Dante Booker Junior Highlights
Cameron Hunt Interview with Pep Fernandez
Corn Elder Interview with the Tennessean
Newly Offered: Lawrence Marshall
- @Niebuhr247 Will have a Raekwon McMillan update this afternoon. Sounds like #OhioState may be tough to beat
- Erick Smith visiting this weekend per ESPN $
- #OhioState offers Southfield (Mich.) junior DE Lawrence Marshall
Scout $ - Hand names top five '14 VA DE Da'Shawn Hand
- In no order: Alabama, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia Tech...with Notre Dame and Ohio State close behind...will take all five officials.
BN $ - Top Schools Targeting Snodgras '14 OH WR Thaddeus Snodgrass
- By Helwagen...lists Notre Dame, Penn State, Michigan State, Nebraska and Ohio State and talks about each...talks about how his team runs the Wing-T.
Scout $ - USAAB Combine: 4-star Tabor has Top 3 '14 DC CB Jalen Tabor
- By Dohn.....Down to Maryland, Florida State, North Carolina, Clemson, Miami, Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Michigan, Ohio State & Notre Dame. Top 3 of Alabama, Notre Dame & Florida.
Scout $ - Shaw's striving to be the best '14 GA DT Elisha Shaw
- By Simmons.....Offers from Alabama, Florida State, Georgia & Ohio State. Doesn't know much about Ohio State, but wants to learn more & possibly visit.
Scout Video $ - Junior Rank Combine: Dylan Thompson '14 IL DL Dylan Thompson
- By Scott....Hearing from Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State & Wisconsin. Says he may visit Ohio State in the Spring.
Scout Video $ - Junior Rank Combine: Nate Oquendo '14 IL OL Nate Oquendo
- By Scott.....Offers from Purdue & Eastern Michigan, while also hearing from Georgia Tech, Duke, Illinois, Ohio State, Stanford & Oregon.
ESPN $ - Timmons has a new group of finalists
- Visiting Ohio State this weekend and bringing his mom for the first time which is important in his decision.
Scout - Final Scout 300 Rankings for 2013
25. Vonn Bell
28. Mike Mitchell
32. Jalin Marshall
38. Joey Bosa
47. Ezekiel Elliott
72. Evan Lisle
73. Marcus Baugh
111. Eli Apple
123. Cam Burrows
129. Gareon Conley
149. Michael Hill
151. JT Barrett
152. Shelton Gibson
203. Trey Johnson
204. Billy Price
214. Donovan Munger
225. Tyquan Lewis
246. Jayme Thompson
287. Cameron Hunt
291. Cornelius Elder
Ohio State recruiting: State Secrets, 1/9
Ohio State has added another angle to their already impressive recruiting pitch: being the only undefeated team in the country at season's end. Plenty of top recruits are listening, from the class of 2013 and 2014 alike, and that has fans and coaches alike excited about the future of the program.
The class of 2013 is less than a month away from its curtain call with National Signing Day 2013 all set to take place on February 6th and the Buckeyes are still looking to finish off the class with a bang. Sitting at 21 total commitments, Ohio State and head coach Urban Meyer are seriously looking at a select few remaining possible targets. Many of these recruits are not expected to announce their decisions until National Signing Day itself.
One recruit that has a lot of interest in the Buckeyes is '13 OL Dan Skipper. The 6'10" (!) Skipper is currently committed to Tennessee as a "soft" verbal, but has Ohio State in his top five. Skipper also plans on visiting Columbus for the weekend of January 19th. We haven't heard a whole lot about Skipper, but with the sudden interest, the coaching staff may want to dig a bit deeper when it comes to learning about this tree of a man:
Down to my top 5... Michigan, Ohio St. Arkansas, Ole Miss, Tennessee in no particular order #Decisions
— Dan Skipper (@DanSkipper70) January 8, 2013
Perhaps one of the biggest names, besides '13 S Vonn Bell, left on the Ohio State recruiting board is '13 ATH Ryan Timmons. Following James Quick's commitment to Louisville, rumors started spreading that Timmons may finally get the offer that he has been yearning for quite some time. Timmons is taking an official visit to Ohio State on the 11th, and it would not surprise me if he left with an offer in hand. Kentucky, another top school of choice, has a visit scheduled for the 18th of January, but the Buckeyes will get the first crack at Timmons. Ryan also tweeted about his recruitment, vaguely implying that he will be making his decision one day before National Signing Day:
— Ryan Timmons(@Rimmons_5) January 8, 2013
Buckeye fans felt a little shunned yesterday, when '14 DE Da'Shawn Hand tweeted his brand new top five consisting of Alabama, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia Tech:
@rivalsmike @jcshurburtt @coachjh58 My TOP 5 list: ALABAMA, MICHIGAN, NORTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA, VIRGINIA TECH.
— Da'shawn Hand (@TheHand54) January 8, 2013
But you can't ever count out Urban Meyer, right? I have to wonder if this is because the Buckeyes simply don't really need defensive linemen as much in this class. That's probably not the real answer (as Hand's pedigree should allow him to compete with anyone and help the rich get richer), but it seems the recruitment of Hand has cooled off a bit. And from the looks of it, that feeling may be mutual:
@thehand54 @rivalsmike @jcshurburtt @coachjh58 OSU is #6
— Da'shawn Hand (@TheHand54) January 8, 2013
Finally, fellow '14 classmate DB Nick Glass (who currently is committed to Georgia) is hosting a couple of interesting visitors at his home next week:
THE OHIO STATE IS COMING BY THE SCHOOL NEXT WEEK. (:
— Nick Glass (@Nick_Ocho) January 8, 2013
Glass, if you'll remember, talked to us about possibly giving Ohio State a chance despite being committed to Georgia. He mentioned that playing with the aforementioned Hand and '14 LB Raekwon McMillan on the same team would be something of a perfect fit. With all three considering the Buckeyes, it's difficult not to agree with him.
