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LGHL The Dotted Line Podcast: Now that Aaron Scott’s committed, who’s Ohio State’s next BOOM?
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The Dotted Line Podcast: Now that Aaron Scott’s committed, who’s Ohio State’s next BOOM?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Twitter | @KhalilBolden2
Could Scott’s dramatic commitment lead to an explosion of defense talent?
On “The Dotted Line,” Land-Grant’s Matt Tamanini talks to recruiting experts, LGHL’s recruiting analysts, and prospects themselves to get a unique perspective on the players that will be a part of Ohio State’s future.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
On today’s episode, Matt Tamanini chats with Land-Grant’s recruiting analyst Caleb Houser to break down the importance of cornerback Aaron Scott’s commitment on the 2024 Ohio State recruiting class. They also discuss his colorful commitment ceremony, potential momentum building on the defensive side of the ball for the Buckeyes, and who else could be joining the class before the end of summer.
They close the episode off by getting hyped for Chris Henry Jr. to become a Buckeye, even though he won’t officially put on an Ohio State jersey for three years.
Connect with Caleb Houser
Twitter: @CalebHouser9
Connect with Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Twitter | @KhalilBolden2
Could Scott’s dramatic commitment lead to an explosion of defense talent?
On “The Dotted Line,” Land-Grant’s Matt Tamanini talks to recruiting experts, LGHL’s recruiting analysts, and prospects themselves to get a unique perspective on the players that will be a part of Ohio State’s future.
Listen to the episode and subscribe:
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio
On today’s episode, Matt Tamanini chats with Land-Grant’s recruiting analyst Caleb Houser to break down the importance of cornerback Aaron Scott’s commitment on the 2024 Ohio State recruiting class. They also discuss his colorful commitment ceremony, potential momentum building on the defensive side of the ball for the Buckeyes, and who else could be joining the class before the end of summer.
They close the episode off by getting hyped for Chris Henry Jr. to become a Buckeye, even though he won’t officially put on an Ohio State jersey for three years.
Connect with Caleb Houser
Twitter: @CalebHouser9
Connect with Matt Tamanini
Twitter: @BWWMatt
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State Football Countdown: 32
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Ohio State Football Countdown: 32
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images
One play or big moment per day as we count down to the start of Ohio State’s 2023 football season.
As we count down to the start of the 2023 season, we will be looking back at one play or big moment in Ohio State history over the past decade or so that corresponds to the remaining days left until Buckeyes take the field against Indiana on Sept. 2. There are 32 days remaining.
The second play on this countdown to fall just outside of the prior decade, DeVier Posey makes this excellent snag against Wisconsin for a 32-yard touchdown in 2009. It was truly a different era of Ohio State football back then, as Posey led the team in this game with just two catches for 54 yards and the score. Terrelle Pryor attempted only 13 passes, completing five of them for 87 yards. The Buckeyes beat the Badgers 31-13, and this was the only TD scored on offense. Otherwise, Ohio State scored on a pair of pick-sixes, a kick return and a field goal.
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Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images
One play or big moment per day as we count down to the start of Ohio State’s 2023 football season.
As we count down to the start of the 2023 season, we will be looking back at one play or big moment in Ohio State history over the past decade or so that corresponds to the remaining days left until Buckeyes take the field against Indiana on Sept. 2. There are 32 days remaining.
Play of the Day: DeVier Posey’s 32-yard TD vs. Wisconsin (2009)
The second play on this countdown to fall just outside of the prior decade, DeVier Posey makes this excellent snag against Wisconsin for a 32-yard touchdown in 2009. It was truly a different era of Ohio State football back then, as Posey led the team in this game with just two catches for 54 yards and the score. Terrelle Pryor attempted only 13 passes, completing five of them for 87 yards. The Buckeyes beat the Badgers 31-13, and this was the only TD scored on offense. Otherwise, Ohio State scored on a pair of pick-sixes, a kick return and a field goal.
Players to Wear the #32 (since 2010):
- Storm Klein (2009-12)
- Darryl Wood (2011)
- Khaleed Franklin (2013)
- Russell Doup (2013-14)
- Elijaah Goins (2015-16)
- Tuf Borland (2016-20)
- TreVeyon Henderson (2021-present)
- Brenten “Inky” Jones (2022-present)
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LGHL Ohio State offers four-star wide receiver, Miami commit
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Ohio State offers four-star wide receiver, Miami commit
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2024 four-star WR Chance Robinson via Andrew Ivins, 247Sports
The Buckeyes offered 2024 four-star wide receiver and Miami commit in an effort to close out another dominant WR class.
July was a big month for the Ohio State football team when it came to recruiting. The Buckeyes saw both wins and losses in July, but overall the month was a massive success for the program. This past month, the Buckeyes earned commitments from five-star defensive lineman Justin Scott and four-star cornerbacks Miles Lockhart and Aaron Scott. The team also earned a commitment from 2026 WR Chris Henry Jr. this past weekend.
Ohio State once again holds claim to the No. 1 class in the Big Ten this cycle, and sits only behind Georgia in the 247Sports Class Rankings — and they are far from finished.
The Buckeyes are hoping to add to their class later this week as five-star safety KJ Bolden is scheduled to commit August 5, and will be deciding between Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia and Ohio State. For a long time, Bolden’s recruitment has believed to be down to Georgia and Ohio State, but both Auburn and Florida State have come on strong as of late.
