Kinnick and Ross-Ade will forever give me nightmares. I don't care how good your team is going into one of those stadiums, be prepared for everything to go wrong. If you would have told me one QB would throw 5 TDs while the other threw 4 INTs going into that 2017 game, I would not have picked Nate Stanley as the guy throwing 5 TDs.
There have already been 5 guys leave the room since the start of last season, with 2 guys opting out of remaining eligibility after graduating (Elijah Gardiner and Jaylen Harris), 2 transfers (Jameson Williams and Mookie Cooper), and 1 position switch (Gee Scott Jr. to TE).
Ohio State's current OT targets in 2022 are Zach Rice (#1 OT, #5 OVR), Kam Dewberry (#10, #101), Aamil Wagner (#11, #110), and still pursuing Kiyaunta Goodwin who is committed to Kentucky (#6, #53). Recruiting insiders right now feel like Dewberry and Wagner are the most likely to be in the class. The only Interior line target right now is Earnest Greene, who is ranked #2 IOL, #57 OVR. While there have been some high profile misses in OL recruiting recently, it should still be one of the best units in the country.
Birm at Lettermen Row expressed a similar sentiment recently. It seemed like Will was leaning toward pulling the trigger soon, and if he did, most expected it to be for OSU. However, if Will chose to hold off (which he did), the feeling was that he'd end up at UM. He'll be a massive get for whomever lands him, but at this point, you really have to like Michigan's chances.
Statistically speaking, Day has gotten more out of OSU QBs passing ability than anyone before him. Day's first year in Columbus was 2017 and J.T. had his best passing year of his career (best completion percentage, most completions, most TDs). 2018 saw Dwayne Haskins rewrite the conference record books through the air, and Justin fields finished his OSU career with a 68.4% completion percentage, 63 passing TDs (to 9 INTs), and over 5300 yards in less than two full seasons. With high 4* CJ Stroud, 4* Jack Miller, and 5* Kyle McCord all on campus (and 5* Quinn Ewers committed), expectations in Columbus remain extremely high for elite QB play.
OSU is recruiting him but haven't offered yet. They tend to wait to offer in-state kids (unless they are absolute takes after their Sophomore year). Talk in OSU recruiting media is that if OSU makes a push (and some think they will), they will definitely be in the conversation. Other top RB targets for OSU in 2022 include Nicholas Singleton, Kaytron Allen, and Emeka Megwa.
To play devil's advocate, Kerry Coombs wasn't hired until January 20th and he's currently the 3rd-ranked national recruiter according to 247. I know he was a re-hire, but he was gone for two years, thus having no existing relationships with recruits, and had to spend his first couple weeks securing the commitment of Cam Martinez.
The belief in OSU recruiting circles is that the Buckeyes will take 1 more OL in the 2021 cycle. After losing out on JC Latham, the top targets are Tristan Leigh, Jager Burton, Rocco, and Rayshaun Benny (while keeping the door open for a guy like Nolan Rucci, but not expecting much momentum). I think if any one of those guys pulls the trigger, the OL class will be done. Most of the recruiting industry thinks OSU is running no better than 3rd for Spindler right now, and while him pushing back his commitment will give OSU more time to try to move up that list, it could also end up removing OSU from the list if they get a commitment from one of the other guys first.
Tl:dr, OSU wants Spindler, but has an extremely small chance of landing him.
MSU 2015 every time. While it was incredibly enjoyable at the time, it ended up keeping OSU out of the B1G Title Game, and thus the CFP, with one of the most talented Buckeye teams in history. Screw Sparty.
OSU seems to be pushing hard for him, effectively pushing him and J.T. Tuimoloau as the last two pieces of this DL class (people started to speculate about Korey Foreman, but that doesn't have any traction). Malone only has two crystal balls right now (both to OSU), but the most recent one is from a much more reliable source than the first one. I know Malone has spoken positively on both OSU and Michigan in the past, and I am curious if that's his top two or if there is someone else in play.
There hasn't been any talk of OSU getting in on him in any of the OSU recruiting coverage. The talk moreso is if we have enough room to keep taking WRs, with Egbuka and Stellato being the only must-takes. Right now, Egbuka is trending OSU and Stellato is trending Clemson, and most recruiting analysts seems it'll end that way.
If OSU were to try to get in on any in-state WR, it would be Lorenzo Styles Jr, given how long OSU recruited him, the fact he is a legacy player, and he's extremely close with Jack Sawyer (for the record, I don't think they will).
