The latest we have on the remaining prospects:
- Vonn Bell: The most recent information we have is that the staff felt good over the weekend about where they stood with Vonn. Does that mean he's committing to OSU? No, but that's all we can go off of for now and is the reason we are purely GUESSING he selects the Bucks at 10:05 AM EST tomorrow morning.
- James Clark: We had Clark to Florida yesterday with OSU finishing second. As we said yesterday, Ryan Timmons announces today and his commitment will tip us off to Clark's situation. The Gators can only take one more receiver so if Timmons picks Kentucky, we think Clark is going to UF. If Timmons somehow picks Florida, we think OSU has a good shot to get Clark.
- Ryan Timmons: See above, but either way he's not coming to Ohio State.
- Corn Elder: Another one who we think Ohio State has put in the past, especially after getting Dontre Wilson. Elder may wait until after NSD to decide between hoops and football. If it's hoops it looks like Purdue. If it's football I think Auburn is in a good spot.
- Donovan Munger: Tune stays the same and I think he sticks with OSU.
- Trey Johnson: Definitely still think it was shady the way he visited Tennessee, but playing for Urban Meyer and a chance for immediate playing time is too good to turn down.
- Ezekiel Elliott: I personally think Elliott is trying to drum up drama and excitement over his decision, but all of the info we have has him sticking with Ohio State. If he picks Missouri then it clearly was getting Dontre Wilson that did it for the most part, in my opinion, but I don't think that happens.
Nice, and thank you.
Help is on the way.
So, ESPN has a post about Foster and Alex Collins going to SEC schools but no mention of Dontre Wilson and tOSU...
http://espn.go.com/college-sports/recruiting/football/story/_/id/8916073...
Oops, correction, found tOSU story...
I trust your GUESSES over mine :)
Hope Bell is a Buck and my gut has been thinking that for awhile for some reason. Meyer just has a history on NSD and reeling in the big fish.
Champions Bleed Scarlet & Gray
Thanks for keeping us well informed (and somewhat sane!) as the big day approaches, Alex!
Really nervous about Zeke. But as long as we keep him I'm happy. Bell/clark would be the icing on the cake.
1. More concerned about losing Johnson than EE
2. I like EE..but have a bit of fatigue on this one
3. Somehow i think Clark comes here
4. Bell...if relationships are his #1 factor...then I just don't see UT winning this one
Stay golden, Ponyboy.
Thanks for the info Alex. UT still thinks Vonn is theirs for the most part. They also think Urban is the Devil. No, really, they think he is the Devil!! And OSU cannot recruit very well except that Urban got a jump in the first couple classes due to name recognition. This stuff is better than any soap opera you'll ever witness and frankly, I hate to see it end. This is too much fun!! This link can give you a couple hours of reading fun if you dare.
http://www.volnation.com/forum/tennessee-vols-recruiting/145234-13-ga-s-...
Too funny. Haters gonna hate...
Pure gold. Someone actually said OSU is butthurt. Really? I think we're all feeling pretty great with our 2nd ranked recruiting class - possibly first after tomorrow.
I REALLY hope we land Bell now, just to anger them.
Thanks for sharing that - it is a funny, funny read.
I love how they said he didn't put guys into the league, but the ones who have done well in the NFL were already studs and he did nothing to help them get there. Then they talk about Alex Smith and Tebow being flops. UMMMMMM HELLLOOOOOOO HE MADE ALEX SMITH A NUMBER 1 FREAKIN PICK!!!!! Alex Smith made a lot more money because of Urban than he would of otherwise.
They ignore all the other players who played for Urban at Florida that are now in the league and doing very very well. Anyway, there was a senior member who made a pretty good post, giving Urban credit for being a great coach and giving props to his 2012 and 2013 classes. Though he did go on to say Bell is all Vol.
My favorite post on there was the guy who said he had a source who said Vonn's Brother is feeding false info to the media so their thread can get to 10,000 posts. Vonn wants to see it hit 10,000. Then someone says, I bet there aren't any Buckeye Blogs with 10,000 posts about him. Idiots!!!!