This is to say, it is anyone’s guess what Bolden will decide later this week, but the Buckeyes certainly are in the mix and are viewed as favorites to some. Bolden is one of the Buckeyes’ biggest remaining targets as the team is focusing on the defensive side of the ball to close things out.
While defense will be the primary focal point moving forward, don’t expect the team to completely forget about offense.
If there is one certainty in college football recruiting, it is that nothing is certain until a recruit signs their name on the dotted line either during the Early Signing Period or on National Signing Day.
Ohio State was recently on the wrong side of this rule when 2025 five-star safety Jontae Gilbert de-commit from the team this past weekend. However, the Buckeyes also know this applies to every recruit committed to any program, and because of this, Ohio State recently offered 2024 four-star wide receiver and Miami commit, Chance Robinson (Fort Lauderdale, FL / St. Thomas Aquinas.)
Robinson committed to Miami in April and has not hinted at swaying from his pledge. However, an offer from the Buckeyes is certainly something that would be tough for him to not at least consider.
Ohio State’s wide receiver room, led by Brian Hartline, has been the best in college football as of late — and this unarguable. Sending multiple first-rounders to the NFL is all the proof anybody needs, and recruits have taken notice. Because of this, when Ohio State offers a WR, they typically listen... even if they are committed elsewhere.
The Buckeyes are off to an incredible start building a WR haul in this cycle with commits from five-star WR’s Jeremiah Smith and Mylan Graham, but Hartline wants to add one or two more commits at the position. One of the program’s biggest targets at the position is four-star Jeremiah McClellan.
Ohio State has long been recruiting McClellan, and the team has been thought of as the leader in his recruitment for most of it. Ohio State also holds 100-percent of the 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions. However, as of late Oregon has been coming on strong for McClellan, and there is a realistic chance the Ducks have evened the score with the Buckeyes for McClellan. The offer to Robinson could be a direct result of this.
Or, the Buckeyes could just really like what they have seen of Robinson and they feel confidant on McClellan as well. Ohio State really wants to add one more commitment at the position, but would happily make room for both McClellan and Robinson if they both wanted to join the team.
It needs to be noted, McClellan recently took to social media to ask if Ohio State was his next “home.”
Robinson is the No. 23 WR prospect and is the No. 151 overall prospect. He is also the No. 23 recruit out of Florida. McClellan is the No. 18 WR and is the No. 108 overall prospect. He is also the No. 4 recruit out of Missouri.
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Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2024 four-star WR Chance Robinson via Andrew Ivins, 247Sports
The Buckeyes offered 2024 four-star wide receiver and Miami commit in an effort to close out another dominant WR class.
July was a big month for the Ohio State football team when it came to recruiting. The Buckeyes saw both wins and losses in July, but overall the month was a massive success for the program. This past month, the Buckeyes earned commitments from five-star defensive lineman Justin Scott and four-star cornerbacks Miles Lockhart and Aaron Scott. The team also earned a commitment from 2026 WR Chris Henry Jr. this past weekend.
Ohio State once again holds claim to the No. 1 class in the Big Ten this cycle, and sits only behind Georgia in the 247Sports Class Rankings — and they are far from finished.
The Buckeyes are hoping to add to their class later this week as five-star safety KJ Bolden is scheduled to commit August 5, and will be deciding between Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia and Ohio State. For a long time, Bolden’s recruitment has believed to be down to Georgia and Ohio State, but both Auburn and Florida State have come on strong as of late.
This is to say, it is anyone’s guess what Bolden will decide later this week, but the Buckeyes certainly are in the mix and are viewed as favorites to some. Bolden is one of the Buckeyes’ biggest remaining targets as the team is focusing on the defensive side of the ball to close things out.
While defense will be the primary focal point moving forward, don’t expect the team to completely forget about offense.
Ohio State offers four-star Miami WR commit
If there is one certainty in college football recruiting, it is that nothing is certain until a recruit signs their name on the dotted line either during the Early Signing Period or on National Signing Day.
Ohio State was recently on the wrong side of this rule when 2025 five-star safety Jontae Gilbert de-commit from the team this past weekend. However, the Buckeyes also know this applies to every recruit committed to any program, and because of this, Ohio State recently offered 2024 four-star wide receiver and Miami commit, Chance Robinson (Fort Lauderdale, FL / St. Thomas Aquinas.)
Robinson committed to Miami in April and has not hinted at swaying from his pledge. However, an offer from the Buckeyes is certainly something that would be tough for him to not at least consider.
Ohio State’s wide receiver room, led by Brian Hartline, has been the best in college football as of late — and this unarguable. Sending multiple first-rounders to the NFL is all the proof anybody needs, and recruits have taken notice. Because of this, when Ohio State offers a WR, they typically listen... even if they are committed elsewhere.
The Buckeyes are off to an incredible start building a WR haul in this cycle with commits from five-star WR’s Jeremiah Smith and Mylan Graham, but Hartline wants to add one or two more commits at the position. One of the program’s biggest targets at the position is four-star Jeremiah McClellan.
Ohio State has long been recruiting McClellan, and the team has been thought of as the leader in his recruitment for most of it. Ohio State also holds 100-percent of the 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions. However, as of late Oregon has been coming on strong for McClellan, and there is a realistic chance the Ducks have evened the score with the Buckeyes for McClellan. The offer to Robinson could be a direct result of this.
