Buckeye Blogger NetworkWelcome to the calm before the storm… unless you’re an NIT junkie, then your Madness has already started. In honor of Coach Calipari’s fantastic coaching job on Tuesday night, today’s soundtrack channels the thoughts of Wildcat fans as they get to watch the rest of the tournament. Hey… you think they’ll have time to join our Bracket Challenge?
It’s What We Do
Buckeye 411
After a momentous day for Buckeye football, and after a few frosty beverages, here’s the staff’s reflections on the epic 2013 recruiting class!
Charles Brought Us A New Table!
Who’s the player on offense/defense who will make the biggest impact during his career at OSU?
Ken: Mike Mitchell. I think he has potential to have a Spielman/Katzenmoyer type career at OSU
WVa: Offense: I am going to go with one that has been in the fold for a good bit. Jalin Marshall is the guy I see coming in right away and contributing and will have a great career in Scarlet and Gray.
Defense: Tracy Sprinkle is my guy here. He looks to me to be the perfect fit to take over where Nathan Williams left off and really reminds me of my favorite Buckeye to come out of WV Darrion Scott. Good size and plays low and will show early what he has in that motor that never quits.
Tim: For me, the player who will make the biggest impact will be Cam Burrows. There is a question of whether he will play safety or corner at OSU, but wherever he finds himself playing, he will be an impact player on defense. His combination of size and speed could enable him to be a great one.
Jason: Jalin Marshall. All these kids have tremendous talent and endless possibilities, so I’ll put my eggs in the basket of the one who’s the best player in Ohio
Eric: The biggest impact defensively is likely going to be on the Defensive Line, where the Buckeyes are going to be making up the most ground. A good freshman, like Joey Bosa, could step in and really make life easier for the defense.
Offensively, that’s a little trickier. The answer is going to be whoever manages to fill the playmaker role for Urban Meyer the best. It could be Ezekiel Elliott, James Clark, or Jalin Marshall. It could also be any one of a dozen others who may prove to be extremely effective as a fast, shifty, playmaker.
Mali: I think that we’re going to see some amazing things from Dontre Wilson… I watch what DeAnthony Thomas does in Eugene, and what Harvin did with Meyer at Florida, and I can’t help but envision some fireworks from the moment he steps on campus.
I’m also excited to see what Chris Worley will bring to the table- a safety that hits like a linebacker, or a linebacker that can run with receivers… as the game gets faster, it’ll be great to have a counterpunch.
What new recruit will most likely see early playing time? Who redshirts? Read More
Wilson
While National Letter of Intent day is Wednesday, Ohio State received word Monday that Texas athlete Dontre Wilson wasn’t interested in waiting until then, as he verballed to be the latest member of the Buckeyes’ 2013 class.
Wilson, a one time Oregon commit, has been in contact with Coach Meyer and the staff for quite some time. After Oregon coach Chip Kelly left to flee NCAA sanctions pursue an NFL opportunity with the Eagles, Wilson re-opened his recruiting. Shortly thereafter, he was in Columbus for an official visit where he, in the words of sources from Texas, “fell in love with Ohio State”.
Oregon did not go quietly, however, as their entire coaching staff visited with him following his trip to Columbus. Wilson was also scheduled to have traveled to Stillwater and visit TBPU, but cancelled that trip. Instead, he chose to visit Austin this past weekend, where news of his being a Buckeye lean started to surface. This was the second such “leak” from the Longhorns- they also let it be known that A’Shawn Robinson was headed to Alabama after the star stepped away from his commitment to Texas.
Wilson played at De Soto High School, and was assessed as a four star recruit by most of the national services. He’s a smaller athlete, and is projected to play in the slot at Ohio State, or as it’s being called “the Percy Harvin position”. He makes a great counter punch to Ohio State’s power running game, and may see playing time early on.
He was named the Dallas Area Offensive Player of the Year by the Dallas Morning News following a senior campaign that saw him amass 1,892 yards and 37 touchdowns rushing, while also catching 37 passes for 752 yards and nine TDs as well. You can check out some of his many highlights after the break. Read More
We’re one week away from National Letter Of Intent Day, and the excitement (and chaos) is building. We’ll talk a bit this week about the idea of “verbals” and visits, but let’s dig through the news bucket a bit first, shall we? Oh, and Mark Titus’ favorite band brings us our musical inspiration for the morning. Happy Wednesday.
Buckeye 411
Commentary- Commitment Read More
The Buckeye hoops team dropped a tough one in East Lansing. Recruiting rankings were released and the Buckeyes are on a roll. My girlfriend is hotter than Kate Upton. Yeah, so what if we’ve only met on the internet?! What’s the worst that can happen? Let’s rumble!
The Rivals top 100
On Monday, the newest and last Rivals top 100 for 2013 was released. Among those 100, Urban Meyer’s coaching staff has received seven verbal commitments and is still waiting patiently for answers from two others. The most “top 100” players the Buckeyes have ever claimed were 8 commits in 2008. If either Vonn Bell (safety from Rossville, Georgia, ranked number 32) or Dontre Wilson (running back from Desoto, Texas, ranked number 100) commit to Meyer’s 2013 class it will match or exceed that ’08 record. I am a math genius.
Vonn Bell… still deciding