I hope they were joking, but I don't think so
The amount of genius on that thread is amazing. Free entertainment if you can get past the ridiculous speculation. Farrell was the absolute best recruiting expert out there when he was all in on Bell to UT. Now, he's a hack that puts stuff out there only for subscriptions. These folks are nuts!
You would think after getting their ass handed to them by Urban every year, they would at least give him some credit. I can say, that in my experience, this is not a common belief amongst SEC fans. I talk to customers every day from SEC country all the time, and football comes up quite often and across the board they all say Urban is going to build something special in Ohio State. Now they don't all like him or Ohio State, but they recognize what Ohio State and Urban coming together means for the sport.
Funny side note about customers I deal with on a daily basis. My first 5 calls yesterday came from Nashville, Baton Rouge, Gainesville, Tuscaloosa, and Jackson. I talk to people from all over the country, but I get a heavy dose of SEC country every day!
This is just a small portion of the UT fan base... Just like the small portion of our fan base that decided to DM Zeke's mom. I live in TN and actually have a lot of friends who are UT fans. We talk all the time about how good of a coach and recruiter Urban is. Some of my friends even want to take road trips to Columbus to see what OSU tradition is all about. Ignore these nuts on that blog. Listen to the 11W staff and take Mike Farrell's opinions if you respect him. We won't know anything for about another 22 hours.
Funny how UT fans are calling Urbz dirty, considering they admire Fulmer and once loved Kiffin.
That is pure GOLD. I cracked up at the absurdity of Von Bell wanting the 10k post to himself.
~Because we couldn't go for three~
With Urban as the coach rerouting has become another animal entirely. The talent we have pulled in thus far has been really nice. I hope we can hold it all together and add another piece or two, but either way one thing is for certain. We are going to go after the best players we can find for our system and Meyer won't leave any stone unturned.
Alex - With the lack of pulling in another offensive lineman in the late hour, is it almost a certainty that either Munger or Price will be switched to the other side of the ball? I know Urban likes fresh DLineman to rotate in, but the depth to the offensive line has to be a concern.
I don't think it's a certainty but I can definitely see one of the two moving over to the OL at some point in their careers.
I think it moreso means next year they aim for 5 OL
If they are aiming at 5 OL next recruiting year, do they have a realistic shot at landing 4 or 5? I will admit to not being up to date on the '14 class.
nice tid bits... cant wait to sleep in (which for me is until 8) and watch some NSD coverage!!!
Gonna miss Nkemdiche announcing at 7:30 Dubjay! Can't wait for a day of rest and recruiting!
yea, if tOSU had some play in that announcement, I would watch, but I feel like I need to get a little more sleep before the gym in the AM
I dont know why and Im no expert or anything, I just have a bad feeling wiht EzE. He was told he would be the only running back then Urbs gets Dontre to flip. That has got to put a sour taste in his mouth. He's been a Buckeye for awhile now but I hope that the Dontre flip didnt burn the bridge for him
It has been reported multiple times that Wilson will be used at a slot/hybrid guy. This should have no affect on Zeke. If it does, he's better of at Mizzou then.
It's a little farfetched to say that Wilson would have no affect on Zeke. Even if the poitions were truly separable and separated, more Wilson touches = less Elliott touches.
That said, you are 100% right. If Elliott is that much of a me guy, he shouldn't even settle for Mizzou. He should go to SW Mo State so he can be the feature back.
Not necessarily. Could be more like:
more Wilson touches = more first downs = more offensive plays per game = more chances for EZE touches
Besides it not being a zero sum game, why would Wilson affect EZE any differently than Marshall?
Plus, with the trend in the NFL for RB shelf life, being the feature back is not always a good thing. Showcasing your talent without wearing out the tread. Sure hasn't stopped Saban from loading stud RB after stud RB. Meyer and Saban basically accomplish the same thing in two different ways. Saban rotates the load bearer, Meyer spreads the ball around in his offense. This iis not some new development with Wilson's recruitment, Meyer has always been this way.
It shouldn't be a zero sum game, but it is seen as such by most players, and realistically there is xome zero sum to it.
The Saban 2 back thing is the plan de jour, and the wear and tear argument is logical, though I believe that is more of an after-the-fact rationalization rather than the motivation for it, which appears to be fresh legs. The backs coming to 'Bama are not coming because of the 2 back system, but rather they are coming despite the 2 back system IMO.
