May 2, 8:45 p.m.
What Next?
Coach Tressel has indicated that Louis Irizarry and Ira Bell Guilford likely will not be with the team in 2004. So, in terms of tight end depth, it appears that Jason Caldwell is in line for a lot more playing time, should he stay healthy. Caldwell is an extremely athletic big man that could finally make a big splash in his 5th season at Ohio State. Two highly touted tight ends, Rory Nicol and Chad Hoobler, will arrive in August. Redgie Arden was playing defense this spring, but could move back to tight end in the fall if needed. Stan White, who played fullback this spring, could get a look at tight end as well, a position he also has played in the past.
Ira Bell-Guilford was likely going to have a tough time finding the three-deep at tailback and may have been on his way back to safety. He was behind before this incident, having sat out all of the spring drills.
So what is going on with this renegade program? That is the question that many are asking. It's probably not fair to call this a "renegade" program because of a few isolated incidents, but many fans thought the number of off-the-field incidents would decline after Jim Tressel was hired in January of 2001. Let's face it, they really haven't and they may even have increased.
Tressel has done a lot of good in many areas. It was reported a few months back that the team GPA has gone from 2.4 to 2.8. Ohio State football players dominated the last Academic All-Big Ten team. But with the "family" thing that Tressel stresses, why does there seem to be so many off-the-field incidents?
Some say that this is the nature of the beast. They say that all big-time programs have to deal with this and things will never change. They say that the internet and increased media coverage today just make it seem like there is more off-the-field incidents now than there ever has been.
There may be some truth to some of this, but it still seems to me like more can be done. The coaches may be preaching to these kids about all the things that can go wrong when you are out past 10:00 p.m., but they obviously are not getting through to these kids.
There were two incidents that I believe to be true that happened last year that stayed out of the news. Had these stories made the news, a few other members of the Ohio State football team would have really looked bad. But even without these stories becoming public news, there were enough stories that did make headlines that made things look pretty bad anyway.
I don't have the answers and it doesn't appear that the Ohio State coaches do either. Recently Branden Joe was cited for open container. Not the worst offense in the world until you take into account that Joe had a DUI in the summer of 2002 and was ticketed for driving without a driver's licence and with no licence plates later that year. Joe was (and maybe still is) a candidate for captain this year. It would sure be nice if we could find captains that could lead by example.
blb
May 2, 7:30 a.m.
Two Buckeyes Arrested
Louis Irizarry and Ira Guilford (who now goes by Ira Bell-Guilford) were arrested early Saturday morning after allegedly beating up an Ohio State student and attempting to steal his wallet. Coach Tressel has suspended both players indefinitely. This is Irizarry's second brush with the law since he arrived at Ohio State last August. Irizarry was on probation for assault last fall. Bell-Guilford sat out spring practice for what insiders say related to academic problems.
blb
April 29, 7:00 a.m.
Cleveland Radio
I have been moved up to 7:30 p.m. EST this evening on "Reality Check" with Ron Glasenapp. In the Cleveland area, you can listen to AM channel 850 (WKNR). On the internet, you can listen live on SportsTalkCleveland's website. We will be recapping spring football and the Buckeyes taken in the NFL draft.
blb
April 26, 7:45 a.m.
Recruiting
For those of you starved for recruiting news, we will be catching up here in the next two weeks.
Spring Recap on SportsTalkCleveland.com
I will be on SportsTalkCleveland internet radio (and WKNR 850 in Cleveland) to do a recap of spring football and to talk about the 14 Buckeyes drafted, likely between 8:00 and 8:30 p.m. April 29th. The show is Reality Check with Ron Glasenapp.
blb
April 25, 5:30 p.m.
14 Buckeyes Selected
It was an incredible draft for Ohio State, with 14 Buckeyes being selected, a record number of players drafted for a school in a 7 round draft. Here is a list of Buckeyes selected, when they went, and who they went to.
Will Smith 1st round (18) New Orleans
Chris Gamble 1st round (28) Carolina
Mike Jenkins 1st round (29) Atlanta
Ben Hartsock 3rd round (68) Indianapolis
Tim Anderson 3rd round (74) Buffalo
BJ Sander 3rd round (87) Green Bay
Darrion Scott 3rd round (88) Minnesota
Alex Stepanovich 4th round (100) Arizona
Will Allen 4th round (111) Tampa Bay
Craig Krenzel 5th round (148) Chicago
Drew Carter 5th round (163) Carolina
Robert Reynolds 5th round (165) Tennessee
Shane Olivea 7th round (209) San Diego
Adrien Clarke 7th round (227) Philadelphia
blb
April 25, 1:45 p.m.
Scarlet Prevails 13-0
Although the deck may have been stacked in his favor, Justin Zwick got the best of Troy Smith in the last QB battle of the spring yesterday. QB's wore black jerseys, which meant they were off limits from contact and were not allowed to run. This obviously hurt Troy Smith who can turn potential sacks into big gains. Zwick finished 16 of 26 with 0 TD's and 0 INT's and led the Scarlet to the only TD of the game. Smith finished 7 of 15 with 0 TD's and 0 INT's.
The player of yesterday's game may have been true freshman tailback Tony Pittman, who ran for 105 yards on 21 carries. Some wondered why OSU offered Pittman a scholarship so early in the game, offering him in March 2003, about 10 1/2 months before signing day. Well, fans have gotten to see why these past two weekends. Pittman looked quite impressive a week ago in the jersey scrimmage in front of about 5,000 fans. Yesterday he impressed another 40,000 to 45,000 fans and may be staking his claim to the #2 TB job as we leave spring.
Others who shined included EJ Underwood, who seemed to have a lock on his receiver on just about every play. Thomas Matthews again looked impressive and continues to draw Cie Grant comparisons as an undersized LB. Matthews finished with 7 tackles and two sacks. Donte Whitner may have done himself some good trying to hold off competitors as a starting safety. Whitner had 11 tackles, easily making him the game leader in that category. Jay Richardson was quite active, spending a lot of time in the Gray backfield and recording two sacks. Tony Gonzalez redeemed himself after having a rough scrimmage the week before, catching 5 balls for 63 yards. John Hollins also had 5 Catches. Marcel Frost made plays for the second Saturday in a row, recording two sacks.
Other notables
--Brandon Maupin, the redshirt freshman DT, probably needs to take off a few pounds if he wants to have any hope of getting in the D-line rotation this year.
--Hard to rate the punters with all the problems they had getting the punts away. This is common when you have walk-on's trying to block scholarship athletes coming for the block.
--A few people asked about #49, who has played tailback the last few weeks. This is not Dionte Johnson, as some sources and rosters have reported. Dionte Johnson is the son of Pepper Johnson, and will arrive in August. He will play fullback. #49 is actually walk-on Matt Johnson. The official roster says Dionte Johnson will wear #49 this fall.
--Roshawn Parker, the walk-on tailback from Columbus who shined in the jersey scrimmage a week ago, got dinged up early and only totaled 3 carriers. This was a key blow to the Gray's running game.