Ohio State Recruiting: 2013 Finale Begins
Tell me if you have read this phrase before- this weekend will be huge for Ohio State recruiting.
It seems like we are writing those words every other week with Urban Meyer at the helm in Columbus, but overused or not, they once again ring true.
With exactly four weeks to go until NLOID on February 6, Coach Meyer and his staff will be looking to add the finishing touches on an already outstanding 2013 recruiting class.
They will start their final month of recruiting in style over the next several days by hosting almost all of the players remaining on the 2013 recruiting radar.
Pending reports from the upcoming visits, we will likely have a much better idea of what the class will ultimately look like come February 6.
Here is a look at the players who will be taking their official visits to Ohio State in the coming days.
cont...
Ohio State Has Huge Recruiting Opportunity This Weekend
A huge recruiting opportunity awaits Urban Meyer and The Ohio State Buckeyes this coming weekend. After receiving two verbal commitments this past weekend with Mike Mitchell and Trey Johnson, there will be an opportunity for more as many non-commits visit Columbus. Among the prospects visiting are 5-Star safety prospect Vonn Bell, Christopher Worley, Cornelius Elder, Ryan Timmons, and Shelton Gibson.
Ohio State has a legitimate shot at every name mentioned, and more than legitimate for some. However, with scholarship limitations, it’s crazy to think that the Buckeyes will offer every single one. It would be impossible. Each of these players, though, has a unique talent that would be a great fit at Ohio State.
Let's start with Vonn Bell. Bell is the most highly coveted remaining prospect on the Buckeye’s recruiting board. His speed makes him an elite player, but his ball skills and tackling ability make him an elite defender. The favorites for Bell seem to be Ohio State, Alabama, and Tennessee. With Bill Greene of Scout.com naming Ohio State the favorite, will the Buckeyes get a silent verbal this weekend from the Under Armour All-American?
cont...
the opening info in today's Quick Bits had me at hello. thanks Gene.
Champions Bleed Scarlet & Gray
i really appreciate the work you do gene. i look forward to your reporting every day.
Updated
A lot of rumors swirling that tOSU will play Clemson in 2017 in the 'kickoff classic' in Nashville. Makes the 2014 recruiting battle that much more important.
Is anyone else thinking that Worley or Timmons could be bumped for an O-lineman? Can't see us taking Timmons, Elder, and Gibson, with Worley's spot depending on Bell's decision and Timmons' depending on Elder (and, by extension, Gibson).
Really amazes me that scout has 111. Eli Apple and 123. Cam Burrows. Both of them dominated on the field in HS, in drills against top competition in the AA games and in the AA games themselves. But somehow, since it's scout, they both have 5 stars haha.
ESPN has Eli in the top 10 and I think Burrows is in the 20's somewhere. But wait, it's ESPN, they're obviously a bunch of hacks who hate OSU, right?
I wouldn't cheer for Michigan if they were playing the Taliban.
ESPN has actually got a lot better this year. Whichever site you look at they're never going to get it 100% right. Scout and Rivals are probably by least favorite. 247 has been my fav the past few years although I think they have a few our our guys slightly under ranked this year
Each site seems to have a region that they know best, which is why I look at the 247 composite as the most accurate ranking system.
Just saw Timmons has an all new list of 4 finalists, OSU and Kentucky still and now Cincy and Fla. eliminating the Illini, ARK and Purdue. UK still the only one of the finalists to offer.
I would almost bet that Timmons will be one heck of a player given a chance.
He is not getting the respect of other recruits and those seem to be the ones who try the most and play the hardest.
I recently saw an interview with Aaron Rodgers that said he keeps to this day his rejection letters from college and it motivates him. He was not pursued by any major colleges and I believe he said it was Purdue who told him he would not make it at the college level.
gene, you are a gentleman and a scholar. thank you
Updated
I enjoyed the back and forth argument on Nick Glass's twitter account.
"YOLO" = I'm about to do something extremely ignorant/stupid & I need an excuse to do it.
Is Corn Elder unthusiastic about ohio state or is it hard for him to think? I mean that interview was very slow and really didn't have anything that was accomplished in it really. Idk just my opinion.
Either that, or doesn't like to be interviewed.
Did the McMillan update ever come?
Yeah I think it said McMillan bragged about sitting in Meyer's office talking with him and Ohio State has a good lead and will be tough for Clemson to overcome.
Lewan is returning for his senior year. That's a bummer, man.
Am liking this Marshall kid the more and more I see him.Would be great get !! Reminds me of Lewis this year!! And we take one from the bad guys,even better.Was hoping Lewan would jump at NFL,but no dice.He's gonna wish he did after the Buckeyes come to town!!
SCOTTC.
Agreed^^^ Marshall has great awareness as well as getting up field fast. I like him...sign him up...not as good as Hand but I bet that's why this offer went out. Not to mention....he's from that state up north....putting more OSU flags up there....gotta like that.
"There's nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you."
"I love football. I think it is most wonderful game in world and I despise to lose."
Woody Hayes 1913 - 1987