From what I have read, Saban is selling them the 2 back system. Saying they can still up their draft stock and save their bodies for the NFL.
He has the luxury of doing that now .... guaranty he didn't sell that to Ingram back in the day
One other thing if they both on the feild at the same time you can not stack the box to stop EZE. if the stack the box for EZE then Wilson and others will be running wild. Got to look at both sides make 4 yards turn in to 8 and 10 with both them on the feild works for me. that is why i hope Hall and Hyde and Miller can open the feild up for each other.
Yep. Braxton has to perfect that quick screen. He and Philly finally figured it out the last few games
I think they play two different positions though. I see Zeke panning out as a RB and Wilson as a slot guy. If anything it effects Jalin Marshall and Taivon Jacobs. But I think Marshall knows as long as he takes care of his business he doesn't have to worry about anyone.
Dontre's frame is much smaller than Zeke's and perfect for the position Urban has recruited him for (Harvin role). Zeke's is over 6' and 200lbs, which is RB size. I'm sure coach Meyer has discussed that with Eze. Thus, OSU didn't recruit another running back. Eze will sign his NLOI to play for the Buckeyes IMO.
Go Bucks!
Obviously I have no inside information, but I do trust the staff to move forward in a competent manner. Thus, I have to assume that they talked to Zeke about adding Wilson when that started to look likely. During that conversation, Zeke likely either said (1) no problem with me, get the best players you can and I look forward to playing with them, or (2) I was told I'd be the only RB, I don't like this, etc. If Zeke said (1), then obviously there is no problem. If Zeke said (2), and the staff went ahead and took Wilson's commitment (rather than shutting it down on Zeke's behalf), that means the staff prefers Wilson to Zeke, and I guess I trust their judgment. So, either way, I'm feeling okay about this situation (although obviously I want them both!).
Perhaps there is a chance that Zeke said (1) while thinking (2), but that seems pretty unlikely as it is in no one's interest.
OSU has a stable of backs right now so losing Zeke won't hurt depth wise. I'd like to see Zeke in this class, but if he's going to flip because of Wilson then we don't need him. We are ahead of the game with a lot of 2014 backs also, so we could pick up a load of them next year too.
For the record... I want Zeke in this class and I think he will be a star... But if he wants to flip then I think it's best for both parties.
Other than that... I believe he has talked to the staff and patched things up if there was any tension.
Good point. The reality is that running backs take a pounding so both will get plenty of touches. (EZEs dad is rightly proud of his son, but drumming up drama with another video seems ove the top to me.)
^^Absolutely true. See, Eddie Lacy. One year as the starting running back, which was split with a freshman who also ran for 1,000 yards, and he is still considered a 1st or 2nd round pick in the upcoming draft. Just think of how many less hits Lacy took at 'Bama vs. someone like Le'Veon Bell. Lacy = higher draft pick without half as much production in his college career as Bell, but with 3 or 4 times less punishment.
Eze will get enough touches to become an NFL caliber player if he truly lives up to the hype. Wilson, Dunn, Rod Smith, Marshall, Braxton, Barrett, Watson (now I'm dreaming) or anyone else sharing carries/touches won't effect Eze in any way shape or form if he is the real deal. A reasonable number of touches will only make him more valuable in the eyes of NFL GMs as a RB and it will make OSU much, MUCH better.
This was my line of thinking at first but Dontre voiced that Urban was recruiting him as a receiver. EZE shouldn't have a beef and Idk y he's trolling so hard. Didn't think he was that kinda guy but it is what it is I guess.
Follow me @jaythesportsguy
Is it too much to ask for late morning, early afternoon, mid afternoon, late afternoon, early evening and late evening updates as well ?!?
I'm requesting a late mid-early evening update. That one usually explains everything.
I'm at peace with this class, with or without Bell. EzE is in; there's just too much in this offense for him to pass up. Wilson on board was big yesterday. With a future of Wilson, Marshall, and EzE spread out all over the field (along with WRs, of course), we should give defenses fits.
Bill Green tweeted that Timmons to UK is pretty much a done deal. Says UK should be on "commitment watch" not UF.
