Why? Urban. The main reason I feel this way is because Urban Meyer will be personally involved in his recruitment. When Urban wants his man...he gets him. It seems that every recruiting class, there is that one must-have player Urban zeroes in on.
For the class of 2014, I think that one special recruit will be QB DeShaun Watson. The difference on these must-have gems is that Urban gets personally involved. See Noah Spence ('12) and Vonn Bell ('13). Urban's strategy paid off on both these 5-star stand-outs. Urban is a very, very smart man. He is more than just an elite football coach...he is a brillant salesman and marketer. In short, he just knows what he's doing.
Other potential factors in OSU's favor:
- riding the high of a championship season/26 & 0 record
- Clemson O.C. Chad Morris leaving next season to become a head coach
- other top Georgia prospects deciding to commit to OSU...OH/GA Pipeline
( fwiw - I predicted both D. Wilson & V. Bell to be future Buckeyes back in January :)
Hope you are right, wish you had a more evidence-based prediction. Either way, love the enthusiam.
Urban getting Spence and Bell are totally different situations than in trying to get Watson. Spence was pretty much all Penn State before the Jerry Sandusky mess happened, and then he opened back up his recruiting. Urban came along and scooped him up. Pretty much the same with Bell, who was a heavy lean to Tennessee before Dooley was fired. Urban came along and scooped him up.
It's going to be much, much harder for Urban to try to flip Watson. He's been committed to Clemson for a while now and he has a great relationship with their coaching staff, specifically Chad Morris. And as long as Morris is there they will be using Watson much like Taj Boyd.
My opinion is that Urban has to start getting on the Drew Barker bandwagon now because the Watson situation won't be resolved anytime soon.
Do you view Barker as a plan B, or 1a?
The 11W staff said he is #2 on the board and a tier 1 QB.
If Chad Morris leaves, doesn't that present a similar situation to Vonn Bell. I wouldn't say that they are totall differen't situations.
Vonn Bell never even considered Tenn. until Dooley WAS axed. Dooley never tried to recruit the kid. Bell's father said he would have gone to Tenn. if they had put any effort into building a relationship with him and offering him, but they didn't do that until Jones was hired as the new coach. They were just too far behind to catch up by then. So I would say Bell is a completely different situation. He seemed to actually dislike Dooley becuase he showed little interest in bringing Bell to TN.
"...they're midgits!"-Coach Kerry Coombs
I don't see Watson leaving Clemson.
I love the confidence, but let's not pretend Urban has never missed on a guy that he targeted very heavily. Jaylon Smith for instance. I have more confidence in Urban getting his guy than anybody else in college football (except maybe Saban), but there's always misses.
I personally view Barker as plan 1a. He's developed a nice relationship with several other recruits who are all high on OSU, and he's said before that he looks forward to an OSU offer. I think if we wait too long he'll commit somewhere else, and they lose out on both Watson and Barker.
That is all the evidence I need. I love your confidence! Because it's true: when Urban gives that extra special to attention to the 1 recruit he feels he must get to put the class over the edge of greatness...he usuallys gets his man. Many of us, me included, wrote Vonn Bell off to Bama or UT --- but Urbz pulled it off! Never count him out.
Deshaun Watson just picked up his fifth star from Rivals.
Very, very early boys.
^ This.
The 2012 National Champions.
Considering the sheer talent Meyer is amassing at the other skill positions, even if Braxton's heir apparent isn't as good I dont think there's going to be a huge offensive drop-off. In fact, the offense may be even more dangerous as no defense can key on 1 single player like they did with Miller this past season. Key on the QB and watch Dontre or Dunn or Zeke go for 200 yards. Key on a RB and watch Corey Smith or Clark torch you. We don't get Watson I am sure whomever Meyer/Herman settle on will be just fine. I will never doubt their ability for talent evaluation.
"Sherman ran an option play right through the south" - Greatest.Civil.War.Analogy.Ever
I also love the vision of El Guapo slamming through linebackers and punishing the secondary
I boldly predict people will never stop posting recruiting topics in the football forum.
I clicked on it... I regretted it immediately...
Or the "Site Stuff" forum" ;)
haha never noticed that
(that might be the first time i ever scrolled past 'recruiting,' thx for the tip)
I clicked on it... I regretted it immediately...
Is this Watson kid really that good? I just don't know much about GA high school football.
I trust y'all, and feel like OSU has the smartest football fans out there, and 11W has the smartest OSU fans. So, hence the brilliance of 11W: the best writers combined with the best fans.
Who (college or NFL) would we compare him to, or project him to be similar to?