--Lydell Ross and Santonio Holmes were pulled out of the game early. No use risking an injuries on guys that are going to be key to this year's offense and don't necessarily need the reps.
--Mike Kudla may want to keep his eye on Marcel Frost and Jay Richardson, who could both provide major competition to Kudla in the battle for the #1 DE spot opposite Simon Fraser.
blb
Buckeyes Going Like Hotcakes in the NFL Draft
As many expected, Will Smith, Chris Gamble and Michael Jenkins were selected in the first round of yesterday's draft. Will Smith lasted longer than expected, getting selected by New Orleans as the 18th pick. Carolina selected Chris Gamble making him the 28th selection of the first round. Jenkins then went with the next selection to Atlanta.
Later in the afternoon, Ben Hartsock was the 3rd selection of the third round, being selected by Indianapolis. Later in the third, Tim Anderson was selected by Buffalo. BJ Sander and Darrion Scott were also third round selections with Sander going to Green Bay and Scott going to Minnesota.
As of 1:30 EST Sunday afternoon, there have been three more Buckeyes selected, making it 10 Buckeyes selected with two and a half rounds left to go. Alex Stepanovich was selected by Arizona in the fourth round. Safety Will Allen was taken by Tampa Bay, also in the fourth. And QB Craig Krenzel was recently selected by Chicago in the fifth round.
blb
April 22, 8:15 a.m.
Spring Game Rosters
The spring game rosters are now posted. Click here to check them out.
blb
April 22, 12:30 a.m.
Teams Set for Spring Game
Santonio Holmes was the first selection of the Spring Game Draft held yesterday. Bucknuts has a good free summary of the draft linked here.
blb
April 21, 9:00 a.m.
Spring Game Draft Today
Today the Buckeye seniors will draft their teams for Saturday's spring game. As has been customary with Tressel spring games, the seniors will get a chance to pick their own players for Saturday's game that will conclude spring drills. The game is set to start at 1:00 p.m. in Ohio Stadium Saturday. Tickets are $5.50 and are available online at hangonsloopy.com or at 1-800-GOBUCKS. More on the spring game draft tonight.
Will Clarett Get a Chance to Rejoin Buckeyes?
Don't count on it, but there is a slight chance. Many things would have to happen for Clarett to end up in a Buckeye uniform again, including Clarett losing his appeal, a decision by the NCAA to make an exception to their rules, Clarett spending many hours in the classroom to get caught up, and OSU fighting on behalf of the tailback. It appears to be a long shot. The latest from Dispatch on Clarett and his battle against the NFL is linked here.
blb
April 19, 5:30 p.m.
Clarett Out of Draft (for now)
A federal appeals court blocked a lower court ruling today, which will, at least temporary, block Maurice Clarett and Southern Cal receiver Mike Williams from entering this year's NFL draft. ESPN's piece on the situation is linked here.
blb
April 19, 9:00 a.m.
Scrimmage Notes by Position:
The QB's: As mentioned by Doug, the QB's had their ups and downs Saturday. In the early going, Justin Zwick was throwing an ugly ball, something that has plagued him in the past. And he was inaccurate to boot. Troy Smith, on the other hand, was throwing the ball pretty well in the early going and as usual, was making things happen with his feet. As the game went on, Smith continued to scramble for good yardage, but threw the ball erratically. Then, as he did in last year's spring game, Zwick settled
down and started throwing the ball very well. His numbers probably won't do him justice because of some drops by his receivers. Zwick threw a perfect 40 yard (or so) pass to Anthony Gonzalez who had a step on Michael Roberts. Roberts clearly interfered with Gonzalez, but no flag was thrown. Gonzalez could have caught the ball anyway around the goal line, but didn't. Smith threw an extremely nice ball to Santonio Holmes late in the scrimmage for a TD. I think the talk is going to continue to go on about who should be starting, Zwick or Smith, but as I have said before, I think Zwick is the clear leader despite what the coaches may say publicly. He seemed to have a better command of the offense Saturday, but Smith's athletic ability cannot be dismissed. He was a nightmare for pursuing defenders. Smith probably has more upside than Zwick, but those close to the program continue to say that Zwick is more consistent. Todd Boeckman had his ups and downs Saturday, but I think he was pretty impressive for a freshman. It's a long ways away, but I feel that chances are good that Boeckman ends up a two-year starter at OSU. I have to think you redshirt him this year.
The TB's/FB's: Lydell Ross looked like a new man. He picked it up late last year and now seems to have taken it to an even higher level. Ross looks noticeably trimmer (probably 215-220 lbs instead of 225+). That 80-yard run to start the scrimmage saw him keep some pretty fast defenders from catching him. On other runs, he ran hard and shedded tacklers. Keep your fingers crossed that he stays healthy. All of the rest of the scholarship backs along with Roshawn Parker looked good running the ball as
well. Parker is a pretty good walk-on. He was recovering from an injury last year, and looks much improved this year. If they want to redshirt the freshman backs, Parker could be able to help out in a pinch. Hall and Guilford did not play. Tony Pittman looked very good as well. Some people questioned the OSU coaches for offering this kid so early in the process last year, but as usual, the coaches seem to know what they are doing. Pittman looked quick, fast and seemed to make the right decisions finding
running room. Coach Tressel's quote, "I think he's shown that he can help us this year" may have been telling. Branden Joe showed that he should be able to carry the ball 5+ times a game (maybe even more) if the coaches
want him to. Brandon Schnittker still looked like he has a ways to go at FB. Stan White was also playing FB.
The WR's/TE's: Not a good day for this group. Way too many dropped passes, but that's why you practice 15 times in the spring and 29 times in August. Bam Childress lived up to his billing as the best practice performer possibly ever to play at OSU. His one handed catch was a thing of beauty and he showed off his quicks and long jump when he caught a pass in the flat, then raced and dove the last three yards stretching the ball over the goal line. Not sure he is going to be a go-to guy this year, but Childress should finally make some things happen this year. Roy Hall dropped at least one past and didn't do much. Santonio Holmes was held in check for most of the day but did catch the one TD from Troy Smith. Devon Jordan dropped multiple passes. Anthony Gonzalez also dropped multiple passes. Dareus Hiley did not play and there is some talk that he is not playing this spring. Grades? Possibly. John Hollins was quiet. Ryan Hamby caught at least one ball. Irizarry was wide open in the middle of
the field on what looked like broken coverage, but Zwick overthrew him. That play would have gone for a long TD. Jason Caldwell caught a handful of passes and may finally be ready to contribute this year.
