Ohio picks up a 24th and 25th recruits
For those of you interested in watching the race to the top of the B1G recruiting rankings, Ohio picks up Jamal Marcus, a 3* OLB from North Carolina who was deciding between Ohio and East Carolina... not a a signature recruit but he's enough that Ohio is inching closer and closer to us in the scout rankings...
EDIT: They also just picked up Kyle Dodson, making it 25 and passing us in the Scout rankings.
February 1st, 2012 at 11:28 AM ^
I think that maybe posts like this miss the forest for the trees. We could probably *secure* our Scout victory over Ohio by filling up our remaining scholarship spots with 3* prospects, but that wouldn't serve us as well as banking those spots for more talented commits at positions of need next year. Recruiting rankings are only valuable in a broad way (are we one of the best classes in the nation?), not in a discrete, specific way (are we the #4 class in the country or have we dropped all the way down to #5?!)
February 1st, 2012 at 11:44 AM ^
I almost always disagree with the idea of banking a schoalrship. Does everyone remember what it was like when we were playing at a super scholarship disadvantage during the early RR years? The bottom line is that attrition always happens and what looks like it will be a small class(I think this class originially was slated to be only 20 or 21) can balloon quickly. Now I don't think the coaches should offer merely offer for the sake of doing so, but if you can find a guy that is maybe a bit raw or maybe can be a great depth guy, I think you should by all means offer the scholarship.
February 1st, 2012 at 12:28 PM ^
I find it amazing that despite Urban Meyer's unprecedented recruiting "magic" at Ohio State, and the flood of 4 and 5 *'s they picked up seemingly daily, we are still even with them or ahead of them. And we have picked up very few recruits in the last few months.
They way some folks carry on, it's as if they are 20 classes ahead of us and pulling away. The sky definitely is not falling.
February 1st, 2012 at 11:28 AM ^
So that should be it for them, right? Right?
Anybody else buy it?
No?
February 1st, 2012 at 11:30 AM ^
Aren't they already full at 23? Am I missing something?
Also, Alabama with 28+ recruits again? Can someone who is more internet recruiting database savy than me put a list of Saban's recruiting classes during his stay there? Has he ever gone below 28?
February 1st, 2012 at 11:58 AM ^
I thought the hard cap of 25 started in the SEC this year? Are some of the recruits EE's? It also seems like they are in the running for lots more recruits today. Can someone explain SEC math to me?
February 1st, 2012 at 2:19 PM ^
of their kids are early enrollees.
February 1st, 2012 at 11:30 AM ^
Deontay Greenberry decommited from Notre Dame and commited to...Houston.
February 1st, 2012 at 11:33 AM ^
good for him to realize how south bend is the best destination to waste talent.
February 1st, 2012 at 11:35 AM ^
Houston finished ranked in the top 20, was 1st in passing yards, 1st in points, and won their bowl game.
Notre Dame is none of those things.
Not *too* outrageous for a WR to pick Houston given recent circumstances.
February 1st, 2012 at 11:40 AM ^
Just lost its head coach and 20 year starter at QB. It does seem odd to me.
February 1st, 2012 at 11:37 AM ^
Can Brian put together a TWIS regarding Signing Day? I'd love to see the best of ND Nation's reactions to that news.
February 1st, 2012 at 12:30 PM ^
Careful. We'll be in it for last weekend.
February 1st, 2012 at 11:39 AM ^
this is too funny
February 1st, 2012 at 11:33 AM ^
Computer glitch - move along.
February 1st, 2012 at 11:31 AM ^
i thought Ohio had only 23 scholarships to give out this year.
It will be interesting to see how urban manages to cut 5 scholarships.
February 1st, 2012 at 11:42 AM ^
Rumor is one of their current commits won't be eligible, they can take one more I think.
Still in on Neal, Dodson and Diggs. Dodson announcing at 10:15 I think.
February 1st, 2012 at 11:42 AM ^
Urban's tools of choice: Hammer & Sickle
February 1st, 2012 at 11:31 AM ^
I'll just be happy if guys like this commiting keep them from somehow creating the space for guys like Diggs.
February 1st, 2012 at 11:31 AM ^
"He is rated a four-star prospect, and holds over 20 scholarship offers, including Auburn, Clemson, Florida, North Carolina, Notre Dame, South Carolina and USC. Marcus narrowed his choice down to two Ohio State and East Carolina before choosing the Buckeyes."
February 1st, 2012 at 11:33 AM ^
Eh, I can see why he maybe would go there. It's local and he'd probably get an earlier crack at playing time. He might just ride the pine for all four years at OSU.
February 1st, 2012 at 11:32 AM ^
I wonder how many players they will have to boot off the team to make numbers.
February 1st, 2012 at 11:33 AM ^
on Scout. They can recruit like crazy. ESPN has them at #2 while on Scout they are in the teens.
February 1st, 2012 at 11:44 AM ^
That's only because Scout has them listed by total points. FSU only has 17 commits, but their average star ranking is #1.
February 1st, 2012 at 12:56 PM ^
Because I'm pretty sure they have like 15 recruits
February 1st, 2012 at 11:36 AM ^
On ESPNU, they just said that Ohio is expected to announce 23 players today. I thought they had 24 players committed/signed already?
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<br>Am I missing something?