I have heard Cam Newton. He is big and has a strong arm. He threw for something like 38 touchdowns last year, and ran for like 12 or 14 TDs too. You could also probably compare him to TP. Those stats aren't exact. I know he scored over 50 TDs with about 80% of them through the air. He threw for 4,000 yards last year too.
"...they're midgits!"-Coach Kerry Coombs
I don't thin this kid is as quite a physical freak of nature as Cam or TP. I also believe he is more polished as a passer than either was coming out of high school.
I see more of an RG3 type player watching Watson's highlights. Extremely proficient through the air, can get it done with his legs as well
Sorry Urban, Woody is still my favorite
Anybody have a 247 sub and want to highlight the article about how OSU is trying to flip Deshaun Watson? Apparently it says that Urban will be handling the recruitment himself.
Really not much in it. Main points for you:
-While publically Watson is maintaining Clemson verbal, a high school coach in Georgia thinks OSU has a legit shot to flip him
-He's a really really good player; compares him to Kaepernick
-Even though he didn't visit last weekend like he wanted, he will visit OSU
-Meyer is highly involved in his recruitment (AKA he wants him really really bad!)
Watson won't flip unless Chad Morris leaves... We won't know if Morris is leaving until the 1st week of January most likely... That leaves about 4 weeks for Watson to flip or for us to flip another QB (Barker/Ulmer). I always trust the staff considering Urban's history and the 2 recruiting classes he has put together so far, but it is stressful to watch them ride out Watson without offering other QB's in this class.
pretty sure watson said he wants to enroll early
I predicted the blizzard of '78 AND the discontinued use of trans-fats in McDonalds french fries.
D. Anthony
With Miller one year left and JT Barrett grooming right behind him, why would he flip ?
I know he's good, but I have heard nothing but very, very positive things about Barrett and his leadership off the field has really impressed.
Exactly! If Braxton decided to gopro after a monster year, then the chances of landing Watson would be better.
It seems like everyone has already pushed JT to the bench.
"YOLO" = I'm about to do something extremely ignorant/stupid & I need an excuse to do it.
I think part of the equation has to do with how Barrett recovers from his knee surgery. No one knows if he will be the same player he was in HS once his knee is done healing. On top of that you never know how someone will translate to the college game. I have heard nothing but good things about his mental and leadership attributes, but I think Urben may be waiting to see how he is when he can run and do everything else in practice. I also think Cardale Jones has a legit shot to get the job after Braxton leaves. Urben has had good things to say about Jones and his work ethic and talent level.
"...they're midgits!"-Coach Kerry Coombs
If Morris leaves, and if Clemson has a pulse this year he will have a plethora of job offers, then the changes of us landing Watson go up exponentially. Won't hurt having Raekwon, Kitt, Autry, Chubb etc. seriously consider OSU down the stretch...
It would take a Vonn Bell like miracle to pull that off. Well it has happened already so keep hope alive
drew
Might be a tough sell.... After all we still have Braxton for 2 years and JT after that.... Kid will want to play.. Here's hoping!
Let's hope...I'm not sure we'll be able to sell Watson on playing time...considering Braxton is going to be a SR. Then you have the whole JT Barrett situation...that won't pan out with him being a Kenny G...sorry...if that happens JT will transfer. We'll see but I wouldn't get my hopes up till he visits...once that happens...we'll know much more where OSU stands.
"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
Why not sell him on playing time? I actually think that's a perfect pitch for Watson. He will come in and sit one year behind a heisman candidate dual threat quarterback and have an entire season to learn the offense. He more than likely would redshirt that freshman year, its unrealistic for a QB to expect to be the starter from day 1 (although Clemson can offer him a chance at this unfortuneatly).
So the reason Urban sells him on PT is because after that first RS year, Urban tells him the QB battle is between 3 guys who haven't seen the field before (in meaningful minutes, barring injury). It'll be a RS Jr Cardale, RS (probably) Soph JT, and RS Fr Watson. Urban can guarantee him a legit chance to start by his second year in the program
Sorry Urban, Woody is still my favorite
Watson tweeted again tonight that he would be graduating in December. He will be an early enrollee. This doesn't help with the whole Chad Morris leaving, us flipping Watson scenario. If Clemson wins 10 games again they'll be in a New Years Day bowl. I honestly don't see this kid flipping, but I could be wrong. He cancelled his trip last weekend, but will be at Clemson this weekend. I believe that is very telling. I think the staff needs to move on to Barker.
Don't forget that Urban's also knows psychology.
So what will happen to our class when Herman and Withers leave next year......maybe start thinking about that.