I wonder about Urban Meyer's recruiting. I know Urban is looking for the 2 or 3 best players out of a potential national pool of player's that is in the 1,000's for each position. I know he is hitting the top 10 player's in Ohio hard. I don't understand how he is sure enough that linebackers in North Carolina and Georgia are good enough to get scholly offers, when he tells Ohio linebackers that the staff needs more information on them before they can offer. How is he sure enough to offer a Georgia Sophomore, but claims to not have enough evaluation to offer Malik Zaire?
It seems to me that Meyer is star gazing, instead of farming Ohio. With BCS schools: Kentucky, Louisville, Indiana, Michigan, Pitt, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Purdue, Illinois, Notre Dame within 300 miles of Columbus needing to fill their rosters, it concerns me that Meyer is focusing 800 miles away. Allot of Ohio kids have Buckeye pride and dreams of playing at OSU, but I'm pretty sure they don't want to feel like being emergency parachute recruits.
Offering out of state kids while claiming to not have enough evaluation on in state kids just seems odd.
Recruiting is about relationships and if Meyer looses focus on Ohio schools, the Other BCS area schools may develop recruiting connections with deep roots, that may plague OSU long after Meyer's run in Columbus is over.
I respect Urban's burning intensity. I just wonder if he is focusing on Ohio enough. OSU could win a National Title with a roster of players all hailing from the Buckeye State.
I'm puzzled also by telling a kid that he has an offer, just not a committable offer. Come on man, it's one or the other.
Anyone else as puzzled as I? I don't claim to be a member of MENSA.
I've posted A LOT on this topic. I'm curious to hear everyones thoughts....
Urban clearly knows what he's doing. He doesn't need to offer all these kids before their Junior year of high school is even complete. Unless the kid is a sure fit and you're really sure you want him this early there's no need to rush. Did you follow recruiting last and see how that turned out for Urban? Most top players take a lot of visits and go well into their senior year before deciding. Some commit early to get the drama out of the way to concentrate on their senior season but marginal players are much more likely to commit early, out of concern that they won't get that better offer they are really looking for and don't want to lose out on a sure thing. These kids are often flipped when their first choice does end up offering.
D. Anthony
Well going to Florida to get highly touted Maurice Wells and Jamal Berry types and under study Isiah Pead happens. I know that wasn't Urban's decision. I'ld just rather not go into Ann Arbor and play a Michigan team made up of 35 players from Ohio, that OSU didn't have enough information on. I'ld rather OSU not play in a Bowl game against Ryan Brewer, when we have Florida QB Belisari, Los Angeles WR Kenyon Rambo and New Orleans RB Jon Wells and get our arse kicked.
I'ld rather not watch Notre Dame re-establish strong recruiting channels in Northeast Ohio, while OSU's staff is busy evaluating sophmores in Georgia.
Look at Tressel's 2008 class for example: 11 of the 20 recruits were from out of state. You try to get the best guys possible. Ohio State is Ohio State; that's it.
If Ohio can produce enough guys that are worthy of playing at Ohio State in one class, you take them, but that's probably never going to happen.
I think he's aiming for top talent, in a year with a potentially small class. That's why you don't see Mike McCray and other such players getting offered. He's casting the net wide to maximize the potential catch.
The way I see it Urban really does not risk anything sending the out of state offers. Those players are not going to commit to the Bucks sight unseen they will make a visit to campus before they commit but he at least gets his foot in the door. In state guys on the other hand likely have grown up dreaming of playing for the Bucks. You have inside track on them and many would likely commit right after they have an offer so you would want to slow play them a little to make sure you are getting the best in the state at each position especially if you are maybe only looking for 2 linebackers. You talk to the in state guys KNOWING they will visit and then you can offer later. You send a offer to the top gays nationally at the position HOPEING you get them to visit. The difference is the KNOWING and the HOPEING. Cam Burrows is basically the top DB nationally. You lock him up early there is no better player at that position out there.
IMHO I think Urban thinks he can get the Ohio recruits anytime he wants and that they will commit immediately or soon after when offered so he is slow playing them. It's a risk that concerns me but I'm pretty sure he and his staff know what they are doing and hopefully they can get the guys they want otherwise were in trouble because the plan B, C, and D guys will have probably committed elsewhere.
There have been a great many bad-ass football players that have come from out of state. Where would we be now without Krentzel, Gamble, Will Smith, Mike Jenkins?
There is just a certain continuity a team has, when composed of a group of players that have real pride in the school and themselves, opposed to a team made up of all-stars.