The O-line: When the one's went head-to-head with the one's on the other side of the ball, the O-line seemed to do a pretty good job run blocking. In terms of pass blocking, the QB's did not have a lot of time. The one's (left to right) to start the game were: Rob Sims, Doug Datish, Nick
Mangold, Mike Kne and Tim Schafer. Kirk Barton may have gotten times with the one's at LT and TJ Downing definitely got reps with the one's at LT. Barton left the game with an ankle injury and as mentioned Saturday, was on crutches heading to the bus after the game. The line seemed to be very fit. Steve Rehring is a big boy, but no other lineman looks too much overweight, which has been the story in the past. Rehring was getting beaten a bit by #65 late in the scrimmage. The official roster lists Chris
Schlichter (thought to be a relative of Art) as #65. Schafer seemed to hold his own against his former teammate Simon Fraser, but Fraser did beat Schafer and drill the QB on one play. Schafer looks a lot bigger as suggested by his increase from 250 to 290 lbs on the roster. Adam Olds did not play and some say that he will not be returning. RJ Coleman saw action off the bench as did Andre Tyree who looks like he may have dropped a couple pounds.
The D-line: Fraser and Mike Kudla played with the original first team, with Quinn Pitcock and Sian Cotton at tackle. Fraser had his moments. Kudla was somewhat quiet. Pitcock and Cotton looked pretty good. By all accounts, Cotton is really coming on. The #2 DE's Jay Richardson and Marcel Frost both looked good. Richardson was playing with the one's late in the scrimmage. Brandon Maupin made some plays at tackle. David Patterson, Joel Penton, Marcus Green and Redgie Arden did not play (unless Arden is wearing a new number). Reggie Smith saw action at DE.
The LB's: The finest two-deep unit in the nation, in my opinion. Fans are going to love MLB Anthony Schlegel who is take-charge leader on the field. He was very active and John Kerr at MLB had his moments with the two's. AJ
Hawk played a bit, but was limited while he recovers from an injury. Bobby Carpenter did nothing to disappoint. The most active LB may have been Thomas Matthews who was in on several plays. He is stuck behind Hawk on the depth chart, but Matthews looks like he has made big strides. Mike D'Andrea did not play. I may not have relayed the best info to Doug (who posted the update on this site Saturday) in terms of Marcus Freeman. I thought he looked lost on a couple plays, but others thought Freeman looked pretty good. He did have at least one nice hit. Curt Lukens also saw time at LB.
The DB's: Ashton Youboty and EJ Underwood looked great. If Underwood wins a starting job, which seems likely, it is going to be hard to keep Youboty off the field. I have always been a big Dustin Fox fan and have told
people that they can forget about Fox moving back to safety. Well, he still probably stays at corner, but maybe Fox could move back there now with Youboty and Underwood looking so good. Fox did not play yesterday.
Harlen Jacobs looked solid yesterday as well. Michael Roberts played with the two's, opposite Jacobs. Nate Salley, as expected looked good. The other safety playing with the ones was Donte Whitner, who had a huge hit on
Ryan Hamby. Brandon Mitchell played with the two's. Tyler Everett did not play.
Kicking/Punting: As usual, Mike Nugent was drilling the ball through the uprights. What a great kicker he is. Josh Huston had a punt that looked to be 35 to 40 yards and AJ Trapasso hit one that had great hang time. There was not much kicking Saturday.
Another Scrimmage, "The Spring Game", will be held next Saturday. That will be the last look at the team we get until August.
blb
April 17, 7:30 p.m.
Jersey Scrimmage Highlights
The jersey scrimmage was played today in the Shoe. Officially, the offense won easily, but by all appearances, both the offense and the defense looked about even. Of note from the scrimmage:
Three quarterbacks entered, three walked away. Justin Zwick had a rough start on the day, but appeared to settle down and take command of the offense as the game progressed. It seemed to take a while for Zwick to find his rhythm, but once he did, he really shined. Not surprisingly, Troy Smith awed people with his feet, but graded out average at best with his throwing today. However, on a drive late in the scrimmage, Smith threw a perfect touchdown pass to Santonio Holmes that was a thing of beauty. Todd Boeckman made good decisions and ran the offense efficiently, as a Tressel quarterback should. All things being considered, all of the quarterbacks should come out of the scrimmage in essentially the same position they went in.
Lydell Ross was simply impressive today. He not only started the game with a bang, but showed explosiveness to the hole, and looked 100 percent improved over last season. Playing with the second team was Roshawn Parker, who also had a very good day showing a good cutting ability on a few nice runs. Guilford did not appear to play today. Brandon Joe also ran the ball on a few occasions and was his usual efficient self.
The offensive line looked trim and quick today. One item to note is that Kirk Barton appeared to sustain an injury that had him on crutches on the way to the team bus after the scrimmage.
Defensively, the hit of the day was supplied by Anthony Schlegel who absolutely destroyed a backup running back behind the line of scrimmage. Marcel Frost also appeared to be making his presence known and felt from the defensive end spot.
A few new Buckeyes that appeared to struggle a bit today were Marcus Freeman and Steve Rehring.
We hope to have some more details later.
jdm/rb
April 17, 2:00 p.m.
A good sign (for the offense)
On the first play of the jersey scrimmage today, tailback Lydell Ross went up the middle through a gaping hole and ran 80 yards untouched for a touchdown. The run by Ross and the hole provided by the line is great to see considering the state of the running game last year. The other edge of the sword, however, where was the strength of our D?
We will have a recap of the entire scrimmage later today.
jdm/rb
April 14, 8:00 a.m.
Spring Tidbits/Random Thoughts
--By all accounts, Todd Boeckman is making the most out of his first spring (practice) at Ohio State. Boeckman has gotten some additional reps with Troy Smith missing some time with a bad case of the flu. Practice observers have been quite impressed with big freshman from St. Henry, OH. It still seems likely that he will redshirt this season, but Boeckman could be the second team QB this year if the coaches need him to be.
--The next big name on the defensive line? It may be Quinn Pitcock. Pitcock is extremely athletic for a man his size and could make a big splash this season. He got a lot of quality playing time last year and will get much more this year. I look for David Patterson to eventually settle in at the other tackle spot with Marcus Green staying in the rotation. I remember mentioning this last year; Patterson and Pitcock may be one of the better DT tandems we've seen at Ohio State before they leave here. Patterson has been nursing an injury this spring but should be full-go in August.
--There has been talk about moving Mike D'Andrea and possibly Bobby Carpenter to defensive end, but this talk may be coming more from the Buckeye fans as opposed to the Buckeye coaches. Look for D'Andrea and Carpenter to stay at linebacker, but for both to line up as rush ends on occasion. D'Andrea is coming along well after suffering a shoulder injury last November. Come August, he'll be full go and should be a valuable second teamer that gets a lot of playing time. D'Andrea will likely line up in many positions. Carpenter seems poised for stardom this season, mainly playing his customary strong side linebacking position.
--EJ Underwood and Ashton Youboty are both receiving a lot of praise this spring. Underwood looks to have the edge but Youboty should get a decent amount of playing time if he can't beat out Underwood. EJ missed valuable time last year after suffering an off-the-field injury, but now looks like he is developing into a big-time corner. With Underwood and Youboty at one corner spot and Dustin Fox at the other, it may be hard for highly touted incoming freshman Ted Ginn to challenge for a lot of playing time at corner this fall.
More tomorrow morning or later this week.
blb
April 13, 8:30 a.m.
