Recruiting News - 02/14/05

3yardsandacloud · Feb 14, 2005

Recruiting news from today and the past several days.

Monday, February 14, 2005 Recruiting News - 02/14/05

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
DE Cumbie talks Illini junior day - Rivals PREMIUM

February 14, 2005
DE Cumbie talks Illini junior day
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tim O'Halloran
Rivals100.com Recruiting Analyst *
Morris (Ill.) junior defensive end prospect Jamie Cumbie (6-foot-7, 255 pounds) made his first college junior day event last Saturday to the University of Illinois. Cumbie was one of several in-state junior football prospects who checked out the Champaign campus. Cumbie talks about his impressions of the Illini and more in this latest recruiting update.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Gamecocks, Tigers start hunting early - The State

Posted on Mon, Feb. 14, 2005

RECRUITING
Gamecocks, Tigers start hunting early

By PHIL KORNBLUT
Columnist

QUARTERBACK TIM TEBOW (6-foot-3, 225 pounds) of St. Augustine, Fla., will be one of the nation’s major recruits next season, and USC and Clemson are among the schools in the mix early.

USC has offered Tebow a scholarship, according to his coach, one of more than 40 offers he has received.

Tebow broke Florida’s single-season records for total offense, passing yardage and touchdowns as a junior. The left-hander passed for 4,800 yards and 46 touchdowns and rushed for 1,500 yards and 26 scores.

“He has the ability to scramble and is a good drop back passer,” his coach, Craig Howard, said. “He makes big plays off the scramble. He scrambles to throw the ball, not to run it.”

Tebow’s favorite target last season was wide receiver Ryan Ellis (6-3, 190). He caught 70 passes for 1,488 yards and 17 touchdowns. USC and Clemson are among the schools showing some interest in him. He also is hearing from Miami, Ohio State and Alabama.

Richland Northeast coach Jay Frye says three of his rising seniors should attract recruiting attention in the fall. Defensive lineman Adam Patterson (6-3, 260) should be one of the state’s best at his position, Frye said.

Last season Patterson had 57 tackles with six sacks and seven tackles for loss. He has been hearing from USC, Clemson, Michigan, Penn State, N.C. State and Georgia.

Linebacker Rodney Paulk (6-0, 195) had 105 tackles with 20 quarterback hurries, 14 tackles for loss and four sacks as a junior. He is getting early contact from USC, Clemson, Auburn, Wake Forest, N.C. State, North Carolina and Georgia.

Defensive back Calvin Harrison (6-1, 185) had 77 tackles, two interceptions, nine passes broken up and four tackles for loss last season. Harrison has been hearing from USC, Clemson, N.C. State and Wake Forest.

Collegefootballnews.com ranks Clemson’s recruiting class for this year 21st in the country and USC’s 23rd. The top 10: Tennessee, Southern Cal, Florida State, Nebraska, Georgia, Michigan, Miami, Oklahoma, Ohio State and Iowa.

USC’s Rick Stockstill and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney were named among the top 25 recruiters in the country by Rivals.com. Florida State’s Kevin Steele, a Dillon native, was named the nation’s top recruiter.

Wide receiver Jamar Dean (6-3, 220) of Prince Avenue Prep in Pickens signed with New Mexico. Dean had 130 catches for 2,000 yards in his career. Last season he caught 45 passes for 489 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Defensive lineman Sam Patterson (6-7 260) of Beaufort and wide receiver Corey Sindab of Conway have signed with Coffeyville (Kan.) JC.

S.C. State lost one of its commitments when wide receiver Robert Dunn (5-11, 180) of Augusta signed last week with Auburn. Dunn was interested in going to USC, but the Gamecocks were full at receiver and suggested he enroll at a prep school.

Dunn has not qualified academically. He said he will enroll at Hargrave Military Prep in Virginia if he does not qualify.

Dreher tight end Curtis Sharp (6-4, 220) signed last week with the U.S. Naval Academy. ... Denmark-Olar running back Kevin Bowden (6-1, 195) and Chesnee quarterback Kyle Pettit signed last week with St. Augustine College in North Carolina. ... Broome offensive lineman Taylor Daniel signed with Presbyterian.

Basketball. USC has ended its recruitment of 6-11 Ranard Robinson of Fullerton (Calif.) JC. Robinson signed a letter of intent with USC last November, but Gamecocks coach Dave Odom never accepted the document because Robinson had been suspended from his team. However, Odom left the door open after Robinson was reinstated by Fullerton coach Dieter Horton.

“Coach Odom was out here about three weeks ago and watched him work out,” Horton said. “He said it’s not going to happen.”

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
A Not-So-Fast Decision - Scout

A Not-So-Fast Decision
By Allen Wallace National Recruiting Editor
Date: Feb 14, 2005

Record-Breaking New York running back Jason Gwaltney made a quick decision to play for the Mountaineers…and that's when his recruitment really started.

Running back Jason Gwaltney is one of the most accomplished athletes in New York high school history. He ran for 7,800 yds on 948 carries (8.2 ypc) and scored 135 touchdowns in his four seasons, boasting a TD county record that is nearly twice as many than the previous record holder, Amos Zereoue, a fellow Mountaineer as it turns out.

During his final game against Garden City, a 43-14 North Babylon victory, in the Class II Long Island title game, Gwaltney had an interception, a sack and a forced fumble on defense, while also finishing with 237 yards and four scores rushing and another TD reception.

Gwaltney's recruitment started off fast and finished in a nationwide scramble for his talents. He committed to West Virginia at the beginning of the season but eventually decided to back off his commitment to the Mountaineers to look at other schools, primarily USC and Ohio State. But distance, depth charts and looming investigative and legal matters contributed to his signing with West Virginia, as he had originally promised Mountaineer coach Herb Hand that he would do.

"USC was just too far from home and I wouldn't be getting any playing time next year because they're just loaded at running back position. I know the chances of me playing there as a freshman were really slim and I wanted to make an impact as a freshman," explained Gwaltney. "That's a situation that I just didn't want to deal with.

"Lendale White told me that he felt pretty bad there during his first season because he was so far from home with no playing time and so much to think about. He said he didn't start feeling good about his decision to go there until he started scoring touchdowns. He really seemed to care about me and wanted to show me the ropes around there…you know, so that I didn't end up making the same mistakes that he did.

"They have White, Reggie Bush and other great running backs who aren't even playing now like Hershel Dennis, Chauncey Washington and Desmond Reed. I wasn't really a need for SC. West Virginia recruited me because they really needed me, especially a big back.

"Honestly, I was hyped on SC when I went there for my trip (12/10)," he said. "I told the coaches I thought SC might be the place for me, but there was a little bit of doubt…and they knew it. I never actually committed or said that word to them. They knew I wasn't 100% sure because my parents didn't feel comfortable with me going that far.

"After my trip to USC, I wasn't really committed to anyone anymore. It wasn't until the weekend before Letter-of-Intent Day that I told the West Virginia coaches I was recommitted to them and going to sign with them. It was on that Saturday (12/29) when I told West Virginia coach Hand that was I was going there and then I announced it on ESPN on Tuesday. Coach Hand was excited and told me I was making the right decision and it was great to have me a part of their family.

"USC came in as my number two school and Ohio State was number three. And as far as Ohio State goes…I really don't know what's going to happen with them. The distance factor was not a problem with them at all because they're really not that far away from West Virginia. I would have had a better opportunity for playing time there also. They're different from West Virginia--not as loaded, which gives the running backs there a better chance at producing than some other programs. If they didn't have so many problems going on there with lawsuits and investigations I would have given them a better chance than I did."

There were also rumors floating round the message board-mill that Gwaltney and linebacker, Brian Cushing, would be roommates together and a package deal to boot at USC after their amicable experience together at the U.S. Army All-American game in San Antonio, Texas.

"Cushing is my boy still, there's no doubt about that. We just got caught up in the whole thing, but we both had to do what was best for us, and USC was what was best for him, but not for me. We'll do what we have to do and stay in touch. I wish he was going with me though. He's a great player, so quick. He runs a little high now but he'll learn and he has so much explosion and athletic ability. He's fast enough to play strong safety but since he's already 235, he'll probably play outside linebacker for them," said Gwaltney.

He said the other players he was most impressed with while practicing for the U.S. Army All-American game were quarterback Greg Paulus (Duke--basketball), linebackers Rico McCoy (Tennessee) and Derek Nicholson (Florida State) and wide receivers Patrick Turner (USC) and Fred Rouse (Florida State).

It's West Virginia all the way for this 5-11, 235 pounder. He is content and ready for the responsibilities he'll undertake playing football for the Mountaineers. "It wasn't the program itself with West Virginia, but the coaches and players. I feel really comfortable with the people there and the coaches, especially coach Hand. He's a real great guy. I like his attitude. He never gave up on me. He's real genuine.

"But if I were to go on a program's value alone, I'd probably have gone with USC," explained Gwaltney. "But my decision makes my family happy and in a sense it makes me happy too. They're a program that can be on the rise. I mean they were number five in the nation last year. The players there were probably the most appealing thing about the program overall. I felt comfortable with them. Plus, my brother (Scooter Berry) is going there and it's a situation where they exploit the running back talent in the offense. They definitely make sure the running back is part of the game."

Gwaltney had a good experience through all of these past ten months of his life, facing many questions he never dreamed he'd have to answer at this age. "The whole recruitment process was stressful and overwhelming at times. But I came out of it having seen parts of the country I hadn't seen before and I got to meet a lot of famous people. I experienced the first tough decision in my life that most kids don't go through. And I'll take away from it knowing that it has and will help me make even bigger decisions in the future."