Or, the Buckeyes could just really like what they have seen of Robinson and they feel confidant on McClellan as well. Ohio State really wants to add one more commitment at the position, but would happily make room for both McClellan and Robinson if they both wanted to join the team.
It needs to be noted, McClellan recently took to social media to ask if Ohio State was his next “home.”
Robinson is the No. 23 WR prospect and is the No. 151 overall prospect. He is also the No. 23 recruit out of Florida. McClellan is the No. 18 WR and is the No. 108 overall prospect. He is also the No. 4 recruit out of Missouri.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State Football Countdown: 33
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Ohio State Football Countdown: 33
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
One play or big moment per day as we count down to the start of Ohio State’s 2023 football season.
As we count down to the start of the 2023 season, we will be looking back at one play or big moment in Ohio State history over the past decade or so that corresponds to the remaining days left until Buckeyes take the field against Indiana on Sept. 2. There are 34 days remaining.
Despite spending four years in Columbus, Rod Smith’s Ohio State career never quite got off the ground, but he did still manage this impressive 33-yard touchdown run against Nebraska, breaking several tackles en route to the end zone. For Smith, it was one of eight career rushing TDs with the Buckeyes, compiling 549 yards on 107 carries during his time in scarlet and gray. Ohio State won this game with ease, 63-38, on the back of four rushing TDs by Carlos Hyde and two more scores from Braxton Miller — one passing, one rushing. Bradley Roby picked off two passes on the other end, taking one back for six.
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Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
One play or big moment per day as we count down to the start of Ohio State’s 2023 football season.
As we count down to the start of the 2023 season, we will be looking back at one play or big moment in Ohio State history over the past decade or so that corresponds to the remaining days left until Buckeyes take the field against Indiana on Sept. 2. There are 34 days remaining.
Play of the Day: Rod Smith’s 33-yard TD vs. Nebraska (2012)
Despite spending four years in Columbus, Rod Smith’s Ohio State career never quite got off the ground, but he did still manage this impressive 33-yard touchdown run against Nebraska, breaking several tackles en route to the end zone. For Smith, it was one of eight career rushing TDs with the Buckeyes, compiling 549 yards on 107 carries during his time in scarlet and gray. Ohio State won this game with ease, 63-38, on the back of four rushing TDs by Carlos Hyde and two more scores from Braxton Miller — one passing, one rushing. Bradley Roby picked off two passes on the other end, taking one back for six.
Players to Wear the #33 (since 2010):
- David Durham (2010-11)
- Nic Sarac (2011-13)
- Frank Epitropoulos (2012-13)
- Dante Booker (2014-18)
- Master Teague III (2017-21)
- Chase Brecht (2022)
- Jack Sawyer (2021-present)
- Devin Brown (2022-present)
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LGHL Conspiracy Corner: Did Aaron Scott just pull off the longest troll job in recruiting history?
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Conspiracy Corner: Did Aaron Scott just pull off the longest troll job in recruiting history?
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Masters of the long con Aaron Scott and Andy Kaufman | Left image: Aaron Scott’s Instagram | Right image: Images Press/IMAGES/Getty Images
Andy Kaufman — who is obviously not really dead — is probably very impressed with Scott’s performance.
Look, I am not a natural conspiracy theorist. I believe that Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. I believe that the Earth is round. I believe Elvis has been dead since 1977 and Tupac was murdered in 1996. I do not believe that the Holy Grail is actually the sacred bloodline of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. I do not believe that we are all actually living in a simulation. And I believe that the Denver International Airport is just an airport and not a secret bunker for the highest-ranking members of the New World Order to retreat to when they begin to rain down a fiery apocalypse on an unsuspecting global population.
But nonetheless, here I am, sitting at home on a late-July Sunday evening contemplating the fact that a newly committed Ohio State football prospect might have just pulled off the biggest long-term con job in the history of recruiting. As you almost certainly know by now, Springfield, Ohio native Aaron Scott chose the Buckeyes over Michigan and Oregon on Sunday. The No. 52 player in the country, No. 5 cornerback, and No. 2 player from Ohio according to 247Sports’ Composite Ratings, all of the crystal balls and recruiting prediction machines had Scott going to Ohio State, but the vibe around his recruitment was a fraught one for Buckeye fans.
As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, even though the experts were all focused on OSU as the destination for the talented corner (although no one felt super confident about it), his words and actions made everyone in Buckeye Nation understandably anxious. Earlier this month, when announcing his commitment day, Scott tweeted “shock da world,” and what would be more shocking for a top prospect from 45 minutes outside of Columbus than committing to Michigan? Then, two days later, he was spotted wearing Wolverine cleats at a 7-on-7 event in Dayton, adding more fuel to the fandom’s fears.
Scott was one of the toughest prospects in recent memory to get a bead on because other than narrowing down his finalists to the Buckeyes, Wolverines, and Oregon Ducks, he gave precious few indications about where he was leaning, even up until the week of his commitment (more on that in a second).
However, one of the first signs that Scott was bound to be a Buckeye was the choice of commitment day. You could assume that the rising senior just wanted to make his pledge on July 30 so that he could focus his attention on his last season as a high school football player, and that would be completely valid. But, July 30 also happens to be his father’s birthday, and his father is a huge Ohio State fan.
