CBF40's look at '12 recruiting (BP's prediction thread)

[wadc45]

Free Rivals - Many recruits not fazed by Tressel news

Mike Farrell
Rivals.com Football Recruiting

The Jim Tressel era is over at Ohio State and Buckeye fans and haters alike are wondering what this means to football recruiting for the Big Ten power. Based on early returns, it won't mean much when it comes to most in-state prospects.

But those growing up outside the confines of Ohio aren't yet sure.

With a continued NCAA investigation into the program, more scathing articles and inflammatory statements rolling out, an interim coach for 2011 and a coaching search in the near future, could things turn sour in Buckeye land?

The resignation of Tressel on Monday morning should not be terribly surprising to prospects following the situation. Many have been calling for the ouster of Tressel for months - in fact, some feel it should have been done sooner once Yahoo! Sports revealed Tressel's string of lies and cover ups.

Tressel was 106-22 at Ohio State, won a national title and seven Big Ten championships, and he now leaves a huge pair of shoes (or sweater vest, as it is) to be filled by the next coach. Assistant coach Luke Fickell takes over for the 2011 season, but a search for a new coach already includes big names such as Urban Meyer, Bob Stoops, Bo Pelini and others.

But in the meantime, what happens to recruiting?

The honest answer, and an answer that fans at Michigan and other Big Ten programs don't want to hear, is that not much should change right now. After the NCAA investigation is finished, things could change. But for now, Ohio State is still Ohio State, a grade A recruiting program that will continue to draw the attention of top players in and out of state.

Continued...

 

[stowfan]

Free Rivals - Many recruits not fazed by Tressel news

I know I'm being optimistic but, based on what I just read, we may be in a better position with McMullin, now that part of the suspense is over.

 

[Diego-Bucks]

Now is a great time to lean on the 2012 Ohio class. Get those that want to be Buckeyes. Working against that however was that the staff was being a bit selective with the in-state offers in lieu of the national kids. A guy like Decker, Dodson or Brown and McGowan would have been fine to go after knowing the turmoil the program faces as we know now.

I ponder the realistic chances the Buckeyes have with the national offers after such a mess. However, I love the structure of the 2012 verbal commitments so far with very loyal and fairly elite prospects. Still hoping on the Dodson offer.

 

[Meyer]

Agree Diego.

Don't try to get fancy, just get a solid class.

 

[MaxBuck]

In my opinion, immediate dismissal of Gene Smith is essential in order to demonstrate to recruits and their parents that the rot in the athletic department is being removed. If I were parent of a recruit, I wouldn't want my son to attend Ohio State under a regime that has demonstrated the apparent lack of control that Smith has presided over.

JMHO

 

[stowfan]

In my opinion, immediate dismissal of Gene Smith is essential in order to demonstrate to recruits and their parents that the rot in the athletic department is being removed. If I were parent of a recruit, I wouldn't want my son to attend Ohio State under a regime that has demonstrated the apparent lack of control that Smith has presided over.

JMHO

I would have put that in the recruiting tidbits discussion, just to be on the safe side.

 

[Diego-Bucks]

So, according to Bill Greene and Sam Webb every single Buckeye recruit should have dropped them dramatically and dropped them below TSUN, Notre Dame and Michigan State. Reading the various articles, that seems like how they feel. I wonder if its based in how recruits really feel, or how they think recruits ought to feel.

 

[stowfan]

As I posted in the Fickell thread, the fact that the JT resignation, and looming Trouble (Cap.T) have been nothing but a speed bump so far is amazing.

 

[Meyer]

Well from the looks of those articles, this is a bad time for Ohio State to be in trouble. Michigan will be back where it belongs on the college football stage soon enough. Hopefully Ohio State doesn't fall very far.....

 

[GeorgiaBuck2]

I'm not worried about Michigan, they'll suck at least for one more season.

 

[crazybuckeye]

Well from the looks of those articles, this is a bad time for Ohio State to be in trouble. Michigan will be back where it belongs on the college football stage soon enough. Hopefully Ohio State doesn't fall very far.....

