#Auburn commitment Trey Johnson really liked his #OhioState visit, also had an important person with him. ow.ly/fyLGR #Buckeyes

— Mike Farrell (@rivalsmike) November 25, 2012

That person would be his father

Southfield (Mich.) junior DE Lawrence Marshall says today's #OhioState visit was the best game he's been to: recruiting.scout.com/2/1243166.html

— Allen Trieu (@AllenTrieu) November 24, 2012

2014 LB Clifton Garrett "I could definitely see myself playing for THE OHIO STATE " More recruit reactions here... ohiostate.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fi…

— Marc Givler (@MarcGivlerBG) November 24, 2012

Raekwon McMillan says OSU is still his leader. Must be having a great weekend in C-bus.

— Michael Chung (@MChungOZone) November 25, 2012

Jimmy Byrne says Notre Dame still leads but it is close.

— Michael Chung (@MChungOZone) November 25, 2012

Drew Barker said #OhioState asst Tom Herman told him he'll be in Texas next wk. Sounds like #OSU will be checkin on Mike Mitchell. #Buckeyes

— Jared Shanker (@JShankerESPN) November 25, 2012

#OhioState may be close to offering Detroit King 2014 LB Carl Fuller, he visited today w/ Jalen Embry & Avonte Maddox: recruiting.scout.com/2/1243196.html

— Allen Trieu (@AllenTrieu) November 24, 2012

Top247 WR Shelton Gibson says no other school is close to Ohio State following today's visit. ohiostate.247sports.com/Board/120/Recr… via @247sports

— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong247) November 24, 2012

• Christopher Worley names Ohio State leader
• Andrew Brown unofficially visits North Carolina
• MarQuez North & Demarre Kitt unofficially visits Clemson
• Artavis Scott & Tony Stevens unofficially visits Florida State for their game against Florida
• Andy Bauer unofficially visits the Alabama for the Iron Bowl vs. Auburn
• Davonte James unofficially visits Purdue
• Cincinnati offers Thaddeus Snodgrass

Scout$--Berger Takes In Buckeye Win

• Kyle was blown away today and spoke with Coaches Meyer and Fickell before and after The Game. He says recruiting is brand new to him but he thinks he wants to be close to home.

Scout$--Horton Saw Difference In "The Game"

• Mikel says the intensity was definitely different for this game. He did not speak with any coaches. 

Scout$--Glover-Williams Has "Awesome" Time at OSU

• Eric loved his visit and speaking with the players and coaches. He is considering playing baseball and football at the next level.

Rivals$--Garrett takes in 'crazy' atmosphere

• Clifton was blown away by the atmosphere and attention from coaches and fans. He says it was his best visit but refrained from naming a favorite.

Rivals$--Local lineman checks out OSU rivalry game

• Nick Richardson says he was able to speak with Coach Warinner before the game and was impressed as always.

Rivals$--West takes in 'best game' he's seen

• Darius says this was definitely the best environment he has seen and his interaction with the coaches definitely increased his interest in tOSU.

Rivals$--Mustipher enjoys weekend in Columbus

• Sam spent 2 days in Columbus and loved it. He is not ready to name favorites but says tOSU has a great shot at being in his eventual top 5. 

Rivals$--Nation's top junior talks Ohio State visit

• Da'Shawn says the visit exceeded his expectations and he was very impressed with the fans. He wants to have a top 5 this summer and plans to take recruiting slow.

Rivals$--Close battle brewing for Byrne

• Jimmy says he was very impressed today, his decision will come down to tOSU or ND, and specifically down to the coaching staff. 

Rivals$--Raekwon McMillan talks Buckeyes

• Raekwon says tOSU is his clear leader and he was blown away by The Game. He knows the importance of being a leader in a recruiting class but is still planning committing at the '14 UA game.

247 - Kitt says Clemson's on top

• Demarre Kitt, the four-star 2014 receiver from Tyrone (Ga.) Sandy Creek, said on Sunday that Clemson has taken the lead in his recruitment

Rivals$--Wilbon wowed by Ohio State

• Mikale was blown away this weekend and says if the Buckeyes offer, they will be at the top of his list.

Scout$--Wilbon's Best Visit

• Mikale again says The Game was by far the best atmosphere he has experienced.

Scout$--Visit Raises Jones' View of Buckeyes

• Jamarco says the extended visit definitely enhanced his view of tOSU.

Scout$--Bere Visits Buckeyes

• Tinashe was very impressed Saturday and says tOSU is definitely high on his list.

Scout$--Junior Makes Return Trip To OSU

• Marcelys Jones loved watching former teammates go head to head and especially loved the atmosphere and tOSU staff. He, of course, has no favorites and is looking forward to learning about multiple schools.

Rivals$--JUCO WR Smith visits Ohio State

• Corey liked the attention he received from the coaches and will take all five officials. He already knows Mississippi State 11/30, Hawaii 12/8, Tennessee, and tOSU in January.

