Buckeye Blogger Network
Mr. Jacobs
The drought is over.
Nope, not the one that’s gripping the heartland and screwing with our future pizza, the Ohio State recruiting drought of wide receivers.
This morning, Maryland District Heights’ Taivon Jacobs gave his verbal commitment to Ohio State over West Virginia and the home Terrapins. He also held offers from Notre Dame, Miami (FL), Florida State, Nebraska, Michigan State, Pitt, and Boston College.
He’s been identified as a “legitimate 4.4 laser timed” athlete, and his highlights (after the break) certainly show that speed. At 5’10 and 165 pounds, he certainly has the tools to excel in Coach Meyer’s offense. He also is a track star, and will more than likely look to run for the Buckeye squad as well.
During his recruiting, he mentioned that Ohio State was his dream school; his relationship with #BuckeyeSwaggernaut Zach Smith certainly helped him become Ohio State’s fifteenth commitment for the 2013 class.
Just a friendly warning that there are only four more days to borrow money from your pops so you can buy him a gift. If you’re looking for ideas, check our friends at The Buckeye Room… And now, the news.
Buckeye 411
For The Guy Who Has Everything
We Hardly New Ye- Well, it wasn’t news to us, as we’d heard for a while that Brian Bobek was looking to transfer, but earlier this week the University made it official. Potential landing spots could be the University of West By God Virginia, and a B1G program yet to be named. Brian’s got family across the conference, so we wish him luck in all of his games except one. A bit of a sad note, since he was supposed to be “next up” after Brewster graduated; however he was jumped on the depth chart in the spring, including being passed up by the latest in the Boren Legacy (just an incoming freshman). Again, godspeed!
Today, Ohio States’ full coaching staff was available for interviews, including the newest members of Coach Meyer’s staff, Ed Warinner and Tim Hinton. These last two, most recently at Notre Dame, have been working with Buckeye recruiting over the past several days, but were only officially introduced and named today- they will also be a part of Coach Meyer’s introduction opportunity at halftime of the Hoosier Basketball game this Saturday.
Coach Hinton is a former Ohio State coach who’s career includes the following (from the press release):
Coach Hinton
Hinton’s 30 seasons of coaching experience includes 16 seasons in the collegiate ranks with positions at Ohio State, Wilmington, Ohio, Cincinnati and Notre Dame, and 14 years as a head coach at three Ohio high schools: Zane Trace (1987-88); Van Wert (1989) and Harding (1993-2003).
“I have always felt it would be an honor to have an opportunity to coach for and to represent Ohio State,” Hinton said. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be able to work with great people and great coaches at such a wonderful place.”
Coach Hinton will be working with the Tight Ends and Fullbacks- I’m sure Boren and Stoneburner are more than excited.
Coach Warinner doesn’t have previous Ohio connections, instead:
Coach Warinner
Warinner, who is 50, has coached at seven different schools: Akron, Michigan State, Army, Air Force, Kansas, Illinois and Notre Dame. In addition to his nine years in coordinator positions, he has spent 15 of the past 20 seasons coaching the offensive line. He has coached on teams that have won four national rushing titles, and earlier this season Rivals.com named Warinner one of the Top 20 “hottest assistant coaches” in the nation.
“I’ve always strived to coach in positions where I have a lot of responsibility,” Warinner said. “Serving as a coordinator goes beyond just coaching what my guys are doing. It is a thought process of attacking and moving the ball, and strategies and reading plays. There is a big picture as a coordinator that I am into and really enjoy, and it’s a position from where I think I can make a significant contribution to the success of a team.”
Coach Warinner will serve as co-offensive coordinator and work with the offensive line. Read More
Another Christmas present in Columbus, as yesterday’s staffing press release is followed by today’s announcement that Urban Meyer is indeed following a higher purpose.
Current Temple Receivers and Special Teams coach, and former Gators coach Zach Smith has been named the latest member of the Ohio State staff.
Buckeye Returning Home
Smith, a Dublin Coffman graduate, is excited to return home after a year at Marshall prior to heading to Temple for the past season. He was a part of the Marshall program that welcomed the football season in at the ‘Shoe in 2010.
Coach Meyer says about the hire-
Zach Smith has already coached with me for five seasons, and so I know what a quality coach he is. He knows my system inside and out and he teaches the system the way I want it to be taught. He has coached and taught some great players already, like Percy Harvin, Aaron Hernandez and Louis Murphy. Zach has done a terrific job as wide receivers coach at both Marshall and this past year at Temple. I am really looking forward to having the opportunity to work with him again. Ohio State is going to benefit from his coaching and his abilities as a recruiter.
He “gets” the Ohio State tradition, as a Buckeye State native. Oh, and it probably helps that Earle Bruce is his grandfather. Smith’s comments-
My coming home has added another element to everything that has gone on this week (ed. Jean Bruce passed away last Friday, right before Temple’s bowl game). My Grandma would be very proud of me. I feel honored to come back and work at this university where both she and my Grandfather’s hearts have always been and I grew up loving.
It is really, really a dream come true. I grew up watching Ohio State, my Grandfather coached here and I always dreamt of doing it, too. Plus I have an opportunity to work with Coach Meyer again. I was able to spend five years on his staff at Florida, and now working with him again is another dream come true for me. It’s like two dreams coming true. I’m really excited, and it is wonderful to be back home.
At this point, the offensive staff is as follows:
Welcome home, Coach Smith!
