Recruiting around the Big Ten

[rmb421]

Agreed, hate to see ohio kids being okay with going to those "schools" and missing out on a chance for a solid education. I would think going to real schools would be an even greater focus for those not pinned as elite as the nfl is an even greater dream in all likely hood.

This trend started years ago, with the Big East (Cincy & Pitt especially) pulling Ohio guys that traditionally would have chosen to play in the Big Ten. There are too many guys to count that decided on Cincy over offers from MSU, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, Purdue, and Iowa. Now, with the implosion of the Big East, Stoops steps into Kentucky and has seemingly picked up where Cincy and Pitt left off. I think the problem is a combination of Big Ten programs doing a poor job selling themselves with lackluster recruiting staffs, other conferences recognizing the potential in Ohio and bringing in top-flight, big name recruiters as coaches, and ESPN pumping the SEC (and bashing the B1G subtly at every opportunity) due to the BTN and the Big Ten's reluctance to renegotiate mid-contract with them.

 

[TampaBuckeyes]

Agreed, hate to see ohio kids being okay with going to those "schools" and missing out on a chance for a solid education. I would think going to real schools would be an even greater focus for those not pinned as elite as the nfl is an even greater dream in all likely hood.

Agreed. If you're not top tier recruit, the NFL becomes a more difficult goal to achieve. I'm all for them striving to reach that goal, but if you can't play for OSU or ttun, then it's not a bad idea to get a VERY high quality education from the likes of Northwestern, Minnesota, Penn St, Purdue, Indiana. Actually any of the programs in the Big Ten will provide a better education than the likes of Kentucky and Tennessee, and it's not like the coaches at Kentucky are any better than the coaches at Iowa or MSU. It's one thing if the athlete wants to leave because they love the coaching staff at Alabama or Florida. And I totally get it if they want to go to Vandy. You don't have the play in the 'best conference' to play in the NFL. I remember hearing a few months ago that Central Michigan has the most O-lineman in the NFL of any school?

On a side note I find it ridiculous that the largest 'news' agency in the industry makes more cash when one conference is better than the rest. Creates an incentive for biased 'news' reporting. It would be like if Fox News (republican bias) or NBC (democrat bias) was the primary source for U.S. news. This is the only reason I could think of for Ohio talent not offered by ttun or tOSU choosing Tennessee over MSU or Wisconsin.

 

[Taosman]

I don't think we can lay the improved recruiting just on Urban's challenge. I think it's a trend with better coaches in the Big.

 

[pnuts34]

Oh darn scUM, you almost had him, lmao!


http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2013/07/recruiting_no_1_rb_leonard_fou.html

 

[Krenzelicious]

@MarcGivlerBG

What is hurting the rest of the Big Ten more than anything right now is the work that #Louisville and #Kentucky are doing in Ohio.

 

[Diego-Bucks]

@MarcGivlerBG

Agreed. I can't believe that Iowa, Penn State, Illinois, Michigan State, and Nebraska are unable to land more of the top-25/top-50 student-athletes coming out of Ohio this year. Their coaching staffs ought to be embarrassed.

 

[DaveyBoy]

just imagine if you were a recruit from Ohio that wasn't recruited by OSU or Michigan. Wouldn't you too be interested in playing for Kentucky or Louisville rather than boring Iowa & Illinois and scandal-ridden PSU ?

MSU is truly disappointing as I thought they had clearly moved into a status of the best BT recruiting destination not Ann Arbor or Columbus.

I'm also surprised Maryland and Rutgers haven't done more in Ohio.

Agreed. I can't believe that Iowa, Penn State, Illinois, Michigan State, and Nebraska are unable to land more of the top-25/top-50 student-athletes coming out of Ohio this year. Their coaching staffs ought to be embarrassed.

 

[Muck]

just imagine if you were a recruit from Ohio that wasn't recruited by OSU or Michigan. Wouldn't you too be interested in playing for Kentucky or Louisville rather than boring Iowa & Illinois and scandal-ridden PSU ?

No.

i don't care how much smoke Vince Marrow is blowing up my rear end or what promises are being made by big blue boosters. Attending crappy schools in a crappy state to be part of crappy football programs doesn't appeal to me.