John Cooper's best OSU teams were dominated with Ohio Players. OSU was a consistent top 10 team, won the Rose Bowl and really started drawing attention from nationally recognized recruits. Coop chased after those recruits, and in the end, I believe team chemistry fell apart and OSU unraveled costing Coop his job.
Southern Cal under Pete Carroll had similar philosophy as Meyer in terms of recruiting, yet USC lost every year to a team like Oregon State comprised of players under recruited from the state of California. Not saying USC wasn't the better equipped team, just saying there is an unmeasurable component to school pride and willingness to be a teammate, not just an all-star.
BTW, Tressel's 2008 recruiting class also was a part of what we saw displayed in 2011, no Alma Matter after Gator Bowl.
This is almost too much, people. scUM gets 3 kids that did NOT have OSU offers, nor should they have, and all of a sudden, "Urban isn't recruiting Ohio.... WTF?!?!?" Everyone has amnesia over kids like Taylor Decker and Kyle Dodson who Urban prevented from leaving Ohio!! Already have 3 of the top OH kids locked up for '13.. I don't know if you've heard of the big picture, but you should look at it.
If you ain't a Silver Bullet, you're a target
What about winning a national title with Michigan QB Craig Krenzel, Florida WR Michael Jenkins, Florida WR/DB Chris Gamble, Florida OL Bryce Bishop, New York DE Will Smith, West Virginia DE Darrion Scott, and Kentucky LB Robert Reynolds. Let's not pretend that out of state players are the bane of the program. If Urban thinks an out of state kid can get the job done better than an Ohio kid so be it, I trust his judgement.
Carrol lost because like Zook he is a hell of a recruiter but an awful strategist. Urban is a much much better strategist.
I could care less where the kids come from. If they live in any other State and have the burning desire to be a Buckeye, thats a Buckeye to me.
I do think its ok to question Urban at this point now though. I personally think the future is as bright as its ever been and the optimism is as high as possible, but Urban is completely unproven at tOSU. Even though he's shown to be one of the best coachs of the past decade, he's done little here. I wouldn't want any other coach here (besides Tressel of course), but just saying we shouldn't get so offended if some fans arent completely sold on him yet.
"Love my State, hate the football"
3rd leg, we all have different opinions. Don't know if you remember the part of the Big Picture where OSU was out recruited in Ohio for some top talent back in the late 80's and early 90's by Michigan and Notre Dame. Michigan and Notre Dame, as a result , were better than OSU then.
I would hate to see us repeat History is all.
Tressel focused on Ohio. Results speak for themselves.
@UpNorth- He's unproven when it comes to coaching at OSU-- but he's not unproven when it comes to recruiting at OSU.
If you ain't a Silver Bullet, you're a target
FWIW, if Carrol was an awful strategist, how did he come into Columbus with a true Freshman QB and beat a Rose Bowl winning OSU squad?
41-14... Enough Said
"We have always had the best damn band in the land, now we have the best damn team in the land"- Jim Tressel 1-03-03
@Thirdleg- Im not doubting him at all, just saying I can see why some people aren't aboard the Urban train yet.
Thats why I said "hes done little here" so far, excluding the 2 months of recruiting for 2012. And by little, I dont mean that those 2 months weren't very important, just the time period.
"Love my State, hate the football"
JOHNBLAIR- OSU didn't have a mult NC coach when they were getting outrecruited in the late 80's. I'm more than satisfied with Urban's ability to get the "top talent" in OH- by "top talent" I'm referring to the top 3 kids in the state he already has locked up for next year and the kids he prevented from leaving last year (Dunn, Pittman, Decker, Dodson)
"Tressel focused on Ohio. Results speak for themselves." Couldn't agree more! Results sure do. I can still remember getting destroyed in two NC games. Those results sure say so much!
If you ain't a Silver Bullet, you're a target
After the class Urban and his staff brought in only being on the job for 3 months people want to question his recruiting tactics now? I think Urban and his staff are better evaluators of talent than any of us. I agree with Alex; this class is gonna be incredible when it's all signed and sealed. Remember Ohio State can't give away schollys like candy the way scUM can this year. When this class is done, we will have 16-18 of the most highly recruited and talented kids in the country.
I do however understand your concern about keeping the top Ohio kids away from teams like scUM. A great majority of their best players over their history are from out of state, esp from Ohio. Hell TTUN has 3 Heisman winners and none are from Michigan and 2 are from Ohio. Be patient, trust Urban and his staff, and we will be greatly rewarded.
