'11 PA TE Ben Koyack (Notre Dame Signee)

[wadc45]

From the same article (for those without premium):

College Football Recruiting On the Trail 2010 - ESPN

Touted Midwest tight end Ben Koyack reveals some favorites
Junior Ben Koyack (Oil City, Pa.) told ESPN affiliate Web site Bucknuts.com, "If I had to, I'd probably put Penn State, Ohio State and Notre Dame at the one spot, and Pitt below them. After that everything is pretty much open."

 

[ysubuck]

If he kept his speed he wouldn't have "out grown" the position.

Calvin Johnson didn't "out grow" the wide receiver position.

Not sure you're making one, but Calvin Johnson is a tough comparison to make. That guy is an athletic freak that doesn't come around too often.

 

[Smith]

Bucknuts (free)

USC Offers Two More OSU Targets
Posted by Bill Kurelic on Feb 12, 2010 at 04:45 pm

...
Then Bucknuts.com learned the Trojans also offered a scholarship to tight end Ben Koyack (Oil City, Pa./Oil City).

That was not the only offer Koyack landed today. Coaches from Oklahoma and LSU also extended scholarship offers to Koyack.

Koyack is the only 2011 tight end the Buckeyes have offered to this point

cont...

 

[Smith]

Scout $ - Koyack Adds Three Big Offers
By Bob Lichtenfels
Posted Feb 12, 2010

Lane Kiffin from Southern Cal, Bob Stoops from Oklahoma, & Les Miles from LSU all called Koyacks HS coach today to offer a scholarship... He's not really into recruiting & tells people he has around a dozen offers when he really has over 30...

 

[Smith]

ElevenWarriors.com

Catching Up with Ben Koyack
By Alex - March 3rd, 2010

...
Do you have a top 5 or 10 right now? What schools are you looking at?
I do have a few schools I?m looking at, but it really could change at any point for me right now. I?d have to put Notre Dame, Penn State, and Ohio State all at the top, and then have like Pitt, Florida, and Oklahoma down near the bottom. But there?s still not a ton separating any of them.

When do you expect to make a decision? Will you take all 5 official visits? If, so where?
I?m not sure if I will take them. I?m planning on committing before senior season. If I don?t, then I?ll take as many visits necessary to make the right decision clear to me.

What is your relationship with Ohio State? What do you like most about the Buckeyes? What coach is recruiting you?
I believe I have a good relationship with them. Every time I go, they?re always talking to me, and kinda getting past all of the football aspects, making it seem more like a friendship. I mean, I know all coaches do that, but it makes visits a lot easier. Coach Peterson and Gillum do a lot of it, and Coach Tressel came to the school once this winter.

cont...

 

[wadc45]

Nittany Insider: Maiden Voyage -

Catching on with Koyack?

Penn State wants Oil City, Pa., junior tight end Ben Koyack. So do a lot of other schools, Ohio State and Notre Dame in particular. And Koyack has said he views that trio on an equal but higher plane than other suitors.

Which brings us to this: The importance of Penn State tight end Andrew Quarless catching nine passes against LSU on New Year?s Day can?t be overstated. Prior to that, Koyack had Ohio State at the top of his list, but he has growing concerns over how much the Buckeyes throw to the tight end ? which is to say they don?t.

Seeing what the Nittany Lions did with Quarless, as well as a scholarship offer from new Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly, has changed things. Kelly told Koyack he would split him out wide at times to get him the ball. Also helping Penn State is that Koyack finally received a written offer from the Nittany Lions.

According to our source close to the Notre Dame program, the Fighting Irish feel they are in a two-team race with Penn State for Koyack.

 

[smu0104]

To an outside observer there are some apparent "facts" surrounding Koyack;

-He has visited OSU (more than a few times, I believe).
-He really seems to like OSU and the coaches.
-He was reportedly an early OSU lean.

Clearly, things have changed and it is painfully obvious why...OSU's lack of using the TE on offense. Ben can see it with his own two eyes and you better believe ND, PSU and everyone else is using that against OSU. Ben is taking heed and, rightfully so, appears to have legit concerns. At this point it would be surprising if he chose OSU. That said, I don't think all hope is lost at all. OSU just needs to put up or shut up...

I think OSU's best hope (won't say "only" hope) is to convince him not to commit until next fall until during CFB season or sometime soon after. If Ben can hold off and OSU can prove that Stoneburner and the flex TE position will become a part of the offense then I think OSU has a shot. Otherwise, I don't know why he would come here (and as a pass catching TE I don't blame him one bit).

 

[Buckeye86]

Clearly, things have changed

based on what? the fact that he hasn't committed yet?

 

[muffler dragon]

OSU just needs to put up or shut up...

What are you talking about?

 

[Pimpinnati]

OSU just needs to put up or shut up...

Color me confused. I figured when OSU offered him the Scholarship they "put up" ...

 

[BuckTwenty]

 

[RB07OSU]

What are you talking about?

I believe he means not using the tight end as a 3rd tackle. It seems ND and PSU have pointed that out (semi-negative recruiting). Until we actually throw to the tight end more, it is going to be a tough sell to guys like Koyack. But if Stoney ends up as the starter, I would say you're going to see an evolution because he is not going to be the blocker that Ballard, Nicol, Hamby, Hartsock, etc. were. I think Koyack's skill set and size is nearly identical to Stoneburner and not like the previous tight ends here, so I do think he would actually be used as a receiver. Getting him up here for the spring game could be big.

 

[Jerry Seinfeld]

I believe he means not using the tight end as a 3rd tackle. It seems ND and PSU have pointed that out (semi-negative recruiting).

Ballard caught 14 passes in 09.
Quarless caught 11 passes in 08... he was 8th in receiving.
Quarless caught 14 passes in 07... he was 6th in receiving.

Quarless was a very good weapon during those years, yet he rarely got the football.

This year was an outlier because PSU lost their entire WR corps, guys who caught 131 passes in 08. Without proven WRs, they leaned on Quarless more.

 

[sepia5]

To an outside observer there are some apparent "facts" surrounding Koyack;

-He has visited OSU (more than a few times, I believe).
-He really seems to like OSU and the coaches.
-He was reportedly an early OSU lean.

Clearly, things have changed and it is painfully obvious why...OSU's lack of using the TE on offense. Ben can see it with his own two eyes and you better believe ND, PSU and everyone else is using that against OSU. Ben is taking heed and, rightfully so, appears to have legit concerns. At this point it would be surprising if he chose OSU. That said, I don't think all hope is lost at all. OSU just needs to put up or shut up...

I think OSU's best hope (won't say "only" hope) is to convince him not to commit until next fall until during CFB season or sometime soon after. If Ben can hold off and OSU can prove that Stoneburner and the flex TE position will become a part of the offense then I think OSU has a shot. Otherwise, I don't know why he would come here (and as a pass catching TE I don't blame him one bit).

Careful. I wouldn't want to see you get the death penalty. It could set your posting back decades.

 

[RB07OSU]

Ballard caught 14 passes in 09.
Quarless caught 11 passes in 08... he was 8th in receiving.
Quarless caught 14 passes in 07... he was 6th in receiving.

Quarless was a very good weapon during those years, yet he rarely got the football.

This year was an outlier because PSU lost their entire WR corps, guys who caught 131 passes in 08. Without proven WRs, they leaned on Quarless more.

I actually had just looked at that before I posted. 33 catches and 448 yards is still going to look appealing...hopefully he looks past that and realizes it.