OT: OSU 2019 4* RB Sampson James Flips to Indiana
Intro/Summary
- His 247 Page (James's National Rank is 163)--same high school as Brandon Peters
- Twitter announcement
Some Thoughts
I've posted because of how unusual it is (and honestly a bit of 'lol OSU'). Your first instinct is to say he was pushed out, but this wasn't the case--in fact, they were caught off-guard by the flip if you believe the OSU commenters in the reddit thread. And there's none of the usual smoke: academics were good enough and there are no known disqualifying troubles with the law. The last article I linked speculates that it's distance from home, but we're talking about Indiana and Ohio, so I don't buy it.
There's zero evidence to support the idea, but my personal hope is that Ohio State's Zach Smith mess is starting to catch up with them on the recruiting trail. I doubt you'd get a kid to go on record about that, so I'm not sure how you'd even know if it was a factor.
October 8th, 2018 at 7:13 AM ^
"Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life son." FIFY
/Dean Wormer
October 8th, 2018 at 7:59 AM ^
You forgot ugly as well I'm sure.
October 8th, 2018 at 4:11 PM ^
I can bench press over 400, hack squat over 1000, and fat? well, there is some fat on my abs. Never was big about having them.
And ugly? 5 of my girlfriends were models. One of them met Calvin Klein when she was modeling his clothes in Chicago. And she also met George Lucas at another photo shoot. Did you know he doesn't like some of his movies? He told her, "I just have to make them that way." One of my other girlfriends was featured in a Helmut Newton calendar.
I'm rarely drink enough to even feel dizzy. But I do like beer.
So you're wrong.
See how you don't know what you're doing?
October 8th, 2018 at 6:17 PM ^
Wow. This troll's a keeper.
October 8th, 2018 at 9:32 PM ^
People here have a real odd definition of troll.
I think your ilk means a troll is someone that isn't a redneck like you.
October 8th, 2018 at 5:01 AM ^
Meh, they’ll upgrade to a 4.5* back... who probably has a criminal record or academic issues, allowing Meyer to “help” the young man mature with bible study and a solid/stable and ethical setting.
Aaron Hernandez and Zach Smith say hello !!
October 8th, 2018 at 5:40 AM ^
That last article I linked said their best bet is some kid ranked in the mid-300s. Noah Cain was their focus for a while, but he's looking like a Texas guy, right now.
October 8th, 2018 at 5:44 AM ^
Academics? He wouldnt flip to Indiana if that was the case.
October 8th, 2018 at 9:21 AM ^
Maybe he flipped because he decided he wanted to play school too.
October 8th, 2018 at 6:09 AM ^
Is Mike Hart still the RB coach at Indiana?
He probably just out-recruited his counterpart at O$U.
October 8th, 2018 at 6:15 AM ^
Nah, my guess is depth chart. He has a much clearer path to playing time at Indiana. Plus, Mike Hart's hanging out over there.
October 8th, 2018 at 9:09 AM ^
Nah, you are all wrong. He flipped because OSU said he would have to cut his hair once he got on campus... #BibleJoke
October 8th, 2018 at 7:10 AM ^
OSU got out recruited by Indi-fucking-ana...bwahahahahahahaha...
Yeah that's what I'm telling myself and it feels good so leave me along :)
October 8th, 2018 at 7:15 AM ^
October 8th, 2018 at 8:54 AM ^
This was brought up by someone on 11 Warriors and the other commenters immediately shot it down, stating they are actually very thin at RB.
October 8th, 2018 at 12:27 PM ^
How so? Ohio State currently has 6 scholarship RBs on the roster:
- RsJr. Mike Weber
- Jr. Demario McCall
- So. JK Dobbins
- Fr. Brian Snead
- Fr. Master Teague
- Fr. Jaelen Gill
The running back depth was so log jammed that former 4* recruit Antonio Williams transferred this offseason after supposedly being jumped by some of the freshmen.
October 8th, 2018 at 7:21 AM ^
Mike Hart
October 8th, 2018 at 9:40 PM ^
This is the exact reason that I thought of for the flip. Mike could be a top recruiter plus getting coached by Mike could be too big to pass up.
October 8th, 2018 at 7:22 AM ^
I hope all their recruits de-commit.
October 8th, 2018 at 7:45 AM ^
One thing it could be, aside from RB depth, is the near complete lack of a running game. Dobbins and Webber are pretty good, but OSU isn't running for shit this year. It's all based on Haskins' throwing the rock. Maybe he thought he'd both have a better chance to play, and be in a more run friendly offense, at IU. With some Zach Smith ethics tossed in as salad dressing...
I LMAO at the flip. But I kinda feel bad for the kid, too. I'm not sure he really knows what a Mike DeBord offense is all about.
October 8th, 2018 at 7:54 AM ^
I'm not sure he really knows what a Mike DeBord offense is all about.
I mean, it does pretty much guarantee him carries on both first and second down.
October 8th, 2018 at 8:11 AM ^
And long 3rd downs that come up exactly 1 yd short. Don't forget those.
