I want to begin and end with this statement: I trust Urban on recruiting. Hopefully that slows the haters down.
My focus on recruiting is always needs 2 years down the road - So I'm looking at 2014 and I see SIGNIFICANT depth issues at OL and Safety.
First, Offensive Line:
After 2013 we lose 4 starters to graduation: Mewhort, Norwell, Hall & Linsley.
Our 2014 depth looks like this:
Tackles: Decker, Dodson, Lisle, Daryl Baldwin, Tommy Brown
Interior: Bobek, Underwood, Boren, O'Connor, Elfein
I love our tackles, but the interior players scare me. Boren looks like he'll be a keeper at center, but who will play guard? O'Connor, Underwood, Bobek and Elfien do not inspire confidence in me as our only options at guard - Our only 2 chances to improve this situation is the 2013 class (Lovell Peterson?) and the 2014 class, but anyone from the 2014 class will need to contribute as a true freshman.
Second, Safety:
After 2013, we lose our entire 2-deep to graduation: Barnett, Bryant, Brown, Wood
Our 2014 depth looks like this:
Safeties: Ron Tanner, Devan Bogard, Jayme Thompson (Najee Murray and/or Tyvis Powell may be switched from corner to safety as well)
I like these three guys, but there is no depth if one or two of them don't work out just right - And neither Powell nor Murray are ideal safeties. Assuming we get one more safety in this class (Dymonte or Von Bell?) and assuming that either Powell or Murray switches, that will put us at 5 deep going into the 2014 recruiting class, which isn't bad. But it's still quite thin overall. And, considering the 4 big seniors leaving in 2013, it's hard to imagine these 2014 guys getting much playing time or experience at safety before 2014. So we'll have a pretty green lot of safeties without much depth.
In conclusion: I trust Urban on recruiting. But I'm interested in everyone's take on how these issues may get addressed.
We don't have 85 scholarships. We won't through 2014, and when you look it seems Meyer has decided those are the positions that we will be thin at. IMO that's just the honest answer. I mean you can move 1 or 2 of those tackles inside for a year since that's much easier to do than move anyone outside.
Safety I figure you pick up one more, then you have a 2 deep and you can bring in a stud next year who can contribute as a frosh.
As I said, if we have 3 more scholarships this year, I can bet 2 of the 3 would go to these positions, maybe all 3
You aren't accounting for the recruiting class this year are you then?
Yes, I very much am accounting for this year's recruiting class as it currently stands.
We have 1 OL this year (Lisle, who is a Tackle not a Guard) and we have 1 Safety this year (Jayme Thompson).
I really think Urban is building his team as he should. Defense wins championships and recruiting there first gives him time to create the desired offensive personnel necessary for his scheme. I think O'Conner and Boren will be studs. I have heard Elflein may be better than everyone thinks. Don't you think Meyer has something up his sleeve for dealing with this situation? He could still bring in one or two OL for 2013 and I think Vonn Bell could come our way. I cannot see all the football intelligence assembled in the coaches room at OSU not having a plan for any of your worries.
Burrows could play safety as well, Grant/Reeves/Woodard the starters at corner
"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."
^^^
This for safety plus Bell (hopefully).
As for the OL, I think Coach Meyer will land two more for this class. Fingers crossed but come Signing Day something magical always seems to happen with him.
we will also have a recruiting class in there of freshmen for 2014 that we don't even know of yet. I am sure Meyer will get at least 3-4 O-Linemen next year, I do think we could get another safety this year along with atleast 1-2 more O-linemen. So I don't think it will be that much of a concern. I don't think meyer has to get to many D-linement next year maybe 2-3 and probably only 1-2 linebackers, so he should have some room to get some OL,WR's and DB's
For next years class without knowing how many schollies meyer will have this is what I think some needs are
QB-1
RB-1-2
TE- maybe 1 but not a huge need
OL- 3-4 guys is a must
WR- 2-3 guys
LB- 1-2
DL-2-3
DB-3-4
K/P- need to get one of each
So that class should be around 20 if he has the schollies. Depending on if people transfer this could change, but 3-4 OL is probably the most needed along with Play makers.
One thing that seems to be overlooked often is that Frank Epitropoulos was recruited by a lot of people as a Safety. I know that he was told he'd be playing WR, but as Danny mentioned in the Skully today, Urban is totally down to move players around as need arises. And if I remember correctly, Duane Long liked Epitropoulos as the best safety in the Ohio last season. Wouldn't stun me at all to see him line up on defense when it's all said and done
I'm holding out hope that Epitropoulos can also punt after seeing the shank from the spring game. I have never been comfortable with Buchanan as a punter.
You're not confident in Buchanan who averaged 41.3 yards a punt?
I mean I'm more confident in Buchanan than I am in almost any position on the field outside of the D-line and RB
Buchanan is no Groom or Sander, but because his punts don't out-kick the coverage, there's usually not a lot of return yardage, so his net averages are usually pretty high.