Football Offers vs Spots
In Gene's quickbits today, there was a mention of a 14 LB from California getting an offer. I know people have been talking a lot about liking four other LB prospects in this class that the Buckeyes are high on. I think, but could be totally wrong, someone mentioned tOSU extending over a hundred offers for this class already. Anyone with much more recruiting expertise than I know if this is what Urban's always done? Do most schools have that many offers out? Was Tressel different? If the Buckeyes are gonna have a small 2014 class, couldn't the wrong twenty guys be the first twenty to commit? Do guys have noncommitable offers? Wouldnt early enrollers get first crack at the limited schollies? Also, any chance Urban is telling guys like Hurd and Raekwon that he really wants early enrollers?
That's a ton of questions, but I'd be interested to hear anyone's thoughts.
It is my understanding that every program offers a ton of people, but only their top picks are able to actually commit on the spot. Thus the "committable" or "non-committable" offers. I would think you have to "offer" a ton of guys, because otherwise, how can they know your interest is serious? The player gets a call or is told that he has a scholarship offer, and either he can commit on the spot (so it's being held open for them), or the player should know that if things shake out the right way, they will have a committable offer, they just have to wait. Programs need to have a ton of offers out in case their number one targets/blue chips decline and they have to be ready to commit another guy.
Does anyone else know more? Am I completely wrong here? (Could be... Let's hope not..)
Brooklyn:
I can't speak for Urban's past recruting, but I think it's quite normal for a big time school like ours to put out around 100 offers. Ole Miss, under Hugh Freeze, has put out over 250 offers so far for the class of '14.
As for Tressel, I can't speak on his recruting past. I don't know how many offers he put out. The internet, especially for recruiting, has really allowed fans like us to really track their teams. This was not really the case 4-5 years ago (yes there were sites like Rivals and Scout but recruiting has really hit the lime light in past couple of years).
As for commitable vs. non-commitable, I believe if an in-stater receives an offer from tOSU, it's commitable for the most part (unlike Mitch Trubisky). Now if Urban knows he's gonna recruit only 2 WRs for this year (for example) and he has Drake Harris and Demmare Kitt as #1 and #2 on their board and say Lonnie Johnson wants to commit, I think Urban will tell him to hold off until he hears from the higher WRs on their board. This could end up hurting us, but that's the chance you take when you extend an offer.
I hope this helps. Others know more about recruiting than I do...
Anyways, what part of Brooklyn do you live in?
The 2012 National Champions.
Thanks for the info, guys. I live in Prospect Heights
Agree with SilverBullet except to add that if we wanted 2 WRs and #3 on our board wanted to commit, we would take that commitment on the spot. Problem with a Lonnie Johnson, is that he is probably #5 on their board, and we won't accept that commitment until NLOI day if at all.
I think that we'd take Lonnie's commitment. He's a lot better than people give him credit for. This isn't a Gibson thing with grades, or a Timmons/Barker thing where they're waiting for an offer forever. We got in on him early, and he's going to absolutely blow up. We would definitely take his commitment IMO.
I wouldn't cheer for Michigan if they were playing the Taliban.
I know that Ohio State and Nebraska both have over 100 offers out.
OSU is casting a wide net. It's pure recruiting and what employers do when they look for employees, but it's also Marketing 101. The players they don't get out of those 100 offers will tell their friends/relatives they were offered by tOSU. Maybe that friend/relative grows up to be the next great thing at whatever position and chooses tOSU because of that letter their friend/relative got years before.
"Sherman ran an option play right through the south" - Greatest.Civil.War.Analogy.Ever
True post.
I know a 50 year old that talks about the offer he got from IU in 1980. And I think it's cool that he got that offer too!!!
On your question about early enrollees, I think that is absolutely part of the sell this year: "Hey, we're going to have a small class this year, we're only taking the elite of the elite, so jump on the train now, and let's get you on campus and working with Coach Mick as soon as possible so you can help hoist the Crystal Football."
Casting a bigger net...will yield more big fish. This past 2013 class is a great example of that...and it's only going to get better ladies and gentlemen;-)
"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