I wouldn't want a player that is scared of competition or bringing in other great players. If EzE chooses Missouri because of us getting Wilson, I say good riddance. And I bet Urban would say the same thing. You don't bring in the quality recruiting classes he has and built NC teams by catering to a high school senior that will be 5th string when he steps foot on campus
Alex, you say that Trey Johnson's visit to UT was a bit shady, but is it possible that he went simply to talk to Bell about coming to OSU?
highly doubt that...trust me the staff wanted him nowhere near another campus, especially Thigpen at UT who recruited him at Auburn
Well, it's a mute point now, since he's staying with OSU
mute != moot
It's a cow's opinion. It's MOO.
This could be Zeke trying to get a little pub. on national tv... if he flips to Mizzou then I think it should be a very shocking move considering how long he has been a buckeye commit and how he has broadcasted that relentlessly for a year...dont see it happening but if it does then oh well...bigger loss would be Johnson as he is a heck of a LB, from the south, and would help ease some depth issues.
Biggest news of the day, however, would be Bell deciding for the good guys...huge pick up, impact player on the defensive side, and also from the South...can only help with all of those GA guys Meyer is trying to snag for next year
If Timmons goes to UK as reports say, I feel less comfortable about Clark to OSU. Of course, Timmons definitely has a better relationship with UK vs UF (in addition to it being his home state) and that matters a ton in recruiting, so this could be completely unrelated to Clark.
The one thing I find strange is the silence from the other '13 recruits re Zeke. In the age of social media we've gotten used to hearing everyone's reaction to everything, yet nobody in his class has made a noise either way.
FWIW we had a couple tell us they're confident he's sticking
What is the deal with all the "manufactured drama" then? All it seems its going to accomplish will be angering one fan base. If he really is committed to OSU, then I dont see the point in going through this exercise, if he's not "all in" with the Buckeyes, then he should decommit.
Is it just me, or does it seem absurd to have "an announcement", if you've already verbally committed to a school...
I agree 100% with this and have been saying it for a few days now... If he isn't 100% Buckeye then he needs to go ahead and flip. Urban might be able to work some magic with his scholly before tomorrow.
I understand what your saying, but how do we know he hasn't already told the staff his intentions? Thats why I don't understand all the speculation going on. I don't see the staff out trying to bring in any hot shot three star running back recruit who we didn't know about yet. They have continoued not to show panic in relation to his decision coming tomorrow. Thats why I'm just going to see how it plays out tomorrow.
I don't disagree at all... I just believe the speculation is coming from things that are on his Twitter account. Removing pics, subtweets, etc.
I'm hoping he is a Buckeye because I believe he can be a special talent in our offense. Just tired of the drama and suspence.
Furthermore, there has not been any activity in recruiting a true RB lately. They appeared they were taking a slot guy either way, whether it was Elder or Timmons or someone else.
I could not imagine that they would have not had a RB in this class, or at the very least gone after one. If EZE was out, I think they would have really gone after Green really hard and it would have been reported, or somebody else. I tnink they would have gone after Corn Elder even more if EZE was out.
The staff either knows his decision or has very strong confidence that he is staying put.
It's only drama because the fans make it that way. If people didn't over react to every tweet or visit or anything else the kid does it wouldnt' be a big deal. Instead everything he's done people go nuts about.
Pretty sure a recruit who gave a University a "verbal committment" only to say they will be announcing their decision on where they are going to college on NSD, is not a case of "fans creating drama". Seems like a pretty explicit attempt for the recruit to create some drama...
But hey, that might just be me...
I just think people have blown the whole thing totally out of propotion is what I'm saying. Grown adults acting like fools tweeting his family and the kid. I think a lot of fans obsession and over reaction may have fueled some of this manufactured drama.
Agree.
But the kid is complicit up to his eyes. Going silent, changing his hash tags, and acting cute in 10 different ways.
What he's doing is not criminal or even terrible, but please don't blame the media/fans etc. when the kid is the tail wagging the dog. I'm actually sick of blaming the media. We all know it sucks, but that is no revelation, is it??
Maybe its some sort of "buyers remorse". Like he committed too early and wants to participate in the excitement and drama like some of the uncommitted recruits are?