I thought Haskins was coming along well the back half of the season and was really pushing Charbonnet for carries. Sermon seems to be all but a lock to start, but depending on how Teague recovers, Haskins would theoretically be competing with Crowley for the #2 spot, and while the OSU coaches are high on Crowley, Haskins is more of a proven commodity.
As CC pointed out, the 2015 team was much more talented on the offensive side of the ball. 14th was the floor for that team. They couldn't get either QB into a rhythm, forgot Zeke was in the backfield during the decisive game (MSU, 12 carries for 33 yards), and schemed Michael Thomas to less than 800 yards. Considering how many guys from that team went pro, it felt like a huge missed opportunity.
While Urban had an insane win percentage, he definitely underachieved when it came to titles. The 2015 team was one of the most talented college football teams I've ever seen. 16-18 all had the talent to do more. It's hard to win a title, but he should have had more than 1.
And you are dead on with the bad coaching hires. He had some great ones (Herman, Ash, Johnson, Day, etc), and some terrible ones that were primarily driven by nepotism (Davis, Schiano, Smith). Warinner and Beck calling the offense in 2015 was terrible, and Schiano and Grinch turned the 2018 defense into the worst since WWII at OSU.
McGrone is better than Borland, but most Buckeye fans feel like we have 3 better options than Borland already. Hutch would absolutely play a ton and would most likely start. Dude is an absolute stud. Ambry would definitely be in the conversation to start opposite Wade. All three of those guys will be all-conference.
With all due respect, I don't think anyone from UM's offense would start for OSU next year. Some dudes would definitely play (Collins, Bell, Charbonnet, Haskins), but I don't think they'd start.
DMT, it seems like you're confident of landing Edwards, Spindler, and Benny. While I haven't followed Benny's recruitment much, I know Edwards and Spindler are being heavily recruited by other big programs. It seems like Oklahoma has recently turned up the heat on Edwards with Georgia being in on him for quite some time, and while all the Midwest powers went after Spindler, it seems like it's down to UM and ND. Do you think all 3 end up at UM, and if not, how would you rank them in order of importance to the program?
(For the record, I really wanted Edwards at OSU and I'm bummed that he'll be going elsewhere. He seems like a great kid and is obviously a great player).
Most OSU fans freak out if they don't lock down Ohio, too. When Day took the job, one of the first things he said was he was going to focus on recruiting Ohio first, much to the pleasure of the fan base.
It does seem weird that PSU wouldn't sign a single top-15 in-state player, much like it would be crazy to think OSU or Michigan wouldn't land a top-15 player from their respective states.They aren't going to take a player just because he's a PA kid (and they shouldn't), just seems crazy.
You are absolutely correct. The fan base wanted Smith gone well before any of the reports came out, solely based on his inability to develop talent. He took a guy who became one of the highest-paid WR in NFL history and turned him into a 3rd-team all-B1G player. There were flashes from guys like Noah Brown and Corey Smith, but there was never any consistency. It seemed like the guys who had success did so in spite of Zach, not because of him.
Hartline is a massive improvement in every area, from coaching to recruiting to being a decent human being. He just got a raise this off-season, and I wouldn't be surprised if that became an annual thing.
I wish him nothing but the best, and I hope wherever he lands is a healthy spot for him.
His situation reminds me of Trevon Grimes from a couple years ago. He was a 4* WR who transferred after his freshman year (I believe his mom was sick), and he was granted eligibility. Nothing but love and respect from Buckeye nation.
Clemson seems to be out of the running for Henderson. He decided against going to their recent big junior day, and then excluded them from his top schools list he just released. I think Oklahoma, Georgia, and Penn State are the other real threats, outside of OSU and UM.
Do you happen to work for a learning technology company? My company has headquarters in London and New Jersey, and offices in India, so I'm curious is we happen to be with the same company.
And my position is already remote, so it's the norm for me too.
I can comment from the OSU side of things and say that's how Ryan Day is doing it. He's intentionally bringing in small groups for visits, and you frequently see a committed leader in the class being there at the same time as the uncommitted top targets.
There was a vocal part of the fan base upset that Day did away with the big recruiting weekends (no huge Junior Days, no more Friday Night Lights - which was the equivalent to BBQ at the Big House) after seeing Clemson get a number of commitments from theirs, but all of the reliable outlets that cover OSU recruiting stated multiple times that this is how Day wants to go things.
In related visit news, Donovan Edwards and his teammate 2022 athlete Dillon Tatum are in Columbus today with Ron Bellamy. With Edwards being the #1 RB target on both of our boards, this next month will go a long way in determining where he ends up.