Scout$--JC All-American Visits Buckeyes

• Corey Smith says checked with Coach Meyer about the status of his offer and it was confirmed he would be accepted. He will visit in January.

Rivals$--Berger takes in The Game

• Similar comments...was blown away and says Coach Meyer wants to meet with his parents soon.

BN$--Big Week For Berger

• Kyle says he doesn't want to call tOSU his favorite, but they are in a great spot. He may visit WVU this weekend. 

Scout$--Visit Has Buckeyes On Top

• Shelton Gibson says this visit pushed tOSU even further on top but he is looking forward to visiting WVU and possibly Oregon.

Rivals$--Four-star WR checks out Ohio State

• Josh Malone loved his visit but says it is too early to focus on any schools. He does say tOSU has a great shot at making his final cut.

Rivals$--The latest on Worley

• Glenville assistant coach Tony Overton says Chris is very excited about tOSU but is not sure about any commitment plans.

Scout$--Byrne Visits Ohio State

• Jimmy says he enjoyed the trip but ND is still his leader. He will visit ND for bowl practice and possibly make another trip to Columbus before deciding.

Scout$--Big Ten Offers Coming For Laster?

• Coach Drayton is telling De'Niro to be patient while things shake out with the numbers. He loved visiting for The Game and is being recruited as a LB.

Scout$--Sophomore Impressed With Buckeye Win

• Darrin Hall loved his visit for The Game and already holds an offer from Nebraska.

BN$--4-Star Linebacker "Flip" To OSU?

• Daniel McMillian says he loved his visit and has to make a quick decision because he plans to graduate early. 

Scout$--Buckeyes Lost No Ground

• Raekwon McMillan says he is shocked his high expectations were met by the visit. He says the Buckeyes are his clear leader with UGA and Clemson also in the mix.

Southfield (Mich.) High School junior defensive end Lawrence Marshall has seen his recruitment pick up recently and made a few visits to colleges. He took his best visit Saturday.

The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Marshall made his first visit to Ohio State for a game when the Buckeyes hosted Michigan.

"It was the best game I've ever went to," Marshall said. "It was a rivalry game. Michigan-Ohio State, that's a classic."

Lancaster, Ohio, junior Kyle Trout has seen his fair share of big college games this fall -- Notre Dame vs. Michigan State, Oklahoma vs. West Virginia. He said the one he saw Saturday was the best.

Trout, a 6-foot-5 offensive tackle on the ESPN Watch List, was at Ohio State for the Michigan game this weekend.

"It's probably the best game I went to," Trout said. "I like to go to close games where the team I'm visiting comes out on top. It's better to talk to the coaches after they win."

Some of the top prospects in the 2014 class are already talking about playing together in college. Following Saturday, that place could be Ohio State.

ESPN Watch List quarterback Drew Barker (Hebron, Ky./Conner) was talking with fellow Watch List prospects Raekwon McMillan (Hinesville, Ga./Liberty County) and Clifton Garrett (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South) about all teaming up for the same program in 2014, and all three were at Ohio State for the Michigan game. Class of 2013 commits Ezekiel Elliott and Jalin Marshall were doing their best to persuade the trio, too.

"We were all talking about how sweet it would be if we all went to the same school. They were saying Ohio State is the place to be, Coach [Urban] Meyer, he's started the [career] off right, first season going 12-0, can't get any better than a perfect season, jump on the Ohio State Buckeye train and get things going, that's what they were saying," Barker said.

Ohio State is looking at several prospects from the Chicago area, and 2014 defensive end/linebacker Nile Sykes (Oak Park, Ill/Oak Park-River Forest) is among them.

Sykes made it to Ohio State for a visit Saturday for the game against Michigan.

"It was awesome. Both teams played hard and Ohio State really showed their dominance throughout all the game," Sykes said.

For Kyle Berger (Cleveland/St. Ignatius), it was the first college football game he’s ever seen live. For Eric Glover-Williams (Canton, Ohio/McKinley) it was the first time he’s witnessed an Ohio State-Michigan game in person.

They both came away with a one-word answer when asked about the Buckeyes’ 26-21 win Saturday over the Wolverines.

Wow.

One of the biggest -- perhaps the biggest -- linebackers in the Class of 2014 continued his love affair with Ohio State on Saturday.

Raekwon McMillan (Hinesville, Ga./Liberty), who has more than 25 Division I offers already, continues to put the Buckeyes either at the top or near the top as more colleges come calling every day.

The 6-foot-3, 235-pound ESPN Watch List inside linebacker saw something special in Columbus when he visited Ohio State for the Friday Night Lights camp in July.

Shelton Gibson (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights) indicated that he will probably wait until signing day to commit to a school.

The ESPN 300 wide receiver also made it clear Ohio State is way out in the lead of his list of suitors after taking an unofficial visit on Saturday.

