2009 tOSU Recruiting Discussion

[wadc45]

ESPN - Big Ten and Notre Dame team recruiting needs for the Class of 2009 - Football Recruiting

Ohio State

Tight end

It should come as no shock that Ohio State had yet another strong recruiting class last year and it did well to add two tight ends. Nic DiLillo out of Madison High School in Ohio and Jake Stoneburner, who is listed as a receiver but can play tight end, out of Dublin Coffman High School in Ohio both have great upside. However, Rory Nicol, Brandon Smith and J.D. Larson are seniors and Jake Ballard is a junior.

Cornerback

Adding true freshman Travis Howard out of Dr. Krop High School in Florida last year is certainly a step in the right direction but Ohio State should continue to target corners and here's why. Malcolm Jenkins and Shaun Lane are seniors and Donald Washington and Andre Amos are juniors.

Fullback

Starter Brandon Smith and backup Ryan Lukens are both seniors. True freshman Jermil Martin out of Glenville High School in Ohio could be the heir but true freshman Spencer Smith out of Colerain High School in Ohio projects as a career backup/special teams' player. As a result, the Buckeyes should add some depth and competition here.

[stowfan]

I thought just crossed my little mind; when was the last time no one was really concerned what recruits were at the game?

[wadc45]

ESPN - Midwest Recruiting Blog

Ohio State and USC also battle on recruiting front

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Posted by Bill Kurelic

The eyes of the college football world will be focused on California this weekend as No. 5 Ohio State travels to No. 1 USC. The winner could have the inside track to the national championship game.

The Trojans and Buckeyes are also battling for recruits. While Buckeyes boss Jim Tressel has already landed 25 verbal commitments, he is not done yet. The Bucks are still in the running for a handful of the country's top prospects and one of them will be a very interested observer Saturday night.

Defensive lineman Corey Adams (Scottsdale, Ariz./Saguaro) has narrowed his list of over three dozen scholarship offers down to three schools: USC, Ohio State and Arizona State.

Continued...

Linebacker Frankie Telfort (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep), the No. 39 prospect in the ESPNU 150, is also considering USC and Ohio State. Telfort has narrowed his long list of scholarship offers down to: USC, Ohio State, Florida, Notre Dame, Tennessee and Stanford.

Telfort was considering an official visit to USC for the big game but was told the same thing as Adams. However, the Trojans staff said if this was the only weekend he could make an official visit to USC he could make the trip but they preferred he come out at another time.

Continued...

[osugrad21]

Dispatch

Football: Recruiters are artists as well as scientists
Variety of factors beyond mere talent influence decisions
Tuesday, September 30, 2008 3:20 AM
By Steve Blackledge


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
From the time Tim Hinton takes his seat in a high school football stadium, he is programmed to watch an altogether different game than the one seen by fans, players, coaches and media. Hinton, a University of Cincinnati assistant in charge of recruiting the central Ohio area, is looking for a few good men.
A player might envision himself wearing the jersey of Ohio State, Cincinnati or any other college team he admires.
What he might not realize (or accept) is that thousands of other teenagers with similar skill sets are fighting for the same scholarship. And those empowered to mete out the full rides have a stringent -- one might say unreasonable -- curve by which they judge potential recruits.
"One of the worst parts of the job is that a lot of coaches you work with are so emotionally attached to their guy, they get really upset and take it personally when you back off recruiting him," Hinton said. "If we're considering five kids at a certain position, the decision is based solely on our needs. Four other programs may well prefer one of the other kids."
It's no secret that major college programs seek the biggest, strongest, fastest, most athletic players. But that's true only to an extent.
"At UC, everybody on our staff has a book listing specific criteria that we tend to look for at each position, but we're flexible enough to make exceptions in some cases," Hinton said.
Cont...

[osugrad21]

Dispatch

What recruiters look for

Tuesday, September 30, 2008 3:01 AM
By Steve Blackledge


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Qualities that major college football recruiters look for at various positions, according to our three analysts: ? Quarterback: "Everybody talks about having a gun for an arm, but I'm more interested in his leadership, decision-making and ability to make plays." -- McCallister
? Running back: "A guy's track time means little to me. How often is he going to run 100 meters, anyway? The attributes I look for are vision, cuts, acceleration and burst. And, of course, whether or not he can take a hit." -- Hinton
? Receiver: "People always associate (40-yard) times with receivers, but in football you're not running in a straight line by yourself. Some guys simply can't separate, and others have concentration issues. You can't teach catching the ball. You either have good hands or you don't." -- McCallister
? Offensive line : "I think basketball players make the best offensive linemen because they typically have good hands, feet, instincts, and they move well naturally." -- McCallister
Cont...