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OH RB Todd Sibley (Pitt Signee)

If a kid grew up wanting to go to OSU, this won't stop him from going to OSU. Let's not overreact.

I don't like it either, but also having a kid who is gearing up to go through the recruiting process, I totally get it. And I would be ok with it given the amount of time prior to signing day.

If my kid had a chance to play at tOSU in his sport, he'd take the gray shirt in a second.

If he didn't grow up bleeding S&G, he'd look for sure. It's the right way to handle it for all concerned. I've watched too many kids be played and have recruiting dragged out such that there was little time to make a change of decision. And that is in lacrosse... Not being upfront / timely? That's where you hork off families and coaches.
 
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No one likes parting ways - and this is hardly a proud moment for anyone - but it beats the heck out of behaving like a junior high romance like those in Ann Arbor, calling less, then cutting off contact, then finally having a friend tell them they're totally over. It also beats signing a kid that you aren't sure about taking a scholarship in this class.

You're honest with him and give him lots of time to find a new home if he wants it, or allow him wait for the next class where he has a spot with more scholarships to spare.

You'll find that kids are much more reasonable about the business side of this game as long as you're direct and straightforward.
 
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You don't take a commitment from an in-state kid if you're not 100% sure. Period. Whether or not this has lasting effects is irrelevant.
If you're a regular person, your word is your bond.

If you're a coach in a cutthroat business where coaches and players make fluid commitments to each other, including after enrollment, then you do what you have to do to win.

No one has to like it. It's how business is done.

There will be double digit scholarship players that leave this year before their eligibility is up, and that number does not include the 2-4 nfl departure. Again, that's not enjoyable but how the business is done.
 
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At the end of the day, Sibley will be fine. He most likely will not end up at OSU, but he'll be a very good player for whatever school he chooses. This is the way CFB recruiting goes, in state or not. It's funny to hear the in state outcry, but no one complained when our best players when we won an NC a few years ago weren't from OH. Whether from OH or not, once a kid commits and signs with OSU, he becomes a Buckeye and plays to win games and NCs like any other player. 2017 is an outlier year, we will not see many years like this one where OH is actually this deep with talent at the same time the nation is deep with talent, OSU is favored or in on a lot of those high ranked OOS kids AND OSU has limited scholarship numbers. Some of you all must have been fooling yourself if you didn't see something like happening. Just like there will be a good number of talented OH kids in 2017 who won't even see an offer. If this were literally any other year, Sibley would without a doubt be in this class, but so would probably 2 other RBs. Any other year Miranda, Honingford, etc would get more looks and not be fighting for 1 spot left, and guys like Lynn Bowden, Jigg Richardson and Danny Davis would absolutely find a way in this class(at least 2 of them). The coaches know what they're doing, and Urban has stated that recruiting in state, has to be treated differently, and he's doing his best to keep positive relationships. And disagree with @BUCKYLE , I'm sure at the time they thought they were 100% sure with Sibley. But until NSD, you pursue to get the best, no matter if they're from OH or AK. Urban is doing what it takes to win, and you need to get the best in here to do that, and they think Sibley is still worth it, but they have identified kids who they think fit better. They didn't pull his offer or stop talking to him, Todd has ample time to reconsider his commitment
 
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And lets be real. A GS isn't the end of the world. He pays his way for a semester, right?
Yes. He'd pay for fall semester and then go on full scholly in January, I believe and count towards 2018 numbers. If memory serves me right, Todd Boeckman, Cardale and even Drue Chrisman were/are all Grayshirts. And I'm sure someone could find a number more
 
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The Hurry Up: Todd Sibley's Situation

"I felt disappointed. It was a huge letdown. To be committed for almost a year and remaining loyal the entire time," Sibley said. "(Playing at Ohio State) was the dream, so it was heartbreaking to hear it."

Birmingham is not expecting Sibley to be a member of the class. He's also predicting Sibley won't be the only player in the class put in this position.
 
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My 2 cents: this is not a black and white issue.

The part of me that loves Jim Tressel doesn't like this. I also worry about how Ohio high school coaches perceive this reversal. Most probably understand, but some will resent it.

The part of me that loves Urban Meyer and the idea of dominating TTUN and the rest of college football accepts this with the understanding that striking while the iron is hot is how it is done.

I hope Todd takes the grayshirt. If not, he will be absolutely fine and will fall in love with whichever fine institution he chooses to accept a full scholarship offer from. I will root for him regardless.

In the end, I will rest easy because, as @jwinslow said, Urban appears to be doing business much more responsibly than our buddy up north. I believe that Urban and staff are as direct, forthright, and honest as they can possibly be given the fluid nature of current-day recruiting. I also believe that, in the same situation, Harbaugh and son would have strung the kid out as long as necessary.
 
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