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Rivals.com 2005 Junior Days - Rivals

February 14, 2005
Rivals.com 2005 Junior Days
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rivals.com staff
Rivals100.com Staff Writer *

While covering recruiting during the past eight years, it's become clear that parents, coaches and recruits often go into recruiting without a thorough knowledge of the process. Many people are merely focused on how tall and how fast a player is, but they don't care about the recruits themselves.
*
Rivals.com Junior Days
February 26 - University of Missouri
March 5 - Rice University
March 12 - TBA
March 19 - TBA
March 26 - Rutgers University
Previous Junior Days
l Baton Rouge l Dallas l New Jersey l

At Rivals.com, we have a different goal. Sure, we care about how talented a prospect is and rank players accordingly on our web sites, but we also feel that it's important to assist the recruits when it comes to understanding the recruiting process.
*
That's why Rivals.com has organized Junior Day events across the country. Currently, Rivals.com has three events scheduled in February and March with two more tentatively set. Those final two dates will be announced shortly.
*
The events are invitation only, but if you're a legitimate Division I recruit and you would like to receive an invitation, please e-mail Rivals.com at [email protected]. Invitations to the events are going out in the mail shortly.
*
Instead of just finding out how fast you are, the two to three-hour program presented by Rivals.com will allow recruits to get important questions about the recruiting process answered from coaches, speakers, parents of former recruits and players that have just completed the recruiting process. They will also learn what it takes to get physically prepared to make the jump to the next level from performance enhancement experts.
*
The following are some of the key topics that will be discussed:
*
-What do certain types of letters mean from schools?
-How do you handle telephone calls from schools?
-What are the rules for calls?
-What's an official visit?
-What's an unofficial visit?
-How important summer camps are.
-Being successful in the classroom.
-Making the right decision.
-What is a commitment?
*
The keynote speaker that Rivals.com has entrusted to help conducted the events across the nation is Joe Hornback of Des Moines (Iowa) Roosevelt. Coach Hornback was a three-year letter winner from the University of Kansas and has established himself as one of the best in the state of Iowa and previous to that in Missouri at Grandview High School.
*
He has coached numerous Division I players, including two players that signed with Big 12 Conference schools in the Class of 2002. He is also a veteran of the Rivals.com Junior Days and has been the main speaker at the events the previous three years. He also was recently quoted by CBS Sports as one of the nation's foremost experts in helping kids understand the recruiting process.
*
Rivals.com also brings in former college football players, high school coaches and players that have just recently completed the recruiting process to talk about their experiences, share their stories and help educate the recruits in the Class of 2006 about the journey that they're about to embark on.
*
The performance enhancement speakers for all of the events will be determined on a site by site basis.
*
We invite you to join us and look forward to seeing you at an event near you.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Video: 2006 Linebacker Dorin Dickerson - Rivals PREMIUM

February 14, 2005
Video: 2006 Linebacker Dorin Dickerson
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rivals.com
TheWolverine.com *
Dorin Dickerson, a 6-3, 205-pound outside linebacker from West Allegheny High School in Pa., has been targeted by Michigan and had a chance to speak with U-M head coach Lloyd Carr on the telephone recently, during which he received a Michigan offer. Dickerson played linebacker, free safety, running back and wideout and returned kicks and punts for his talented West Allegheny team. Watch his junior year video here ...

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
OSU In Hunt For Another QB Named Schlichter - Rivals PREMIUM

February 14, 2005
OSU In Hunt For Another QB Named Schlichter
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mark Rea
BuckeyeSports.com Managing Editor *
More than a quarter-century ago, Ohio State won a recruiting battle over then-independent Penn State for the services of quarterback Art Schlichter. Now, the recruiting wars are heating up for another member of the family. And while most recruiting experts are reluctant to compare the talents of Miles Schlichter with those of his famous uncle, many of the top colleges in the Midwest are charting his progress.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Star RB says OSU tops his list - Rivals PREMIUM

February 14, 2005
Star RB says OSU tops his list
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bill Kurelic
BuckeyeSports.com Recruiting Analyst *
The Buckeyes already have a commitment from one of the country's premier running backs in Chris Wells. But Wells is not the only standout runner who has Ohio State at the top of his list.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Glenville's Rose Discusses OSU Offer - Scout PREMIUM

Glenville's Rose Discusses OSU Offer
By Steve Helwagen
Date: Feb 14, 2005

Cleveland Glenville junior defensive end Robert Rose received an offer from Ohio State, among other schools, following a stellar showing at the national junior combine in San Antonio. Click here for more details on this key Ohio prospect.

Sunday, February 13, 2005 Recruiting News - 02/13/05

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Illinois Hosts Junior Day - Scout PREMIUM

Illinois Hosts Junior Day
By Chris Pool
Date: Feb 13, 2005

While the University of Illinois basketball team ran its record to 25-0 in front of a record setting crowd at the Assembly Hall, Ron Zook and his staff held their first junior day of the year. Among those in attendance were Morris, Ill. TE/DE Jamie Cumbie and Chicago (Morgan Park) dual-threat quarterback Demetrius Jones.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Commitment Watch is On for Top Junior (Jamie Cumbie) - Scout PREMIUM

Commitment Watch is On for Top Junior
By Robert Thorne
Date: Feb 13, 2005

One of the top players in the state of Illinois, who also has an offer from Clemson, has the Tigers leading his early list of favorite schools.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Recruiting classes spread the wealth - Orlando Sentinel

Recruiting classes spread the wealth
By Bill Buchalter
Sentinel Staff Writer

Posted February 13, 2005

Although recruiting classes, when ranked, tend to illustrate the trend of "the rich getting richer," they also can show the role parity plays. For instance, 32 schools are represented in the Sentinel's position rankings of the recruiting class of 2005.

We kept the rankings at 10 per position, but another five easily could have been selected.

We ranked seven positions -- four on offense, three on defense -- and four schools were ranked at five positions (Florida, Florida State, Oklahoma and Tennessee). USC had the nation's top-ranked overall class, and the Trojans were in the top 10 at four positions.

Here are the position-by-position breakdowns, with the signees at that position in parentheses.

Mike Huguenin of the Sentinel staff contributed to this report. Bill Buchalter can be reached at [email protected].

Quarterback
Team / Signees / The buzz

1. California / Joseph Ayoob, Kyle Reed / Ayoob is JC standout, and Reed is a rangy, athletic guy. They both will work with the best quarterback-molder in the nation in Cal Coach Jeff Tedford.

2. USC / Mark Sanchez / Sanchez was considered the nation's best quarterback.

3. LSU / Ryan Perrilloux / Perrilloux was a big-time coup for new Coach Les Miles. He originally committed to Texas.

4. UCLA / Ben Olson, Osaar Rasshan / Olson was nation's top prep QB in 2002 and has just returned from a Mormon mission.

5. Tennessee / Jonathan Crompton / The Vols got an early commitment from Crompton, and he remained firm despite the solid play last season of true freshmen Erik Ainge and Brent Schaeffer.

THE REST: 6. Virginia Tech (Greg Boone, Ike Whitaker); 7. Florida (Josh Portis); 8. Nebraska (Harrison Beck, Zac Taylor); 9. Alabama (Jimmy Barnes, Jimmy Johns, John Parker Wilson); 10. USF (Matt Grothe, Carlton Hill).

Receivers/tight ends
Team / Signees / The buzz

1. Oklahoma / TE Aaron Cummings, Eric Huggins, Juaquin Iglesias, Manuel Johnson, Malcolm Kelly / Kelly is one of nation's best, and Huggins was best WR in South Carolina.

2. S. Carolina / Freddie Brown, Jared Cook, TE Jonathan Hannah, TE Shea McKeen, O.J. Murdock, Carlos Thomas / It's not surprising that new Coach Steve Spurrier was able to reel in a bunch of receivers from four states.

3. Texas A&M / TE Martellus Bennett, Quincy Driver, Kevin Ferguson, Howard Morrow / Bennett, the nation's best TE, is the main reason for the Aggies' ranking.

4. California / Jesse Canada, Lavelle Hawkins, DeSean Jackson, TE Cody Jones / Jackson, one of the nation's top receivers, chose Golden Bears over USC.

5. FSU / Greg Carr, Richard Goodman, TE Charlie Graham, Rod Owens, Fred Rouse / Rouse's signing was key for the 'Noles.

THE REST: 6. Florida (Nyan Boateng, TE Brian Ellis, Louis Murphy, David Nelson); 7. Georgia (Jamar Bryant, TE Tripp Chandler, Mohamed Massaquoi, Mike Moore); 8. Tennessee (Josh Briscoe, TE Jeff Cottam, Austin Rogers, Slick Shelley); 9. San Diego State (TE Steve Schmidt, Tobias Shanks, Tyrell Smith, TE Waika Spencer, Jon Toledo, Roberto Wallace, Mekell Wesley); 10. Nebraska (Chris Brooks, Wallace Franklin, Frantz Hardy, TE David Harvey, Brodrick Hunter).

Running back
Team / Signees / The buzz

1. W. Virginia / Scooter Berry, Jetavious Best, Ed Collington, Ovid Goulbourne, Jason Gwaltney / Gwaltney is as good as it gets, while Best, from West Palm Beach, is a top-flight sleeper.

2. NC State / Toney Baker, Andre Brown, Jamelle Eugene / Brown was one of the best RBs in the 2004 class and is coming out of prep school. Baker was North Carolina's best prep last season.

3. Nebraska / Cody Glenn, Leon Jackson, Marlon Lucky / This group should help Coach Bill Callahan get the offense back on track.

4. Alabama / Glen Coffee, Mike Ford, Roy Upchurch / All three are Floridians and should give the Tide quality depth and competition at a position left bare by injuries and graduation.

5. Michigan / Andre Criswell, Kevin Grady, Mister Simpson / Grady is one of the nation's best, and Simpson is talented and has a great name.

THE REST: 6. FSU (Russell Ball, Antone Smith); 7. Texas (Jamaal Charles, Michael Houston, Jerrell Wilkerson); 8. LSU (R.J. Jackson, Steven Korte, Antonio Robinson); 9. Oregon (Jeremiah Johnson, Jonathan Stewart); 10. Ole Miss (Marcus Green, Kendrick Perry, Antonio Turner).

Offensive line
Team / Signees / The buzz

1. Iowa / Kyle Calloway, Dan Doering, Rafael Eubanks, Andy Kuempel, Dace Richardson, Marshal Yanda / This is a monster group. And big, too: Four of the 6 are at least 6 feet 6.

2. Tennessee / Josh McNeil, Darius Myers, Malcolm Rawls, Chris Scott / McNeil and Scott were two of the South's best line prospects.

3. Miami / Chris Barney, Matt Pipho, A.J. Trump, Reggie Youngblood / 'Canes needed infusion of talent on line, and they appear to have gotten it.

4. Michigan / Tim McAvoy, David Moosman, Mark Ortmann, Justin Schifano, Marques Slocum, Cory Zirbel / Wolverines ranged afar to get these guys, as five states are represented among the six signees.

5. Virginia / Brandon Albert, Will Barker, Eugene Monroe, Patrick Slebonick / Monroe, from New Jersey, is one of top two or three blockers in nation.

THE REST: 6. Ohio State (Alex Boone, Jim Cordle); 7. Florida (Simon Codrington, Eddie Haupt, Ronnie Wilson); 8. Arizona (Joe Barresi, Daniel Borg, Eben Britton, Adam Grant, Adam Hawes, Blake Kerley, Jordan Lowe); 9. Oklahoma (Ben Barresi, Brandon Braxton, Jon Cooper, Brandon Keith, Duke Robinson, Jesse White); 10. North Carolina State (Andy Barbee, Quentin Brown, Curtis Crouch, Garrett Kline, Jerrail McCuller, Doug Palmer, Julian Williams).

Linebacker
Team / Signees / The buzz

1. USC / Luthur Brown, Brad Cushing, Kevin Ellison, Kaluka Maivia, Rey Maualuga / Maybe the best position class in the nation. Brown, Cushing and Maualuga are among the top 10 'backers in the nation.

2. FSU / Dan Foster, Anthony Kelly, Derek Nicholson, Eugene Hayes, Neefy Moffett / 4 of nation's top 25 or so linebackers plus a junior college All-American dot this list.

3. Auburn / Tray Blackmon, Antonio Coleman, Alonzo Horton, Rex Sharpe / Blackmon is considered one of the nation's top 3 linebackers.