If Scott was seriously going to commit to Michigan, would he do it on his Buckeye-loving dad’s birthday? While I am sure that Mr. Scott would have eventually accepted the Wolverines into his heart if Aaron decided to go there — at least for as long as he was on the team — it would be a pretty brutal birthday gift to make your dad sit at the table next to you while you chose to play for his hated rival.
To be fair, we here at LGHL have been secretly suspecting a troll job for well over a month. Our recruiting analyst (and Michigan state-champion high school football coach) Caleb Houser raised the possibility in our Slack channel before Scott’s June 23 official visit to Columbus.
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Following his commitment, Scott said that it was that visit and being on hand when Ohio’s No. 1 prospect, fellow cornerback Bryce West, committed to the Buckeyes that moved OSU ahead of TTUN. And while that might be true, Scott’s comments to reporters don’t always line up, even after his decision was revealed.
In the same media availability Sunday night, the cornerback said that he didn’t make his decision until Sunday morning, backing up tweets from earlier in the week that indicated that he wasn’t yet ready to make a decision, and yet, on Friday — two days before his announcement — he sat down with Rival’s Jeremy Birmingham to detail his decision to become a Buckeye.
Was he just trying to keep the secret under wraps or was it part of a months-long troll job against Michigan? Why would he tell reporters that he made the decision on Sunday if days earlier he gave an interview explaining why he made the decision? The only thing I can think is that either he is so caught up in the con that he forgot that he could now drop the act, or he just wanted to twist the knife into Michigan one more time.
In fairness, we weren’t the only people who thought that Scott could be trolling the Wolverine fans and coaches. Last week, a Michigan YouTuber rightly said that there was nearly no chance that Aaron picked the Maize and Blue, saying it was 98% for Ohio State and just 2% for Michigan.
He even asked his viewers to provide any explanation for Scott’s actions other than the fact that he was trolling, and nobody could do it. So, while it is against my nature to give credit to any Michigan Man, it does seem like Mark Rogers got this one exactly right. Even a blind muskrat finds a nut every once in a while.
But, if his months of misdirects, misleading comments, and mind games aren’t enough for you to believe that Scott has been trolling Michigan this whole time, I give you my final piece of inculpatory evidence: Aaron Scott’s actual commitment event.
Scott, flanked by his parents, sat at the center of a table with an Oregon hat and bookbag on his right, a Michigan hat and bag in front of him, and an OSU hat and bag to his left. Now, if you are a disciple of Hat Science
, you know that the hat in the middle is never chosen, meaning that Buckeye fans should have felt pretty good about their options on Sunday evening.
Nevertheless, Scott went through with his pre-planned charade. First, he eliminated the Oregon gear — despite the fact that he said this week that he grew up a Ducks fan — then, he picked up the Ohio State stuff and went to don the hat, only to discard that as well, leaving only the Michigan merch. But friends, if you have watched these commitment announcements over the years, surely you knew this was not the end. In fact, as soon as the props were placed on the table, you should have been asking yourself, “Self, why does Aaron Scott have bookbags on the table in addition to hats?”
That would have been a very good question, because — with only the maize and blue hat and bag remaining on the table — instead of putting on the Block M hat and declaring his intention to play for the next three or four years in Ann Arbor, Scott picked up the Michigan bag, opened the pocket, and pulled out an Ohio State jersey that he promptly put it on to complete his commitment and the trolling of his new team’s biggest rival.
Look, I am not one to question a 17-year-old’s honesty, so if Scott says that he was truly considering Michigan throughout this process even up until Sunday morning, who am I to call him a liar (even if his public statements about when he made his decision were demonstrably false)? But, if Kyrie Irving, RFK Jr., or Ye asked me for my honest opinion, I would tell them that I think this was nothing more than a lifelong Buckeye fan sticking it to his favorite team’s bitter rivals.
”Ohio State showed me a whole lot of love,” Scott told Bucknuts’ Bill Kurelic. “Ryan Day reminded me how I love Ohio State. It’s family there, it’s all love.”
Could the OSU head coach have reminded Scott of that love during his official visit last month? Last week? Sunday morning? Perhaps, but look at the prospect’s recruitment graphic. In addition to the recruiting images wearing official Buckeye team gear, there are photos of a young Aaron Scott decked out in scarlet and gray.
Growing up less than an hour away from Ohio Stadium with a dad who loves the Buckeyes, in retrospect, it’s hard to imagine Aaron Scott going anywhere else, but for a good long while, he had a lot of people convinced — or at least concerned — that he was bound for Ann Arbor.
In fairness, in the video above, Scott told Birm that he did — in fact — make his decision at some point last week and that it was his late-June visit to Columbus that flipped him from the Dark Side to the light. In the super-secret Friday interview, Scott explained his thought process in coming to his ultimate conclusion, so perhaps Occam’s razor holds true here and if I take off the tinfoil hat and stop my own little bit of trolling, I can concede that Scott probably did have a really tough time picking between OSU and TTUN… but you never know, maybe he didn’t.
In the end, whether this was as difficult of a decision as Scott has said it was or it was all an elaborate Andy Kaufman-style ruse designed to embarrass the Michigan program, frustrate their fans, and force them to waste time and resources on a prospect they never had a real chance at landing, we might never know, but either way, it’s nice to finally be able to officially welcome Aaron Scott into the 2024 Ohio State recruiting class.
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Masters of the long con Aaron Scott and Andy Kaufman | Left image: Aaron Scott’s Instagram | Right image: Images Press/IMAGES/Getty Images
Andy Kaufman — who is obviously not really dead — is probably very impressed with Scott’s performance.
