Ohio State OL Recruiting

Submitted by Chi-Blue on

I remember a post several weeks back that was talking about OL recruiting at OSU, and how it was reaching dangerous levels with the commitment of Pocic to LSU. Most OSU types fully expected that Pocic would fall to them with Mich and ND being filled up, and quite nicely I might add, with alot of quality OL recruits already. They also expected an OG by the name of Khaliel Rodgers out of Maryland to eventually choose the Bucks. Rodgers was the kid who caused quite a little stir a while ago when he tweeted that an offensive line with both he and David Dawson would be dominant. While that was a fun talking point, OSU has now really come up against it as Rodgers pledged to USC today. They have very low numbers this year anyway much like what we have. Out of the 14 pledges in this class so far they have 1 OL, Evan Lisle . . . . thats it!! They did bring in 5 commits last year that will be Fresh this year. 2, 4-star OT's and 3, 3-star OG's. Just very interesting to keep an eye on this as they are now down to not their primary or even secondary targets, but really the guys that would the third choice according to their OL offer board on Scout. Urban recruits skill guys very well, but OL . . . not so much so far. Is it harder to sell midwest guys on his version of the spread??

Meanwhile, up in AA . . . OL recruits are our strength. Gonna be fun to watch!!

Mod Edit: Not OT [zl]

JohnnyV123

July 11th, 2012 at 11:27 PM ^

I get why it's interesting, but really not a big deal unless this starts happening two or three years in a row especially when you consider the good haul they got in the previous recruiting class.

RationalBuckeye

July 11th, 2012 at 11:55 PM ^

Though I agree that the OL situation is a little less certain than I'd hope, Rodgers doesn't belong in the discussion. Matt Miller the Ohio OL whose brother plays for you guys talked to Urban after camp and was told that no more OGs would be taken in this class. So yeah, no Pocic and the others hurts, but the boat passed on Rodgers a while ago.

RationalBuckeye

July 12th, 2012 at 12:04 AM ^

I don't think it ever got serious enough to matter, everyone knew if the USC offer came he was gone. But it is interesting how Rodgers was real high on OSU, and the  suddenly wanted to visit UM, and everything was about Auburn. 

I suspect the Auburn visit won him over for the time being, and OSU wasn't in the picture, meaning that his being updated on the state of the guard situation was fairly irrelevant. Or the less likely theory that he was told no more guards at OSU, and turned elsewhere, but the timing of his AU visit refutes this.

Zone Left

July 12th, 2012 at 12:42 AM ^

It probably won't tank them, but they'll be razor thin at a lot of positions. Even the best players typically aren't ready to contribute as Freshman and there will be very few redshirts handed out. The 31 player class they signed a couple years ago is going to be their saving grace for a couple of seasons if a lot of guys pan out.

USC is limited to 75 players on the team and 15 players in a class. Under the best circumstances, I've read coaches hope for two-thirds of a class to become good (read contributer) football players. Assume this is true. Let's also assume two guys get really hurt and 2 more get in serious trouble in the big class and one guy gets seriously hurt and one gets in serious trouble for the smaller class. Also, assume a 50/50 split between offense and defense In 2014, that leaves them with something like this as a roster:

2011: 31 signed, 27 remaining, 13 offense (9 good), 14 defense (9 good)

2012: 15 signed, 13 remaining, 6 offense (4 good), 7 defense (5 good)

2013: 15 signed, 13 remaining, 7 offense (5 good), 6 defense (4 good)

2014: 15 signed, 13 remaining, 6 offense (2 ready to play as Freshman), 7 defense (2 ready)

That's about 20 contributors on each side of the ball. That leaves them super thin at every position and very young in a really good scenario. There are eleven starters, with about one backup at each position. Kiffin runs a pro style offense, which may hurt them even more, because fullback and tight end are two positions that don't really need to be filled in a classic spread.

They've got talent, and the PAC-12 South will probably keep sucking, but they still will play 10 conference games and Notre Dame, so will probably only get one true cupcake. They won't be 3-9, but they probably aren't winning 10 games either.

