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ABJ

OSU's speedy athletes not in highest ranks; Tressel isn't worried

By Marla Ridenour

Beacon Journal sportswriter

COLUMBUS - Ohio State University's recruiting class of 2007 adds so much speed and athleticism to the Buckeyes that Butch Reynolds is already putting together his dream 400-meter relay team.
``He said, `I've got a group of guys that could place in the top echelon of the Big Ten track meet,' '' OSU coach Jim Tressel said, remembering a conversation this week with his speed coordinator. ``He said, `This guy could run the lead leg and he could run the curve.' I said, `Let's get through this quarter, maybe at the end of spring practice go for it.' ''
Only two of the 15 who signed national letters of intent with Ohio State on Wednesday will take part in spring practice. Tressel's seventh recruiting class didn't contain enough stars to crack the top 10 rankings of Internet scouting services. Before the day was done, ESPN.com put it 19th, with USC and Florida leading the pack.

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Lima

Future stock

BY JIM NAVEAU - Feb. 8, 2007
COLUMBUS ? The recruiting experts don?t rate this year?s Ohio State?s football recruiting class among the top 10 nationally and most of them put the Buckeyes second in the Big Ten behind Michigan.
But coach Jim Tressel, understandably, took more of a wait-and-see attitude when he discussed the 15 new Buckeyes on Wednesday, the first day high school seniors could sign football national letters of intent.
?I guess the only thing I know for sure is I don?t know. But I?m excited about finding out,? Tressel said, pointing out that A.J. Hawk and Troy Smith did not generate much excitement on signing day when they were seniors in high school.
Two of the biggest names in the recruiting class are Piqua running back Brandon Saine and Cincinnati Colerain defensive back Eugene Clifford.

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Link

Big Ten Recruiting Rankings

02/08/2007

2. Ohio State
National rank: 16
15 signings, 0 five-stars
It's not a class up to Ohio State standards, especially after a national runner-up season, but 12 four-star recruits give it depth. The only top-50 prospect is in-state RB Brandon Saine, and nine of the 15 signees play defense.
 
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Dispatch

Southern states have a built-in advantage
Thursday, February 08, 2007
ROB OLLER
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Empty playgrounds and icy conditions reveal the inherent difficulties and disadvantages faced by Northern colleges in snagging the nation?s best high school football recruits.
Ohio State knows this already, but the point was driven home again yesterday morning when something as simple as signing a national letter of intent became an ice cream headache ? pain accompanying pleasure.
Cincinnati Colerain recruit Eugene Clifford had hoped to become the first player to sign with the Buckeyes, but heavy snow closed his high school, so the defensive back had to wait until his prep coach arrived by four-wheel-drive truck at his home before eventually signing.

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Dispatch

Small but versatile 2007 class pleases Tressel
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Tim May
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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JEFF SWINGER CINCINNATI ENQUIRER Eugene Clifford, returning a punt for Cincinnati Colerain, will be tried at cornerback but has game-breaking ability as a receiver.
Evan Blankenship is the odd man out in the 15-member football recruiting class signed yesterday by Ohio State. Any which way you look at Blankenship, who is 6 feet 3 and 300 pounds, he seems to have interior offensive lineman written all over him.
But Cameron Heyward? Eugene Clifford? Brandon Saine? Nate Oliver? Jermale Hines? Brian Rolle? Who knows what position they will end up at. That?s why, as coach Jim Tressel spoke yesterday of his seventh recruiting class at Ohio State, one word he used stood out above all of the rest:
"Versatility."

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Dispatch

OHIO STATE NOTEBOOK
Two cornerback recruits plan to enroll for spring quarter
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Tim May and Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Donnie Evege and James Scott are going to get a head start on fellow members of the Ohio State football recruiting class, but just by one term.
Evege, of Huber Heights, and Scott, of Daytona Beach, Fla., are cornerbacks who plan to enroll for spring quarter so they can go through spring practice. Each has graduated from high school.
"I think it is in my best interest for several reasons," Evege said. "I?ll get a head start on the field. I?ll get the chance to work with (speed coach) Butch Reynolds, former world champion in the 400, and with strength coach Eric Lichter. And I will get a chance to get into the swing of things, taking college courses and getting used to college life."
 
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CNNSI article on Recruiting: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/stewart_mandel/02/07/signing.day/index.html

All about USC/Tenn/ and of course Florida I find it unbelievable that there is no mention of how OSU recruits. How many of these programs have been consistently pumping out Top NFL talent and numbers like Ohio State. We have been consistently in the BCS and like USC two National Championship Games with a 1-1 record. I give Florida props for this year and based on 5 stars it looks like a great haul but I certainly would not want my coach to be texting players everyday and would be willing to bet he is actually not the one texting. Again no props to OSU and hopefully another chip on their shoulder to prove in 07. Go Bucks
 
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Can someone explain to me why we have so few scholarships available this year and next? I noticed that we had the fewest signees (15) of any team in the Big Ten yesterday, and I also read somewhere that Tressel said that only signing 15 will allow us to sign 13 next year. That seems like an incredibly low two-year total relative to other schools.
 
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