Look, I am not a natural conspiracy theorist. I believe that Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. I believe that the Earth is round. I believe Elvis has been dead since 1977 and Tupac was murdered in 1996. I do not believe that the Holy Grail is actually the sacred bloodline of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. I do not believe that we are all actually living in a simulation. And I believe that the Denver International Airport is just an airport and not a secret bunker for the highest-ranking members of the New World Order to retreat to when they begin to rain down a fiery apocalypse on an unsuspecting global population.
But nonetheless, here I am, sitting at home on a late-July Sunday evening contemplating the fact that a newly committed Ohio State football prospect might have just pulled off the biggest long-term con job in the history of recruiting. As you almost certainly know by now, Springfield, Ohio native Aaron Scott chose the Buckeyes over Michigan and Oregon on Sunday. The No. 52 player in the country, No. 5 cornerback, and No. 2 player from Ohio according to 247Sports’ Composite Ratings, all of the crystal balls and recruiting prediction machines had Scott going to Ohio State, but the vibe around his recruitment was a fraught one for Buckeye fans.
As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, even though the experts were all focused on OSU as the destination for the talented corner (although no one felt super confident about it), his words and actions made everyone in Buckeye Nation understandably anxious. Earlier this month, when announcing his commitment day, Scott tweeted “shock da world,” and what would be more shocking for a top prospect from 45 minutes outside of Columbus than committing to Michigan? Then, two days later, he was spotted wearing Wolverine cleats at a 7-on-7 event in Dayton, adding more fuel to the fandom’s fears.
Scott was one of the toughest prospects in recent memory to get a bead on because other than narrowing down his finalists to the Buckeyes, Wolverines, and Oregon Ducks, he gave precious few indications about where he was leaning, even up until the week of his commitment (more on that in a second).
However, one of the first signs that Scott was bound to be a Buckeye was the choice of commitment day. You could assume that the rising senior just wanted to make his pledge on July 30 so that he could focus his attention on his last season as a high school football player, and that would be completely valid. But, July 30 also happens to be his father’s birthday, and his father is a huge Ohio State fan.
If Scott was seriously going to commit to Michigan, would he do it on his Buckeye-loving dad’s birthday? While I am sure that Mr. Scott would have eventually accepted the Wolverines into his heart if Aaron decided to go there — at least for as long as he was on the team — it would be a pretty brutal birthday gift to make your dad sit at the table next to you while you chose to play for his hated rival.
To be fair, we here at LGHL have been secretly suspecting a troll job for well over a month. Our recruiting analyst (and Michigan state-champion high school football coach) Caleb Houser raised the possibility in our Slack channel before Scott’s June 23 official visit to Columbus.
Following his commitment, Scott said that it was that visit and being on hand when Ohio’s No. 1 prospect, fellow cornerback Bryce West, committed to the Buckeyes that moved OSU ahead of TTUN. And while that might be true, Scott’s comments to reporters don’t always line up, even after his decision was revealed.
In the same media availability Sunday night, the cornerback said that he didn’t make his decision until Sunday morning, backing up tweets from earlier in the week that indicated that he wasn’t yet ready to make a decision, and yet, on Friday — two days before his announcement — he sat down with Rival’s Jeremy Birmingham to detail his decision to become a Buckeye.
Was he just trying to keep the secret under wraps or was it part of a months-long troll job against Michigan? Why would he tell reporters that he made the decision on Sunday if days earlier he gave an interview explaining why he made the decision? The only thing I can think is that either he is so caught up in the con that he forgot that he could now drop the act, or he just wanted to twist the knife into Michigan one more time.
In fairness, we weren’t the only people who thought that Scott could be trolling the Wolverine fans and coaches. Last week, a Michigan YouTuber rightly said that there was nearly no chance that Aaron picked the Maize and Blue, saying it was 98% for Ohio State and just 2% for Michigan.
He even asked his viewers to provide any explanation for Scott’s actions other than the fact that he was trolling, and nobody could do it. So, while it is against my nature to give credit to any Michigan Man, it does seem like Mark Rogers got this one exactly right. Even a blind muskrat finds a nut every once in a while.
But, if his months of misdirects, misleading comments, and mind games aren’t enough for you to believe that Scott has been trolling Michigan this whole time, I give you my final piece of inculpatory evidence: Aaron Scott’s actual commitment event.
Scott, flanked by his parents, sat at the center of a table with an Oregon hat and bookbag on his right, a Michigan hat and bag in front of him, and an OSU hat and bag to his left. Now, if you are a disciple of Hat Science
, you know that the hat in the middle is never chosen, meaning that Buckeye fans should have felt pretty good about their options on Sunday evening.Nevertheless, Scott went through with his pre-planned charade. First, he eliminated the Oregon gear — despite the fact that he said this week that he grew up a Ducks fan — then, he picked up the Ohio State stuff and went to don the hat, only to discard that as well, leaving only the Michigan merch. But friends, if you have watched these commitment announcements over the years, surely you knew this was not the end. In fact, as soon as the props were placed on the table, you should have been asking yourself, “Self, why does Aaron Scott have bookbags on the table in addition to hats?”
That would have been a very good question, because — with only the maize and blue hat and bag remaining on the table — instead of putting on the Block M hat and declaring his intention to play for the next three or four years in Ann Arbor, Scott picked up the Michigan bag, opened the pocket, and pulled out an Ohio State jersey that he promptly put it on to complete his commitment and the trolling of his new team’s biggest rival.