4. Georgia / Jamar Chaney, Darius Dewberry, Tavares Kearney, Marcus Washington / Georgia-breds Dewberry and Washington helped 'Dawgs restock with 4-star talent

5. Oklahoma / Curtis Lofton, Ryan Reynolds, Lamont Robinson / Sooners scoured the country to reload at the position, and at one time during the recruiting process, they had a half-dozen of the nation's best committed.

THE REST: 6. California (Desmond Bishop, Anthony Felder, Zack Follett, Mickey Pimentel, Eddie Young); 7. Florida (Kalvin Baker, Jonathan Demps, Darryl Gresham Jr., Ryan Stamper); 8. Miami (Spencer Adkins, Eric Houston, Daryl Sharpton, Demetri Stewart); 9. Tennessee (Andre Mathis, Rico McCoy, Gerald Williams); 10. Wisconsin (Travis Beckum, Jonathan Casillas, Elijah Hodge, DeAndre Levy).

Defensive line
Team / Signees / The buzz

1. Georgia / E Roderick Battle, E Corey Moon, T Jeff Owens, T Brandon Sesay, T Kade Weston / New Jersey's Weston, Florida's Owens and Georgia's Battle were thought to be best in their state at their position.

2. Oklahoma / E C.J. Ah You, T Billy Blackard, E Brody Elridge, E Auston English, T DeMarcus Granger, E Cordero Moore, T Brian Simmons / Granger leads a group deep in numbers and talent.

3. Texas / E Aaron Lewis, E Henry Melton, T Roy Miller / Short on numbers but long on dominating talent.

4. Alabama / E Brandon Deaderick, E Brandon Fanney, E Antonio Forbes, E Bobby Greenwood, E Travis McCall, E Zach Schreiber, T Lorenzo Washington / Greenwood and Schreiber head a deep group that should provide immediate help.

5. Miami / T Luqman Abdallah, T Antonio Dixon, E Courtney Harris, T Joe Joseph / 'Canes needed to fill some needs, and they did so.

THE REST: 6. FSU (T Callahan Bright, T Emanuel Dunbar, E Justin Mincey, E Everette Brown, T Kendrick Stewart); 7. Stanford (E Fred Campbell, E Matt Kopa, E Tom McAndrew, T James McGillicuddy, E Will Power, E Clinton Snyder, T Ekom Udofia); 8. Ohio State (T Todd Denlinger, E Ryan Williams, E Lawrence Wilson, E Doug Worthington); 9. USC (T Walker Ashley, T Gabe Long, E Kyle Moore, E Averill Spicer); 10. Michigan (E Carson Butler, E Eugene Germany, T James McKinney, E Chris McLaurin, T Terrance Taylor).

Secondary
Team / Signees / The buzz

1.Oklahoma / S Keenan Clayton, S Nic Harris, CB Brian Jackson, S Allan Patrick, S Reggie Smith / Late signings by Harris and Smith moved Sooners to the top.

2. Tennessee / S Todd Cox, CB Marsalous Johnson, CB Demetrice Morley, S Adam Myers-White, CB Lucas Taylor, CB Antonio Wardlow / Big-time talents Morley (from Florida) and Myers-White (Ohio) helped Vols fill big need.

3. Texas A&M / S Arkeith Brown, CB Chevar Bryson, CB Marquis Carpenter, S Gremon Coffman, CB Alton Dixon, CB Devin Gregg / The Aggies cleaned-up in-state at the position. Carpenter is JC transfer who played at Palm Bay High.

4. California / S Jesse Brooks, S Gary Doxy, S/CB Marcus Ezeff, S Brett Johnson, CB Robert Peele, CB Syd'Quan Thompson / 2 or 3 of these guys could see time right away.

5. FSU / CB Michael Ray Garvin, CB/S Korey Mangum, CB Jamie Robinson, S Clarence Ward / Robinson was MVP of North Carolina-South Carolina Shrine game; Ward was MVP of California-Florida game.

THE REST: 6. USC (CB Cary Harris, S Will Harris, CB Kevin Thomas); 7. Miami (CB Bruce Johnson, S Kenny Phillips, S Randy Phillips); 8. Florida (CB Avery Atkins, S Dorian Munroe, S Reggie Nelson); 9. Georgia (CB Donovan Baldwin, S C.J. Byrd, S Antavious Coates, CB Bryan White); 10. Penn State (CB Devin Fentress, CB Willie Harriott, CB Justin King, S Anthony Scirrotto).

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Getting Wilson helps OSU - Akron Beacon Journal

Posted on Sun, Feb. 13, 2005

One fan's view
Getting Wilson helps OSU

By Scot Fagerstrom

The last-day signing of St. Vincent-St. Mary defensive end Lawrence Wilson kept Ohio State's 2005 football recruiting class in the nation's top 10.

Landing Wilson softened the blow felt in Columbus when highly-touted running back Jason Gwaltney spurned the Buckeyes and signed with West Virginia.

Gwaltney's decision left OSU thin at running back with only true freshman recruit Maurice Wells and redshirt freshman Eric Haw to back up sophomore and Buchtel graduate Antonio Pittman.

Ohio State coach Jim Tressel admitted that running back would be a top priority for next year's Buckeyes recruiting class.

Apparently he wasn't kidding, as the Buckeyes have already received an oral commitment from Garfield running back Chris Wells.

Wells, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound junior, chose Ohio State over Michigan and Oklahoma and gives the Buckeyes a leg up on next year's class.

Too bad Wells can't skip his senior year and report to Columbus for this season.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Ohio junior DE has five scholarship offers (Robert Rose) - Rivals PREMIUM

February 13, 2005
Ohio junior DE has five scholarship offers
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bill Kurelic
Rivals100.com *
This junior defensive end from the state of Ohio already has five scholarship offers, including two from Big Ten schools.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
The final four? - Rivals PREMIUM

February 13, 2005
The final four?
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Greg Biggins
Rivals100.com *
Although just a few weeks past Signing Day for the class of 2005, class of 2006 standout Myron Rolle out of Princeton (N.J) The Hun School is already beginning to narrow his list of colleges with four looking very good at this point. Find out more on one of the nation's top 100 prospects for the class of 2006 in this story from Greg Biggins of Rivals.com.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Enrolling early has advantages for certain football players - Centre Daily Times

Posted on Sun, Feb. 13, 2005
Enrolling early has advantages for certain football players

By Jeff Rice
[email protected]

The faxes funneled in from across the country, all verifying that the young men who signed and sent them would spend their college football careers at Penn State.

The most anticipated letters of intent, though, never came through the fax machine. They were signed by the two five-star recruits of the Nittany Lions' 19-member class, who had only a short walk to the Lasch Football Building to sign on the dotted line.

Justin King and Derrick Williams were already on campus on National Signing Day, already three weeks into their first semester of classes and three weeks into their first taste of collegiate conditioning. They and fellow recruit Francis Claude are the latest Nittany Lions to graduate high school early to get an athletic and academic jump on their peers, a trend that is slowly growing in college football.

Seven Nittany Lions, beginning with former tailback Ricky Upton in 1999 up through King, Williams and Claude, have enrolled in the spring semester before their initial season of eligibility.

The benefits? A chance to get accustomed to heightened academic demands and to living away from home, an extra semester in the weight room and at the training table and more time to get acquainted with teammates, coaches and the playbook.

The drawbacks? Missing the fun of the last half of your senior year of high school while cramming extra classes into the first half, only to launch directly into the terrific time demands that come with being a major-college football player.

Those who have gone through the alternative transition say it has helped them tremendously on and off the field, while coaches and academic advisers are careful to stress that early enrollment isn't for everyone. As more and more freshmen find their way onto fields across the nation, though, many are finding their way to campus first.

For some recruits, the possibility of starting early plays a vital role in what school the recruit will select. Notre Dame was hesitant when Dan Connor asked about the possibility. Penn State was not.

"I had always wanted to (start in January) even through the recruiting process," said Connor, who enrolled last January and was a starter at linebacker by mid-season. "I wanted to find a school that was comfortable with me doing it."

Some programs are more comfortable with the prospect than others, but there doesn't seem to be a rhyme or reason.

In the Big Ten, for example, Ohio State has five players who have enrolled early while Iowa and Northwestern have none. Two-time national champion Southern California has seven, including quarterback John David Booty, who is believed to be the first football player to enroll an entire year early at a Division I institution.

Upton opened the door at Penn State when he enrolled in the spring of 1999, after taking classes for two summers at Jefferson County High School in Jefferson City, Tenn., in order to graduate early. Three years later, Calvin Lowry decided to give it a try.

"The coaches said it would be a good idea for me so my mother and I sat down and talked about it," said Lowry, a 6-foot, 190-pound safety from Fayetteville, N.C. "Knowing I would be able to graduate from high school early made it an easier decision."

Douglas Byrd High School had just switched to block scheduling, so Lowry only needed to take one extra class during his final semester of high school to fulfill the 14 core courses the NCAA requires of all incoming student-athletes.

Block scheduling also helped Connor, who adjusted his schedule to take four core courses during the fall of his senior year. His Strath Haven football team reached the PIAA state championships in each of Connor's final three seasons, so when he enrolled at Penn State, he already knew a little something about time management. Still, Connor believes a lot of the initial adjustments to college were easier in the spring.

"We're not in season, so you don't have football hanging over your head," he said. "There's not a lot of pressure. By the time football started, I knew how to juggle my time."

Connor shrugged off any notion of missing the "fun" of his senior year. Because the semester ended about a month before his high school wrapped up, he was able to attend graduation ceremonies with his high school classmates. He also had the opportunity to go to the prom, though he didn't take it.

"I didn't want to stick around high school and get into bad habits," Connor said. "I wanted to start working out and going to meetings."

King, the highly sought-after cornerback/tailback from Gateway High School in Pittsburgh, chose to enroll early for those reasons and others.

"What really hit him was most of his friends were a year ahead of him, and signing letters of intent his junior year," said Terry Smith, King's stepfather and football coach at Gateway. "His senior year, his best friends were gone."

Smith, a wide receiver for the Nittany Lions from 1988-91, doesn't think he would have had the maturity to pull off the early transition but believes King does.

"It takes a certain level of commitment," said Don Ferrell, a retired Penn State academic adviser. "Young people know what they want to do. When a young person says he's ready to go, he wants to be challenged. You don't have to be ultra-bright, but you do have to be a well-grounded kid."

It also helps to have someone to share the experience with. King is rooming with Williams this semester, just as Connor did with Greg Harrison.

"You have a guy going through what you're going through," Smith said. "You have each other to kind of lean on, to push each other."

And if that isn't enough to motivate the players, there is always John Thomas and the rest of the Penn State strength and conditioning staff. Connor said he went from 205 pounds when he arrived to 218 by the start of the season.

"And it was good weight," he said. "You really do everything the right way when you have trainers, not doing it by yourself."

Weight training is only one aspect. While the early enrollees are starting their education in the classroom, they are also beginning their education on the practice field.