From a pure rankings perspective, they have signed 5 4-star RBs over the last 3 cycles (Dobbins in 17, Snead and Teague in 18, and Chambers and Crowley in 19). Snead leaving the program and then missing on their three top prospects this year is what changed that narrative. If Alford swings and misses with all of the top targets in 2020, then there will be some serious concern.
OSU had 5 big RB targets right now in the 2021 class, and I know UM is in for at least 3 of them: Donovan Edwards, Corey Kiner, and Lovasea Carroll (the other two for OSU are Evan Pryor and Will Shipley). Given OSU's misses on Bijan Robinson and Jaylon Knighton this cycle with questions around Miyan Williams's ability to be an every-down back, RB is the top priority for the 2021 class for OSU, and they will take two. It's going to be extremely interesting to see how all these head-to-head battles shake out.
Speaking as an alum, I can confirm that we will most definitely care. OSU could beat UM for the next 100 years and we would still care. As has been mentioned on other threads, OSU football is far and away the main sport in central Ohio, and hating "TTUN" is an integral part of that. There's no way Coach Day wants to start 0-1 in the rivalry, nor leave the playoff selection up in the air.
Quick update from another game: Indiana is giving PSU everything they want. Just pulled it within 3 early in the 4th quarter. Peyton Ramsey just put together a heck of a drive. It's gonna be a good game next week in Bloomington.
Flexing at the camera is not unsportsmanlike. I get it if you do it directly to an opponent, but getting 15 for flexing at the camera is utterly idiotic.
Ronnie Bell is the best receiver on your team. He reminds me of Chris Olave for us. Not the highest ranked recruit at WR on the team, but always finding the open space and super reliable hands. Bell is gonna be a stud moving forward
He hasn't wavered once on his commitment, and the coaches have been completely transparent on their plans to bring in a second guy. He just visited this past weekend and went on record how Columbus is "home" and he can't wait to get there. Could it change? Sure. But he and his family have given every indication that he's signing with OSU in December.
His ranking dropped dramatically thanks to some injury issues he had. He got hurt last year, then again over the summer (causing him to sit out the Elite 11, which he was invited to), and then dealt with another injury this year. He was ranked as the #48 player overall when he committed, and the staff still views him as having that level of talent.
OSU isn't going to bring in a guy that they don't believe is good enough to play for them, and Stroud is one of the few QBs left on the board who the staff feels checks the boxes. Having Quincy Avery as his QB coach obviously helps, as Avery is the QB coach for Haskins and Fields (and Deshaun Watson), and has gone on the record saying if he had a son who played QB, he'd 100% want him to play for Ryan Day. Right now, I think we land both, but I also thought we'd land Bijan Robinson and Jaylon Knighton, so who knows?
I agree with both points. UM's tackles look very promising, and I would judge them on their growth over the season and not on their performance against one of the best college pass rushers ever. Having El-Hadi committed in the 2021 is further proof that OT recruiting seems to be going just fine.
Hafley's one of the other two most important assistants, in my opinion (Hartline, Hafley, Johnson, in no specific order). Pay them all as much as you have to in order to keep them around. He took the same DB room (minus Kendall Sheffield) that consistently missed tackles and got flagged for PI last year, and turned all of them into looking like locks to be drafted in the first 3 rounds.
That is one of my favorite moments from the rivalry. I grew up in the Cooper era, so I have plenty of hatred for the Wolverines as a football team, but I'm all for sportsmanship, and Gardner was an absolute class act. You always see the hateful/taunting side of the rivalry (Boston and Woodson throwing punches, Marcus Hall's double bird, Howard's Heisman pose, Boren standing over Gardner, etc), and I wanted to highlight one of the more human sides.
We'll sit Fields if you guys sit Patterson and McCaffrey (and you'd still have the advantage at QB).
Honestly, I'd sit Fields for the next two games to make sure he's ready for PSU/UM. I was at the game this past weekend and he looked a bit banged up. Obviously, he has to be healthy for the stretch run for this team to accomplish their goals.
For those interested in enemy recruiting, Brian Hartline has been on a tear since he took over as WR coach. Garret Wilson and Jameson Williams (5-star and high 4) last year, Julian Fleming/Jaxon Smith-Njigba/Gee Scott Jr./Mookie Cooper this year (all ranked in the top 80 overall), and now Marvin Harrison Jr and Jayden Ballard already committed for next year (both top 80 overall as well) while in good standing with Emeka Egbuka, Beaux Collins, and Troy Stellato (2 top-30 overall players, and a guy whose offer list suggests he's greatly underrated). There are calls in Columbus to do whatever we can to lock up Hartline to as long of a deal as we can.
