Ohio State, accepting a preferred walk on spot. Houston on why he committed: "I decided after I left their practice this evening and while I was there, it felt that's where I belonged and I've been around long enough to build relationships with the coaches........ it gives me the chance to earn a scholarship and prove I belong on the big stage."
We will have much more on Houston's commitment in the coming days.
when oppurtunity and desire to be a Buckeye collide = awesome.
Thats awesome, hopefully he does earn his scholarship. His drive to be a Buckeye is admirable! Goodluck William.
Pay It Forward!
nice i like this kid already
O'Deez330
stark county football
seems like a big back at 6'0 230! Nice addition without losing a scholarship spot...says alot due to Penn State and other BCS schools looking at him. WELCOME! Like his defensive clip on here!
Damn it feels good to be a Buckeye....
A scholarship-quality player without giving up a scholarship? Thank you, football gods! Hopefully we'll see him mold into a Zach Boren-type blocker with his selfless play.
3* FB on rivals as well welcome to the golden age of tOSU recruiting when we are getting 3 star kids to commit as walk-ons :)
Wondering if this is a sign of a possible power set Post Braxton. Not that it would be an every play thing, but wondering if Urban could be trying to work some power elements in? Could be something of an homage to old school B1G football.
Congrats to William Houston!!! Hope he earns a scholarship and finds significant time on the field. Maybe he'll end up being like Zach Boren....a kid you just put on the field and he'll make things happen -- a real football player.
What else can you say? Welcome, William!
Looks like he is pretty athletic for a big hoss; catches the ball well and has a little wiggle. Of course, the fact that he is walking on should answer any desire/heart type of questions.
This deserves a grey box expecially since he turned down a full ride to another school to play for us. Kid has scarlet and grey in his blood
impressive clip,
really impressed.
hope he earns his scholli down the road.
Love a kid that will walk on just to play at Ohio State. I'm idealistic to be sure but this just makes me wish we had a team full of scholarship guys with the same desire to play at OSU as this kid has & I know some of them do but...I don't know - this is just pretty cool.
The world is full of kings & queens who'll blind your eyes & steal your dreams - it's heaven & hell - Ronnie James Dio.
What a bull!! I love big powerfully backs who just knock people on their backs..
Why no gray box?
"if irony were made of strawberries, we' d all be drinking a lot of smoothies right now."
As a freshman I was moved up to Varsity for the last 3 games of the season ... where I played safety on scout team in practice and had the task of facing off against his father everyday. Interesting time because it forced me to fine tune my tackling technique. I actually had a name for that technique which caught on. I called it the "Oh #$%%, here he comes again hold on and scream like a banshee for help because this is one big hoss" technique.
LOL. Great pick up. To pass up an offer to walk on says a lot. If he's anything like his dad he will be one heck of a bright, physical, positive team guy. Boren Reloaded.
Trotwood-Madison. Once a Ram, Always a Ram.
Great news from William. Best of luck to him earning that scholarship. On a side note, I also recall he was at the Penn State game. Did he have a scholly offer from PSU?
EDIT: Just thought I'd update that, according to ESPN, Houston had an offer from Bowling Green but not PSU.
Good stuff. Welcome aboard William. Work hard and gaining a scholarship can happen young man.
Gray box! Gray box! Oh Alex.... This surely must be a gray box moment, no?
@JohnBlair. Not necessarily, if I had a strong desire to play football for the Buckeyes and were given the opportunity, your equation above would yeild a much different outcome. = Life altering injury. :)
"I'm One Bad Buckeye, and I approve this message."
Forgive my ignorance but is this something that happens all the time. A guy accepts a preferred walk-on spot well before NLOI day? Or is this kind of an exception? Thanks.
Champions Bleed Scarlet & Gray
Alright William!
Out of curiosity, I know NCAA limits how many scholarship athletes you can have (ugh for our reductions) but is there also a limit on how many walk-ons a team can have as well? Do things like this factor in to the recruiting site rankings or are they only based off of schollie athletes?
And what does that say about the state of the program and Urban's mojo. Getting hosses like this to walk on. Alex & gang - any other quality guys out there that you think may take the walk on route instead of a full ride from an FBS program?
Trotwood-Madison. Once a Ram, Always a Ram.
sorry...Joe Burger didn't get a gray box so Houston doesn't...it is a forum post and now a buckshot though
Anyone have any insight on how he matches up with Wyatt Shallman who is headed to ttun?
A team can have as many walk ons as they want. The normal procedure for walk ons is to "try out" for the team. These type of walk ons usually join the team after school begins in the fall. The NCAA limits the total number of players who can turn out early (like for spring ball or summer practice). So, a preffered walk on has, in effect, already "made" the team and can go through all work outs. I don't know the limit, or if it really comes into play much. Just know that you can not come in early unless you have the "preferred" label.
Got it. Thanks for the education NW BUCKEYE
Trotwood-Madison. Once a Ram, Always a Ram.
Fits the "brandon joe" mold......great addition
Haven't seen much of the guy but it's great that a local kid, who I'm sure grew up rooting for OSU, is getting the chance to be on the team. Welcome home William and best of luck
Top 5 at his position. Ill take it. Welcome home Willy
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Late to this thread ... just trying to put names to faces now that they're enrolled.
A fullback that runs a 4.6 40 and runs through tackles? Are you kidding me? Imagine being a DL or LB and having to guess whether the QB, RB or HB/FB is going to run over you for 10+yards, no matter who you key on.
Welcome, William!
"We get paid to score touchdowns, not kick field goals"
-- Urban Meyer
you scared me when i saw this thread on the top. thought he committed to another school haha
right there with you...wondered why this was among the list
No worries guys because I believe he was also an early enrolee so he is already on campus as well!!!!
This kid is a player too!! Will be nice to have after Hyde leaves this year, and Houston can be the short yardage back to go with Zeke, Dunn, Smith, Ball. Smith will be a SR and it could be HIS year as a SR. Although Smith could be the short yardage back as well but Houston is a little more compact and lower pad leveled which is nice in a short yardage back.
It's great to hear about the walkons. We need to recognize them more. When it comes to the team, those players are true soldiers.