Look, I am not one to question a 17-year-old’s honesty, so if Scott says that he was truly considering Michigan throughout this process even up until Sunday morning, who am I to call him a liar (even if his public statements about when he made his decision were demonstrably false)? But, if Kyrie Irving, RFK Jr., or Ye asked me for my honest opinion, I would tell them that I think this was nothing more than a lifelong Buckeye fan sticking it to his favorite team’s bitter rivals.
”Ohio State showed me a whole lot of love,” Scott told Bucknuts’ Bill Kurelic. “Ryan Day reminded me how I love Ohio State. It’s family there, it’s all love.”
Could the OSU head coach have reminded Scott of that love during his official visit last month? Last week? Sunday morning? Perhaps, but look at the prospect’s recruitment graphic. In addition to the recruiting images wearing official Buckeye team gear, there are photos of a young Aaron Scott decked out in scarlet and gray.
Growing up less than an hour away from Ohio Stadium with a dad who loves the Buckeyes, in retrospect, it’s hard to imagine Aaron Scott going anywhere else, but for a good long while, he had a lot of people convinced — or at least concerned — that he was bound for Ann Arbor.
In fairness, in the video above, Scott told Birm that he did — in fact — make his decision at some point last week and that it was his late-June visit to Columbus that flipped him from the Dark Side to the light. In the super-secret Friday interview, Scott explained his thought process in coming to his ultimate conclusion, so perhaps Occam’s razor holds true here and if I take off the tinfoil hat and stop my own little bit of trolling, I can concede that Scott probably did have a really tough time picking between OSU and TTUN… but you never know, maybe he didn’t.
In the end, whether this was as difficult of a decision as Scott has said it was or it was all an elaborate Andy Kaufman-style ruse designed to embarrass the Michigan program, frustrate their fans, and force them to waste time and resources on a prospect they never had a real chance at landing, we might never know, but either way, it’s nice to finally be able to officially welcome Aaron Scott into the 2024 Ohio State recruiting class.
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LGHL You’re Nuts: After landing Scott, where should Ohio State shift its focus next?
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You’re Nuts: After landing Scott, where should Ohio State shift its focus next?
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2024 Ohio State commit Aaron Scott Jr. | via @SpencerHolbrook on Twitter
What should the Buckeyes’ recruiting focus be moving forward in 2024?
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
This week’s topic: Where should Ohio State focus next in the 2024 class?
Ohio State scored a sizable recruiting victory yesterday evening when they landed the commitment of high four-star cornerback Aaron Scott. Scott, an Ohio native, became the Buckeyes’ 19th verbal commit in their 2024 class, joining the likes of WR Jeremiah Smith, QB Air Noland, DL Justin Scott, and fellow CBs Bryce West and Miles Lockhart. All current OSU commitments make up the No. 2 class in the 2024 team rankings, with potential to reach No. 1 if Ryan Day and company can add a few more five-stars.
Sounds great, right? Well yeah, that’s because this 2024 class is absolutely shaping up to be a special one. But there are still a few holes or gaps left to fill. And that is where Gene and I come in. Not to fill any holes, but to debate them...
I feel l am veering off course with the “holes” talk, so let me just clarify that Gene and I are going to look at biggest remaining need in Ohio State’s 2024 recruiting class. And while it is difficult to pick apart the No. 2 class, I would argue that there are actually a few significant needs remaining. Because I feel that the current group of commits is somewhat top-heavy and being carried by multiple players at certain positions. Allow me to explain:
The Buckeyes have two five-star WRs (Smith and Mylan Graham) ranked as their top two prospects — nothing new with Brian Hartline carrying the load. They also have a QB (Noland) and a RB (James Peoples) ranked among their top six, meaning that four of OSU’s top six 2024 commits are offensive skill players. Joining those offensive skill players (in the top six) are DL Justin Scott and CB Aaron Scott, the latter of which is part of a nice positional trio for Tim Walton. So there is at least an argument to be made that skill players and corners are carrying this ’24 class.
However, said argument would definitely be of the nit-picking variety. Because it is still very early in this (2024) process and Ohio State seems to be in good standing with several prospects at several positions. So we are not going to overreact. I mean, who loses their mind over recruiting, right Gene? Instead, let’s just calmly debate what the OSU coaching staff needs to address before next Signing Day.
I was temped to go with the position (LB) that Jim Knowles has just repeatedly whiffed at since arriving in Columbus, but I really like Payton Pierce, and the Buckeyes were granted some leeway when C.J. Hicks and Gabe Powerswere born in Ohio joined the program in 2022. So I am going to say that offensive line is the biggest remaining need in this 2024 class, despite Ohio State already having four OL committed. My concerns are versatility, upside, and program depth.
Of the four OL currently committed to OSU, three are listed as interior blockers by 247Sports. Deontae Armstrong is the only ‘true’ tackle prospect, and he is the No. 416 ranked player in the country. Ian Moore out of Indiana has also played tackle, but his best future position is TBD. Regardless, the Buckeyes do not currently have a pledge from a ‘franchise’ left tackle and most 2024 commits appear to be destined for guard or even center.