 

[Buckeye737]

No.

i don't care how much smoke Vince Marrow is blowing up my rear end or what promises are being made by big blue boosters. Attending crappy schools in a crappy state to be part of crappy football programs doesn't appeal to me.

I'll second that. I would much rather play for Iowa or MSU than the pathetic schools that are Louisville and UK.

 

[BUCKYLE]

If I didn't have the grades for a B1G school, and my only options were Louisville and UK...I'd probably just get a factory job or somethin'.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

just imagine if you were a recruit from Ohio that wasn't recruited by OSU or Michigan. Wouldn't you too be interested in playing for Kentucky or Louisville rather than boring Iowa & Illinois and scandal-ridden PSU ?

Doubt I'd go to Iowa, but Illinois would be an viable option for Computer Science...

I'm also surprised Maryland and Rutgers haven't done more in Ohio.

Now that they're a part of the conference, give them a few years to get a presence...

 

[pnuts34]

No.

i don't care how much smoke Vince Marrow is blowing up my rear end or what promises are being made by big blue boosters. Attending crappy schools in a crappy state to be part of crappy football programs doesn't appeal to me.

Agreed, especially since, no matter how big of a football recruit you are, you'll still get less love on campus and from the fan base as a whole than the 12th man on the b-ball team. I'd go to Illinois, northwestern, IU, Nebraska, wisconsin, rutgers, maryland and MSU before both of the KY schools. I'm sure the honeymoon between stoops and Uk's fan base will end in another year when they see themselves in another 3-4win year and half the stadium filled, and it's only filled halfway because the basketball team decided to show up and wave to the crowd

 

[DaveyBoy]

these recruits aren't choosing a school for its major necessarily. They are pretty good players that have a decent chance at the NFL. They will go where they can get noticed and become better players.

Iowa and Illinois aren't looking too good in this department

Louisville is a good option....Charlie Strong is a great coach so far

Kentucky....mostly flavor of the month but at least we don't KNOW that it sucks like Iowa City and Urbana-Champaign already do

not to you, Milli, but whoever said the state of Kentucky sucks probably hasn't spent much time in Louisville or even Lexington lately. Nice cities.

Doubt I'd go to Iowa, but Illinois would be an viable option for Computer Science...


Now that they're a part of the conference, give them a few years to get a presence...

 

[pnuts34]

these recruits aren't choosing a school for its major necessarily. They are pretty good players that have a decent chance at the NFL. They will go where they can get noticed and become better players.

Iowa and Illinois aren't looking too good in this department

Louisville is a good option....Charlie Strong is a great coach so far

Kentucky....mostly flavor of the month but at least we don't KNOW that it sucks like Iowa City and Urbana-Champaign already do

not to you, Milli, but whoever said the state of Kentucky sucks probably hasn't spent much time in Louisville or even Lexington lately. Nice cities.

Cities are very nice, yes. But any city or college town can provide a college kid with a good time(I.e. Lincoln, NE, Norman, OK and manhattan, Ks)
And pretty much any major school can get you to the nfl, ESPECIALLY big 10 schools. Idk a comparison but I'm sure most lower tier big 10 schools have put just as many guys in the nfl as uk and Louisville
And let's not forget that Illinois and Iowa were also the favors of the month pretty recently, and I'm sure both can reach somewhat success before uk does again, and Louisville better do everything it can to hold on to strong. Yes he signed a new contract, but that can still be broken for the nfl or a bigger school

 

[Honor&Glory]

Agreed, especially since, no matter how big of a football recruit you are, you'll still get less love on campus and from the fan base as a whole than the 12th man on the b-ball team. I'd go to Illinois, northwestern, IU, Nebraska, wisconsin, rutgers, maryland and MSU before both of the KY schools. I'm sure the honeymoon between stoops and Uk's fan base will end in another year when they see themselves in another 3-4win year and half the stadium filled, and it's only filled halfway because the basketball team decided to show up and wave to the crowd

To be fair, UK has routinely sold out their home games for a very long time. While basketball still stirs the drink, the UK fan base in Lexington does a good job of supporting anything and everything UK. I went to a UC/UK football game in the early 90's in Lexington and was stunned by the fan support. I thought they only cared about hoops down that way, too.