Random speculation: Maybe he's just having some harmless fun tormenting the more rabid OSU fans who harassed his family for info following the Missouri visit by making them wait til NSD to find out he's still Columbus-bound.
I clicked on it... I regretted it immediately...
This^^almost same thing I typed below....it is bc of our over the top fan base (some who have admitted on here about tweeting recruits...STUPID). Oh well...you can only control what you do yourself. The other "rabid fans" as you so elegantly put it...can only do what they do...which is act stupid and tweet 17-18 year olds and their family members with anger (kind of like a child themselves). I wonder why he may have looked into Mizzu...hmmm....not strange to me one bit.
"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
Yah we as fans are the only ones creating the suspense. lol You would think eze was hosting a game show and was like whats behind door #3 johnny. lol All jokes aside though to be honest I have liked elliot from the beginning and think he is an exceptional talent, but if he doesn't come here thats ok. The reason is because of the coach we have. He took a 6-7 team who didn't fit his style and won. Now hes getting kids that do fit his style adn hes proven he can win with them too. No one person will ever make or break a class under him because like people have said before we recruit to team need not player need.
Sorry, I do want him.
Do not like the easy come, easy go philosophy (pun intended).
Quit making excuses for the kid. What he's doing does not make him a bad kid, but he should own it, and for me, I am more likely to pick Marshall as my favorite in the class than Elliott.
Kids aren't the only ones who are immature!
I wasn't making excuses for the kid. I'm just saying we are the ones looking at all his tweets like " I can't believe he would do this" and "Kid can go suck ass mizzu if he wants to"... I want elliot just as much as the next guy he has solid football talent and definately can contribute right away. I'm just not going to flip out everytime he puts a tweet up and blame him for what he is doing when I don't know the kids true intentions, because I"m not him. It's not easy come easy go, its more like we will win regardless if he comes here or not and I wish the best of luck to him.
Fair enough
My favorite will be the one who puts up the best numbers on the field. Let's face it, that's all that matters. In 4 years if he's had a stellar career no one is going to remember what happened in the final 10 days of recruiting.
Agreed. Everything looks good on paper. Production will be what decides how we feel about them.
Clark and Bell to close things out? Wow, that would be amazing.
Crazy skill player haul if Urb and crew pull this off.
Follow me @jaythesportsguy
YEah, I had pretty much written Clark off as not going to happen...but after watchign his highlights (WOW) and hearing we're definitely still in the mix, I'm very excited and hopeful.
I know Ramzy was on the Solid Verbal podcast last week...they tweeted out their doubts/disbelief of Urban's recruiting pitch to guys like Dontre Wilson. Just fyi if you guys care at all (I think it was up at SB Nation or somewhere, I don't know...I've lost track of non-11W sites I've gone to for recruiting because the content obviously isn't as good as I can get here)
If we get Bell and Clark is this one of the 5 best recruiting classes to come to tOSU ?
Follow me @jaythesportsguy
Depends on how they materialize. We have every reason to believe the staff is one of the best in the country at developing talent. So really, it will depend on how much the incoming class wants to be the best class ever, and this desire must be equivalent to effort.
If we close out with Wilson, Bell and Clark it will be nasty. Urban Meyer is by far the best recruiter in the country. I know Saban has had top classes, but Bama winning is selling itself. Urban knows how to build relationships with recruits, coaches, and parents. There is no one better than him.
I think it's fair to say Saban and Urban are in a class all of their own when it comes to recruiting. It's hard to argue one is better than the other given both of their recent recruiting histories.
I'm a little nervous about roster space if tomorrow brings some new recruits. Obviously the staff knows what they are doing but still...hope the numbers work out
I think they have spots for Clark and Bell... I'm sure they know of some players who are unhappy and probably will be looking elsewhere once spring practice is over.
I agree 100% with this. If the staff is ok with taking both of them tomorow, then they know corners in thier house that could use a little cleaning.........you know, things sitting around that just aren't getting used so it's time for them to go.
Does anyone know if coaches are allowed to contact recruits today for 1 last minute pitch? I read somewhere on Twitter that they can, but I take everthing on Twitter with a grain of salt.