February 1st, 2012 at 12:22 PM ^
They had 23 commits coming into NSD. They picked up Marcus (#24) and possibly Kyle Dodson (#25), in a few minutes. #26 could be Diggs or Neal on Feb 10.
February 1st, 2012 at 11:36 AM ^
Don't forget we have a five star deciding on Friday night, and we have a pretty good shot. If we get Diamond, it will be awesome, but a top 5 class regardless of who we share it with is just awesome.
February 1st, 2012 at 11:42 AM ^
Jamal Marcus and Jordan Diamond are the exact same ranking on ESPN (4*, 80) and nearly the same on 247 (4*s, 94 and 96 respectively).
February 1st, 2012 at 11:40 AM ^
Apparently, Ohio cannot exceed 23 (82 overall)...unless they give an excuse. Yes, it's just that simple to avoid the sanctions imposed upon Ohio by the NCAA:
Rittenberg/Bennett @ESPN_BigTen
RT @PDBuckeyes: Ohio St could add others today, but need to keep Big Ten informed about how/why gettiing to 82, must be at 82 for preseason
Then, about 30 minutes later, this tweet:
#signingday RT @brdispatch: Jamal Marcus picks #OhioState
I guess it doesn't take long to find a bench rider to come down with a 4-year flu.
February 1st, 2012 at 11:43 AM ^
What is amazing is that most OSU fans expect to take TWO MORE guys...putting them at 26. How they get to that number is beyond me.
February 1st, 2012 at 11:47 AM ^
They had like four transfers recently, one guy got kicked off for grades and like two others on medical...
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<br>They made room.
February 1st, 2012 at 12:28 PM ^
Dunn being one of the EE's. I don't think it matters much whether OSU is at 23, 24, 25 or 26 for signees right now. What matters is "82", and that only matters when we get to the spring/summer. They know exactly what the numbers game allows them. In the realm of NCAA recruitcheating, they aren't even close yet.
If I were Jaamal Berry, I'd be talking to my lawyer about serving probation at Cincinnati.
February 1st, 2012 at 12:34 PM ^
This is why the sanctions against them of 3 recruits a year will have no impact at all.
February 1st, 2012 at 1:22 PM ^
Next year, they might have a class of just 15-18 kids. The "Three" number does mean something -- 82 instead of 85; it just matters when and where you make the count. What will be most interesting is whether we see any substantial attrition for less than clear reasons.
Berry is an obvious case that has nothing to do with Meyer. If he is gone, teh suspicion level is nearly zero. But if as a result of some brutal workout conditions this spring, OSU sees six guys transfer, then that is a very different matter.
February 1st, 2012 at 11:43 AM ^
Terrell Jackson, one of MSU's big remaining targets picked Pitt.
February 1st, 2012 at 12:55 PM ^
That galactic recruiting is paying off big time.
February 1st, 2012 at 11:43 AM ^
Urban bringin the SEC!
February 1st, 2012 at 11:47 AM ^
i hate to under value 3 star recruits...remember Mike Hart was a 3 star recruit and he turned out okay, I would take a ton of 3 stars like him
February 1st, 2012 at 12:10 PM ^
from USC and Florida to name a couple...... Sometimes all is not what it seems when it comes to the star rankings
February 1st, 2012 at 12:29 PM ^
So was Brandon Graham.
February 1st, 2012 at 1:08 PM ^
Graham was a 5* to both Rivals and Scout, and had an 86 grade from ESPN (which equated to #36 in the ESPNU150).
February 1st, 2012 at 1:46 PM ^
Doh! Sorry, my bad. I should have looked it up rather than using the failing memory.
So who was I thinking of, then?
February 1st, 2012 at 2:00 PM ^
February 1st, 2012 at 12:06 PM ^
My father, longtime hockey coach and pure lover of the game would always respond when asked by his players who they were playing as such, " whoever shows up, and I hope they're good."
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<br>As much as I dislike Ohio and their eerily similar resemblance to dog feces, I hope they're good everytime we play them, win or lose, it's beneficial to play the better competition for the resume as well as player progression.
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<br>When it comes to losing recruits to them however ala Reeves, it makes me want to Brady Hoke thunder point through Brutus.
February 1st, 2012 at 12:48 PM ^
Urb went after several of our guys and he flipped none of them. That's worth something right?
February 1st, 2012 at 12:22 PM ^
Hearing they just got Dodson as well...So, make that 25 commits - 2 over their limit.
February 1st, 2012 at 1:55 PM ^
Dodson! Dodson! We've got Dodson here! See no one cares. Nice hat, what are you some kind of secret agent?
February 1st, 2012 at 1:03 PM ^
This kid Marcus will not sit the bench and should be a 4 star recruit without a doubt. I have seen a lot of film at the LB position and this kids is one of the most impressive this year. I had heard about this kid from a friend who is a gator fan and was blown away when I watched the film. This kid is a beast and I would take him over any LB in Ohio's class. I would take him over any LB in our class also with the exception of Bolden and still would probably rather have this kid. He reminds me of a young Clay Matthews but I think he just arrived on the scene a little late and some of the bigger programs didnt get in it with him until late. This kid plays in beast mode and I think is on a different level from a few of their other LB commits.
February 1st, 2012 at 1:52 PM ^
We cannot do anything about them oversigning it is a fact of the B1G now with Meyer. He has changed how things work. I really don't think that we need to complain though because I honestly feel that we are going to be the only team that will be able to compete.