"In high school, most of the teams have players that play both ways, and they break practices into an hour or two for offense, then defense," Lowry said. "Here, you're always practicing with guys that play your position."

The players who have pushed through the first semester, who left behind their friends and family months before tradition dictates, are confident they made the right decision. Judging by on-field performance alone, it is hard to argue. Both Lowry and Connor saw action the first game of their freshman seasons and are projected starters this fall.

So the question, of course, is why shouldn't every aspiring high school football player consider the option?

"It depends on how a person takes advantage of it," said Wally Richardson, one of the team's two academic advisers. "If a person can get acclimated quickly, be successful in the classroom, go through a spring practice, gain a familiarity with the offense and defense, he should feel a lot more comfortable."

Still, though more and more players are choosing that route, coaches and advisers know it is not for everyone. If driven, disciplined student-athletes like Lowry and Connor, or King and Williams, are fixed on doing it, Penn State and other universities will give them the opportunity -- as long as they are aware of the demands.

"It's a lot tougher for them," Richardson said. "Taking a full load of college courses after just completing high school, morning workouts and a regular lifting schedule in addition to the full load (of classes) and study hall. They've found that it's really tough. It's not something that is as easy as a lot of people think.

"I personally think guys should enjoy the last year of their high school. Once they get to college, things will never be the same as far as time commitment and the responsibilities that they'll have. They'll be waiting for you when you get there."

Those who couldn't wait, though, have few if any regrets.

"It's such an advantage," Connor said. "You get a jump on everyone in your grade. It's almost like you're a year ahead."

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Mr. Bucknuts' Bucket Of Bullets - Bucknuts

Mr. Bucknuts' Bucket Of Bullets
By Bucknuts.com Staff
Date: Feb 13, 2005

Today's Mr. Bucknuts' Bucket of Bullets is brought to you by the letter W. The letter 'W' in football usually indicates a good thing - wins. Ohio State has had lots of luck with 'W's' the last two months -- could it be a sign of things to come?

We are digging two Wells in Columbus this year!

Yes, that was a seismic shock a week ago when Chris Wells, one of the top backs in America made a point of it to become the first commitment in the Class of 2006. Hey – think of this: On February 1, we felt OSU could have a “hole” at the running backs’ position. Five days later, two Wells existed where that hole once was! What a week, eh?

Which brings up a story, of course. Two actually – and this time they are related. Long before Bucknuts broke the news about Chris Wells this past Sunday, we were onto that same story in a similar vein way back in October. We were asked to tone the whole thing down. Why? Because no one wanted to spook Maurice Wells, who was strongly leaning to the Buckeyes. So, we removed the stories from the front and even deleted threads from the message boards. Why not? We could take that one for the team…

Which takes me back to the similar story from January 2001. Jim Tressel becomes the new head coach in January and a volatile high school junior wants to commit right away: Maurice Clarett. The Buckeye staff asks him to keep his powder dry until after Commitment Day so that they don’t scare off two seniors they wanted: Maurice Hall and Lydell Ross. Right after LOID, Maurice did commit and the Buckeyes went on to win the national championship.

I love the symmetry for 2005 – the Year of the Buckeye!

One final related anecdote: I asked Maurice C – after he committed – where he thought he would be early in his upcoming freshman season. “Why, Mr. Bucknuts,” he responded. “I will be the starting tailback”. I laughed, and said, “Where will that put Lydell Ross”. “Well,” he mused. “I guess that would put him over on the bench, next to Coach Tressel”.

There’s a kid that never lacked for confidence. He put the “con” in “confidence”. And when all the pros and cons with Maurice are finally counted, let’s see what he does with the “pros”…

Meanwhile, welcome home Chris Wells!

* * * * *

You want “W’s” this year?… Then it’s no coincidence that “W” is the recruitable letter of the year. Yes, once the Big Dubya did his thing (you know, the inauguration and all that…), we focused on the other important Dubyas around the scholastic football world.

First, OSU stacked up W’s along the defensive line like a picket fence. Williams, Worthington and Wilson form the best www for the Buckeyes since the start of the internet. “Gw” didn’t fit, but OSU picked up another great “w” in Maurice Wells to solve our running issues in this class.

Based on the way that the alphabet trend is going in Columbus, you had to have liked OSU’s chances with Ohio’s No. 1 recruit this year: Chris Wells…

* * * * *

More alpha bets in 2005…And more alpha males to focus on. OSU needed depth on the offensive line last year and generated the best haul –arguably- since the missed (mess?) haul of five years back when they went 0 for 3 on Michael Munoz, Antonio Hall and Andy Christopfel. This year? They had two Top 100 guys in Alex Boone and Kevin Bemoll plus a rising star in Jim Cordle. But one of the “B’s” left the hive, as Bemoll was nervous to go so far from home. That stung. And left the Buckeyes a little short of the desired three-deep to develop a continuum of outstanding offensive lines.

So to replace the one flown “B”, OSU will be looking at a couple of big “B’s” in 2005: Justin Boren and Aaron Brown. These Killer B’s are just part of a treasure trove of offensive line talent in Ohio this year. Think names like Conner Smith and Jacob Ballard and Ryan Palmer and Lee Tilley, as well. And think that’s the reason the staff didn’t take more O-lineman last recruiting season…

* * * * *

A New York state of mind…Way back in the day, the Buckeyes went mining for talent out of state. It was the Class of 2000 and the gold mine OSU searched that year was the state of New York. And they came up with two nuggets: From Utica, Ohio State hauled in DE Will Smith; and from Harrison, they got a commitment from Sammy Maldonado, who had just broken the all-time rushing record in the state. Will worked out pretty well (understatement font on here…) and is now in the NFL. Sammy never made it at OSU and transferred to Maryland where he toiled in relative anonymity.

Fast forward to the Class of 2005. Back to New York we go and out of Athol Springs, Ohio State lands the “next Will Smith”. His name is Doug Worthington. And out of Babylon, they were close to getting another record-breaker in Jason Gwaltney. Yes, the parallel ends there as Gwaltney disappointed Buckeye fans by re-committing to West Virginia. Hey – maybe he just “transferred” faster than Sammy. Who knows…

BTW, in between Sammy and Jason, a kid named Michael Hart broke all the New York state rushing records. But that’s another story entirely…

* * * * *

The “Most Wanted” list…A few columns back, I put together a list from last year’s recruits (the Class of 2004, that is) of both kids the Buckeyes desperately wanted (and didn’t get) as well as kids they could have had (but didn’t take). We then looked into how well they were doing and said we would keep you up on them each year.

My next ambitious assertion was that I would compile a new list every year for both categories. So – ahem – here is the category of “Kids Ohio State Wanted (but didn’t get)”. On the 2004 list, the winners were: Dwayne Jarrett, Fred Davis, Brandon Barrett, James Bryant, Mike Massey, Javier Estopinan, Brett Gallimore, Olu Hall, Anthony Morelli, and Darius Walker. Some on that list have performed quite well a year later (see: Dwayne Jarrett and Darius Walker, for instance). Others have disappeared (look for: Fred Davis and Brandon Barrett, for instance). We detailed them all.

Now, here is the list to put into our time capsules for review again next year, from the detritus of the Class of 2005 recruiting season:

1. Mark Sanchez

2. Kevin Bemoll

3. Rico McCoy

4. Walker Ashley

5. Alex Daniels

6. Jason Gwaltney

7. Mario Manningham

8. Selwyn Lymon

9. Dan Doering

10. Shawn Oatis

A pretty good group there. Let’s check back in a year to see how they fared in their first season in college ball…

* * * * *

And that other list…Under the “Guys Ohio State Coulda Had (but didn’t take)” list, last year included: Delbert Ferguson, Miles Williams, DaJuan Morgan, Brock Bolen, Ray Williams, Gary Russell, Brian Hoyer, Louis Holmes, Gartrell Shavers and Andrew Johnson. Although, as you could expect, these guys had less of an impact in Year I than the other group, some showed up well (Gary Russell is one) while others have yet to show up at all (Miles Williams and Ray Williams are two).

For this year’s cast? Here is my list of nominees:

1. Javon Ringer

2. Ronnie Wilson

3. Brandon Harrison

4. Conredge Collins

5. Carlton Jackson

6. Tyrell Sutton

7. Ryan Brinson

8. BJ Travers

9. Adam Myers-White

10. Antwon Hight

At one time or another – plus or minus those looming academic issues – all of these kids could have been Buckeyes. Let’s see how they do at the schools at which they ultimately play…

* * * * *

Finally, let’s talk coaches and integrity…There is a broad public brush at work right now, painting Ohio State with a somber tone when it comes to “athletics” and “integrity”. I think it’s a bunch or horse hockey, really. Are we saying that the athletes don’t have integrity? Or the coaches? Are the coaches misleading the kids in a form of bait-and-switch to get then to come to Ohio State? No, let’s leave that for the Albert Means and SEC crowd…

Ohio State is suffering under the ESPN-spewed cloud that our coaches are conspiring with our athletes. But break it down: there are three instances being referenced. 1) Coach O’Brien offering to help defray expenses to a basketball player that didn’t come there 2) Maurice Clarett repeating old tirades that Ohio State made it too easy for him after he came there and 3) Troy Smith accepting a few hundred bucks for a job he didn’t perform while he was there. That’s the sum and substance of all the leering remarks, the knowing nods and sarcastic winks.

Looking at the two football cases, Clarett wanted to come to Ohio State in the worst way (which he did…) and it had nothing to do with the coach’s sales pitches (see explanation in the first segment above). Troy Smith barely qualified and was passionate about getting to OSU although he almost wasn’t offered entrance opportunities. So, are our coaches – or the university – showing some absence of integrity in these instances? Are they tricking anyone?

Contrast those questions, if you will, to Southern Cal and their most recent recruiting class. They marketed their program and got kids to commit based on the continuity of a winning program and the strength of individual coaches. Then, offensive super-coach Norm Chow quits. A week after Commitment Day! Offensive line coach Tim Davis left for the NFL, as well. Recruiting coordinator and D-line coach, Ed Orgeron became Head Coach at Ole Miss, taking along special teams coordinator Dennis Slutak.

So, for whom are these kids playing? The coaches are allowed to leave but the kids have a legal commitment that binds them to the school. Talk about your bait-and-switch.

Meanwhile, our coaches are working with our kids, and working through the problems as well. Kids are kids and kids have problems. They don’t need the lectures, they need the support.

And don’t lecture me about coaching ethics in this world of big money contracts to coaches that simply follow the gravy train. Their only defense? They might be whores, they’re just not cheap whores!

And now I rest my case…

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Conley turns down offer to assist Gophers’ Mason - Columbus Dispatch$

Conley turns down offer to assist Gophers’ Mason
Sunday, February 13, 2005
Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Bill Conley

Bill Conley could have returned to college football in a Big Ten way yesterday, but he declined.

The former longtime Ohio State assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, now in private business in Dublin, was offered a job coaching linebackers at Minnesota by coach Glen Mason. Part of the plan also was to use Conley to establish a stronger recruiting base for the Gophers in Florida, where Conley had extensive contacts while at OSU.