Peterson Hired to Replace Conley
Former Ohio State offensive lineman John Peterson has been hired as the new Tight Ends Coach and Recruiting Coordinator replacing Bill Conley, who announced that he will be leaving at the end of spring practice. Peterson did an outstanding job coaching the offensive line at Miami (OH) the last five years. Don't be surprised if he ends up coaching the OSU offensive line in the future. More on the coaching change later.
Special Teams Scrimmage Thursday
The special teams scrimmage will be held Thursday at 3:15 p.m. in the 'Shoe and will be open to the public. It should be interesting to see how Josh Huston and AJ Trapasso fare, with each battling to become OSU's #1 punter this year.
Marcel Frost Making Strides
There hasn't been much news from spring practice, but a few insiders have said that defensive end Marcel Frost has looked very impressive. Ohio State needs someone to step up to fill the shoes of departed DE Will Smith, although that may be impossible. But Frost appears to be coming along nicely and could make a splash as a redshirt freshman this year.
More Updates
I will not be able to make it to the special teams scrimmage on Thursday, but I will be attending the jersey scrimmage on Saturday (1:45 p.m. in the 'Shoe). I will have more on spring ball tonight (or tomorrow morning) and will have a full report on the jersey scrimmage late Saturday afternoon.
blb
April 12, 6:00 a.m.
Update
My home PC crashed on me and we are in the process of getting it fixed. We will have a spring football update posted tonight or early tomorrow morning.
blb
April 6, 7:30 a.m.
Buckeyes Receive Verbal Commitment
Bucknuts is reporting that Lancaster offensive lineman Jim Cordle has verbally committed to Ohio State to become a part of the 2005 recruiting class. Cordle is 6-5, 285 and will be a top 10 prospect in the state in the next Ohio High magazine according to the article linked here. Cordle had recently been offered a scholarship by the Ohio State staff.
blb
April 5, 8:00 a.m.
Practices
The Buckeyes practiced in pads for the first time on Saturday. Problem is, the practice was closed to the media (and fans of course). Since the national championship, Coach Tressel has changed his once liberal stance on letting outsiders into practice. Also, there was talk that Tressel was not happy about some detailed information on Ohio State's sets/formations hitting the public message boards a while back. We'll post information as it becomes available.
blb
April 2, 10:45 a.m.
Miscellaneous
There is A LOT of uncertainty this year. Some people will perceive this as being pessimistic, but I don’t think I am. It’s just really tough to make a prediction right now as to what this team is going to do this year. 10-1 wouldn’t surprise me. 8-3 wouldn’t surprise me. 7-4 would surprise me a little but wouldn’t complete shock me. I count 18 guys leaving that were key members of last year’s team with 14 having a decent chance of getting drafted. The defensive coordinator (possibly the best in the nation), running backs coach and tight end coach have also moved on. This program will continue to be extremely successful under Coach Tressel, but this year will be a real test. My gut said we probably wouldn’t beat Miami to win the title. We did. My gut said we probably wouldn’t beat Kansas State this past January. We did. Maybe my concerns are good for this team.
One source reported yesterday that Justin Zwick still seemed to be throwing off his back foot, a habit that Coach Tressel has tried to break. I’ve been very high on Zwick based on different reports/comments from those in the know and I’m not ready to backtrack. I think the Tressel and Joe Daniels will get Zwick squared away and I think Zwick will have a good season as a first-year starter.
I really like the idea of splitting the carries between Branden Joe and Lydell Ross, which might be on the coaches minds. They both offer something different and I’m not sure you want either injury prone back carrying the ball 25 times a game. I had given up on Joe as a runner, but late last season Joe showed that he can play tailback. He is much lighter and could be a weapon this year.
You may have read that Tony Pittman missed some practice yesterday because he took the wrong bus. Freshman or no freshman; I’m sure the coaches weren’t very happy.
I had a couple people going for a while on April Fool’s Day
yesterday, telling them Santonio Holmes had torn his ACL. Not a kind joke if you are a die-hard fan.
Joel Penton was with the 1’s the first time they took the field yesterday in place of Marcus Green who is out of contact drills for a bit. It may not be this year, but with Penton’s work ethic and versatility, I think he will make a name for himself before he leaves Ohio State.
Back to Conley. I think at a school like Ohio State, you will always be able to find top notch assistants. But like I said when Dantonio left, this is someone who is probably top 5 nationally at what he does. It’s going to be a challenge to get someone this good. But if Conley truly is
burned out, this is obviously a good move. Being a recruiting coordinator at a school like Ohio State has to be one of the toughest jobs in all of sports. It’s 365 days a year, lots of travel, often 16+ hour days, daily letter writing, calling 50+ people a day, coordinating the strategy for the
other assistant coaches and constantly evaluating. Conley has done it for years and he was a big part of Ohio State’s national championship. Good luck to Coach Conley.
blb
April 2, 8:00 a.m.
Conley Resigns
Recruiting Coordinator Bill Conley announced yesterday that he will be leaving Ohio State at the end of Spring Practice. Needless to say, this comes as a surprise to many. We will try to have the daily links updated and more info on practice and the Conley story later this morning. Here is the Dispatch link to the Conley story.
blb
April 1, 7:15 a.m.
March 31, 7:30 a.m.
Links
The daily links page has been updated. When info is available this spring, we will do our best to update the links to OSU bits/stories in the news.
blb
March 30, 7:30 p.m.
More Misc. Notes on Spring Football
--RJ Coleman is listed as the third team right guard, while Dareus Hiley is not listed as three-deep at any position. Coleman was a very highly touted TE coming in here in 2002, but now seems to be somewhat buried on the depth chart on the O-line. Hiley was considered the top overall prospect in Ohio during his freshman and sophomore years. Some think that he is a great athlete that just doesn't have a true position.
--The word is that Justin Zwick wants to break the QB bench press record while at OSU. He is now listed at 225, pounds up from 210 last year.
--Tim Schafer was listed at 250 lbs last year. Slight different listing this year - 290 lbs!
--Jim Tressel said today that E.J. Underwood was "probably as talented a young man as any we've had since I've been here". High praise from Coach T. Maybe EJ Underwood is ready to take the bull by the horns this year.
--Just noticed that Bucknuts' story on today's news is a free link.
--Coach Tressel calls the QB battle close, but again, from everything I hear, Zwick is clearly the man unless he falters before fall. And again, Troy Smith should see action in the "Slash" role.
--The spring game has been moved to 1:00 and will be an experimental instant replay game.
--Unfortunately there are only two practices open to the public - the April 15th kick scrimmage and the April 17th jersey scrimmage. Well, it's actually three if you count the spring game.
--Interesting note from Bucknuts: Branden Joe says he may split his time between FB and TB this spring.
blb
March 30, 7:15 p.m.
Spring Football Update:
--The O-Zone front page has a nice free update on Coach Tressel's comments from today. Their update includes a list of injured players heading into spring, comments on the two-deep and other news. The O-Zone also has photo's from today's pre-Spring news conference.
