More movement in the QB situation
While the 2016 QB situation has yet to be resolved, the last 24 hours went about as well as could have been expected if you're Ohio State. Texas star Tristen Wallace wrapped up a great visit over the weekend and both he and his family seem very sold on Ohio State.
At the same time, Wallace did not attempt to commit yet and Rivals100 QB Jarrett Guarantano has set his visit date for next Monday/Tuesday. Wallace's hesitation buys a little more time now for the Ohio State staff, possibly even enough time to let the Guarantano visit play out before having to find out what Wallace's intentions are.
I don't know that Ohio State is in a position right now to turn away Wallace if he wants to make a commitment (assuming they plan on taking a QB in this class which they most certainly do) so having every bit of info they possibly can on Guarantano before having to worry about Wallace's choice would be ideal.
Guarantano won't announce his decision until April 15th and this one has been volatile enough that things could certainly change in his mind from the time he leaves Ohio State's campus next week until that announcement date but I tend to think OSU is going to have some type of idea of where they are at with him when he leaves.
It will be full court press time and I think they'd like to have an answer before he leaves. Otherwise, we're talking about an eight-day window between Guarantano's OSU visit and an announcement date and with these two kids, eight days might as well be an eternity, it simply may be too long of a stretch to hold Wallace off. The last thing I think that the OSU staff would want would be to get left in limbo for that eight-day stretch and have Wallace try to commit without any insight into Guarantano's intentions.
New linebacker prospect to keep an eye on
One of the more interesting developments this weekend was the visit and subsequent offer to Washington (DC) St. John's College linebacker Terrell Hall.
Some schools are recruiting Hansford as a safety, he is kind of in the Darron Lee/Jerome Baker body type so it is reasonable to assume he would end up at that SAM linebacker spot if he were to choose the Buckeyes.
I am told Hansford is a guy the staff would take if he wants into the fold and I've heard very positive things coming out of this visit. I have traded a few texts with Aaron and this is definitely a situation to keep a close eye on. I'll have a full update with Aaron as soon as possible, but with the Tuf Borland being a tough pull from Wisconsin, all of the pieces seem to be falling into place here for a possible commitment down the road.
State of Recruiting Update
Things are going very well for Ohio State in the 2016 (and 2017 for that matter) recruiting class so far which was to be expected given the early relationships built with many of these prospects coupled with the on-field success of this past season. In fact things are going at a near perfect pace right now.
This class isn't going to get much bigger than 21-22 kids (and that's factoring in a significant amount of early entry guys to free up that room) so with eight outstanding prospects in the fold already this is about where you'd want to be.
The Buckeyes are in a position now where they don't need to reach early on kids and can do a little bit of star chasing nationally as well as taking their time with their in-state evaluations. While I am sure it would be exciting for all of you if they had 18-20 commits already, that's a dangerous way of doing business as it takes you out of the game for the big-time national kids who like to take their official visits and it also leaves no space for those late bloomers like Robert Landers or the in-state camp guys like Nick Conner and Darron Lee. It also takes you out of play for the late flip. We've seen how coaching changes can wreck a school's class and Meyer and company have been very opportunistic on that front as well.
At the same time, you do need to get a few in the barn early. You don't want to get into the fall needing to fill 75-percent of your class and you want to have some class leaders established early on which can really help keep the momentum going.
I think you'll see things sort of continue on this path, picking up a commitment here and there over the next 3-4 months, but leaving at least a handful of spots to really go after those national prospects that will make late decisions.
I have said on several occasions that I expect this class to be the highest rated class (in average star ranking) that Meyer has signed at Ohio State. I am more confident in that statement now than I have been at any other point.
Going Camping?
An interesting trend is developing in terms of how some of the big-time college football programs around the nation are attacking their June camp schedule. For most major programs in the past it has just been a few camps at the school in June and that's about it. Recently some other programs, mostly mid-majors and mid-tier Power Five type of schools have branched out into doing satellite camps around their home states.
Typically they rent out a high school field for an evening and run a camp just like they would on their own campus but they do it in different parts of the state to get more in-person evaluations on kids and to make it easier for kids to get to their camps that otherwise may not make the drive to the campus location. There is also some PR at work there in getting the name of the school out to the local population and trying to get some buzz going.
Hosting these satellite camps has been limited to taking place just within the state, so for example Toledo would have satellite camps in Cleveland, Youngstown, Cincinnati, and Columbus but could not have one in Indianapolis or Ann Arbor.
There is, however, a way for schools to now participate in these satellite camps outside of the state's borders. You can sort of 'co-host' (for lack of a better term) with another college. Penn State did this last year in Georgia, and Michigan is doing it this year in a few different spots. Usually it's going to be with a Division I school but one that you're not typically competing with recruits for, Penn State partnered up with Georgia State last year I believe.
Now there is heavy debate among college coaches as to how valuable these actually are. Penn State didn't sign a single kid out of Georgia this past recruiting cycle. You're also using resources by doing this, sending your coaches across the country to run a camp for a day or two and there is no guarantee that the kids you want to see there will actually show up.
