Obviously running back recruiting has been in the news a lot the last couple of weeks. I think I'm a day late on this but I did say in the Skull Session thread that I would post a little more about the situation, Ford's visit cancellation, etc.
Here are some things I know....
- Ohio State knew the potential consequences of taking Steele Chambers. Devyn Ford was not dropped or anything like that, but they knew a potential outcome of taking Chambers' commitment was losing out on the other running backs they were recruiting. The moment Chambers committed last week, I knew that was not going to be good for chances with Ford, but Ohio State seems to be OK with that or they would have held Chambers off a few weeks.
- Telling the other RB's that Chambers is a linebacker is not really an option, even if that ultimately becomes true. When you allow Chambers to pick his position and he picks running back, he then becomes a running back in everyone's eyes. Regardless of how this ultimately plays out with Chambers in Columbus, he is now a running back to all other recruits. Recruits aren't dumb. They read the articles and they talk to each other. Chambers is going to tell everyone he's a running back, because that is what he and Ohio State agreed upon. Ohio State can't then go tell Ford or Noah Cain that Steele is a linebacker, that gets back around to Chambers and now you've blown it with all of the kids because they all stop trusting you.
- Chambers being a running back was a big part of his commitment. That is what he wants to be and it is what he told the Notre Dame's of the world he wanted to be. I'm not convinced Ohio State lands him if they recruit him as a linebacker.
- The door is not completely shut on running back recruiting. There's a small crack of light shining through. As I said in the impact piece when Chambers committed, I think it's very possible that the running back class you see today is the one you'll see in February, but that's not 100%. Might be 95%, but not 100.
Here are some random thoughts I have on this, more speculation than anything.....
- This is why no matter how many times we say recruiting is fluid, we can't say it enough and it's never over-doing it.
- Something kind of interesting with Noah Cain. I've felt in recent months that Noah probably out-waits his opportunity at Ohio State. And if you're asking me today, I would absolutely guess that Noah ends up somewhere other than OSU, probably Texas or LSU. But in a really strange way, Noah's chances may have actually increased with the Chambers commitment.
Why on earth would I say such a thing? So let me quickly jump back to my, the door is not completely shut on running back recruiting, comment. Cain waiting until December now takes on a bit of a different meaning. A lot can happen in 8 months and in the short term, Chambers' commitment has pushed Devyn Ford, and probably any other RB that wants to decide early, out of the equation. Ohio State isn't going to be overly aggressive in seeking out more running backs in this class.
But Cain waiting at least keeps him in play well everything else gets sorted out and who knows what happens when some of the dust settles.
- Another part of the chain reaction here is that along those same lines as Cain where later might be better for the potential of another RB in this class. I think things at least go from 0 to maybe 1 or 2 percent for an in-state guy like John Bivens. Coming off a really bad knee injury, I am sure they will still evaluate his senior film. Highly unlikely anything happens here, but I think this went from absolutely zero chance to a small fraction of a chance.
Here are some things I know....
- Ohio State knew the potential consequences of taking Steele Chambers. Devyn Ford was not dropped or anything like that, but they knew a potential outcome of taking Chambers' commitment was losing out on the other running backs they were recruiting. The moment Chambers committed last week, I knew that was not going to be good for chances with Ford, but Ohio State seems to be OK with that or they would have held Chambers off a few weeks.
- Telling the other RB's that Chambers is a linebacker is not really an option, even if that ultimately becomes true. When you allow Chambers to pick his position and he picks running back, he then becomes a running back in everyone's eyes. Regardless of how this ultimately plays out with Chambers in Columbus, he is now a running back to all other recruits. Recruits aren't dumb. They read the articles and they talk to each other. Chambers is going to tell everyone he's a running back, because that is what he and Ohio State agreed upon. Ohio State can't then go tell Ford or Noah Cain that Steele is a linebacker, that gets back around to Chambers and now you've blown it with all of the kids because they all stop trusting you.
- Chambers being a running back was a big part of his commitment. That is what he wants to be and it is what he told the Notre Dame's of the world he wanted to be. I'm not convinced Ohio State lands him if they recruit him as a linebacker.
- The door is not completely shut on running back recruiting. There's a small crack of light shining through. As I said in the impact piece when Chambers committed, I think it's very possible that the running back class you see today is the one you'll see in February, but that's not 100%. Might be 95%, but not 100.
Here are some random thoughts I have on this, more speculation than anything.....
- This is why no matter how many times we say recruiting is fluid, we can't say it enough and it's never over-doing it.
- Something kind of interesting with Noah Cain. I've felt in recent months that Noah probably out-waits his opportunity at Ohio State. And if you're asking me today, I would absolutely guess that Noah ends up somewhere other than OSU, probably Texas or LSU. But in a really strange way, Noah's chances may have actually increased with the Chambers commitment.
Why on earth would I say such a thing? So let me quickly jump back to my, the door is not completely shut on running back recruiting, comment. Cain waiting until December now takes on a bit of a different meaning. A lot can happen in 8 months and in the short term, Chambers' commitment has pushed Devyn Ford, and probably any other RB that wants to decide early, out of the equation. Ohio State isn't going to be overly aggressive in seeking out more running backs in this class.
But Cain waiting at least keeps him in play well everything else gets sorted out and who knows what happens when some of the dust settles.
- Another part of the chain reaction here is that along those same lines as Cain where later might be better for the potential of another RB in this class. I think things at least go from 0 to maybe 1 or 2 percent for an in-state guy like John Bivens. Coming off a really bad knee injury, I am sure they will still evaluate his senior film. Highly unlikely anything happens here, but I think this went from absolutely zero chance to a small fraction of a chance.