--The most interesting positions on the depth chart? Well, no one really knew much about the new O-line starters, but for now it's Doug Datish at left guard, Mike Kne at right guard and Tim Schafer at right tackle. Mike Kudla is listed as a first team DE. Anthony Schlegel is listed as the first team MLB. And E.J. Underwood is listed opposite Dustin Fox as a first team cornerback. Redgie Arden is now listed as a second team DE. The depth chart on this site will be updated tonight.
--New numbers? Here they are for those who changed numbers and the newcomers (some of which are not arriving until August):
--Nader Abdallah #93
--Alex Barrow #78
--Todd Boeckman #17
--Albert Dukes #9
--Marcus Freeman #17
--Vernon Gohlston #50
--Ted Ginn #7
--Roy Hall #8 (previously #82)
--Erik Haw #2
--Chad Hoobler #46
--Louis Irizarry #88 (previously #81)
--Dionte' Johnson #49
--Devin Jordan #82 (previously #29)
--Dennis Kennedy #23
--John Kerr #33 (previously #96)
--Shaun Lane #29
--Devon Lyons #18
--Thomas Matthews #1 (previously #41)
--Kyle Mitchum #67
--Rory Nicol #86
--Nick Patterson #35
--Pen Person #63
--Tony Pittman #25
--Steve Rehring #71
--Jon Skinner #79
--Brandon Smith #54
--Curtis Terry #44
--A.J. Trapasso #15
--Brandon Underwood #19
--Sirjo Welch #30
--Justin Zwick #12 (previously #2 and #9 before that)
(more on the way)
blb
March 30, 6:45 p.m.
OSU Spring Media Guide Released
Ohio State released their Spring Media Guide today that has the preliminary two-deep, the roster and lots of other interesting stuff. Also Coach Tressel, the new coaches and several seniors spoke to the media today. More a little later tonight. Here is the link to the OSU Spring Media Guide.
blb
March 29, 7:45 a.m.
Quick Hitters
--The Canton Repository reported yesterday that redshirt offensive lineman Kirk Barton will miss spring drills recovering from shoulder injury.
--Will Smith is currently 9th on Mel Kiper's NFL draft big board, with Chris Gamble coming in at #21 and Michael Jenkins #22.
--The Ohio State Nike Camp will be held April 17th and will be open to the public.
--Saturday April 3rd is the first practice that the Buckeyes will be in full pads. No word yet whether or not certain practices will be open to the public.
--Newcomers A.J. Trapasso and Antonio Pittman were said to be starting classes at Ohio State today. They will of course be practicing with the team starting Thursday.
blb
March 28, 11:15 p.m.
Spring Preview
The complete spring preview is now live. Spring practice begins Thursday, April 1st. We will have more on the start of spring drills this week. We are little behind on 2005 recruiting and will likely catch up after the spring game, set for April 24th, at 1:30 in Ohio Stadium.
More Buckeye Prints
Four new prints have been added to the framing page, including the new "Buckeye Traditions" print that you see on the right. That one, as you can see, is quite impressive. It is a signed and numbered Limited Edition Print that comes with a legend sheet to identify all images in the artwork. As with all the other prints that are available, it comes double matted, protected with clear glass and has a durable black metal frame.
blb
March 28, 12:15 p.m.
Spring Preview
The linebacker preview is now live. Again, the rest of the preview will be online by the end of the day.
blb
March 28, 10:15 a.m.
Spring Preview
blb
March 24, 9:30 p.m.
Spring Preview
The Buckeye 50 Yard Line spring preview continues with a look at the revamped offensive line heading into spring practice.
blb
March 22, 10:30 p.m.
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
The Buckeye 50 Yard Line 2004 Spring Football Preview continues with a look at the Wide Receivers and Tight Ends. I have also added Ira Guilford to the Running Back notes, who I unfortunately neglected the first time around.
blb
March 19, 9:45 p.m.
Preview of the OSU Backfield - Spring 2004
Since there is a certain ex-Marysville soccer coach that needs to get his fill of Buckeye football news, I'll post the first piece of the 2004 Spring Preview tonight, which looks at the QB's, TB's and FB's. More on the way this week.
blb
March 18, 7:45 a.m.
It's Official - Dick Tressel is New Running Backs Coach
There had been talk for weeks that Dick Tressel would be named as the new running backs coach at Ohio State, and now it is official. The elder Tressel has extensive coaching experience, spending 23 years as the head coach of Hamline University (St. Paul, MN), a position that earned him D-III National Coach of the Year in 1984.
Two Weeks
Spring practice will officially get underway two weeks from today at the WHAC. The Buckeye 50 Yard Line Spring Preview will post by the end of next week.
blb
March 8, 7:30 a.m.
Random Thoughts - Concern Spots and No-concern Spots for 2004
--There is a lot of untapped potential on the defensive line, but it sounds like many people are more optimistic than I am about the D-line next year. Yes, I think Simon Fraser is going to take his game to a higher level. Yes, I think Quinn Pitcock is eventually going to be a good one. And yes, I think David Patterson will be a pretty good DT and DE. But you just don't replace Tim Anderson, Darrion Scott and Will Smith with three new starters and pickup where you left off. The play of the of the D-line will surely be key for the 2004 team.
--As for the rest of the defense, I don't think there is a whole lot to worry about. I can't remember having this kind of two-deep at the LB and DB positions. At LB, you will probably see something like: Hawk, Schlegel and Carpenter spelled by Marcus Freeman, John Kerr and D'Andrea respectively. That is flat-out scary. In the defensive backfield, right now I'm guessing Fox and Youboty are your corners with Salley and Whitner at the safety spots. Now, back these guys up with EJ Underwood,Ted Ginn, Tyler Everett and Brandon Mitchell. Once again, that is some scary depth.
--This may be the most overall talent OSU has had to replace since the 1998 seniors (along with Katzenmoyer and Boston) left. I've mentioned the D-linemen, but of course there are a couple of stars in Will Allen and Chris Gamble to replace on defense. On offense, you lose four of your top six offensive linemen. You lose your all-time leading receiver in Michael Jenkins. You lose the best TE the Buckeyes have had in years and one of the best blockers on the team in Ben Hartsock. Then you lose a QB that went 26-3 as a starter with a National Championship to boot. And top that off with losing the Ray Guy award winner in BJ Sander.
--Guys poised for stardom? On defense, Bobby Carpenter is the first one that comes to my mind. This kid is ready to explode. I think Nate Salley will be one of the best safeties in the league and his counterpart, Donte Whitner, I believe will make a big splash this year. On offense, I think it almost goes without saying that Santonio Holmes, providing he stays healthy, will be a superstar. And a player I think will set off some fireworks pretty quickly on special teams and/or defense and/or offense is Ted Ginn.
--The tailback is obviously a concern spot, because health has been a serious issue with those returning. But if the guys do stay healthy, I like Lydell Ross to finally reach his potential and think Brandon Joe has finally come of age as a FB and a TB. And I really hope I'm right, because I am not ready to count on true freshman at tailback.
