Eleven Warriors

Are we on the outside looking in?  Well, I would say so given that you just listed his top three and we're not in it.

damn i figured UFM would have locked him down for 2014

Well considering we lead for Dante Booker who is probably the best in-state LB next year, lead for Clifton Garrett who is an elite LB from Illinois, lead or are second for Raekwon McMillian from Georgia who is a top 25 player overall and also are in on Davonte James who another top LB in state (also higher rated than Ferns) I think we'll be just fine as far as LBs go.

I'm sure other LBs will also pop up but those are the highest rated ones that have the most interest at this point.

Hayze - I agree with what you are saying on the 2014 LB's but FWIW Garrett is actually from Joliet, Illinois, not Indiana. 

I wasn't doubting - just wanted to see the proof. I too would rather this kid was a Buckeye...

Edit: Thanks Gene. Appreciate what you do man.

A family friend who knows Ferns' dad said that OSU has not been in touch very often since there visit, fwiw.

Honestly, Ferns is probably fourth or lower on the board. Great player, but the coaches aren't going to take him over Garrett, Booker, or McMillan. James may be higher as well.

@ JDADAMS01

Not picking on you personally, but your post hits on what I was thinking when I first heard about this top 3. Isn't the logic that we used to stay off of McCray the same thing going on here? What happens if we miss on two or three of those top three? Then we have another stud linebacker from our own backyard (like Gedeon and McCray) locked up at Michigan. We could potentially be stuck continuing to look like we are this year after the Anzelone debacle.

The thing with 2014 is LB is stacked...we want Ferns and he is a top Ohio target along with LB Dante Booker so don't get me wrong there, but the position is LOADED....if we can get 2-3 of Clifton Garrett, Raekwon McMillan, Ferns, Dante Booker, Davonte James, etc we are a-OK....still so much time on this one, but I agree it looks good for Michigan-PSU right now

Who cares...I'm all about getting Ohio kids...but have you all seen Garrett's, Booker's or McMillian's videos?  If we get two or all 3 of those guys in 2014, I could care less if St. Clairsville's best has to offer goes Up North or where ever.  If Garrett, McMillian, and D. Booker are in... then I'm fine with them.  Let Hail2thelosers be confident or not I don't really care (wish TTUN fans would stay on their own sites personally).  Get more Ohio kids like Bo did...won't help you guys anyway!  Ohio State has your guys # except Coopers horrible record in 1988-2000 and back before helmets were used....otherwise Ohio State owns you guys!  I think the games will be more competitive just like recruiting is lately...but don't get your hopes up Hail...I wouldn't if I were you.  

Actually BHOP, Bo had a winning record in the 10 year war with Woody. And while your argument about counting the games with leather helmets is valid, you cant choose to throw out the Cooper years because we lost most of those games. Couldn't UM say the same thing about "throwing out the Tressel years"? Every rivalry has periods dominated by one side...you can't just throw out the ones where you don't like the results.

While I'm glad to hear when top players put us as a leader in their recruitment, I still can't help but think, shit, it's a YEAR AND A HALF until NSD 2013, and these kids are only 16.  A lot can and will change between now and then.  

@Buckeye76hBop

What is OSU's win-loss record vs Michigan in your lifetime?  born in 1976, I'm guessing...

16-19-1 that's including the vacated win from 2010 which I consider an OSU win.

Go back to '69 when Bo started coaching and the rivalry took off.  Even or +/- one win to either side.  I don't think any team is owning the other.

@Hail - But you forgot to skip all the losses(oh how many times I cried) under Cooper. That's the only logical way to look at this.

@TOSUMAN:

Don't worry, I know you're just carrying logical conversation. It may end up similar, but IMO that's what cost Tressel in big national games. We may have had possible inroads with a national player, but too often Tress took the Ohio kid who was a notch below. Sometimes those kids really panned out (Whitner, Troy Smith), but more often, Ohio's best didn't stack up to the nation's best. I prefer UFM's approach to go after the nation's best first. It will bite us with some Ohio kids. But Ohio kids need to realize that just because they are Ohioans doesn't mean they get a free pass for performance.

@JDAdams,

Whitner was a 5* and the number 1CB prospect in the country coming out of high school per Scout.  Hardly an under the radar recruit.

Maybe you were thinking about Malcolm Jenkins?  He was a 3*.

With other talented guys at LB having serious interest in OSU, this one isn't too big of a hit even though Ferns is a good player that OSU would have taken 

I'm not saying OSU shouldn't still recruit Fern or take him.  I'm saying 2014 is loaded with talented LBs and Booker is better.  Get Garrett and Booker, anyone else is icing on the cake.  