To make matters worse, Ohio State only signed one tackle last year! And he was outside the national top-500. Going back even further, the program did sign two tackles in 2022, but one did not lose his black stripe and become an official Buckeye until spring of this year (2023)... Not great, Bob. And my intent here is not to dump on any of these guys, but rather to point out that Greg Studrawa did not exactly stock the pantry for Justin Frye, who is now trying his best is trying to replenish the groceries (talent).
The good news is that OSU appears to be in good standing with Brandon Baker, the top-ranked OT in the 2024 class. Frye has also been in contact with Guerby Lambert, 247’s No. 2 OT. The latter has multiple crystal balls to Notre Dame, but you never know what is going to happen in this recruiting game.
What I do know is that I would feel much, much better if Ohio State could land at least one commitment from a blue chip OT. Sure, these players are few and far between, but we’re talking about the Ohio State Buckeyes! Did Studrawa diminish the program’s reputation that bad? If so, can Frye rebuild it?
When it comes the latter (question), I absolutely believe that he can and will. Frye helped turn Paris Johnson Jr. into a top-6 NFL Draft pick, Dawand Jones into a first round prospect (before he stopped working out for teams), and Luke Wypler into an early entrant for said draft. Nobody believed Wypler was destined for the NFL after the 2021 season, but Frye helped make it happen — in just one year. So I am willing to bet on both his eye for talent and ability to develop.
If the results come, so will the blue chippers and high end talents. Until then, offensive line will remain an area of need.
Josh set the stage, and so I’m going to keep my side of things a bit shorter. Since my counterpart went with the offensive line, which is a sentiment I do agree with, I will gladly take the softball and go with linebacker.
As Josh already outlined, Ohio State has whiffed on several of their top linebacker targets in each of these last two classes — a concerning trend given that Jim Knowles is a linebacker guy at his core. It seemed all but assured that Tackett Curtis was going to end up a Buckeye in 2023, but he instead spurned Ohio State in favor for USC. A defensive player preferring to go play in Alex Grinch’s system in general is concerning, but that was a tough loss on a Louisiana kid going all the way across the country.
This year, the big loss was Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, who appeared to be an Ohio State lean before a religious retreat changed his mind in favor of Notre Dame. It’s a little bit tougher to blame the OSU coaching staff on this one in light of the circumstances, but a quick look at the Buckeyes’ 2024 recruiting at the linebacker spot makes this even more significant than losing Curtis.
Ohio State does have Payton Pierce in the fold in this cycle, and as a top-20 linebacker nationally, the Texas kid seems like a very good get. They also brought in Arvell Reese in 2023, who was the No. 5 player in the state of Ohio and also a top-20 player at the position nationally. These are two talent players, but the problem is that landing only two linebackers across two consecutive classes — when both of this year’s starting LBs are in their final seasons — isn’t exactly an ideal situation.
Now, the Buckeyes do have some leeway from prior recruiting wins, with former five-star C.J. Hicks ready to contribute and both Gabe Powers and Reid Carrico also in the mix for a starting job in 2024. But this many recruiting misses at a position of need is concerning, and becomes even more so when you look at the remaining options in this 2024 class.
At this point in time, Ohio State has sent out offers to 12 linebackers in this cycle. Of that dozen, 10 are already committed elsewhere and one is Pierce. The only remaining uncommitted player at the position with a Buckeye offer is Devin Smith, a three-star linebacker who did not include OSU among his top five schools back at the beginning of the month. This late in the game, if Ohio State was going to add another linebacker to this class, they would have to either find a real diamond in the rough or convince someone to flip — neither of which seem all that likely.
Knowles’ recruiting obviously isn't where it’s needed to be, but that is why Ryan Day brought in James Laurinaitis to potentially aid in that area. The problem there is that Laurinaitis can’t go on the road to recruit as a grad assistant, and so if the Buckeyes want to actually get serious about linebacker recruiting, they should finally dump that bum Parker Fleming, stop employing a full-time special teams coordinator (and a really bad one at that), and make Laurinaitis your full-time linebackers coach.
Continue reading...
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2024 Ohio State commit Aaron Scott Jr. | via @SpencerHolbrook on Twitter
What should the Buckeyes’ recruiting focus be moving forward in 2024?
Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.
In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.
This week’s topic: Where should Ohio State focus next in the 2024 class?
Josh’s Take
Ohio State scored a sizable recruiting victory yesterday evening when they landed the commitment of high four-star cornerback Aaron Scott. Scott, an Ohio native, became the Buckeyes’ 19th verbal commit in their 2024 class, joining the likes of WR Jeremiah Smith, QB Air Noland, DL Justin Scott, and fellow CBs Bryce West and Miles Lockhart. All current OSU commitments make up the No. 2 class in the 2024 team rankings, with potential to reach No. 1 if Ryan Day and company can add a few more five-stars.
Sounds great, right? Well yeah, that’s because this 2024 class is absolutely shaping up to be a special one. But there are still a few holes or gaps left to fill. And that is where Gene and I come in. Not to fill any holes, but to debate them...
I feel l am veering off course with the “holes” talk, so let me just clarify that Gene and I are going to look at biggest remaining need in Ohio State’s 2024 recruiting class. And while it is difficult to pick apart the No. 2 class, I would argue that there are actually a few significant needs remaining. Because I feel that the current group of commits is somewhat top-heavy and being carried by multiple players at certain positions. Allow me to explain:
The Buckeyes have two five-star WRs (Smith and Mylan Graham) ranked as their top two prospects — nothing new with Brian Hartline carrying the load. They also have a QB (Noland) and a RB (James Peoples) ranked among their top six, meaning that four of OSU’s top six 2024 commits are offensive skill players. Joining those offensive skill players (in the top six) are DL Justin Scott and CB Aaron Scott, the latter of which is part of a nice positional trio for Tim Walton. So there is at least an argument to be made that skill players and corners are carrying this ’24 class.