I'm seeing a lot of comments about needing to take a QB in each class, and OSU's current situation can attest to to how important that is. Ryan Day has commented multiple times on the need to have 4 scholarship QBs, and after 3 transfers out, 1 NFL decision, and a QB flipping on the early signing day, we currently have only 3 scholarship QBs, all of whom are transfers. With one of those QBs being out of eligibility after this year, Day is pushing hard for 2 QBs in this class (as discussed in the CJ Stroud thread), otherwise, it'll be back to the transfer portal to get another body in.
^this exactly. We would have loved to have kept him as the OL coach, but he and Tim Beck couldn't call a game to save their lives, and had one of the most talented offenses we've ever had at their disposal. He wasn't taking a demotion, and he couldn't remain as OC, so he moved on. We hate to see him in Maize and Blue, but don't begrudge him for making the step up from Minnesota.
To the earlier point, keeping 6 of those 4-stars at home would be huge for you guys. OSU has shown it's commitment to Ohio by pushing hard and already getting commitments from 4 of the top 5 players in the state (and the one who committed elsewhere wants to play WR and OSU wants him at DB). How much does UM typically focus on in-state kids?
Payne is 2021, and he is the #1 DT on our board too. I can tell you that everything we're hearing from our recruiting insiders is that Payne seems intent on leaving Michigan for college. One of our top RB targets for 2021 is Donovan Edwards, so it seems like a lot of key recruiting battles next year are going to come down to OSU and UM (add Corey Kiner out of Cincinnati to that list).
I just looked at the state rankings for 2021, and I didn't realize how many high-end recruits are set to come out of Michigan. No wonder you guys are expecting a huge year. How many of the 9 4-stars do you think end up at UM?
Completely agree with you. Don't be a troll and embarrass the rest of us with this nonsense. If you're going to spend any amount of time posting on a rival's board, be respectful and represent the university and fan base with pride.
That's a fair point. I mentioned it because Clemson is a frequent comparison on the board (talent levels, how long it took Dabo to have success, etc), and they have proven that the success Michigan fans want for the program is achievable with the level of recruiting Michigan is already at.
As for the 2020 class, it looks like a top 10 finish is all but certain. With 24 commits already in the class, how many spots do you think are left, and who do you want to fill those spots?
Those numbers are a bit misleading, as 1 abnormally low class brings down the average for 3 top-ten classes. From 2016-2019, the classes were 8, 5, 22, and 8, respectively. I know this comparison is getting old, but Clemson's classes in the same time frame were ranked 11, 16, 7, and 10.While also averaging an 11th ranked recruiting class, Clemson has been a constant force in the playoff picture. From an outsider's perspective, player development seems to be the much larger issue than overall recruiting rankings.
I see a lot of comments talking about Ryan Day taking the job. He has mentioned multiple times how much he loves OSU and wants to be here for a long time (exs: Ari Wasserman's profile for The Athletic in the summer, Day's interview with Tom Rinaldi on GameDay, etc), and he reiterated that today in his press conference. When asked how he would respond to if an NFL team called, he said, "I don't really ever want to talk about that stuff. I love it here, and this is where I want to be."
He's also made comments about how he things OSU is the best football program,(regardless of level), how he would have walked to Columbus when Urban offered him a position, and how he wants to be here for 20 years. Obviously, take some of that with a grain of salt, but he seems like he genuinely loves where he is and wants to be here long term.
I haven't heard anything about Alford being on the hot seat if he doesn't get a 4-star RB this cycle. Yes, we missed on all the top targets (add Kendall Milton to the list, because we led for him for a while too), but there's talk the Knighton is still a potential flip (FSU is terrible and could potentially see a coaching change) and we're leading in the crystal balls for 4-star Kevontre Bradford out of TX. We're also still in for guys like E.J. Smith, Michael Drennen, and Miyan Willaims. With Teague playing well and Crowley already having his redshirt burned, there isn't nearly as much hand-wringing as there was when both Robinson and Knighton committed elsewhere.
I have no fear of this because I don't think it'll ever happen. If he coaches again, it'll be at a warm weather school (USC being obvious, Florida State being touted by some). I know a lot of people think he'll be back next year (Vegas released very high odds of that happening), but he has also talked about enjoying the freedom to go to his son's baseball games at Univ of Cincinnati, and his son is only a sophomore this year. I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't coach again and I wouldn't be surprised if he does, but I certainly don't think it would ever be at UM.