"This decision was as tough as it gets," Conley said. "What a compliment. I thought about this for several days because there is no other coach in college football at this time I’d rather work for than Glen, a former teammate of mine at Ohio State.

"But at the same time, I am excited about what I’m doing here at Max Sports; it’s my desire to help make this the No. 1 sports performance center in the country."

Mason could not be reached for comment, but Conley said the Minnesota coach understood it would be difficult for Conley to leave central Ohio. Since leaving Ohio State last spring after 17 years, Conley also has helped WTVN radio with its coverage of the Buckeyes and has been a host of a Sunday morning call-in show.

"That has been more than fun, it has been fulfilling," he said. "Because being a coach, I’m a people person, and there is no better outlet for that than on that radio show.

"I’m not closing the door on a return to college football coaching, but I also like the ways things are going in my life at the moment."

Looking like a nighter

Ohio State’s much-anticipated first meeting with Texas on Sept. 10 is almost certainly going to be moved to an evening kickoff to accommodate national television coverage, a source close to the OSU program said yesterday. ABC hasn’t made an official announcement, but the source said officials at Ohio State and Texas have agreed to the move.

Saturday, February 12, 2005 Recruiting News - 02/12/05

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
OSU Recruiting: The Experts Speak Out - Bucknuts

OSU Recruiting: The Experts Speak Out
By Steve Helwagen Managing Editor
Date: Feb 12, 2005

We share our annual consensus poll of national recruiting experts, plus we have comments from Scout.com's top experts on this year's Ohio State class (including standout running back Maurice Wells).

In compiling our package of stories on football recruiting for Bucknuts The Magazine, we put together our annual consensus poll and also polled the leading analysts in the Scout.com network for their comments on the Ohio State class.

Here is a look at this year’s consensus poll as well as the top 10 teams from five national services, previous consensus poll champions and comments from the Scout.com experts on Ohio State’s 2005 class.

The Consensus Poll

Bucknuts.com Consensus Poll (by voting points): 1. Tennessee, 46; 2. USC, 36; 3. Oklahoma, 35; 4. Michigan, 32.5; 5., Nebraska, 29.5; 6. Florida State, 27; 7. Georgia, 18; 8. Texas A&M, 13; 9. (tie) Iowa, Florida, 9; 11. Miami (Fla.), 7; 12. (tie) California, Ohio State, 6; 14. Virginia Tech, 1.

Expert Rankings

* Scout.com: 1. Tennessee, 2. Michigan, 3. Florida State, 4. Georgia, 5. Oklahoma, 6. USC, 7. Ohio State, 8. Iowa, 9. California, 10. Nebraska.

* Allen Wallace, SuperPrep: 1. Tennessee, 2. Michigan, 3. USC, 4. Florida State, 5. Oklahoma, 6. Nebraska, 7. Georgia, 8. Florida, 9. Ohio State, 10. California.

* Max Emfinger: 1. Tennessee, 2. Oklahoma, 3. Nebraska, 4. Texas A&M, 5. Florida, 6. USC, 7. Georgia, 8. Miami (Fla.), 9. Michigan, 10. Florida State.

* Tom Lemming, ESPN.com: 1. Nebraska, 2. Tennessee, 3. USC, 4. Michigan, 5. Oklahoma, 6. Iowa, 7. Texas A&M, 8. Georgia, 9. Florida State, 10. Virginia Tech.

* PrepStar: 1. USC, 2. Florida State, 3. Oklahoma, 4. Tennessee, 5. (tie) Michigan, 5. (tie) Nebraska, 7. Miami (Fla.), 8. California, 9. Texas A&M, 10. Iowa (Ohio State, 12th).

* Previous Recruiting Consensus Poll Champions: 2004, USC (Ohio State, seventh); 2003, (tie) LSU, USC, Florida (Ohio State, 24th); 2002, Texas (Ohio State, second); 2001, Florida State (Ohio State, 14th); 2000, Florida (Ohio State, seventh); 1999, Texas (Ohio State, second); 1998, Michigan (Ohio State, 16th); 1997, Florida State (Ohio State, 10th); 1996, Ohio State; 1995, Notre Dame (Ohio State, 26th); 1994, Tennessee (Ohio State, second).

Scout.com Experts

* Jamie Newberg, co-national recruiting editor – The Buckeyes signed three Scout.com national top-100 players in their 18-man class, including Ohio offensive lineman Alex Boone (No. 15), Ohio defensive back Jamario O’Neal (No. 17) and New York defensive end Doug Worthington (No. 42).

“This was a great group by Ohio State,” Newberg said. “Recruiting is about filling needs and Ohio State is doing that. They started off so strong. They do so well instate. They got Jamario O’Neal, who we ranked as the nation’s No. 3 cornerback. He is another sensational player from Cleveland Glenville.

“Then, they also had Alex Boone, who we raised from No. 3 to No. 2 nationally in the offensive line rankings. He probably had the most consistent week of anybody at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl among the East team offensive linemen.”

More jewels in this class include Ohio quarterback Rob Schoenhoft and Ohio linebacker Freddie Lenix.

“Schoenhoft is a big, strong-armed quarterback,” Newberg said. “The sleeper kid I love in this class is Freddie Lenix. Some would say, `If he was only bigger,’ but I don’t care. I’d offer him no matter where he was.”

Newberg, who is based in the Atlanta area, also likes Georgia two-way star Anderson Russell.

“He is a guy I got to see play a lot,” Newberg said. “I have seen him more as a running back than a safety. He is a very good athlete who can help Ohio State.”

Newberg and Scout.com received venom from OSU fans everywhere after the network dropped OSU signee Maurice Wells, a tailback from Florida, from ninth to 24th in the tailback rankings following his two-carry performance in the All-American Bowl. Wells has since been “adjusted” back up to 19th.

“Maurice Wells is a guy they will want to get out into space,” Newberg said. “He has great speed.”

Regarding the ratings flap, Newberg said, “We call them like we see them. There is no conspiracy here against Ohio State or any other school. We have a tough job here that we are trying to do.

“The fact is several of our Southeast experts implored me since the beginning that we had Maurice Wells rated too high.

“But this is not a knock on Maurice. He has a great amount of talent and he has things you can’t coach like quickness and speed.”

* Allen Wallace, co-national recruiting editor, publisher of SuperPrep -- Wallace also addressed the situation with Wells.

“They needed a running back and they got one,” Wallace said. “I was one of the aficionados who liked (Florida’s) Maurice Wells. He was a SuperPrep Elite 50 player. He is not big and powerful like some of the other running backs we saw this year like Marlon Lucky or Jonathan Stewart. But he is qualified and had 15 offers by last June. He has terrific speed and moves and is built like a rock. He adds a lot to this class.

“Doug Worthington was the No. 3 defensive end in the country and Todd Denlinger was the No. 13 defensive tackle. Then they have Jamario O’Neal, who was the No. 3 corner in the country, and Alex Boone, who was the No. 2 offensive lineman nationally.

“They lost Jason Gwaltney to West Virginia and Walker Ashley to USC. But they did OK at the end. They got (wide receiver) Brian Robiskie and (defensive back) Donald Washington. They may not have been as highly ranked as some other players, but they were heavily recruited by some other schools.

“Ohio State also got (Ohio) defensive end Lawrence Wilson away from Notre Dame at the last minute.”

* Chris Pool, Midwest recruiting editor -- “Ohio State always has a one of the best recruiting classes in the country and ’05 is no exception. This Buckeye recruiting class is led by Alex Boone (right, OL). Alex is a U.S. Army All-American and one of the top tackles in the entire country. Jamario O’Neal was also a U.S. Army All-American and he could help the Bucks on either side of the football.

“Cleveland-Glenville linebacker Freddie Lenix is extremely underrated. Lenix is a tremendous athlete that could end up playing running back for Ohio State. Rob Schoenhoft is an “Elite 11” quarterback with an extremely strong arm. Akron’s Lawrence Wilson originally committed to Notre Dame but signed with Ohio State.”

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Best Running Back in the East? - Scout PREMIUM

Best Running Back in the East?
By Bob Lichtenfels
Date: Feb 12, 2005

(Pa.) standout running back LeSean McCoy has been hearing the hype since he was in junior high. Now he ready’s himself for his senior season and a chance at a state record. Scout.com caught up with the phenom to talk about recruiting and other topics including his “Shady” nickname.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Elzy Vs. Jones On The Hardwood In Pictures - Bucknuts

Elzy Vs. Jones On The Hardwood In Pictures
By Gary Housteau
Date: Feb 12, 2005

Youngstown Ursuline's Jerome Jones and Warren JFK's Anthony Elzy are both top performers for their school's football team in the fall and the basketball squad in the winter. Jones is already a highly-regarded hoop player and he could become an even better player on the gridiron. Elzy's better sport is clearly football where he had two games over 400 yards and scored 7 TDs in both of them. Both guys should be two top-rated prospects on the gridiron in Ohio in their senior season.

Ursuline's Jerome Jones is one of the top basketball players in the Youngstown area this year and he will be a top recruit in football in Ohio next year.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Other than Chris Wells, there might not be a better running back next year than Anthony Elzy in all of Ohio next season.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Elzy has said that Ohio State and Notre Dame are already his top two schools.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

He's right around 5-11, 190 pounds and he's really fast.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Elzy had 2,640 yards and scored 30 touchdowns this past year.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jones hasn't decided if he wants to play football or basketball at the next level.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

He's an athletic big man on the hardwood at 6'6" tall.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

And he plays tight end and outside linebacker on the gridiron.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

He's got the long arms and the big frame that can easily add more weight as he develops in either sport.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jones had 9 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists as his Irish were too much for Elzy's Eagles.

Friday, February 11, 2005 Recruiting News - 02/11/05

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Vols, Trojans, Pack lead for Jersey ATH - Rivals PREMIUM

February 11, 2005
Vols, Trojans, Pack lead for Jersey ATH
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mike Farrell
Rivals100.com Recruiting Analyst *
While most fans are still talking about the Class of 2005 and the prospects that signed with their schools, many coaches already have their sights set on safety/dual-threat quarterback Antwine Perez.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Charting Ohio's Top Junior Talent - Rivals PREMIUM

February 11, 2005
Charting Ohio's Top Junior Talent
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mark Rea
BuckeyeSports.com Managing Editor *
Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel wore the look of a happy man on Feb. 2 when he announced the signings of 18 high school stars to become the newest members of his team. But the ink was scarcely dry on those national letters of intent before Tressel and his assistants turned their attention to next year's recruiting efforts. There are several outstanding players in state who will be entering their senior seasons in 2005. Here are some of their names.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Rose contemplates OSU offer - Rivals PREMIUM

February 11, 2005
Rose contemplates OSU offer
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bill Kurelic
BuckeyeSports.com Recruiting Analyst *
Cleveland (Ohio) Glenville defensive end Robert Rose was offered a scholarship by Ohio State on national signing day. He talked about it with the Bucks while in Columbus for Ohio State's junior recruiting day Feb. 5. Who else has offered Rose and when does he think he is going to make his decision?