However, said argument would definitely be of the nit-picking variety. Because it is still very early in this (2024) process and Ohio State seems to be in good standing with several prospects at several positions. So we are not going to overreact. I mean, who loses their mind over recruiting, right Gene? Instead, let’s just calmly debate what the OSU coaching staff needs to address before next Signing Day.
I was temped to go with the position (LB) that Jim Knowles has just repeatedly whiffed at since arriving in Columbus, but I really like Payton Pierce, and the Buckeyes were granted some leeway when C.J. Hicks and Gabe Powers
Of the four OL currently committed to OSU, three are listed as interior blockers by 247Sports. Deontae Armstrong is the only ‘true’ tackle prospect, and he is the No. 416 ranked player in the country. Ian Moore out of Indiana has also played tackle, but his best future position is TBD. Regardless, the Buckeyes do not currently have a pledge from a ‘franchise’ left tackle and most 2024 commits appear to be destined for guard or even center.
To make matters worse, Ohio State only signed one tackle last year! And he was outside the national top-500. Going back even further, the program did sign two tackles in 2022, but one did not lose his black stripe and become an official Buckeye until spring of this year (2023)... Not great, Bob. And my intent here is not to dump on any of these guys, but rather to point out that Greg Studrawa did not exactly stock the pantry for Justin Frye, who is now trying his best is trying to replenish the groceries (talent).
The good news is that OSU appears to be in good standing with Brandon Baker, the top-ranked OT in the 2024 class. Frye has also been in contact with Guerby Lambert, 247’s No. 2 OT. The latter has multiple crystal balls to Notre Dame, but you never know what is going to happen in this recruiting game.
What I do know is that I would feel much, much better if Ohio State could land at least one commitment from a blue chip OT. Sure, these players are few and far between, but we’re talking about the Ohio State Buckeyes! Did Studrawa diminish the program’s reputation that bad? If so, can Frye rebuild it?
When it comes the latter (question), I absolutely believe that he can and will. Frye helped turn Paris Johnson Jr. into a top-6 NFL Draft pick, Dawand Jones into a first round prospect (before he stopped working out for teams), and Luke Wypler into an early entrant for said draft. Nobody believed Wypler was destined for the NFL after the 2021 season, but Frye helped make it happen — in just one year. So I am willing to bet on both his eye for talent and ability to develop.
If the results come, so will the blue chippers and high end talents. Until then, offensive line will remain an area of need.
Gene’s Take
Josh set the stage, and so I’m going to keep my side of things a bit shorter. Since my counterpart went with the offensive line, which is a sentiment I do agree with, I will gladly take the softball and go with linebacker.
As Josh already outlined, Ohio State has whiffed on several of their top linebacker targets in each of these last two classes — a concerning trend given that Jim Knowles is a linebacker guy at his core. It seemed all but assured that Tackett Curtis was going to end up a Buckeye in 2023, but he instead spurned Ohio State in favor for USC. A defensive player preferring to go play in Alex Grinch’s system in general is concerning, but that was a tough loss on a Louisiana kid going all the way across the country.
This year, the big loss was Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, who appeared to be an Ohio State lean before a religious retreat changed his mind in favor of Notre Dame. It’s a little bit tougher to blame the OSU coaching staff on this one in light of the circumstances, but a quick look at the Buckeyes’ 2024 recruiting at the linebacker spot makes this even more significant than losing Curtis.
Ohio State does have Payton Pierce in the fold in this cycle, and as a top-20 linebacker nationally, the Texas kid seems like a very good get. They also brought in Arvell Reese in 2023, who was the No. 5 player in the state of Ohio and also a top-20 player at the position nationally. These are two talent players, but the problem is that landing only two linebackers across two consecutive classes — when both of this year’s starting LBs are in their final seasons — isn’t exactly an ideal situation.
Now, the Buckeyes do have some leeway from prior recruiting wins, with former five-star C.J. Hicks ready to contribute and both Gabe Powers and Reid Carrico also in the mix for a starting job in 2024. But this many recruiting misses at a position of need is concerning, and becomes even more so when you look at the remaining options in this 2024 class.
At this point in time, Ohio State has sent out offers to 12 linebackers in this cycle. Of that dozen, 10 are already committed elsewhere and one is Pierce. The only remaining uncommitted player at the position with a Buckeye offer is Devin Smith, a three-star linebacker who did not include OSU among his top five schools back at the beginning of the month. This late in the game, if Ohio State was going to add another linebacker to this class, they would have to either find a real diamond in the rough or convince someone to flip — neither of which seem all that likely.
Knowles’ recruiting obviously isn't where it’s needed to be, but that is why Ryan Day brought in James Laurinaitis to potentially aid in that area. The problem there is that Laurinaitis can’t go on the road to recruit as a grad assistant, and so if the Buckeyes want to actually get serious about linebacker recruiting, they should finally dump that bum Parker Fleming, stop employing a full-time special teams coordinator (and a really bad one at that), and make Laurinaitis your full-time linebackers coach.
Continue reading...