The fact he was the first Buckeyes target to jump the fence and storm the field following Ohio State’s 26-21 win over Michigan was a telling sign about just how much the 5-foot-11, 173-pound senior likes OSU. He ran on the artificial turf to be part of the celebration as Ohio State finished its undefeated season under first-year coach Urban Meyer.

Jimmy Byrne (Cleveland/St. Ignatius) said Notre Dame set the bar after going on an unofficial visit back in September when he saw the Fighting Irish take on Michigan.

The ESPN Watch List junior now sees an even playing field after taking in Ohio State’s 26-21 win over the Wolverines on Saturday.

As things stand now, Byrne expects to make a choice somewhere close to February and has the Buckeyes and Notre Dame in a two-school race for his services.

One of the top players in the Midwest in the 2014 class, Jamarco Jones (Chicago/De La Salle) made another visit to Ohio State this weekend, but this one was his most extensive trip to Columbus yet.

The ESPN Watch List offensive tackle arrived in Columbus on Friday and stayed through Saturday evening. Following a campus and school tour and the experience of taking in "The Game," Jones has the Buckeyes near the top.

"They're pretty high right now," said Jones, who holds 14 offers, Ohio State among them. "I like them as a program. It just seems like a family-oriented program and I like that, and the coaching staff is great. Everyone on the coaching staff cares about each individual player, not just about what they can do on the field."

Mikale Wilbon might play on the same team as coveted Watch List tackle Jamarco Jones at Chicago De La Salle, but Wilbon is no tag along. The junior running back already has three offers and is optimistic another could come soon.

Wilbon took in Ohio State's game against Michigan on Saturday, and he talked to the Buckeyes coaches about where he stands on their recruiting board. Illinois, Iowa and Purdue have already offered.

"I talked to Coach [Stan] Drayton, the running backs coach, and he said he was going to do his homework on me and he said an offer should be coming soon because 'we're coming for you and we like you.'"

Ohio State was already at the top of the list for 2014 defensive back Darius West (Lima, Ohio/Lima Central Catholic). His visit to Columbus on Saturday only strengthened that lead for the Buckeyes.

"The visit was off the charts and I don't think it can get better than that," West said. "The fans were loud and intense. The players and the coaches were definitely fired up also."

The 5-foot-10, 183-pound West, a member of the ESPN Watch List, does not have an offer from the Buckeyes but that could come sometime during the spring. Akron, Bowling Green, Cincinnati, Indiana, Purdue and Toledo have already offered West.

LATSCH: Burroughs' Elliott leaves lasting legacy, message

ST. LOUIS • Ezekiel Elliott fought back the tears the best he could.

The John Burroughs standout senior running back had done everything he could in the Missouri Class 3 championship game on Friday afternoon, and it still wasn’t enough to prevent a heartbreaking 35-22 loss to Maryville at the Edward Jones Dome.

“You put in so many hours with your boys, your brothers, all season for the past four years, and you aren’t able to accomplish what you wanted to,” Elliott said. “So it hurts a lot. But you have to be strong. I have to be strong for my boys back in the locker room. I can’t be moping around. I have to show them that it’s not over, it’s not over. I believe in them. I believe they can come back next year. They are going to win a state championship.”

The Ohio State recruit broke the championship game record for all-purpose yards with 419, eclipsing the 365 former University of Missouri running back Derrick Washington racked up in Raymore-Peculiar’s 42-32 win against Kirkwood in the Class 5 title game in 2006.

The 6-foot senior rushed 18 times for 218 yards and two touchdowns, including a 79-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and a 1-yard scoring surge late in the third that cut the deficit to 28-22. He caught five passes for 72 yards and returned four kicks for another 129 yards, including a 84-yard return for a touchdown in the third quarter.

Maryville coach Matt Webb said Elliott was “awesome.” Spoofhounds offensive lineman Caleb Mather called him “amazing.”

Friday at the Dome, Elliott showed the kind of player he has been his final two seasons and showed glimpses of as a sophomore, an incredible three-year run in which the Bombers have won 40 games and lost just four and now finished second in Class 3 three straight times.

cont...

The Silver Bullets Impress Sykes

After Saturdays win over arch rival Michigan, Buckeye fans from across the nation were impressed with how the Silver Bullets stepped up and kept the Wolverines out of the end zone.

Fans weren’t the only ones impressed, 2014 LB/DE  Nile Sykes left Columbus with a lot of respect for the Buckeye D ” Their  defense was great, everyone was flying twords the ball”.

The Oak Park,IL native who attends Oak Park & River Forest HS has offers from home state Illinois & Northern Illinois to go along with Purdue & Toledo. Sykes is also gaining interest from Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan State & Notre Dame to name a few.

cont...

2012 MSHSAA Class 3 Football Championship, John Burroughs vs Maryville