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Helwagen Chat: Feb. 11 Archive - Bucknuts

Helwagen Chat: Feb. 11 Archive
By Steve Helwagen Managing Editor
Date: Feb 11, 2005

Here are excerpts from Friday's Chat with Bucknuts.com managing editor Steve Helwagen.

rockmason29 (Feb 11, 2005 11:36:56 AM)
Hey Steve- Do you see thad Gibbson as a top 100 guy this year , and is his 4.3 - 40 time somewhere near close??

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 11:38:27 AM)
That's tough to say. I always get wary when I hear 40s under 4.4 or so. But somebody believes he is legit to have an offer from Ohio State this early. I guess you can put him in a top 50 or top 100 list today. But, obviously, those things will change over time.

bugs (Feb 11, 2005 11:38:43 AM)
What are the chances that Mike Vrabel will become a coach for OSU after he retires from the NFL?

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 11:40:02 AM)
I know he would like that very much. Vrabes probably has 3-5 more good years left in him with the pros. He has often talked about coaching. Doing it at Ohio State would be great. But the thing is he also has a family. And college coaching is kind of a thankless job, the pay is OK, but the hours and travel are horrendous. Have to believe after this type of NFL career, he is set for life.

getanotherback (Feb 11, 2005 11:40:18 AM)
like most of us i'm excited about the cwells news, but i wonder about all the national championship talk with only three schollarship rb's. with injury and grade challenges to deal with, we're only an injury or grade challenge away from a real problem. tell us of some walk ons (hopefully bigbodied) that we may not be aware of, or are we going to pass 60 times a game

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 11:41:56 AM)
No, they aren't going to pass 60 times a game. They don't have any walk-ons in the program that I would consider as serious threats to help them or get serious playing time. They had guys like Ro Parker and Mike DeMaria here the last couple of years and they never played, so I don't look for any of the walk-ons they have (and they have a couple still at RB) to make any kind of impact. The backup plan appears to be Anderson Russell and Fred Lenix.

BuckeyeDave (Feb 11, 2005 11:42:03 AM)
I posed the same question to Gary yesterday. Chris Wells seems like a cornerstone to the 2006 recruiting class. What other 3 recruits do you think would be the other cornerstones to the '06 class?

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 11:43:40 AM)
Well, they've offered 3 Ohio OL and they need probably 3-4 OL in this class to balance things out, so I'd start with Boren, Brown and Smith. After that, they addressed DE with Wilson and Worthington pretty well. Still missing that great athletic OLB. Maybe that is Thad Gibson. The numbers are pretty good across the board. Probably could use an impact DT in this class, too.

MinnesotaBuckeye (Feb 11, 2005 11:43:48 AM)
Steve...what is the latest on Coach Conley coming up here to Minnesota? The Minneapolis papers are all over it...saying that he will be able to tap into Ohio for more recruits...your thoughts on this? Also his relationship with Coach Tress, that press conference on signing day was perhaps enlightening?

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 11:45:17 AM)
I spoke to Coach Conley yesterday and he said he did interview with Coach Mason, a former colleague and OSU teammate, at Minnesota. I did not get the impression he is ready to dive back into college coaching. Minnesota already does a real good job in Ohio, I'm sure Conley would help them some here and also in south Fla. The Tressel comment was blown out of proportion. Charles Babb asked a question ...

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 11:47:32 AM)
Citing what Bill had said in a Chat that the admissions policy actually allows Michigan to take some guys OSU can't take now. Tressel sort of laughed and said what he said. I took it as a joke, as it was intended. This is a dead horse that continually gets beaten. I think regardless of what happened or how it happened, they respect each other for the results they get. Do they have a personal relationship still? I dunno. I don't care.

Toledo Pete (Feb 11, 2005 11:47:53 AM)
Steve... What is the situations with OSU's at risk kids. I know Alberts Dukes is in trouble , but I don't know why. Basically could you give me a run down on past recruits who may never see the field to their own problems.

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 11:49:30 AM)
Albert Dukes has been charged with having sex with a minor in his hometown of Belle Glade, Fla. He is out of school at OSU while he goes through the legal system. The hope is the charges will be unfounded and he'll return in time for spring ball. Maupin and E.J. Underwood are also on a team suspension. I assume they still can be in school and have things they need to get done to get back on the field.

BUCK35 (Feb 11, 2005 11:49:36 AM)
Rivals has Boren, Brown, Small, Rose and Wells on the pre evaluated 100 for 2006. Ohio is looking strong. Do you think we get all five? And who else in ohio could end up being a top 100 player in the country when it is all said and done?

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 11:50:16 AM)
I think they are all good on Rose and Small. They have Wells. I think they also get Brown. Boren said he has no reason not to attend OSU, so they're probably better than 50-50 there, too.

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 11:50:47 AM)
I think Gibson may be a top-100 guy at some point. Maybe one of theQBs if they light people up at the camps.

rockmason29 (Feb 11, 2005 11:50:54 AM)
Steve - How does this years Ohio OL compare to Alex Boone. ....as far as Boren , Smith and so on.

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 11:51:40 AM)
I would hesitate to say that anybody is in Boone's category just yet. He was the No. 2 OL in the country. Smith looks good in that video we posted from the title game. No honest opinion on Boren yet.

Pastor Jack (Feb 11, 2005 11:51:49 AM)
Do you have any insight into why Coach JT is seemingly going back on his word to the greyshirt kicker from last year and is now possibly being asked to either wait or walk on? It just doesn't seem to be representative of the ethical JT we all know and respect.

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 11:54:15 AM)
That's the way things happen sometimes, I guess. No real explanation to it. I report what Aaron has told me. There could be more to the story. My feeling is they have 2 scholarships left. They need to put the new long snapper, probably Drew Norman, on scholarship. I think they are keeping the other one back in case Thoma, Pretorious or Pettrey or somebody else lights them up and wins a kicking or punting job. How fair would it be to those guys if they give it to Pettrey now, then one of them wins a job and can't have one? On the surface, it does not look good. But I'm not sure we have all of the data. You have to look big picture, I guess.

mike (Feb 11, 2005 11:54:36 AM)
Steve, I saw a quote from Rose saying he is waiting until next year's signing day to announce. How does the staff recruit someone like this?? He got a really early offer and was at Junior day. Now there is a whole year of recruiting. Seems like the early offer would help sway him to OSU, but he's willing to wait it out. This just leads to a late offer by someone who hasn't spent a lot of time recruiting him, and a late push by a USC or Miami with a ton of late attention could sway him at the end. Thoughts?? Thanks!

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 11:56:17 AM)
This is how the Glenville kids like to do it. The reason is simple: Glenville got 12 kids signed this year to various places. By having the headliners wait, they keep the traffic of coaches coming through there strong. It is a total team effort at Glenville. Ohio State will be clued in by Coach Ginn as they need to be (i.e. the dreaded silent verbal) when the time is right. But this way the kids like Lenix get to take some nice visits, too.

MinnesotaBuckeye (Feb 11, 2005 11:56:37 AM)
Steve...thanks for your forthright comments regarding Coach Conley and Coach Tressel. One thing I have heard related to the recruitment of Alex Daniels is that he and his two teammates came as a package deal to Minnesota. Did you hear this as well? Could it have been the case that Alex didn't want to go to Ohio State unless his fellow schoolmates came with? And what was the story on those guys, have you ever heard of this happening like this before?

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 11:58:49 AM)
I don't know that it was a package deal, per se, but it made it much easier for AD to go there to be around people he knew. They'll probably room together there, I would think. I'm not sure OSU was interested in Jones or Massey, although you'd have to be blind to not see what Jones brought to the table in the D-II title game vs. Avon Lake. For Minnesota, it was an easy decision to take a couple of guys they liked already in hopes of landing the big fish (AD). It does happen -- not so much at Ohio State, where every scholarship needs to be filled with a kid that can help you beat Michigan.

edbuck51 (Feb 11, 2005 11:59:10 AM)
I know it's difficult to pinpoint when the NCAA will be done with the football investigation, but in general what do you think? Before the end of spring practice? How much stuff could there be to look at. The Smith stuff seems pretty cut and dried, and they've already talked to the booster, and the Clarett stuff is a rehash. Just curious.

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:00:28 PM)
I'm not sure spring football factors into this equation at all. I would think sometime before June 1. The last probe took about 5-6 months, so this one probably will, too. That's all I have to go on. They want to be thorough, but they also want to clear the case, I'm sure, as well.

05theyear (Feb 11, 2005 12:00:35 PM)
Just out of curiosity what do you think was the best team OSU ever had. Even though we we won it al in 02 I think that 98 the the best we ever had. 69 team dont remmeber. diffeence between 98 and 02 IMHO was the coach. But everything we had in 98 was great

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:00:47 PM)
Oh wow!!!

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:00:57 PM)
They have had some great teams here ...

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:01:55 PM)
I think it's hard to compare even the 70's to today because the athletes are bigger and stronger and probably just a tad faster (or in Teddy's case, a lot faster). It's like people comparing today's Patriots with the 70's Steelers. All you can do is compare how well they dominated in their era, I guess.

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:03:17 PM)
Going back the last 12 years, the 93, 95, 96, 98 and 02 teams were all extremely special. 93 had Big Daddy, 95 had Pace and Springs and Glenn and George. 96 had Pace and Springs and Vrabes. 98 was Katzenmoyer, Germaine, Boston, Winfield. 02 was Krenzel, Doss, Wilhelm, Reecie. ...

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:05:33 PM)
The 95 and 98 teams were probably the best offensively. 98 was better than 95 defensively. 96 and 02 were real good defensively. If those 98 and 02 teams played each other, that would be one hell of a football game, I'd say that. 98 lost the only nail-biter they had, pretty much, to MSU, while 02 lived on the edge the last 7 weeks. 98 was dominant, but lost a game. 02 was not so dominant, but won every game.

Toledo Pete (Feb 11, 2005 12:05:50 PM)
I heard JT had problems at YSU with some players recieving improper benefits. Are we wearing rose colered glasses about him because he woops the UMorons and wins bowls? If we are is it that JT gets so involved in coaching football that the kids kind of run crazy? He seems like a class act with strong moral fiber, or am I reading too much into to guy who wears big bright white shoes with dark grey pants?

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:09:04 PM)
In Cols., beating Michigan (he's 3-1) and winning bowl games (he's 3-1 and won the last 3) is supposed to cure all ills. I am not distressed that they had problems at YSU. The only thing distressing about that is Ray Isaac's quote that JT told him he wanted him to tell the truth to the NCAA, but he, himself, did not want to know. That kind of fits with not reading the Times article on Reecie, etc. Kind of a "what I don't know won't hurt me" kind of thing. At the end of the day, though, he is accountable. I think he has worked hard to educate his players and counsel them on what is right and what is wrong. But they have not heeded those messages. Complex issue, indeed, but I still think this is the right guy for this job.