Recent Comments
Kinnick and Ross-Ade will forever give me nightmares. I don't care how good your team is going into one of those stadiums, be prepared for everything to go wrong. If you would have told me one QB would throw 5 TDs while the other threw 4 INTs going into that 2017 game, I would not have picked Nate Stanley as the guy throwing 5 TDs.
There have already been 5 guys leave the room since the start of last season, with 2 guys opting out of remaining eligibility after graduating (Elijah Gardiner and Jaylen Harris), 2 transfers (Jameson Williams and Mookie Cooper), and 1 position switch (Gee Scott Jr. to TE).
Ohio State's current OT targets in 2022 are Zach Rice (#1 OT, #5 OVR), Kam Dewberry (#10, #101), Aamil Wagner (#11, #110), and still pursuing Kiyaunta Goodwin who is committed to Kentucky (#6, #53). Recruiting insiders right now feel like Dewberry and Wagner are the most likely to be in the class. The only Interior line target right now is Earnest Greene, who is ranked #2 IOL, #57 OVR. While there have been some high profile misses in OL recruiting recently, it should still be one of the best units in the country.
Birm at Lettermen Row expressed a similar sentiment recently. It seemed like Will was leaning toward pulling the trigger soon, and if he did, most expected it to be for OSU. However, if Will chose to hold off (which he did), the feeling was that he'd end up at UM. He'll be a massive get for whomever lands him, but at this point, you really have to like Michigan's chances.
Statistically speaking, Day has gotten more out of OSU QBs passing ability than anyone before him. Day's first year in Columbus was 2017 and J.T. had his best passing year of his career (best completion percentage, most completions, most TDs). 2018 saw Dwayne Haskins rewrite the conference record books through the air, and Justin fields finished his OSU career with a 68.4% completion percentage, 63 passing TDs (to 9 INTs), and over 5300 yards in less than two full seasons. With high 4* CJ Stroud, 4* Jack Miller, and 5* Kyle McCord all on campus (and 5* Quinn Ewers committed), expectations in Columbus remain extremely high for elite QB play.
OSU is recruiting him but haven't offered yet. They tend to wait to offer in-state kids (unless they are absolute takes after their Sophomore year). Talk in OSU recruiting media is that if OSU makes a push (and some think they will), they will definitely be in the conversation. Other top RB targets for OSU in 2022 include Nicholas Singleton, Kaytron Allen, and Emeka Megwa.
To play devil's advocate, Kerry Coombs wasn't hired until January 20th and he's currently the 3rd-ranked national recruiter according to 247. I know he was a re-hire, but he was gone for two years, thus having no existing relationships with recruits, and had to spend his first couple weeks securing the commitment of Cam Martinez.
The belief in OSU recruiting circles is that the Buckeyes will take 1 more OL in the 2021 cycle. After losing out on JC Latham, the top targets are Tristan Leigh, Jager Burton, Rocco, and Rayshaun Benny (while keeping the door open for a guy like Nolan Rucci, but not expecting much momentum). I think if any one of those guys pulls the trigger, the OL class will be done. Most of the recruiting industry thinks OSU is running no better than 3rd for Spindler right now, and while him pushing back his commitment will give OSU more time to try to move up that list, it could also end up removing OSU from the list if they get a commitment from one of the other guys first.
Tl:dr, OSU wants Spindler, but has an extremely small chance of landing him.
MSU 2015 every time. While it was incredibly enjoyable at the time, it ended up keeping OSU out of the B1G Title Game, and thus the CFP, with one of the most talented Buckeye teams in history. Screw Sparty.
Mid-September, unfortunately.
OSU seems to be pushing hard for him, effectively pushing him and J.T. Tuimoloau as the last two pieces of this DL class (people started to speculate about Korey Foreman, but that doesn't have any traction). Malone only has two crystal balls right now (both to OSU), but the most recent one is from a much more reliable source than the first one. I know Malone has spoken positively on both OSU and Michigan in the past, and I am curious if that's his top two or if there is someone else in play.
There hasn't been any talk of OSU getting in on him in any of the OSU recruiting coverage. The talk moreso is if we have enough room to keep taking WRs, with Egbuka and Stellato being the only must-takes. Right now, Egbuka is trending OSU and Stellato is trending Clemson, and most recruiting analysts seems it'll end that way.
If OSU were to try to get in on any in-state WR, it would be Lorenzo Styles Jr, given how long OSU recruited him, the fact he is a legacy player, and he's extremely close with Jack Sawyer (for the record, I don't think they will).
As for Markus, congratulations young man!
I don't ever want to play at Purdue or Iowa ever again.