--Quarterback? If the revamped O-line can do an adequate job of protecting him, I think Justin Zwick settles in nicely as the new QB. And I think Troy Smith will be a weapon to deal with playing in certain short yardage situations. I think the bigger question was the "if" part of the first sentence. Can this line protect the QB's? We shall see.
blb
March 2, 7:45 a.m.
Spring Workouts
Spring workouts got underway yesterday at the WHAC, signaling the "unofficial" start to spring football, as one player said. I've linked a few pieces on the daily links page. Can't guarantee that there will be links posted every day, but we will see what we can do. When the actual pads go on, we will updating the links pretty much every day as long as there is news to report. The O-Zone has some great photos of the workouts, so you definitely want to check those out.
blb
March 1, 6:15 a.m.
Spring Football
Apologies for the lack of updates lately. With spring ball starting in three to four weeks, we will start to get back into the swing of things shortly.
Many have asked questions about the O-line, and wondering what the two-deep is going to look like this spring. I don't think we will know until the official Ohio State website puts out their spring preview later this month that likely list the first two-deep. The word is that the coaches will try to get the best five linemen on the field, regardless of position. That means several players could play guard or tackle. I've taken a guess at the two-deep linked here, but to be honest, it's pretty much a crap shoot right now.
More by mid-week.
blb
February 23, 3:45 p.m.
Starting QB - Likely Zwick's Job to Lose
One of the most popular topics recently seems to be the QB battle for '04. It is my opinion that the job is Justin Zwick's to lose and I believe Zwick will seize control this spring and will never look back. Despite what the coaches may say publicly, I think they know that Zwick is the man.
Now, this is not to slight Troy Smith, who I feel is going to to see time this fall, lining up at a variety of spots, including quarterback. Smith has a stronger arm than Zwick and surely has more athleticism; he has the potential to be outstanding in the "slash" role made popular by Kordell Stewart.
Anyway, it should be fun following the progress of these two this spring. Todd Boeckman will also be participating in spring drills, wearing #17. This will officially be Boeckman's first year ('04), which he could use as a redshirt.
When Will the Next Great Tackle Surface?
It's pretty crazy, but the starting tackles on this team 10 years ago were Orlando Pace and Kory Stringer. Not too shabby. But since Pace left after the 1996 season, Ohio State has not found a dominating tackle on the left or the right size. The better OSU linemen during the past seven seasons have played inside for the most part.
So, is there potential to find one on this year's squad? Maybe, maybe not. Some thought Rob Sims could be the man after he worked his way into the starting lineup as a true freshman, but Sims didn't come along last year as far as many had hoped. Still, Sims did make progress and could challenge for All-Big Ten honors before he leaves Ohio State. All-American honors? That may be pushing it a bit, but you never know.
Another name that people keep mentioning as an up-and-comer is Kirk Barton, who redshirted last season. It's probably way too soon to start talking about Barton being the next great OSU tackle; I mean, he has yet to play a down at Ohio State. But Barton has a great frame and can move for a bigger guy. Barton appears to be the favorite to replace Shane Olivea at right tackle.
Who's in the Middle?
Freddie Pagac has moved on, creating an opening for a new MLB in 2004. The candidates to replace him? It is a list at least three players deep, including newcomers Anthony Schlegel and John Kerr, who sat out the 2003 season after transferring. And let's not forget Mike D'Andrea, the All-World prospect from the 2002 class.
The early word has Anthony Schlegel as the front-runner for the starting job. Mike D'Andrea is still recovering from a shoulder injury that finished his 2003 season prematurely. D'Andrea may not be able to do much this spring, which could really hurt his chances to claim the MLB job. There has been talk that D'Andrea could move to DE, but the OSU coaches continue to deny that rumor.
If D'Andrea is on the shelf this spring, John Kerr likely will be the toughest competition for Schlegel. After all, Kerr started as a true freshman for Indiana, finishing 5th in the league in total tackles. Highly touted incoming LB Marcus Freeman could also get a look at the Mike position this spring, but it's more likely that Freeman plays on the outside.
blb
February 18, 8:15 a.m.
Williams to West Virginia
The news is almost 24 hours old now, but if you missed it, 2003 Mr. Football Ray Williams has committed to West Virginia. The popular opinion this month was that Williams would enroll in a prep school and then commit to Ohio State to be part of 2005. Obviously that was not the case.
blb
February 17, 7:45 a.m.
Scholarships and Recruiting
Ohio State has two to four verbal commitments for 2005, depending on how you look at it. Alex Boone and Jamario O'Neal are said to be solid verbal commitments for the '05 class. Tallahassee QB Joe Bauserman said that he would sign with Ohio State in 2005, but wants to see where he will be drafted in the upcoming Major League Baseball draft. Many think that Bauserman will be drafted in the first or second round and will likely choose to give up football. Kicker Aaron Pettrey will grayshirt this year and enroll in January 2005 to replace Mike Nugent and Josh Huston who will both be seniors this year.
Not counting any of the above players, it appears that OSU currently has 16 scholarships to give in '05. There are 14 seniors this year and OSU appeared to be two below the 85 limit after signing day. That number of course could get bigger if players leave the program. On the other hand, there is also talk, that OSU could add another player to the 2004 class.
Ray Williams, 2003 Ohio Mr. Football, has a good chance of being part of the 2005 class if he gets his academics in order. Williams was thought to be headed to a prep school after not signing with anyone earlier this month.
The 2005 recruiting war between OSU and Michigan is well underway with Michigan landing one of the best RB prospects in the nation already and another blue-chip WR Mario Manningham from Warren, OH. Ohio State, with verbals from Boone and O'Neal, also have two blue-chip prospects already in the fold. Both schools also seem to be in on many top notch out of state prospects.
blb
February 16, 7:40 p.m.
Clarett Hires Agent
Reports are surfacing that Maurice Clarett has hired an agent, which would make him ineligible under NCAA rules. The final chapter of Clarett's college career now appears to have been written, and there is no turning back for him now. It is sad thinking about what could have been. Unfortunately, we will never know. Good luck Maurice.
jdm/rb
February 15, 8:15 p.m.
2005 Recruiting
It is very rough right now, but the 2005 recruiting page has been started with a look at (potentially) the top 15 Ohio prospects and a few out of state blue chippers OSU is after.
blb
February 13, 3:30 p.m.
OSU Hires New Receivers Coach
Coach Tressel has found and hired a receivers coach, who fills one of the two vacant offensive coaching positions. Darrell Hazell has been hired from Rutgers, where he has coached since 2001, most recently as assistant head coach and receivers coach. Although a New Jersey native, Hazell does have some Ohio ties. He is a 1986 graduate of Muskingum College where he was a three-year All-Conference selection and an All-American in 1985. Hazell also spent some time coaching at Oberlin College. He is described as a very good recruiter, and should improve our recruiting positions in New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, and New England states.
jdm/rb
February 11, 2:30 p.m.