BMC (Feb 11, 2005 12:09:37 PM)
Steve, do you think C. Wells will be the best back in the country this year?

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:10:59 PM)
Hard to say. Just like when I raised hell over Mo Wells' rating. I do not have tape of the top 25 backs for this year and next year. That's not my job to rate the kids. I would say this. His name is out there. He is the kind of athletic big back they apparently like (since the experts didn't like Mo). If he has another great year and puts some people away, he will be in the top five or 10, certainly.

getanotherback (Feb 11, 2005 12:11:04 PM)
is there any great wr that we gotta have,that we're on and that we have a real shot

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:12:31 PM)
Alliance Marlington''s Troy Paisley, Glenville's Daven Jones, CSI's Robby Parris will all get solid looks. Maybe around camp time, sort of with Hartline, one or more will be offered. Outside Ohio? Not real sure. Nobody offered yet that I know of.

BuckeyeDave (Feb 11, 2005 12:12:40 PM)
Steve - Gary said you were "The Man" to ask about getting Rose Bowl tickets. The game is a contractual sell-out every year. How does an Average Joe like me get tickets without having to pay a scalper an arm and a leg?

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:15:28 PM)
It's sad, but that is what it has come down to. I have a friend who has become a "member" of the Orange, Sugar and Fiesta Bowls (not sure Rose offers this plan). He buys tickets every year to each game. Then goes on ebay and sells the ones he doesn't want or ones OSU is not playing in. That's a neat angle right there. And he comes out ahead if there is a hot title game he can get 2-3 times his money for the tickets (and he isn't going). But the Rose Bowl this coming year -- especially with USC supposed to be in the mix -- will be an extremely difficult ticket. My guess is face value will be $125 or thereabouts and the market value will again be $400-$500 for even the bad seats. Just the way it is.

Pastor Jack (Feb 11, 2005 12:15:52 PM)
Do you think JoPa will actually coach State Penn another 2 years, or will the dismal rescuiting the past few years just be too much a strain for the 'old man'?

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:17:16 PM)
Somehow they got Justin King, Derrick Williams and a top LB from N.J. Jerome Hayes to go there this year, so he is still doing OK with recruiting. Many thought he'd be out after this past year. They start over at QB with Mills gone, so this year doesn't figure to be much better than .500. I think another sub-.500 year and he has to go.

BUCK35 (Feb 11, 2005 12:17:25 PM)
Who do you see out of state that TOSU has a good shot at landing? I know its early but do we have any in's with the TE from Mission Viejo or any others like that?

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:18:35 PM)
Too early to say. They have a few offers out there. But, really, doesn't heat up until June when these kids can get out and see some places and camp a little bit. That's when things got going with Sanchez last year, if you'll recall. Too early to say with any definitive degree.

05theyear (Feb 11, 2005 12:18:52 PM)
What do you think the player are thinking with this season coming up. They know what it takes to win a title and some were there in 02. Maybe this is a stupid quesion but do you think JT will bring in alot of 02 guys to pump them up before the games

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:20:05 PM)
No, they don't do a lot of gimmicky stuff like that. I think this team needs a leader like a Doss who says get behind me. Who is that on this team? Hawk, maybe. You'd say Troy but he betrayed the group with his behavior. Maybe he can regain that spot as the season wears on with the way he plays.

Guest (Feb 11, 2005 12:20:19 PM)
What are your thoughts on the departure of OC Norm Chow from USC and the effects of this there down the line? How about the OC position here at tOSU in the future?

Toledo Pete (Feb 11, 2005 12:20:27 PM)
When will the ranking for the recruits come out for recruits for the 2006 class? I know you probably aren't given a schedule but what does the past indicate?

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:22:16 PM)
On Scout, I believe they probably revealed their top 100 in April or May last year. They don't want to do a list for the sake of doing a list. They devote all of their resources to seniors, so I can understand that. ...

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:23:52 PM)
We will be having a convention with them in the spring. At that time, I am going to suggest that they appoint/hire somebody as their "underclassman specialist." This guy can start culling video of the top juniors and sophs and work exclusively on that. Then, after signing day, he would be ready to release his findings across the network and it would be treated as a "starting point." I am tired of reading questions of "why don't we have rankings" and "the other guys do."

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:25:28 PM)
This is not a knock on anybody. But sometimes the early lists are flawed and we end up with guys on national top-100 lists that don't even get a Big Ten offer. You have to put the time in to properly evaluate before you attach your name to a ranking, I think. (And I'm not being critical of the other network. They did a common sense thing and said it was a pre-evaluation list, so you have to take it with a grain of salt.)

Toledo Pete (Feb 11, 2005 12:25:39 PM)
The 98 team did not lose that game to MSU. Coop did. He had to 4th and ones in field goal range and came out with no points. Always take the points!

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:27:05 PM)
Good point. They lost that game a bunch of ways ... the all running play drive ... the Germaine fumble that gave MSU a FG that pushed the lead from 1 to 4 at the end ... a freshman named Clements getting hit with a punt ... first and 10 at the 15 at the end and 3 incompletions and an INT ... and on and on and on.

labsbeabmm (Feb 11, 2005 12:27:22 PM)
Re: C. Collins. Could Chris Wells have been the second back in question?

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:27:30 PM)
No it was Gwaltney.

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:27:59 PM)
Not saying he verbaled, but Tressel did not want to take Collins and Wells and then tell Collins no thanks if Gwaltney verbaled later. They gambled and lost.

05theyear (Feb 11, 2005 12:28:14 PM)
Another thought wouldnt it be great if USC goes undefeated and we do and meat int the Rose bowl. With USC on a 25-0 run and they would get to meet the mighty OSU. And yes OSU is an underdog and yes there is no way we can win and yes 2 titles in 3 years. Man i wish 05 was here

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:28:33 PM)
And no Norm Chow now either. Petey will get to see if it was him or Norm, huh?

MinnesotaBuckeye (Feb 11, 2005 12:28:39 PM)
Steve, Buckeye basketball question...men and women...with regards to the guys...how far do they go in the Big Ten tourney, since that is our post-season? Out of the last 6 regular season games do they get a split to get to 19 wins or more? And with the women...WOW...can the "don't call 'em the Lady" Bucks win it all...and will the crowds be there for em?

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:28:59 PM)
First the men ...

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:32:17 PM)
I thought a 6-3 finish was possible, others said 4-5 or 5-4. This next game is the key. If they can't win at Penn State, then they will probably finish below fifth in the Big Ten and miss the opening round bye. They have to win this game. PSU is beyond terrible. Just lost by 27 to 6-16 Purdue. Then, I think OSU should beat Indiana and have a chance to beat Minnesota there, Wisconsin here and/or Iowa there (without Pierce). I think they can write off Illinois. It will be a great spectacle, but Illinois is just too tough. ....

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:33:24 PM)
If they go 3-3 from here, that's 19-11. They probably go in as the sixth seed and blast Purdue in the BTT opener to get 20. Then, they'd probably play Wisconsin in the quarters. That is probably the end of the line. ...

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:34:13 PM)
If they somehow go 4-2 from here, that's 20-10 and they probably have the five seed and a date with bubble team Minnesota. Let's just say if the Gophers "need it" I don't see OSU winning it (got me?). They end up 20-11 either way.

BuckeyeDave (Feb 11, 2005 12:34:25 PM)
Gotta plug Bucknuts -the Magazine. I read it when I'm on the cross-trainer for my workout and the time flies by. Great job! Great magazine!

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:34:34 PM)
I forgot the women ...

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:36:02 PM)
Thanks for the comments Dave. Much appreciated. We have put a lot of time, effort, money and energy into that mag. The first year it was out it was 32 pages. Now it's as big as Sports Illustrated (80 pages every week, with the next one 144 because of the 64-page recruiting insert). The photography is great between Getty Photos and the ones Terry Gilliam and Gary Housteau send in. I think it makes the annual subscription a no brainer.

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:36:06 PM)
Now for the women ...

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:39:03 PM)
They just keep right on barreling along. My hope is that they get 19,200 for the season finale against PSU. That game is at 6 after OSU men host Wisconsin at 2. That will be kind of neat to spend all day there. Hopefully folks will take in both games. That PSU game could be for 15-1 in the conference and maybe, by that point, a No. 1 ranking (although LSU looked tough against the Vols last night). They just need to keep taking care of their business. I see a one seed in the NCAA in their cards. Then from there, it's all about the draw and who they get as an 8-9 in the second round and a 4-5 in the third round and so on. But they should be fun to watch down the stretch, through the BTT in Indy and on to the NCAA. Just two losses so far all year. They are having one of the great seasons in school history ... in just about any sport.

Toledo Pete (Feb 11, 2005 12:39:39 PM)
If I were you, I might mention Fred Davis to getanotherback. Word in my neck of the woods is he is very unhappy out west and is talking to BGSU. It only seems natural for a discussion with OSU. Also, the Bucks are holding a few scholarships. HMMMMM! Makes you think.

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:40:27 PM)
Fred Davis is bound by his letter of intent for USC through the entire freshman year.. He'll go through spring ball and maybe things will change. But, yes, there have been some rumors that he wants out.

Guest (Feb 11, 2005 12:41:08 PM)
Is R Rose fast enough to be a outside linebacker? It seems with the WWW on board at DE we got deep fast at that position.

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:41:28 PM)
Buck35 asks about Robert Rose possibly playing OLB because of the sudden logjam at DE ...

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:42:21 PM)
No, I don't see it. Rose is 6-5, 230. I say he fills out to 6-5 or 6-6 and 260 or better. You can't have enough big guys who can run. You lose Kudla after this season and Richardson after next I believe, so you do need to replenish there.

Guest (Feb 11, 2005 12:42:29 PM)
ESPN's pre-season top 25 1.USC 2. TEXAS 3.MICHIGAN 4.TENN. 5.IOWA 6. OKLAHOMA 7.TOSU. This would be great for the bucks if thats the case. You want to beat the best.

BuckeyeDave (Feb 11, 2005 12:42:43 PM)
Do you think that U$S's loss of Norm Chow will impact the trojans as much as Ohio St's loss of Dantonio impacted the Buckeyes?

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:42:49 PM)
Great question ...

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:44:44 PM)
It did take OSU about half a year to jell defensively, but some of that was youth not entirely scheme. I have no idea who is going to replace Chow, so I can't say. But he defintely got some great results. I think it hurts them, at least in the short term. Kids wanted to go there to learn from him.

edbuck51 (Feb 11, 2005 12:44:54 PM)
What role do you think Coach Peterson had in the early offers, and two nice commits? Do you think this is the beginning of him putting his stamp on the recruiting program, or is it all of the coaches putting it together?

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:46:42 PM)
I think they are doing things as a staff and, really, with Tressel more involved than perhaps in the past. They knew they needed Wells and Homan and made strong pitches to land them ... and did. So whatever they're doing ... keep doing that.

edbuck51 (Feb 11, 2005 12:46:47 PM)
What are your thoughts on Coaches Matta and Foster?

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:47:02 PM)
Best combo of men's and women's coaches in the country, I feel ...

