan Mizzell, Shaq Wiggins, Mackensie Alexander, Tray Matthews, Dymonte Thomas (*my prediction)
Commits: Cam Burrows, Eli Woodard
 

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While most of us are still recovering from Urban Meyer's in-your-face recruiting domination with the 2012 class, his newly formed staff is already looking ahead.  We are eager to find out what new faces will be on the field in 2012, and already they are checking out high school athletes and lining up potential visits for some of the best players that have not even finished their junior classes.  Such is the life of a big-time NCAA coaching staff.

With only 4 players committed to the 2013 class at this time (Cam Burrows, Jalin Marshall, Billy Price, and Eli Woodard) there are still somewhere between 12 and 16 spots available for scholarships.  The possibilities for who could fill the needs for next year's group are endless, especially this early in the process, but here are my early predictions for the offensive side of the ball, based on upcoming departures.  (Side note - the targets/offers that you see listed below are as of 2/24/12 and WILL continue to change on a regular basis)

Quarterback
Ohio State loses: None
Despite the fact that OSU will not have lost a quarterback in this time-frame, barring any transfers or unforeseen occurences, the 2013 class is the perfect time to bring in at least one QB prospect to continue planning for the future.  Many coaches even aim to bring in a QB per recruiting class as a "just in case" philosophy for the sport's most important position.  Ken(ny) Guiton will be entering his senior season in 2013, Braxton Miller will be a junior, and Cardale Jones will likely be a sophomore in eligibility.
Needs: One
Ohio State targets: Brice Ramsey, Johnathan McCrary, Aaron Bailey, Malik Zaire (**my prediction), Tyrone Swoopes, Darryl Richardson, J.T. Barrett
Commits: None

Running back
Ohio State loses: Zach Boren, Jordan Hall, Adam Homan
Ohio State will have some fire power in their running back stable in 2013, with Carlos Hyde (senior), Rod Smith (junior), and Warren Ball/Bri-onte Dunn (sophomores), but it never hurts to have talent and depth at this position.  Deveon Smith (Warren, OH) and Derrick Green are my two early favorites to get these spots.  Smith is an Ohio native with decent speed and very deceptive strength when running the ball, and Green is a Buckeye fan, despite being from Virginia (he wears #27 in honor of his favorite player, Eddie George).  Both are extremely tough north-south runners who would fit nicely with quick QBs/WRs.                                                    Needs: One/Two
Ohio State targets: Ty Isaac, Deveon Smith (*my prediction), Derrick Green (*my prediction), Ryan Green, Adam Lane, David Williams, Greg Bryant, Keyonte Green, T.J. Logan, Ezekiel Elliot
Commits: None

Wide receiver
Ohio State loses: None
Ok, this one's a bit tricky.  Technically OSU does not lose any wide receivers, because they have such a young core group of players.  The transition from current WRs to incoming players will be an interesting one over the next couple of seasons, as we don't want to use too many scholarships on one area, but will need to replace this group.  To help this situation, I'd expect one or two "wide receivers" to be a part of the 2013 class, as well as an athlete or two.  Jalin Marshall, for example, may be used in a Percy Harvin-esque manner, so I'll count him as one of our incoming WRs for now.  My other prediction for this position, although they have not yet been offered, is either Robert Foster or Laquon Treadwell.
Needs: Three
Ohio State targets: Uriah LeMay, Jake Oliver, Marquez North, Jordan Cunningham, Shelton Gibson (*my prediction), Travis Johnson, Ra'Shaad Samples, Richard Benjamin
Commits: Jalin Marshall

Tight end
Ohio State loses: Jake Stoneburner, *Reid Fragel (played 3 years at TE, senior year at OT)
It should come as no surprise that the tight end position will be utilized much more in the passing game than anything we saw with Jim Tressel.  It will also be very difficult to replace a rare talent like Stoneburner, but that is what OSU must do.  Adam Breneman is the nation's best TE according to nearly every website right now, but he could very well be surpassed by Mike Heuerman, the little brother of current OSU TE Jeff Heuerman.  Both of them have what it takes to be heavily involved in Urban Meyer's high-octane offense, so landing either would be great...both would be nasty. 
Needs: One/Two
Ohio State targets: Adam Breneman, Mike Heuerman (*my prediction)
Commits: None

Offensive line
Ohio State loses: None
As scary as it may sound, OSU will not graduate any offensive linemen before 2013.  Yep, you read that right.  Thanks to the brilliant recruiting strategy of Jim Bollman, OSU was not bringing in nearly as many OL recruits as it should have been on a yearly basis.  Instead, he opted for a wait until we're in dire need for them approach and recruited in bulk.  Urban will hopefully continue on a different route and try to grab about 4 prospects per class to ensure a good amount of depth on the line from here on out.  I'd expect this group to look very different than the names listed below when the final class is announced next year, although I like our chances of landing Evan Lisle from Centerville High School.
Needs: Four
Ohio State targets: Ethan Pocic, Laremy Tunsil, Hunter Bivin (*my prediction), Jake Raulerson, Evan Lisle (*my prediction), Chris Fox, Derwin Gray, Logan Tuley-Tillman
Commits: None

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