Goodbye Mr. Clarett
It appears that the Maurice Clarett saga is finally over, and Maurice will not be coming back to the Buckeyes. U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin has refused to suspend her earlier ruling finding the rule prohibiting players who haven't been out of high school for three years from entering the NFL draft violates antitrust laws. The NFL had asked for a stay arguing the league would suffer irreparable harm. It is unlikely that a decision on an appeal would be reached before the draft. Thus, immediately following the decision, Clarett's attorney announced Maurice's intention of entering the draft.
jdm/rb
February 9, 7:45 a.m.
On to '04 and '05
In the next two weeks we should have a 2005 recruiting page up. We'll also take a look at....yeah, 'As the Maurice Clarett World Turns' as well as an early look at the 2004 team. We will also still be talking a bit about the 2004 incoming class.
blb
February 5, 9:45 p.m.
Recruiting Wrap-up
I just don't have the energy to talk about Maurice Clarett anymore tonight...maybe this weekend. Click here to go to the recruiting wrap-up page.
blb
February 5, 6:45 p.m.
Clarett Decision on Hold
Maurice Clarett's attorney stated moments ago that Clarett will make no announcement at this time as to whether or not he will enter the NFL draft. A public announcement stating he would be entering the NFL could potentially end Clarett's NCAA career. Clarett's attorney said that Maurice did not want to make a decision right now that could jeopardize his chance to return to play college football.
blb
February 5, 6:15 p.m.
Clarett Press Conference at 6:30 p.m. EST
Ohio State fans may have seen the last of Maurice Clarett in an Ohio State uniform. That may disappoint some fans and make others happy. Regardless, we may know Clarett's intentions in about 15 minutes as Maurice Clarett has scheduled a press conference for 6:30 EST.
blb
February 5, 1:30 p.m.
Clarett Wins Case Against NFL
Maurice Clarett has won his case against the NFL challenging the rule preventing players who have not been out of high school for 3 years from entering the NFL draft. Clarett is reportedly on his way to New York for a press conference which should occur late Thursday. The NFL has said they will appeal. As usual, stay tuned!!
jdm/rb
February 5, 7:45 a.m.
Recruiting Class
Correction on the signees from yesterday. Antonio Pittman and AJ Trapasso actually did not sign, but will sign when they enroll in school in March. Todd Boeckman actually signed his LOI yesterday and is technically a part of this class. That makes 23 who signed yesterday, but the end result is the same once Pittman and Trapasso sign in March. Also, it is possible that more could be added between now and August.
blb
February 4, 5:00 p.m.
Infamous ESPN Piece Finally Surfaces
Rumors of an ESPN article involving Ohio State, and Maurice Clarett specifically, started back in early December. There was talk of the story "telling all" and exposing wrongdoing at Ohio State on several fronts. Today, that article was released with Clarett and his "father figure" Bobby Dellimuti being the sole focus of the piece. From what was being rumored at the time, this actual piece is pretty mild, containing few facts of wrongdoing by Clarett or Ohio State. Nonetheless, the piece brings about more questions about Clarett's character and will no doubt bring more finger-pointing. The piece is linked here. Comments later.
blb
February 4, 1:45 p.m.
Anderson to Miami
Wisconsin DE Rhyan Anderson will play his college ball at the University of Miami.
More later.
blb
February 4, 1:15 p.m.
Dukes makes 24 out of 24
Albert Dukes has signed his letter of intent meaning all of Ohio State's verbal commitments signed today. Joe Bauserman was not expected to sign with Ohio State today. The Florida quarterback likely will see where he is drafted in the major league baseball draft before he makes a decision on what sport to pursue. It is possible that Bauserman could sign with Ohio State for the 2005 class.
blb
February 4, 12:30 p.m.
Clarification - Anderson
Ryan Anderson is said to be faxing his letter to his school of choice at noon CST today. His choice appears to be between Oklahoma, Miami and OSU. Word on the street is that either Oklahoma or Miami will be the winner here, but it's not official yet. This is likely OSU's last chance at sneaking one more in this class. (As far as we know, Dukes should be the 24th signee, but no word yet that OSU has received his LOI).
blb
February 4, noon
Michigan Product Vernon Gholston Signs
Vernon Gholston has signed leaving just Albert Dukes as the sole unsigned OSU verbal commitment. Hopefully an announcement on Dukes signing (with OSU) comes soon.
blb
February 4, 11:30 a.m.
Skinner, Dionte Johnson and Hoobler Sign
That brings the OSU total number of signed players to 22. Still waiting on Vernon Gohlston and Albert Dukes.
blb
February 4, 11:00 a.m.
Pittman in the House
Akron tailback Tony Pittman makes it 19 signed commitments for Ohio State. Still waiting on Albert Dukes, Chad Hoobler, Vernon Gohlston, Dionte Johnson, Jon Skinner and hopefully a surprise, but these five players along with the 19 who have signed make up the 24 prospects who verbally committed to OSU before today.
blb.
February 4, 11:00 a.m.
Estopinan to Florida
Florida DE/LB Javier Estopinan has chose Florida over Ohio State.
blb
February 4, 10:45 a.m.
James Bryant to Miami
Erie, PA blue-chip LB James Bryant has chose Miami over Ohio State and Pittsburgh.
blb
February 4, 10:45 a.m.
Add AJ Trapasso to the List
Trapasso gives OSU 18 official commitments.
blb
February 4, 10:45 a.m.
Who's Left?
Still expected to sign with Ohio State today are the remaining prospects: Albert Dukes, Vernon Gohlston, Chad Hoobler, Dionte Johnson, Tony Pittman, Jon Skinner and potentially AJ Trapasso. That would give Ohio State 24 signed commitments.
blb
February 4, 10:30 a.m.
Underwood and Kennedy Aboard
Brandon Underwood and Dennis Kennedy have now signed with Ohio State bringing the signed commitment total to 17.
blb
February 4, 10:15 a.m.
Rehring Signs with Ohio State
Signing brings OSU commitment number up to 15.
blb
February 4, 10:00 a.m.
Ginn, Haw, Lyons, Freeman, Terry in the House
Total number of signees now at 14.
blb
February 4, 9:45 a.m.
Shaun Lane Now Signed
The total number of signees now totals nine. Stay tuned.
blb
February 4, 9:00 a.m.
Abdallah, Welch and Patterson Now In
This brings the total of signees up to 8 for Ohio State.
blb
February 4, 8:45 a.m.
Five Now Signed
Ben Person, Kyle Mitchum, Alex Barrow, Rory Nicol and Brandon Smith have signed with Ohio State today. Most verbal commitments are expected to sign this morning. One verbal commitment who may not sign today is Pickerington's AJ Trapasso, but Trapasso is still expected to sign and enroll for spring quarter in order to play spring ball.
blb
February 4, 8:30 a.m.
More Signees
Rory Nicol becomes the fourth to sign with OSU today.
blb
February 4, 8:15 a.m.
Latest Signee
Alex Barrow, is the latest to sign with the Buckeyes today bringing the total signees number up to three.
blb
February 4, 7:45 a.m.