That being said, it is a trend that is starting to pick up a little bit of steam (and it's entirely possible this type of thing could fizzle out in a few years if schools aren't seeing results) and Ohio State, I am told, is considering dipping its toes in the water. I am told that if Ohio State decides to try its hand at something like this that it would likely start in South Florida.
Just something to keep an eye on.
New Jersey visitors update
Ohio State saw several of the top prospects in New Jersey roll through campus over the weekend, most notably five-star defensive tackle Rashan Gary. While it is tough to see room for all of the New Jersey guys that visited, only a couple will stay on the radar throughout the process in my opinion, Gary is the one guy in the group that Ohio State would hold a spot for all the way until National Signing Day.
For OSU, this visit needed to happen and it needed to happen before the summer as Gary hadn't been in Columbus in nearly two years and things have changed quite a bit with the staff since that time, and things have certainly changed in Gary's recruitment since that time.
There is a push to get Gary to return to Columbus for the spring game in April, a push that I am told OSU feels went well but with that type of trip still being a few weeks out and a big southern tour coming up, we'll just have to see how things play out over the next couple of weeks.
I still view this one as a major uphill battle but it's one that Ohio State is going to continue to fight and this weekend's visit did go well. It was a bit of a refresher course for Gary in terms of remembering what he initially liked about the program while also getting the ball rolling here on building the relationships he needs to build with the coaches (remember, it was Mike Vrabel that worked him out at the OSU camp and initially offered).
As for Rivals100 ATH Ahmir Mitchell, the Buckeyes made a good impression on the prospect I feel the Buckeyes probably sit in the best shape with among New Jersey players that visited over the weekend. I think the Guarantano decision could be impactful here though. If Guarantano ends up at Ohio State, I think Mitchell would follow, if not, it becomes a tougher pull away from home.
News and Notes
- If you read Ryan's story this evening, you know that Rivals250 tight end Jake Hausmann in before Farrell) and right now it would take a lot for Farrell to not end up at Ohio State. Would be an absolute monster haul at the position and I expect it to come together.
- Lakewood (Ohio) St. Edward safety prospect Marlon Character) and to take a little more time to continue to shape the board. I think ideally Butler would camp but his commitment to Pittsburgh makes that a dicey proposition so we'll see how that all plays out but Tony is still a prospect worth following for the time being. I'll have a full update on Tony tomorrow.
This post was edited on 3/30 10:59 AM by Kevin_N
While the 2016 QB situation has yet to be resolved, the last 24 hours went about as well as could have been expected if you're Ohio State. Texas star Tristen Wallace wrapped up a great visit over the weekend and both he and his family seem very sold on Ohio State.
At the same time, Wallace did not attempt to commit yet and Rivals100 QB Jarrett Guarantano has set his visit date for next Monday/Tuesday. Wallace's hesitation buys a little more time now for the Ohio State staff, possibly even enough time to let the Guarantano visit play out before having to find out what Wallace's intentions are.
I don't know that Ohio State is in a position right now to turn away Wallace if he wants to make a commitment (assuming they plan on taking a QB in this class which they most certainly do) so having every bit of info they possibly can on Guarantano before having to worry about Wallace's choice would be ideal.
Guarantano won't announce his decision until April 15th and this one has been volatile enough that things could certainly change in his mind from the time he leaves Ohio State's campus next week until that announcement date but I tend to think OSU is going to have some type of idea of where they are at with him when he leaves.
It will be full court press time and I think they'd like to have an answer before he leaves. Otherwise, we're talking about an eight-day window between Guarantano's OSU visit and an announcement date and with these two kids, eight days might as well be an eternity, it simply may be too long of a stretch to hold Wallace off. The last thing I think that the OSU staff would want would be to get left in limbo for that eight-day stretch and have Wallace try to commit without any insight into Guarantano's intentions.
New linebacker prospect to keep an eye on
One of the more interesting developments this weekend was the visit and subsequent offer to Washington (DC) St. John's College linebacker Terrell Hall.
Some schools are recruiting Hansford as a safety, he is kind of in the Darron Lee/Jerome Baker body type so it is reasonable to assume he would end up at that SAM linebacker spot if he were to choose the Buckeyes.
I am told Hansford is a guy the staff would take if he wants into the fold and I've heard very positive things coming out of this visit. I have traded a few texts with Aaron and this is definitely a situation to keep a close eye on. I'll have a full update with Aaron as soon as possible, but with the Tuf Borland being a tough pull from Wisconsin, all of the pieces seem to be falling into place here for a possible commitment down the road.
State of Recruiting Update
Things are going very well for Ohio State in the 2016 (and 2017 for that matter) recruiting class so far which was to be expected given the early relationships built with many of these prospects coupled with the on-field success of this past season. In fact things are going at a near perfect pace right now.
This class isn't going to get much bigger than 21-22 kids (and that's factoring in a significant amount of early entry guys to free up that room) so with eight outstanding prospects in the fold already this is about where you'd want to be.