I thought Haskins was coming along well the back half of the season and was really pushing Charbonnet for carries. Sermon seems to be all but a lock to start, but depending on how Teague recovers, Haskins would theoretically be competing with Crowley for the #2 spot, and while the OSU coaches are high on Crowley, Haskins is more of a proven commodity.
As CC pointed out, the 2015 team was much more talented on the offensive side of the ball. 14th was the floor for that team. They couldn't get either QB into a rhythm, forgot Zeke was in the backfield during the decisive game (MSU, 12 carries for 33 yards), and schemed Michael Thomas to less than 800 yards. Considering how many guys from that team went pro, it felt like a huge missed opportunity.
While Urban had an insane win percentage, he definitely underachieved when it came to titles. The 2015 team was one of the most talented college football teams I've ever seen. 16-18 all had the talent to do more. It's hard to win a title, but he should have had more than 1.
And you are dead on with the bad coaching hires. He had some great ones (Herman, Ash, Johnson, Day, etc), and some terrible ones that were primarily driven by nepotism (Davis, Schiano, Smith). Warinner and Beck calling the offense in 2015 was terrible, and Schiano and Grinch turned the 2018 defense into the worst since WWII at OSU.
McGrone is better than Borland, but most Buckeye fans feel like we have 3 better options than Borland already. Hutch would absolutely play a ton and would most likely start. Dude is an absolute stud. Ambry would definitely be in the conversation to start opposite Wade. All three of those guys will be all-conference.
With all due respect, I don't think anyone from UM's offense would start for OSU next year. Some dudes would definitely play (Collins, Bell, Charbonnet, Haskins), but I don't think they'd start.
DMT, it seems like you're confident of landing Edwards, Spindler, and Benny. While I haven't followed Benny's recruitment much, I know Edwards and Spindler are being heavily recruited by other big programs. It seems like Oklahoma has recently turned up the heat on Edwards with Georgia being in on him for quite some time, and while all the Midwest powers went after Spindler, it seems like it's down to UM and ND. Do you think all 3 end up at UM, and if not, how would you rank them in order of importance to the program?
(For the record, I really wanted Edwards at OSU and I'm bummed that he'll be going elsewhere. He seems like a great kid and is obviously a great player).
Most OSU fans freak out if they don't lock down Ohio, too. When Day took the job, one of the first things he said was he was going to focus on recruiting Ohio first, much to the pleasure of the fan base.
It does seem weird that PSU wouldn't sign a single top-15 in-state player, much like it would be crazy to think OSU or Michigan wouldn't land a top-15 player from their respective states.They aren't going to take a player just because he's a PA kid (and they shouldn't), just seems crazy.
That is an extremely small portion of the fan base. By and large, we all wanted him gone and wish he would go away forever.
You are absolutely correct. The fan base wanted Smith gone well before any of the reports came out, solely based on his inability to develop talent. He took a guy who became one of the highest-paid WR in NFL history and turned him into a 3rd-team all-B1G player. There were flashes from guys like Noah Brown and Corey Smith, but there was never any consistency. It seemed like the guys who had success did so in spite of Zach, not because of him.
Hartline is a massive improvement in every area, from coaching to recruiting to being a decent human being. He just got a raise this off-season, and I wouldn't be surprised if that became an annual thing.
If anyone is into video games, there are three podcasts I frequently listen to:
The Game Informer Show - editors from the magazine discuss industry news and new games, and respond to community emails
MinnMaxx - Similar to the GI Show in structure, as it was made by former GI guys
Easy Allies - Former GameTrailers guys talk games, trailers, and have a lot more recurring segments/bits
I wish him nothing but the best, and I hope wherever he lands is a healthy spot for him.
His situation reminds me of Trevon Grimes from a couple years ago. He was a 4* WR who transferred after his freshman year (I believe his mom was sick), and he was granted eligibility. Nothing but love and respect from Buckeye nation.
Clemson seems to be out of the running for Henderson. He decided against going to their recent big junior day, and then excluded them from his top schools list he just released. I think Oklahoma, Georgia, and Penn State are the other real threats, outside of OSU and UM.
Do you happen to work for a learning technology company? My company has headquarters in London and New Jersey, and offices in India, so I'm curious is we happen to be with the same company.
And my position is already remote, so it's the norm for me too.
I can comment from the OSU side of things and say that's how Ryan Day is doing it. He's intentionally bringing in small groups for visits, and you frequently see a committed leader in the class being there at the same time as the uncommitted top targets.
There was a vocal part of the fan base upset that Day did away with the big recruiting weekends (no huge Junior Days, no more Friday Night Lights - which was the equivalent to BBQ at the Big House) after seeing Clemson get a number of commitments from theirs, but all of the reliable outlets that cover OSU recruiting stated multiple times that this is how Day wants to go things.