As far as TTUN...we owned them in 1950-1968, Woody won 12-18 games and actually had a record of 4-5-1...in the 10 year war...that's not a HUGE margin of losses considering Woody was the one who taught him how to coach...don't you think?  TTUN had a 30-12- 4 record from 1897-1950. At the end of Woody's regime it was 37-24-4 (1951-1979). Earle's 5-4 made it alittle closer...than 1988-2000...then Cooper years, which one of you was so quick to defend...Now go back and look at Cooper...hmmm that 2-10-1 doesn't happen and OSU closes the gap at the least. I'm sorry but Cooper isn't a good coach to defend.  I watched him time and time again blow leads vs TTUN and then if he did beat them turn around and lose the bowl game when I was growing up.  1997 Rose Bowl was the only time I really liked him as a HC and it was because of the way he coached that year...and how can you argue with recruiting and landing Eddie George.  Great recruiter...not great at putting it all together (look at who Tress won his first and only NC with in 2002. Those players were Coopers...but who was the better coach...??? obvious huh).  So in other words, from 1999-present...WE OWN YOU HAIL>>>FACE IT!

As far as having a point that the 10+ Tress years shouldn't have happened per TTUN fan's perspective...WOW if you're an actual Buckeye fan.  Who gives a FUCK what they think???No,...Tress and OSU won fair and square until a thug from PA was recruited and now OSU will be stained forever because of it.  Was TP good...????  Of course...was he worth all the BS that followed...????  I'd say NO.  Troy Smith was better but look at him now...released again.  What will come of TP...only time will tell...but I'd say a similar fate.

@BHOP - The fact that you have to TRY to rationalize your ridiculous attempt at logic tells me everything I need to know....that you shouild be ignored. Attacking my loyalty to OSU simply because I choose to think rationally rather than emotionally is pathetic....views like this are an embarrassment to our fanbase. I'll say it again, ALL great rivalries have periods dominated by one side. UM had the upper hand in the 90's, we have had the upper hand in the 2000's. Why you choose to ignore the Cooper years is beyond me...did these game not happen? Not disagreeing about Cooper and losing big games late in the season but you can't just ignore the games because you don't like the outcome. The FACT is that UM holds the edge head to head....yes much of that was before the TV was invented but doesn't change anything. If the situation was reversed you know damn well you would be defending it.

This is already happening in 2014. I think it is time for people to start coming to there senses. scUM is kicking our ass in recruiting right now. I dont care what our class coould be in the future. As of right now they have a better class then us and it may be already shaping to be better in 2014. Urban hasnt proved anything yet. 

I would hesitate to say scUM is kicking our ass in recruiting...they have more recruits...we knew this would happen given our scholarship reductions...but position by position I would take our commits over theirs more times then not.. their line is a nice haul yes...QB vs QB I wouldnt trade...JT fits us Morris fits them...Id take Baugh over their TE, I would take our DBs over theirs, our RB fits us better and if we land either Green/Mizzel we'd be way ahead in that position... WR, id take Jalin over the 2 commits they have and we are bound to land 1 more of Quick,Foster,etc..so even if they land Treadwell our WRs are even or better imo...LBs they are ahead by default, Dline- they dont have nor will they get anyone superior to Bosa,

forrest through the trees people...

there are three facts here:

1) Hoke is using the recruiting pull of Michigan to do what RichRod could not.  He is also using the "spite" card with star Ohio recruits.  It's working.  I hate them but have to respect and recognize that they are doing a hell of a job on the recruiting trail.

2) Urban is recruiting using a completely different philosophy than Tressel.  Tress built a wall around Ohio and then picked up high-interest out-of-state with sniper offers.  Urban is more of a shotgun approach to top out of state and much more deliberate with in state talent.  Tress won A LOT of B1G games with hsi strategy, but struggled at times against the big boys out of conference.  We'll have to see if Urban's style changes that.  I can say that the 2012 class is RIDICULOUS considering the amount of time he had to put it together and the uncertainty that revolved around it.

3) The majority of you ahve no idea what you are talking about.  I am no recruiting expert, buit I have been following it for the past 4-5 years.  I understand the ups and downs of the recruiting cycle.  I understand the differences between the rankings.  What I see in abundance here is a defiinite niavete about recruiting.  That's fine, as many of you are probbaly following recruiting closer now than ever before.  What that means, then, is that these ridiculous blanket statements and overall panic are just uncalled for.  Celebrate the recruiting victories, welcome the next generation of Buckeyes, and wish the others a healthy career.  That's all you can do.