I used to be a big fan of College Football Recruiting, I bought all of the magazines, rapaciously checked the websites and message boards, even belonged to a pay site in order to get the latest info on the vagaries and whims of 17-18 year-old children, none of whom I knew or had ever really seen play. Then in 2012 tOSU started recruiting Stephon Diggs, a WR out of Good Counsel HS in Olney, MD, Diggs was a nationally-heralded, must get recruit and the topic of many threads on this very Board. His recruitment turned into a circus, he got caught up in his own hype and the spotlight got a bit too much for him. He ended up making what he felt was the best choice for him, which every recruit should regardless of what fans think, and went to Maryland. I wasn't disappointed with Diggs or his college choice, but I was with the whole atmosphere. I stopped buying the magazines and following the predictors, I even got off my pay site. I still read Birm once a week, simply because I like Birm's stuff. The disturbing situation that happened last night at Texas A & M is merely the by-product of how CFB recruiting is getting out of control. The monolith that is NCAA College Football is killing itself. Why are major D-1 universities recruiting 8th graders? When will it rid itself of the leeches, like Sonny Vaccaro in CBB, who literally sell players to universities and shoe companies. Satellite Camps, 7-on-7 tournaments, Nike's "The Opening" , sponsored All-Star Games, when do these young athletes have a chance to decompress? Then there are the families, young men who so much pressure is put upon that they crack, former tOSU WR Ray Small is a prime example of that. Maybe instead of punishing young men the NCAA should work to alleviate some of the pressure, not allow scholarship offers until the Summer after an athlete's sophomore season in HS, restrict contact with coaches, I mean put some teeth in that one, have an early-signing period for CFB, get rid of the much-lamented "third uncles" I don't know how exactly to fix that one, but there have to be smarter people out there than me who can find a solution. It needs to change and change radically. I still won't follow recruiting, until NLOI Day and I know I'm really just venting because nothing will change and I'll still love my Buckeyes. END OF RANT!!

[mod edit - moved to college sports forum]