WolvinLA2

July 12th, 2012 at 10:42 AM ^

I highly doubt this affect USC too much, unless they have a lot of injuries or transfers, more than average. They signed 31 guys in 2011, and it was a very strong class, best in their conference. Those guys won't be seniors until 2014. Until that class graduates, they won't have many depth issues.

Now, once that class leaves, they'll be lower on numbers after having three small classes, but it's clear at least two of those classes will be dynamite. Also, that 2015 class will probably have 30+ kids in it, which will help the depth a lot. Over the three small classes, they'll have 45 top rated kids, which builds a two-deep. Seem of them will get hurt or not pan out, so that 2015 class will fill the holes.

Don't bank on those limits having much effect, unless it means they win 10 games instead an NCAA championship.

LB

July 12th, 2012 at 12:18 AM ^

http://www.elevenwarriors.com/2012/04/catching-up-with-khaliel-rodgers

You mention OSU offered you. I don't think too many people knew about that. How did that go down.                                                                                           Coach Warinner, who is my recruiter, called our high school coach to tell him that he loved my film and that they were interested. Then, about three weeks ago, my teammate Kenny Bigelow and I called Coach Urban Meyer. He offered both of us right there on the phone.

neyvit

July 12th, 2012 at 11:04 AM ^

It is very likely Price will be playing the OG position.  He has talked about it a couple times in interviews about how OSU will try him out on both sides to see where he fits.  Based on the numbers (and the good overall DL haul), my money is on him ending up on OL.

RationalBuckeye

July 12th, 2012 at 11:09 AM ^

He doesn't want to, but he's gone from saying he's definitely a DT to caving and saying that he wants to play defense, but if the team needs him on offense he'll do it.

It's probably smart, in his NFTC videos and game film he tends to bullrush often, which works when you're stronger than all your high school competition, but if you don't use your hands well, that won't work in college. He's already got the right size to be a guard, and I think it'll take less development for him to be successful there. 

turtleboy

July 12th, 2012 at 2:35 AM ^

Urban understands the value of a solid Oline. Thought that would've seemed obvious after he recruited and coached the Pouncey twins. They'll get their depth, but it won't do them any good. Peewee will still pancake them all day long...

JimBobTressel

July 12th, 2012 at 3:26 AM ^

Meyer is still Meyer. He'll get his guys.

I couldn't be happier with what Hoke is doing on the recruiting trail, though.

RationalBuckeye

July 12th, 2012 at 11:14 AM ^

That's what's important to understand. No one thinks (outside of bucknuts) that Urban will go 100%. Nor even 50%, because when you think about it, you offer over 100 kids, and you can take a quarter maximum. 

By saying, "he'll get his guys", no one is saying he get whoever he wants, that's unrealistic as we all know. It's just that he'll find above average players to fill spots. Star ratings don't matter, we can see that in both Hoke's and Meyer's recruiting. Ezekiel Elliott was a consensus 3 star when he committed, now he's almost a consensus 4, and Shurburtt is calling him "elite". 

I'm willing to admit we missed on some realistic OT options. Pocic was an unfortunate situation, since we didn't get him back on campus this summer, but we have freshman OLs who were brought in by Urban last year, and if it truly was a huge concern this staff would be making it more of a priority at least, whether they have more success or not.

RationalBuckeye

July 12th, 2012 at 11:16 AM ^

THIS. 

I've been trying to tell people this whenever our OL situation comes up. We have decent depth at OL, it's just not proven yet,

At LB, the lack of depth is obvious and palpable. We have to count on Perry, Williams, Perkins, and Roberts, all true freshman to pick up the slack in the two-deep. Maybe they work out, maybe they don't but this is where the real worry is.

RakeFight

July 12th, 2012 at 11:33 AM ^

MSU currently has zero OL recruits in their 2013 class.  I don't know much about their depth, but I would think that would be pretty worrisome for some in East Lansing.