Tressel did an excellent job of locking up Ohio, but he also didn't slouch nationally. From 2002-2011 he signed 80 OOS players. Thats an average of 8 OOS players per year, with a total class average of 20.5. Even with Tressel's focus on Ohio, he wasn't that far off from a 50/50 mix of out of state players and in state players. I think Meyer will keep a similar ratio of out of state to instate players as Tressel, however I think the difference will be that Meyer will bring in higher quality out of state players. Meyer isn't going to abandon the fertile recruiting ground in his own backyard.
After seeing Meyer's intensity and the great amount of talent that Florida possessed in 2006, coupled with OSU's complacency heading into Glendale, Hindsight shows the 41-14 loss wasn't as big of a shock as it seemed when happening in real time.
I'm happy Meyer took the job as OSU's coach. I'm a huge OSU fan. I always hope for the best. You do realize Jerry Sandusky had something to do with OSU landing 4 top flight recruits 4 weeks ago.
You may think I'm 100% ignorant and off base...... oh well. Go Bucks!
Everyone needs to relax. We are less then a month into this. We already have the top 2 and arguable 3rd or 4th best recruits in the state. He will surely add more Ohioans to the class. At a certian point, there is only so much elite depth in the state; it would not be logical to pass on 4 or 5 elite national guys for the sake of filling out the recruiting class wiht Ohio guys just becuase the are from Ohio. Michigan has and always will get our leftovers.
- Respect the Rivalry -
and for the love of god don't give SCUM fans the satisfaction of thinking Joba the Hut fatass Hoke scares you.
- Respect the Rivalry -
The ink is barely dry on the 2012 class' letters of intent and we already want to gripe about the 2013 class? And Marshall, Burrows and Price (all Ohio guys) are already in the fold? His tactics may seem strange to those of us with no college football experience, but trust the man.
Don't take my word for it, take his...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQ2Rvb68pwc
Edit: Not to mention Eli Woodard, who is a stud prospect, and by all accounts a classy kid.
^^^^^^ Everyone needs to listen to SHATRICKTONES^^^^^^^^^^
The sky is NOT falling-- Ohio kids are always going to be the backbone of tOSU but not EVERY Ohio kid is going to play for OSU.
If you ain't a Silver Bullet, you're a target
It's just a matter of Urban knowing that he can build relationships with the Ohio recruits without offering them a year before NSD. I think it's more prudent to offer the out of state players, gauge their interest, and then try to build a class based on what you already know about the instate players.
We're not going to have a big class next year. I think Urban is just wanting to make sure that early commits aren't going to push away interest. If we miss out on Jaylon Smith because we've offered too many instate LBs, then I think people are going to be slightly more upset than they are now at him slow playing a few Ohio guys.
And honestly, beyond McCray and Zaire (both of which I'm sure are in regular contact with the coaching staff) who else do you think he should offer?
Yikes. Some of you should just jump off the ledge and get it over with. smdh
Hey, let's just offer ALL Ohio kids. No OOS kids allowed. That way, the Ohio State football team will be comprised of 8(2)5 scholarship players.
Meyer has an ability to recruit nationally; to cherry pick talent from the home state and beyond. It seems some people are still stuck in Tressel mode of recruiting.
What does geography have to do with anything? I'm an OSU student from Cincy, and I've lived in eight other states before. People from in-state are literally NO different than people from out-of-state. They just don't complain as much about Lebron leaving the Cavs or a lack of Skyline chili near the OSU campus.
If they're the best players, I want them. And if the best players happen to be from Ohio (Marshall, Burrows, Price), then let's get them. But if the best players are from other states, why not focus on them? We're trying to put together the best team possible. Predicating that on geography is not the way to do that.
I wouldn't cheer for Michigan if they were playing the Taliban.
Ha! looks like some of you either can't comprehend what is being discussed here, or have such thin skin, that questioning Meyer sends you into a tizzy.
I never claimed the sky is falling. Never claimed OSU should only offer Ohio kids. I've given due credit to out of state kids and their great contributions to Buckeye history.
I don't have a definite/concrete opinion on Meyer yet, he's only been the coach at OSU for 3 months. I do feel it is strange that he has offered out of state QBS, while telling Ohio QB's that he needs more evaluation time.
It's funny that the further past midnight it gets, the more inflamed the posters seem to become.
I don't find this strange for the simple reason that, for the most part, you only have one QB on the field at a time. Most teams don't carry more than four scholarship QBs in a given year, so you want to make the ones you take count. It's essential really that Meyer be very picky when handing out offers at the position. While it's important to have good depth, it is even more important to have the best QB possible out there.
To put it simply, OSU can/should recruit nationally. To limit recruiting regionally, is to do the overall appeal of OSU an injustice. There is more talent outside of OH, collectively, then there is within the borders of OH. No need for panty bunching.