The Buckeyes are in a position now where they don't need to reach early on kids and can do a little bit of star chasing nationally as well as taking their time with their in-state evaluations. While I am sure it would be exciting for all of you if they had 18-20 commits already, that's a dangerous way of doing business as it takes you out of the game for the big-time national kids who like to take their official visits and it also leaves no space for those late bloomers like Robert Landers or the in-state camp guys like Nick Conner and Darron Lee. It also takes you out of play for the late flip. We've seen how coaching changes can wreck a school's class and Meyer and company have been very opportunistic on that front as well.
At the same time, you do need to get a few in the barn early. You don't want to get into the fall needing to fill 75-percent of your class and you want to have some class leaders established early on which can really help keep the momentum going.
I think you'll see things sort of continue on this path, picking up a commitment here and there over the next 3-4 months, but leaving at least a handful of spots to really go after those national prospects that will make late decisions.
I have said on several occasions that I expect this class to be the highest rated class (in average star ranking) that Meyer has signed at Ohio State. I am more confident in that statement now than I have been at any other point.
Going Camping?
An interesting trend is developing in terms of how some of the big-time college football programs around the nation are attacking their June camp schedule. For most major programs in the past it has just been a few camps at the school in June and that's about it. Recently some other programs, mostly mid-majors and mid-tier Power Five type of schools have branched out into doing satellite camps around their home states.
Typically they rent out a high school field for an evening and run a camp just like they would on their own campus but they do it in different parts of the state to get more in-person evaluations on kids and to make it easier for kids to get to their camps that otherwise may not make the drive to the campus location. There is also some PR at work there in getting the name of the school out to the local population and trying to get some buzz going.
Hosting these satellite camps has been limited to taking place just within the state, so for example Toledo would have satellite camps in Cleveland, Youngstown, Cincinnati, and Columbus but could not have one in Indianapolis or Ann Arbor.
There is, however, a way for schools to now participate in these satellite camps outside of the state's borders. You can sort of 'co-host' (for lack of a better term) with another college. Penn State did this last year in Georgia, and Michigan is doing it this year in a few different spots. Usually it's going to be with a Division I school but one that you're not typically competing with recruits for, Penn State partnered up with Georgia State last year I believe.
Now there is heavy debate among college coaches as to how valuable these actually are. Penn State didn't sign a single kid out of Georgia this past recruiting cycle. You're also using resources by doing this, sending your coaches across the country to run a camp for a day or two and there is no guarantee that the kids you want to see there will actually show up.
That being said, it is a trend that is starting to pick up a little bit of steam (and it's entirely possible this type of thing could fizzle out in a few years if schools aren't seeing results) and Ohio State, I am told, is considering dipping its toes in the water. I am told that if Ohio State decides to try its hand at something like this that it would likely start in South Florida.
Just something to keep an eye on.
New Jersey visitors update
Ohio State saw several of the top prospects in New Jersey roll through campus over the weekend, most notably five-star defensive tackle Rashan Gary. While it is tough to see room for all of the New Jersey guys that visited, only a couple will stay on the radar throughout the process in my opinion, Gary is the one guy in the group that Ohio State would hold a spot for all the way until National Signing Day.
For OSU, this visit needed to happen and it needed to happen before the summer as Gary hadn't been in Columbus in nearly two years and things have changed quite a bit with the staff since that time, and things have certainly changed in Gary's recruitment since that time.
There is a push to get Gary to return to Columbus for the spring game in April, a push that I am told OSU feels went well but with that type of trip still being a few weeks out and a big southern tour coming up, we'll just have to see how things play out over the next couple of weeks.
I still view this one as a major uphill battle but it's one that Ohio State is going to continue to fight and this weekend's visit did go well. It was a bit of a refresher course for Gary in terms of remembering what he initially liked about the program while also getting the ball rolling here on building the relationships he needs to build with the coaches (remember, it was Mike Vrabel that worked him out at the OSU camp and initially offered).
As for Rivals100 ATH Ahmir Mitchell, the Buckeyes made a good impression on the prospect I feel the Buckeyes probably sit in the best shape with among New Jersey players that visited over the weekend. I think the Guarantano decision could be impactful here though. If Guarantano ends up at Ohio State, I think Mitchell would follow, if not, it becomes a tougher pull away from home.
News and Notes
- If you read Ryan's story this evening, you know that Rivals250 tight end Jake Hausmann in before Farrell) and right now it would take a lot for Farrell to not end up at Ohio State. Would be an absolute monster haul at the position and I expect it to come together.
- Lakewood (Ohio) St. Edward safety prospect Marlon Character) and to take a little more time to continue to shape the board. I think ideally Butler would camp but his commitment to Pittsburgh makes that a dicey proposition so we'll see how that all plays out but Tony is still a prospect worth following for the time being. I'll have a full update on Tony tomorrow.
This post was edited on 3/30 10:59 AM by Kevin_N