Ben Person Signs on Dotted Line
Again, many more expected to sign this morning.
blb
February 4, 7:30 a.m.
Kyle Mitchum First to Sign with OSU
Many more expected to sign within the hour.
blb
February 4, 6:45 a.m.
Jarrett to USC
New Jersey blue chip WR prospect Dwayne Jarrett has committed to Southern California. It had earlier been reported by ESPN's Tom Lemming that Dwayne Jarrett had given a verbal commitment to Ohio State a few days ago. That may or may not have been the case, but Jarrett announced yesterday that he had made his final decision and will sign with Southern Cal today.
blb
February 3, 11:45 p.m.
Jarrett USC or OSU Bound?
Tom Lemming has changed his tune and is predicting that Jarrett signs with USC tomorrow after stating Monday that Jarrett had verbally committed to OSU. Hard to figure out what is going on with this one. Jarrett has changed his mind several times, but there are still some rumblings that Jarrett still plans to sign with OSU tomorrow. We shall see.
blb
February 3, 6:45 a.m.
Recruiting
Many people have asked about the Dujuan Morgan fiasco. Think its best to wait until the end of the day tomorrow, at least. It's possible that there may be some clarification as to what actually happened once the coaches are allowed to speak publicly about signed commitments.
No clarification outside of Tom Lemming's report that Dwayne Jarrett has verbally committed to Ohio State. It sounds like the story is true, but Jarrett will still be making an official announcement tomorrow.
The last few prospects that OSU appears to have an eye on are James Bryant, Ryan Anderson, Javier Estopinan and possibly Alfred Martin. Bryant, one of the top LB prospects nationally, is expected to announce between Pittsburgh and Florida; an announcement for Ohio State would be quite a nice surprise. Ryan Anderson has OSU (at least) near the top of his list. Anderson is rated as the #1 DE nationally by at least one ranking service. He would be a huge get for OSU. Estopinan is probably OSU's next choice for a D-lineman. He is deciding between OSU and Florida. Martin appears set to commit to Toledo, but almost surely would jump on an OSU offer if it became available at the last minute. Martin is a DE from Lyndhurst Brush and has gotten more attention from OSU this past month.
Correction: I noted that I will be on SportsTalkCleveland internet radio (and WKNR 850 in Cleveland) to talk recruiting at 7:30, February 5 (signing day). The date is correct, but the 5th is Thursday and that is the day after signing day.
blb
February 2, 7:15 p.m.
Reports: Dwayne Jarrett to Ohio State; Lyons Makes it Official
It is now being reported on 610 WTVN in Columbus that Dwayne Jarrett has verbally committed to Ohio State. WTVN's information comes by way of ESPN recruiting analyst Tom Lemming who believes that Jarrett "is a better prospect than Fred Davis." Lemming commented that Jarrett is "a little faster than Davis," "about two inches taller than Davis," and "more of a leaper than Davis."
Jarrett apparently will join Devon Lyons, who just publicly stated his intentions on signing with Ohio State, and Albert Dukes in what looks like an incredible WR recruiting class for Ohio State. If Jarrett is indeed on board, that brings the Ohio State class up to 25 commitments. Ohio State is still thought to be trying to fill at least one more spot. Wisconsin DE Ryan Anderson is thought to be #1 on Ohio State's remaining wish list. Anderson will announce on signing day (Wednesday).
Virginia DE Olu Hall committed to Virginia earlier today. Hall was considering Ohio State but chose to stay in state.
blb
February 2, 7:00 a.m.
Reports: Lyons chooses Ohio State
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Pennsylvania S/WR Devon Lyons has chosen Ohio State over Miami. An official announcement is expected tonight at 7:00 p.m. EST at a news conference. If true, Lyons will become the 24th member of the 2004 class. Click here for the Post-Gazette piece on Lyons and here for the Tribune-Review piece.
It has been reported that defensive end Willie Young has now eliminated Ohio State.
blb
February 1, 3:45 p.m.
Buckeyes Add Another to 2004 Class
Bucknuts is reporting that Cleveland Glenville DE/LB Curtis Terry has committed to Ohio State. Terry is said to be quite an athlete, but is a prospect that received little recruiting publicity because of academic concerns. Those concerns are now apparently over, with Terry now being fully qualified. Terry is listed at 6'3", 205 and could play LB or possibly DE down the road. This puts the verbal commitment number back at 23 (with Dujuan Morgan no longer a part of the Buckeye class.)
Ohio State still hopes to get good news on a few of the following prospects: WR Dwayne Jarrett (some talk that he could be already be a Buckeye), WR/DB Devon Lyons (announcement tomorrow) and DE Rhyan Anderson (announcement on signing day, Wednesday.) There are also a few others that Ohio State could still land, including DE Olu Hall (announcement tomorrow), DE Willie Young (announcement in the next three days), LB James Bryant (announcement on signing day) and Javier Estopinan (announcement on signing day). Ohio State is thought to be able to offer at least two more scholarships for the 2004 class and very possibly more than two.
blb
February 1, 10:15 a.m.
Dujuan Morgan Update
The Palm Beach Post is reporting that Dujuan Morgan has now committed to NC State. According to the PBP, the OSU academic screening committee revoked a previous scholarship offer because Morgan is not ranked in the top 50 percentile of his graduating class. Morgan is said to have a 3.25 GPA in a very competitive school.
There was some talk that Ohio State could still put Morgan's scholarship offer back on the table, but it appears to be too late. Morgan had verbally committed to Ohio State and was said to have no knowledge of entry problems until very recently. Unless more facts become available, this surely does not paint Ohio State in a good light.
Jarrett a Buckeye?
There is some buzz that Dwayne Jarrett may have verbally committed to Ohio State, but as of now, these reports are unconfirmed. Jarrett has changed his leader list a number of times, so it may be wise for Buckeye fans to take a wait and see approach in regards to Jarrett's intentions.
blb
February 1, 9:30 a.m.
Correction
Yes, the Jacky Claude info was mistyped on the recruiting page. He has verbally committed to Florida State and not Ohio State. Sorry for the confusion.
blb
January 31, 3:30 p.m.
Recruiting
The recruiting page has been updated. Dujuan Morgan may no longer be part of this class. As mentioned on the recruiting page, few seem to know all the facts right now. Stay tuned.
blb
January 29, 2:00 p.m.
Class Filling Up
Dennis Kennedy, a RB/CB from Ft. Lauderdale, FL (5-11, 180, 4.4) has committed to OSU. An offer was extended, and Kennedy quickly accepted. Kennedy describes himself as an Emmitt Smith type runner. He is a good athlete who also participates in track and basketball. Kennedy is a solid addition to the class and is a true Buckeye. It has been widely understood that Dennis would commit if there was room. It is great to see him make it into this class. Another "Tressel type recruit" in that Kennedy is also good in the class room.
There are not many spots left, so anyone else still thinking about committing had better decide soon. As always, stay tuned!!
jdm/rb
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