In related visit news, Donovan Edwards and his teammate 2022 athlete Dillon Tatum are in Columbus today with Ron Bellamy. With Edwards being the #1 RB target on both of our boards, this next month will go a long way in determining where he ends up.
From a pure rankings perspective, they have signed 5 4-star RBs over the last 3 cycles (Dobbins in 17, Snead and Teague in 18, and Chambers and Crowley in 19). Snead leaving the program and then missing on their three top prospects this year is what changed that narrative. If Alford swings and misses with all of the top targets in 2020, then there will be some serious concern.
OSU had 5 big RB targets right now in the 2021 class, and I know UM is in for at least 3 of them: Donovan Edwards, Corey Kiner, and Lovasea Carroll (the other two for OSU are Evan Pryor and Will Shipley). Given OSU's misses on Bijan Robinson and Jaylon Knighton this cycle with questions around Miyan Williams's ability to be an every-down back, RB is the top priority for the 2021 class for OSU, and they will take two. It's going to be extremely interesting to see how all these head-to-head battles shake out.
You guys just got one on that TD. Chase was being hugged from behind and nothing was called.
Speaking as an alum, I can confirm that we will most definitely care. OSU could beat UM for the next 100 years and we would still care. As has been mentioned on other threads, OSU football is far and away the main sport in central Ohio, and hating "TTUN" is an integral part of that. There's no way Coach Day wants to start 0-1 in the rivalry, nor leave the playoff selection up in the air.
You and me both
Quick update from another game: Indiana is giving PSU everything they want. Just pulled it within 3 early in the 4th quarter. Peyton Ramsey just put together a heck of a drive. It's gonna be a good game next week in Bloomington.
Flexing at the camera is not unsportsmanlike. I get it if you do it directly to an opponent, but getting 15 for flexing at the camera is utterly idiotic.
Ronnie Bell is the best receiver on your team. He reminds me of Chris Olave for us. Not the highest ranked recruit at WR on the team, but always finding the open space and super reliable hands. Bell is gonna be a stud moving forward
He…
Two things about Miller:
OSU isn't going to bring in a guy that they don't believe is good enough to play for them, and Stroud is one of the few QBs left on the board who the staff feels checks the boxes. Having Quincy Avery as his QB coach obviously helps, as Avery is the QB coach for Haskins and Fields (and Deshaun Watson), and has gone on the record saying if he had a son who played QB, he'd 100% want him to play for Ryan Day. Right now, I think we land both, but I also thought we'd land Bijan Robinson and Jaylon Knighton, so who knows?
I agree with both points. UM's tackles look very promising, and I would judge them on their growth over the season and not on their performance against one of the best college pass rushers ever. Having El-Hadi committed in the 2021 is further proof that OT recruiting seems to be going just fine.
Hafley's one of the other two most important assistants, in my opinion (Hartline, Hafley, Johnson, in no specific order). Pay them all as much as you have to in order to keep them around. He took the same DB room (minus Kendall Sheffield) that consistently missed tackles and got flagged for PI last year, and turned all of them into looking like locks to be drafted in the first 3 rounds.
That is one of my favorite moments from the rivalry. I grew up in the Cooper era, so I have plenty of hatred for the Wolverines as a football team, but I'm all for sportsmanship, and Gardner was an absolute class act. You always see the hateful/taunting side of the rivalry (Boston and Woodson throwing punches, Marcus Hall's double bird, Howard's Heisman pose, Boren standing over Gardner, etc), and I wanted to highlight one of the more human sides.
If my degree gave me any pull, then yes.
We'll sit Fields if you guys sit Patterson and McCaffrey (and you'd still have the advantage at QB).
Honestly, I'd sit Fields for the next two games to make sure he's ready for PSU/UM. I was at the game this past weekend and he looked a bit banged up. Obviously, he has to be healthy for the stretch run for this team to accomplish their goals.
For those interested in enemy recruiting, Brian Hartline has been on a tear since he took over as WR coach. Garret Wilson and Jameson Williams (5-star and high 4) last year, Julian Fleming/Jaxon Smith-Njigba/Gee Scott Jr./Mookie Cooper this year (all ranked in the top 80 overall), and now Marvin Harrison Jr and Jayden Ballard already committed for next year (both top 80 overall as well) while in good standing with Emeka Egbuka, Beaux Collins, and Troy Stellato (2 top-30 overall players, and a guy whose offer list suggests he's greatly underrated). There are calls in Columbus to do whatever we can to lock up Hartline to as long of a deal as we can.
