This topic is sparked from the conversation on the Georgia and Alabama talent on defense.

There is always this notion that Ohio State did not participate in paying recruits, that it’s an SEC/Bama and Georgia thing, and that they somehow operate by different standards in the south. I do believe some of the conversation is valid if you consider Nick Saban exploited rules in recruiting (oversigning, medical hardship waivers, and not renewing scholarships). Were we handcuffed from exploiting those same rules? Maybe this is an ethical versus legal conversation, but oversigning and extending scholarships means finding better talent out of high school than a junior and is the mentality of “tough luck but you’re not cutting the mustard”.

As for paying recruits, I think it was AE who either mentioned or hinted on here that Georgia was the most guilty and there was another recruit I believe out of Texas who an insider said we backed out on because we weren’t going to “engage in bidding wars”.

While I feel we spend a lot of our time bashing the south for their recruiting tactics, I noticed a few fans realize we also participated. Do you really think there are coaches and presidents from big time schools like Ohio State, who are not paying recruits just to be at a disadvantage? Is this a conversation of when it happens (getting them to come to your school versus them getting benefits from boosters after they are enrolled)? Where are you drawing the line? From my time when I was at Ohio State, it was common to see athletes at Ohio State driving around nice cars. I will not mention names but a couple of them at a party said they were gifted a Mercedes and another I know personally who dated my friend’s roommate went through three different brand new cars (Hummer, camaro, and I’m forgetting the other) just in his time at OSU. This also goes far enough back to when Maurice Clarett tried to report OSU violations saying he got paid and received a car. This is not new to Ohio State.

Is the issue to some of you the bidding wars when the recruit isn’t enrolled, but the boosters thing is okay? Does Ohio State really not participate? If that’s what you think, then imagine this conversation.

Day- Hey, come to our school.... 

Recruit- Why? Bama is offering me 200k...

Day- Oh, we don't do that, we have morals.... but come here anyways.... *wink wink*

Do some of you believe these conversations about boosters aren’t happening here? How far behind do you legitimately believe Ohio State is trying to operate recruiting wise compared to the south? Keep in mind, we have consistently churned out top 5 classes as well.

Just curious of 11W’s thoughts. Where do you draw the line? Is a lot of the whining about “$EC” a overblown and something about glass houses?