With the emphasis on hiring qualified recruiters that have "ins" throught the south as well as other areas it's only reasonable to expect some out of state recruits to get better looks. I personally like the approach being taken now. Not all of the expectations from the previous regime are going to be adhered to.
Probably next in line may be the OOC games that involve playing Ohio teams. Though it's a nice gesture to keep the money in-state, it hardly does much for strength of schedule. The way the BCS is progressing (slow is still progressing) it might behoove us to rethink this policy.
I have no problems with Urban locking up Ohio's elite talent and then going after elite talent nationally. Everyone on the staff seems to be monsters in the recruiting game. They're going after the guys they want, and I'm sure there will be plenty of Ohio guys that sign a year from now.
"OSU could win a National Title with a roster of players all hailing from the Buckeye State."
LOL have you seen the last 5-6 national title teams and where all those kids are from?
One thing that seems to be forgotten is the level of competition. The offers that have been sent out have gone to 1.) Players with elite skills or 2.)Players with very good skills, but that play against elite competition.
That's why Urban has asked several Ohio guys to camp over the summer, so he can pit potential would be commits against each other to see who actually has more skill.
Simply put, I'd prefer Urban work from Ohio's borders out nationally. Again it is just my opinion. No need for some to irritated about the discussion. Twisting my points or ignoring them all together doesn't make a good debate or prove I'm FOS.
I never stated OSU should recruit regionally. Ohio should be the starting blocks though. IMO, it is disrespectful to OHSAA kids and programs to evaluate kids 1,000 miles away, without doing due process to the home product. Whatever.
OSU could win a National title with a roster of kids from Ohio alone. Totally hypothetical, so no need to get "in a bunch" or "LOL (you fool)" about that opinion.
Michigan gets OSU's leftovers every year. Please explain Michigan's success head to head vs OSU the past 100 years. Explain Michigan's success vs the SEC.
Claiming I should jump off a ledge for my concerns, shows either the maturity level of the commenter or the absolute paper thin skin some Buckeye fans have to someone claiming there may be an issue with OSU's football coaches approach to things.
Go Bucks!
By all accounts Ohio still is the starting block. Urban has commitments from 3 of the top players in the state at this point. It's safe to say that Urban has offered the top kids in Ohio that he feels are the best fit for his team. While doing that he has also cast a wide net nationally, which is the key for any program that wants to compete on a national level. There is still 11 months to go until national signing day, the Ohio kids that deserve an offer will get one when it is all said and done.
I've read a whole lot of posts from all you in the last few minutes. Someone said cooper dominated with a roster full of ohio kids. Then it was mentioned that notre dame and michigan poached a lot of ohio talent in the late 80s, early 90s...this was when cooper was the head honcho. Would seem to be two contradictory statements wouldn't it? The latter would be true. Cooper had absolutely no ties to the region...he was more of a broad spectrum, take the best available no matter what recruiter. Which won him a lot of games, and got him pounded on a regular basis by you know who. That being said, tressel did a great job of keeping ohio kids in ohio, and towards the end of his tenure, you saw kids from ohio migrating farther away than just midwest schools. Its the nature of the beast...the sec doesn't have to worry about southern talent leaving. Climate and overall hero worship of these kids from the time the pick up a football keeps them there. Same as texas schools and oklahoma cleaning up the texas talent. Ohio state does have a broad national appeal, as well as instills a great deal of home state pride in the homegrown talent. Don't be put off by the national spectrum being used. Look at woodard...this kid isn't from ohio, but he had a strong desire to be a buckeye. He's not the only kid from outside ohio who feels this way either. And ohio kids will always be a big part of this program...but its time to think outside the box and realize we aren't the only ones who realize what's in our own back yard. Just because they realize it doesn't mean they can pull the string on ohio kids like meyer will be able to. And you can get a more up close view of these kids every Friday in the fall. And be absolutely certain you have covered every angle and know you've assembled the best ohio and the rest of the country has to offer. Its all about relationships, comfort, and knowing 100% you want to be a buckeye. I'm pretty sure meyer and the staff know what they're after, and who they can bring in. Let them do it.
John, I'm not sure where you are getting all this "hate" or "irritation" from the other posts on this thread. The only thing people are saying is that it makes no sense to questions Urban's recruting methods for two reasons:
1. He has the track record to prove what he's doing
2. I would imagine no one here has actual experience with D1 college football recruiting strategy (especially at top 5 all time program)...so I'm going to go ahead and trust the person that does
This doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't express your opinion, but you also shouldn't have the same "paper thin skin" you acuse others of having when they disagree with you
"You're pissed because we went after a committed guy? Guess what, we got 9 guys who better go do it again," said Meyer. "Do it a little harder next time."