February 4th - February 7th is a dead period. According to the NCAA, the coaches may only write or telephone student athletes or parents during this time.
So technically they can still recruit... They just can't recruit in person. I'm sure Urban and company have been on the phone non-stop with Bell and Clark.
Probably more so with their families while Vonn and James are in school. Hope they have unlimited minutes.
My guess with Munger is that he had to make a quick decision on a commitment or the staff was going to move on. They already had 5 DL in the class and the staff probably said you are good enough to be here but we cannot continue to hold a spot for you. Everything I read in his interviews indicated that he was really unsure where he wanted to go but always said he loved "O-state" (his words).
I think he is just doing his due diligence and checking out his options
Thanks Alex for the info...
As far as ALL this EzE flips jazz....it's getting a bit ridiculous. I'm all about ppl being able to express their opinions...but there's no proof that says he's going to Mizzu. Nothing public...at all. He wants his choice to be memorable and what better way to do it then let ppl sweat your decision. No offense to anyone here....but our over the top fans that tweeted him and his family may have contributed to this...just saying. May be now we should just chill and wait to see what he does...
"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
wow tennesee is beyond sure they have bell in the bag... i really want him now just to see their reaction... and of course to have another 5 star stud
mark may wins douchebag of the year... again
Love the Tennessee blogs!! They truely hate us and our coach!!We must be doing a lot right!!lol Good for them!!
SCOTTC.
i'm gonna be really bummed if trey johnson flips to tennessee.
I think we would have seen some serious attempts at landing another LB is the staff thought Trey was leaving. His Dad and Coach both stated that he was a lock to sign with tOSU. UT fans see someone take a visit and immeidatly think he is a lock for some reason. They are losing control, if Bell picks tOSU they will have a meltdown beyond belief.
I can shed some light on Don Munger. First, he was recruited as an OL. Second, he never recieved an offer from Fla. St.
According to 24/7 Munger received an offer from FSU.
I have to be honest, I'm more worried about the impact losing Trey Johnson would have than I am about losing Ezekiel Elliott (we have Brionte Dunn, Rod Smith, Warren Ball, even Dontre Wilson if we need him to play some RB for the next few years). Trey Johnson, though, is desperately needed to add immediate depth to our LB unit. Seems like a lot of these rumors out there, is he doing an official public "announcement" tomorrow? Or just faxing a LOI in quietly?
Alex, any update....it has been a few hours since your last update:)
Much more worried re: Trey Johnson compared to Ezekiel Elliott
Still saying Trey to OSU, but I'm definitely the most worried about TJ out of the "3 wanderers"
Even more than Jacobs? That WaPo article made it seem like Jacobs was legitimately thinking about Maryland due to baby and brother.
Let the chips fall where they may. We will be fine either way. If all the players we are concerned about flip we'll still have a top 5 class. Not many schools can say that. In the end we'll have players who want to be here and aren't afraid of competition, no way any Buckeye fan should be unhappy this time tomorrow.
So Trey Johnson commits to OSU... Visits UT, then reaffirms his commitment to OSU... Now he's reportedly flirting with UF... Doesn't make sense... Some our commits are getting irritating.
I'll probably get a ton of flak for this, but WHAT THE HELL TREY JOHNSON!? You said you were 100% committed, and then you do this....
Did he come out and re-commit? I thought that was just his coach.
As of now he's done nothing. Some UF people say he's flipping, but his coach says he isn't. We'll find out who's right tomorrow.
What's up with this guy? Deceit and game playing? We need him but I hope no one takes him on his word. Whatever is my best response to his recruitment.
less than 24 hours from signing his letter of intent, and his coach is saying he is signing with OSU. UF has 5 LB commits, why would you want to go there...he has a great opportunity at OSU..but he will make best decision for himself. I personally think he wants to stay close to home--That's why he visited Tenn and possibly, UF. If urban wants him, he may need to hold his hand, help sign his name and take his LOI.
I am going ALL in...
1. EE stays
2. Trey stays
3. Munger games stays
4. Clark goes to osu at 9
5. Followed by Bell at 10
6. Jacobs seeing the writing on the wall flees to Maryland
Stay golden, Ponyboy.