Impact of Urban Meyer Scandal on OSU Recruiting (OSU Source)
Intro
- Here's a link to the ESPN radio segment.
- It's an interview between a show called Kinner & Schlemmer and Bill Kurelic, who allegedly covers OSU recruiting for Rivals.com, ESPN, Bucknuts.com, and 247 Sports, according to his Twitter bio. I'm not sure how that's possible, but if it's on Twitter, it must be true.
Summary
- Big picture: 'wait and see.' Current committed kids are unwavering, so long as Meyer is retained by Ohio State, but everyone is waiting to see what happens.
- Meyer's staff continues to recruit, though this is limited by the dead period. Recruits report that they've contacted the staff.
- Negative recruiting backfires, at least in one case. Allegedly, 15 minutes after the scandal was announced, one parent of a 'high profile' commitment received calls from several programs and was not pleased.
- Recruits are solid, but all prospects aren't. The committed kids claim to be 100% solid, so long as Meyer sticks around. And there's a feeling among the committed kids that Meyer will be back. However, at least one uncommitted prospect interviewed by Kurelic said this would have a negative impact on his recruitment, especially if Meyer wasn't retained.
- No new info on Kaiir Elam & Zach Harrison. Elam is a high 4-star CB recruit from Florida (247 Page). I'm just putting this stuff here for the sake of completeness.
- Meyer's priority in new hires is an ability to recruit. Interesting.
Some Thoughts
As facts continue to surface, this approach by recruits makes sense to me. That said, I'm kinda shocked that someone didn't mention being upset by the domestic violence piece of it. It's possible Kurelic himself decided not to mention it, maybe due to positive spin or 'proprietary omissions' (subscription-worthy information).
I wish the show covered the direct impact of Smith's firing. If you look at Smith's 247 page, he and current Buckeyes interim coach Ryan Day are credited for bringing in 2019 5-star WR Garrett Wilson (247 page), who I believe was a Michigan target. Based on Smith's page, it looks like Ohio State divides recruiting by position groups, so most of Smith's targets are wide receivers. Michigan really needs some wide receivers in this cycle.
Finally, I'm not getting my hopes up or anything, but if Zach Harrison loves Michigan and was searching for a good reason not to go to Ohio State, this is probably it. All things being equal, I thought he'd go to the Buckeyes. But I'm not sure all things are equal, anymore.
....but on the other hand, the type of players urbz recruited probably were not playing qb in the NFL anyway, or at least not for a long time. Double A baseball, maybe.
August 6th, 2018 at 11:44 AM ^
1000% chance that James Franklin was frantically calling every OSU commit 15 seconds after McMurphy's facebook post to negatively recruit.
August 6th, 2018 at 11:47 AM ^
Meyer isn't going anywhere, unless it comes out that he didn't tell the proper department at OSU. Shelley Meyers, though, is going to be out on her ass tomorrow.
when he keeps his job but his boss and his wife both get fired for cause.... the chinless fuck will somehow hit a new low.
lol you're right he doesn't have a chin!
This actually raises an important point. The committee is charged with investigating Urban. Who is investigating Shelley and anyone else that may have had knowledge of the same events? That's potentially a lot of people and maybe they knew of things that Urban did not. Is two weeks enough to do that thoroughly?
August 6th, 2018 at 11:59 AM ^
Considering a certain percentage of the recruits' parents probably grew up listening to some from of rap and hip hop that heavily disparages females, I don't really think the domestic abuse issue is going to be a deciding factor. I also don't think many of the recruits care one way or another. They just see this as an isolated event affecting one coach that isn't named Urban Meyer.
The larger issue is how we as a society treat such issues. On one hand, we condemn it with laws and other forms and on the other hand, it's embraced and celebrated by the hip/hop rap culture that so many are swayed by.
I'm pretty sure there is no correlation between DV and rap music but considering your posting history you keep pushing your agenda capt depl...
August 6th, 2018 at 12:27 PM ^
My hot take is that kids don't care about domestic violence. They likely don't think it has any impact on them. The people most affected will be mothers of recruits. How much does that impact kids?...not sure. If Meyer stays it probably doesn't change much. If Meyer leaves, this recruiting class will drastically diminish. If Meyer stays, but gets a modest suspension and that & the distractions cause OSU to lose 3 games it will have a small impact, but enough to keep UM level or ahead of OSU in this years recruiting class.
On the one hand I would love to beat OSU and Meyer at their best. We've been close and I like our chances this year. But, the truth is they are still better than us and we need some breaks or at the last get them at home on years we are more likely to win (2016 & 2018) which isn't happening so far. On the other hand if Meyer leaving means a small blip in OSU recruiting and a slightly (but still good) less great coach at OSU that gives UM the needed leverage to get a few wins and recruiting battles to level the playing field...I'll take that.
August 6th, 2018 at 12:34 PM ^
I'd say OSU's recruiting is really just in a holding pattern right now. Not going backwards or forwards. Everyone is just waiting to see what happens.
If Meyer comes back, the status quo returns and he will continue to get most any recruit he wants. This whole story doesn't tell you anything about Meyer that hasn't already been discussed ad nauseum for the last decade. If he gets canned, I think at least a few of the kids will de-commit, but some will stay committed and wait to find out who they hire to replace him.
Regardless of what happens, there will be some mothers out there that decide they don't want their son playing for Meyer, but it wouldn't be enough to make any noticeable difference. Many parents will still look at him, much as they do now, as a means to an end: a winner who gets your son to the NFL.
I think Urban will keep his job, and here is why.
- Zero students. There were zero students harmed in this scandal. Not to diminish what happened, but there was no policy breakdown which resulted in students getting sexually assaulted. (So this is different than Nassar at MSU in that regard.)
- Not on campus. OSU facilities were not used to groom future victims of abuse. (So this is different from Ped State). In fact you could argue that this is in the jurisdiction of the Columbus (or even Gainesville) police department.
I don't like it, but I don't see much changing.
This is all going to blow over, guys. It's not a crime to openly lie to the press. It is also not a crime to keep known wife-beaters on your coaching staff.
That's how this is going to be played off and you know it already, even before the Ohio State internal investigation makes its press release findings.
Urban Meyer will remain the head coach of Ohio State football team regardless.
Just chalk this chronology of events up as another reason to despise the chief rival and move on.
Nothing will change here. Even with the proliferation of #MeToo and #TimesUp accusations, etc.
Nothing.
I think it's best to accept this fact now, and any ancillary effects that follow.
The best anyone can hope for is that the same fetid scenario never ever happens at an athletic program like Michigan.
Exactly, Michigan would fire Harbaugh and Warde and would donate $100M to some nonsense charity and would put a self-ban on bowl games, because "we are MORal"! and you are NOT!!!
Is tWessel cleared to return to osu as a coach or was the ban for life? They may fire ubs liar and bring back the tWessel.
Liar, Liar buckeye on fire