I'm seeing a lot of comments about needing to take a QB in each class, and OSU's current situation can attest to to how important that is. Ryan Day has commented multiple times on the need to have 4 scholarship QBs, and after 3 transfers out, 1 NFL decision, and a QB flipping on the early signing day, we currently have only 3 scholarship QBs, all of whom are transfers. With one of those QBs being out of eligibility after this year, Day is pushing hard for 2 QBs in this class (as discussed in the CJ Stroud thread), otherwise, it'll be back to the transfer portal to get another body in.
Moral of the story: get a QB every year.
^this exactly. We would have loved to have kept him as the OL coach, but he and Tim Beck couldn't call a game to save their lives, and had one of the most talented offenses we've ever had at their disposal. He wasn't taking a demotion, and he couldn't remain as OC, so he moved on. We hate to see him in Maize and Blue, but don't begrudge him for making the step up from Minnesota.
To the earlier point, keeping 6 of those 4-stars at home would be huge for you guys. OSU has shown it's commitment to Ohio by pushing hard and already getting commitments from 4 of the top 5 players in the state (and the one who committed elsewhere wants to play WR and OSU wants him at DB). How much does UM typically focus on in-state kids?
Payne is 2021, and he is the #1 DT on our board too. I can tell you that everything we're hearing from our recruiting insiders is that Payne seems intent on leaving Michigan for college. One of our top RB targets for 2021 is Donovan Edwards, so it seems like a lot of key recruiting battles next year are going to come down to OSU and UM (add Corey Kiner out of Cincinnati to that list).
I just looked at the state rankings for 2021, and I didn't realize how many high-end recruits are set to come out of Michigan. No wonder you guys are expecting a huge year. How many of the 9 4-stars do you think end up at UM?
Completely agree with you. Don't be a troll and embarrass the rest of us with this nonsense. If you're going to spend any amount of time posting on a rival's board, be respectful and represent the university and fan base with pride.
That's a fair point. I mentioned it because Clemson is a frequent comparison on the board (talent levels, how long it took Dabo to have success, etc), and they have proven that the success Michigan fans want for the program is achievable with the level of recruiting Michigan is already at.
As for the 2020 class, it looks like a top 10 finish is all but certain. With 24 commits already in the class, how many spots do you think are left, and who do you want to fill those spots?
Those numbers are a bit misleading, as 1 abnormally low class brings down the average for 3 top-ten classes. From 2016-2019, the classes were 8, 5, 22, and 8, respectively. I know this comparison is getting old, but Clemson's classes in the same time frame were ranked 11, 16, 7, and 10.While also averaging an 11th ranked recruiting class, Clemson has been a constant force in the playoff picture. From an outsider's perspective, player development seems to be the much larger issue than overall recruiting rankings.
I see a lot of comments talking about Ryan Day taking the job. He has mentioned multiple times how much he loves OSU and wants to be here for a long time (exs: Ari Wasserman's profile for The Athletic in the summer, Day's interview with Tom Rinaldi on GameDay, etc), and he reiterated that today in his press conference. When asked how he would respond to if an NFL team called, he said, "I don't really ever want to talk about that stuff. I love it here, and this is where I want to be."
He's also made comments about how he things OSU is the best football program,(regardless of level), how he would have walked to Columbus when Urban offered him a position, and how he wants to be here for 20 years. Obviously, take some of that with a grain of salt, but he seems like he genuinely loves where he is and wants to be here long term.
I couldn't have said it better myself.
I haven't heard anything about Alford being on the hot seat if he doesn't get a 4-star RB this cycle. Yes, we missed on all the top targets (add Kendall Milton to the list, because we led for him for a while too), but there's talk the Knighton is still a potential flip (FSU is terrible and could potentially see a coaching change) and we're leading in the crystal balls for 4-star Kevontre Bradford out of TX. We're also still in for guys like E.J. Smith, Michael Drennen, and Miyan Willaims. With Teague playing well and Crowley already having his redshirt burned, there isn't nearly as much hand-wringing as there was when both Robinson and Knighton committed elsewhere.
I have no fear of this because I don't think it'll ever happen. If he coaches again, it'll be at a warm weather school (USC being obvious, Florida State being touted by some). I know a lot of people think he'll be back next year (Vegas released very high odds of that happening), but he has also talked about enjoying the freedom to go to his son's baseball games at Univ of Cincinnati, and his son is only a sophomore this year. I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't coach again and I wouldn't be surprised if he does, but I certainly don't think it would ever be at UM.