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:47:28 PM)
OK, maybe Auriemma and that caustic Calhoun (or is it the other way around) would have something to say about that ...

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:48:30 PM)
But seriously, the things I have seen so far have been great. Foster has taken this program to the top of the Big Ten and the country in 3 years. They have helped Davenport really blossom. She's an All-American this year, guys and gals.

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:49:23 PM)
And Matta was dealt a crappy hand (late start and postseason ban) and still has the guys playing hard and doing everything they can. The big test for him is filling all of these scholarships they have (5-6) with great players to solidify the future. The next 4 months will be telling in that regard.

edbuck51 (Feb 11, 2005 12:49:31 PM)
Do you think there should be a change in the wrestling program?

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:49:37 PM)
No. I don't ...

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:51:57 PM)
Yes, they are having a terrible year this year, but they are young. I know Geiger was unhappy with finishing eighth in the Big Ten meet in their own building last year, but Hellickson was redeemed with another Rowlands title and a third-place team finish at the NCAA. I know the lack of scholarships has been a problem for Hellickson in years past (i.e. he has to parcel some of his out and maybe some of his competition does not). I think he's earned a chance to turn it around. Ohio wrestling is really good in the high school ranks. Some would say he has not capitalized on that. But Iowa is always going to be Iowa (like Indiana used to be in basketball, etc.).

redondo (Feb 11, 2005 12:52:19 PM)
Steve - Please thank Dave Biddle for the just posted interview article with Lee Corso. Outstanding!!!!

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:52:48 PM)
I will. That was Mr. Bucknuts' doing in helping that get arranged around Lee Corso's visit to Ohio earlier this week. Glad you liked it!

edbuck51 (Feb 11, 2005 12:52:55 PM)
Do you think losing Anderson, Smith, Scott, Reynolds, Gamble and Allen had more of an impact than losing Dantonio? Tressel promoted Snyder who also went through a learning curve where maybe bringing in a more experienced outside guy you might not have had a drop off. To me it was more gaining experience than missing Dantonio. On the other hand, the media will lament on Chow's departure if USC loses, and won't mention the other four coaches who left.

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:53:27 PM)
Yeah, as I said, they were young. USC has Leinhart back, so that's a different landscape, certainly, for that offense.

edbuck51 (Feb 11, 2005 12:53:35 PM)
Why is it that some coaches are good women's basketball coaches but never go over to the men's side? Tressel went from 1-AA and is successful at 1-A, but you never see a basketball coach go from women to men, or vice versa.

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:55:55 PM)
Hard to say. I think Summit had a chance once to take over the UT men's program and turned it down. Not sure about Auriemma. The thing is it's women's basketball. The pressure is nowhere near as great as it is with the men. You have to work just as hard, certainly, to get the same results (i.e. recruiting, scouting, etc.) in the end. But the flip side is if you only go .500 and only draw 2,000 fans a game, you haven't blown the athletic department's budget for a year like you would if you falter with a men's program, which is expected to get to the NCAA and draw 15,000 a game.

edbuck51 (Feb 11, 2005 12:56:17 PM)
Is there any buzz on the winter conditioning program for football. This seems to be when the championship runs get started. Any word on how hard they are working in there and who the leaders are?

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:56:41 PM)
They are lifting now. The running and heavy duty training with the morning program begins later this month.

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:56:54 PM)
Those are closed, by the way, so no idea who's doing what to whom.

edbuck51 (Feb 11, 2005 12:56:59 PM)
The buzz on QB's next year seem to be on Hartline, Schlitcher and Davis. Do you think those are the top three in the coaches eyes, or are they looking at Teebow and other top out of staters?

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 12:59:32 PM)
I can't speak for them. The only indication I got was from Davis, himself, who was told he was essentially competing for an offer with Hartline and Schlichter. I think that staff would fall over itself to get a national QB like Tebow (I saw one list that said he was No. 1 nationally at the position) and he'd be a prototype Tressel QB with 3,000 yards passing and 1,000 rushing this past year. But I think they are realistic to know they may have a hard time luring that type of guy in since Smith/Zwick will still be starting in 2006. My feeling is they will go through the camp phase, pick one Ohio guy to offer and go from there. My money is on Hartline with Davis right there with him.

edbuck51 (Feb 11, 2005 12:59:47 PM)
Are there any commits for this last class coming in early besides Cordle?

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 1:00:01 PM)
No, not aware of any. Cordle is the only one they announced on signing day.

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 1:00:15 PM)
Is there anything else today?

Guest (Feb 11, 2005 1:00:23 PM)
Thanks again Steve.

wwt (Feb 11, 2005 1:01:50 PM)
With Harline's brother here already I can't see him going anywhere else (assume he's offered). I think the Schlichter name has too much baggage for OSU - it would be better for both parties if he went to another school. With that in mind, I think Hartline is the guy - of course I haven't seen either play a down. Is there much difference between the two? Do they really think one will develop much over the next 6-9 months to seperate themselves from each other?

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 1:03:40 PM)
Hartline is probably 6-5, 190, while Schlichter is 6-1, 185. Those are rough estimates. Hartline probably needs to fill out to 205 or 210, but that's probably the biggest knock on him. I think most coaches would like to see Schlichter grow an inch or 2. I agree the next 6-9 months will be key for these guys. ...

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 1:05:12 PM)
I would disagree on the Schlichter name working against Miles. He has been a fixture around the OSU practice facility for several years, seems to be a great kid. You can't hold something his uncle did against him. Tressel is very comfortable with him, I'm sure. If he and the coaches deem he is No. 1 on their list, then that is who will get the offer (and almost certainly accept). That goes for all 3 of those guys. If OSU offers, they will be there with bells on.

getanotherback (Feb 11, 2005 1:05:17 PM)
of the early offers is anyone else close to saying "i do"

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 1:05:39 PM)
No, no inclination of that. Maybe the OL Brown, although I heard he may wait a while. We'll see.

wwt (Feb 11, 2005 1:05:43 PM)
One last question - is Hartline a QB all the way or could he be in for a position change?

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 1:05:48 PM)
No, QB all the way.

SteveHelwagen (Feb 11, 2005 1:07:07 PM)
I am going to get going. Thanks to everybody for participating. Stay tuned for more great features from Bucknuts.com!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Chris Wells Discusses Early Verbal - Scout PREMIUM

Chris Wells Discusses Early Verbal
By Dave Biddle
Date: Feb 10, 2005

Akron Garfield running back Chris Wells is the No. 1-ranked junior in the state of Ohio and recently became the first verbal commitment of Ohio State's 2006 recruiting class. Bucknuts.com caught up with Wells for his thoughts on becoming a Buckeye.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
The Real McCoy - Scout PREMIUM

The Real McCoy
By Bob Lichtenfels
Date: Feb 11, 2005

Pennsylvania standout running back LeSean McCoy has been hearing the hype since he was in junior high. Now he ready’s himself for his senior season and a chance at a state record. Scout.com caught up with the phenom to talk about Penn State and other topics, including his “Shady” nickname.

jwinslow · Feb 14, 2005

Star RB says OSU tops his list - Rivals PREMIUM

February 14, 2005
Star RB says OSU tops his list
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bill Kurelic
BuckeyeSports.com Recruiting Analyst *
The Buckeyes already have a commitment from one of the country's premier running backs in Chris Wells. But Wells is not the only standout runner who has Ohio State at the top of his list.

Who would this be again?

3yardsandacloud · Feb 14, 2005

http://rivals100.rivals.com/noaccess.asp?SID=880&script=/content.asp&CID=388800

The "Ticker" list this story about RB, James*Aldridge. That would be my non-premium guess BFS.

February 14, 2005
Indiana RB landing early offers
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bill Kurelic
Rivals100.com Recruiting Analyst *
This outstanding junior running back from the state of Indiana has several scholarship offers on the table including two from Big Ten schools. However it is a Big Ten school that has not yet officially offered that sits at the top of his list.

JohnnyCockfight · Feb 14, 2005

Another job well done 3yards.

In this weeks "Bucket full of Bullets" did anyone else find interesting which "Ross" they chose to harp on? Lydell Ross is mentioned about a hundred times, yet newly committed Ross Homan isn't mentioned once. I guess they're pleased enough with the addition of Chris Wells that he gets the entire article to himself, along with a lot of Lydell on the side.

HabaneroBuck · Feb 14, 2005

- Gwaltney makes it sound like we weren't even close. OSU was just played. I have no idea why we have a 74-page thread dedicated to his recruitment (of course, in retrospect). People who continually type in "We Need This Kid" every other day are really detracting from the attention deserved of true Buckeyes. Sure, it is interesting to follow, but we always blow these non-commits way out of proportion...go back through history and think of the threads on Bucknuts about guys like Reggie Brown, Mike Munoz, Antonio Hall, Mark Sanchez, Fred Davis, etc...

- Interesting that Lendale White said the things to Gwaltney that he did. What do coaches say to players when it comes out that they were being "honest" with recruits?

- Buchalter is the epitome of southern-fried homer. That's fine. West Virginia was listed with the top RB class, and Ohio DI Offensive Player of the year Ryan Brinson was not even mentioned.

jnam2727 · Feb 14, 2005

Great job 3 yards! We appreciate your hard work! Thanks!

3yardsandacloud · Feb 15, 2005

Everyone is quite welcome. I'm glad some folks are getting use/info from these posts. I guess that means I have to keep doing it. :biggrin:

On another note: FKA has offered to help out with these Recruiting News posts. So the format or timing of them might change slightly. I'm not really sure yet. We'll figure out the best way for both of us to get the job done and go from there. Of course any suggestions are welcomed.

Just to reiterate my first message (contained in my very first Recruiting News post) about the recruiting news posts ... Please take the information you find in these daily recaps and place it into the appropriate threads for individual recruits. Hubbard (and several others) has been doing an excellent job of this (redistributing the information), but the more help the better. I simply don't have the time to move each story to the appropriate thread. Keep in mind that individual stories might already be posted in the thread for an individual recruit. So check it, and if the story you find in the daily recap ISN'T contained in the specific recruit's thread, move it there.

Finally, I would like to again thank the folks who have grabbed the reigns of the recruiting forum and given it direction. Hubbard, highstreet, grad, mili, FKA ... well all the guys have done a tremendous (and generally thankless) job and should be commended. They are trying to keep this place the absolute best resource on the web for concrete information on Ohio State recruiting prospects. While we don't want to stiffle discussion about recruits, we do want to keep this area focused on solid information. Many of the recruiting mods are even now trying to find a way to balance the needs of information and discussion. Give them your help and suggestions and let's contine to make this a great recruiting forum.

Recruiting News - 02/14/05

3yardsandacloud

Administrator Emeritus

jwinslow

A MAN OF BETRAYED JUSTICE

3yardsandacloud

Administrator Emeritus

JohnnyCockfight

Beer is God's proof that he loves us.

HabaneroBuck

Non-Nike Design

jnam2727

Got newb?

3yardsandacloud

Administrator Emeritus