October 8th, 2018 at 10:23 AM ^
Well I LMAO at the DeBord comment... is that your true opinion or are you simply parroting Brian's distaste for him ? Let me guess, you also adored the GREAT Dennis Norfleet? Fact is, most of us would kill to get back to the early Carr years...dissing DeBord is not only hypocritical, but unbecoming.
October 8th, 2018 at 8:38 AM ^
Somebody better call Sampson - Dave Chapelle voice
October 8th, 2018 at 10:42 AM ^
I'm Sampson James, bitch!
October 8th, 2018 at 8:38 AM ^
Could explain Urban's headache during the game.
And could point to Urban resigning due to a tumah!
October 8th, 2018 at 8:50 AM ^
Weirdest part is that he visited them this past weekend. Makes me wonder if he was dubious and was hoping to get some kind of explanation that would make him feel better, but the result would suggest they couldn't give him one.
October 8th, 2018 at 9:16 AM ^
I'll admit my first inclination was that OSU found some high four star or even five star RB they wanted more and just encouraged this kid to look elsewhere, but it sounds like they were surprised about the de-commitment. And I doubt its academics. At least in terms of his academics not being good enough for OSU. IU is an amazing school, so if he wasn't good enough for OSU, he wouldn't be for IU, either.
Maybe he really does just want to be close to home. To some people, a one hour drive vs. a three hour drive is the same as between going a couple of towns over and going to Jupiter. Either way, it won't be hard imagining that he will be "the guy" at IU in a few years. Talent like that hardly ever comes through Bloomington. That had to be a big selling point as well. Hopefully it's not all wasted on DeBord.
October 8th, 2018 at 9:20 AM ^
Maybe after 6 games he sees that OSU's offense is now all about a passing QB and the receiver corps.
RBs are used for change of pace runs between all the passes, and mostly as blocker and/or the check down option (rarely used) on pass plays.
Not going to be a Carlos Hyde-type feature back paired with a running QB anymore.
Just a guess. But that could be a factor.
October 8th, 2018 at 9:25 AM ^
Ohio State has been right in the thick of it for the #1 overall recruiting class the last few cycles. In 2019 they currently sit at #14, and although they'll climb and finish top 10, it's a far cry from what they've been getting the last few seasons. They only have 14 recruits, and some of their latest offers have been to mid 3 stars.
I think they're definitely seeing a blow back.
October 8th, 2018 at 11:46 AM ^
How much of it is due to them possibly only being able to take a smaller class this Fall? I don't know their roster situation, but if they can't take as many guys this year as compared to the last few years, that will have something to do with the lower ranking.
I wouldn't put much stock into the Zach Smith situation and whether or not that impacts OSU's recruiting. Maybe it turns a kid or two away (or, more likely, the mothers of that kid who now don't want their son playing for Meyer), but by and large, OSU will still get its pick of the litter.
October 8th, 2018 at 12:25 PM ^
They currently have 4 top 100 players out of 14 commits. In 2018 they had 14 top 100 players out of 26 commits. In 2017 they had 12 top 100 players out of 21 commits.
They've definitely fallen off, and they are about to flip a mid 3 star O lineman (#720 overall) from Sparty. So unless they add like 7 or 8 more top 100 players to finish their class, they're falling off considerably. They'll still have a nice class, maybe even a shade better than ours, but their previous few classes were among the best in the history of the conference.
October 8th, 2018 at 9:59 AM ^
Good for him. Bloomington is a much nicer place to spend a few years than Columbus.
October 8th, 2018 at 11:16 AM ^
This kid was absolutely pushed out. OSU has been recruiting Noah Cain for years and he’s their #1 recruit at RB.
October 8th, 2018 at 11:35 AM ^
Good, because it looks like Cain is probably going to Texas or LSU.
October 8th, 2018 at 1:03 PM ^
If you're pushing a kid out you just stop talking to him. You dont host him on an official visit. Schools can only host 56(?) official visitors per year, no point in burning one on a kid you're not interested in.
Edit: still very possible he told the OSU staff to promise him he'd be the only RB in the class and they said no.
October 8th, 2018 at 11:44 AM ^
And our #1 D Lineman just visited Georgia this past week. Hope it’s nothing
October 8th, 2018 at 12:39 PM ^
OP: Academics and problems with the law are not red flags for OSU.
October 8th, 2018 at 12:51 PM ^
I doubt it has to do with anything per se in OSU's recent history, but most schools lose the majority of recruiting "battles" they enter into, and that's because kids change their minds, depth charts change, etc. And there is some uncertainty around OSU; there are persistent rumors that Meyer is going to take his ball and go home after this season because he's pissed about the suspension. Doesn't mean it's going to happen, but he already left UF when purportedly caught hooking up with coeds, so he's the type of guy who will double-down on bad decisions.
October 8th, 2018 at 6:54 PM ^
I like the implication there are even such things as grade or legal issues with Ohio scum university