First of all, its always a bad time to be in trouble. Having said that, if it had to happen, this season is as good a time as any as far as recruiting goes. We have a very small number of scholarships to offer, no truly glaring positions of need, and a large pool of quality in-state talent, many of whom will still recognize the opportunity to attend Ohio State for what it is, the opportunity of a lifetime.
As far as Mich. goes, they are exactly where they belong, at or near the bottom of the conference. Wins and championships are earned and they haven't done anything to earn them. Not to mention the fact that they are currently on probation for multiple major violations and lying to NCAA investigators. If changing coaches(again) is going to magically put them back near the top, then I wouldn't worry too much about Ohio State.

 

[Joe6809]

As far as Mich. goes, they are exactly where they belong, at or near the bottom of the conference. Wins and championships are earned and they haven't done anything to earn them. Not to mention the fact that they are currently on probation for multiple major violations and lying to NCAA investigators. If changing coaches(again) is going to magically put them back near the top, then I wouldn't worry too much about Ohio State.

I'm going to have to disagree, and respectfully suggest that you're looking at this through scarlet colored glasses. To a Buckeye fan, Michigan is still the laughing stock and Ohio State is still Ohio State. To someone outside the rivalry, Michigan is getting back on the horse after a downtime, and Ohio State is about to be taken behind the shed. Michigan has a new coach, who is restoring the traditional system that kept them a contender year in and year out. He's doing a heck of a job on the recruiting trail, pulling in exactly the kind of guys that we always ridiculed RichRod for being without.

Unfortunately, I don't think Tressel's departure was the watershed for recruiting that people are making it out to be. I think that time will be whenever sanctions are announced. That's when I think we'll see the impact in recruiting. If we get a multi-year bowl ban, I wouldn't be surprised to see a bigger number of our targets heading north.

So to back up what KingLeon said, I think it's like the general mentality in the rankings: lose early. Michigan went through it's downtime, and they're on their way back up. We're just about to hit ours. Depending on how severe the sanctions are, Michigan could leapfrog us before long.

 

[Elephant]

I'm going to have to disagree, and respectfully suggest that you're looking at this through scarlet colored glasses. To a Buckeye fan, Michigan is still the laughing stock and Ohio State is still Ohio State. To someone outside the rivalry, Michigan is getting back on the horse after a downtime, and Ohio State is about to be taken behind the shed. Michigan has a new coach, who is restoring the traditional system that kept them a contender year in and year out. He's doing a heck of a job on the recruiting trail, pulling in exactly the kind of guys that we always ridiculed RichRod for being without.

Unfortunately, I don't think Tressel's departure was the watershed for recruiting that people are making it out to be. I think that time will be whenever sanctions are announced. That's when I think we'll see the impact in recruiting. If we get a multi-year bowl ban, I wouldn't be surprised to see a bigger number of our targets heading north.

So to back up what KingLeon said, I think it's like the general mentality in the rankings: lose early. Michigan went through it's downtime, and they're on their way back up. We're just about to hit ours. Depending on how severe the sanctions are, Michigan could leapfrog us before long.

I would suggest you pop in some videos of michigan the past 3 years. Not only is that entire state gay...but the talent on that team is no where to be found. Rich Rod brought in very little and there was very little to begin with. Ohio State on the other hand has crapped out talent left and right. Getting talented players is the key. Great players make great coaches!

 

[Joe6809]

I would suggest you pop in some videos of michigan the past 3 years. Not only is that entire state gay...but the talent on that team is no where to be found. Rich Rod brought in very little and there was very little to begin with. Ohio State on the other hand has crapped out talent left and right. Getting talented players is the key. Great players make great coaches!

Right, and I think KingLeon was referring to more than just the upcoming season. Think 3 or 4 years down the road. Hoke is doing a great job bringing in recruits so far, and a few more years of this and he'll have some serious talent on the field. Meanwhile, if we get hit hard, we may have a few weak classes in a row. Add those two up, and it could very well mean the W column swings back to Michigan.

 

[Joe6809]

And in case you come back with "recruits won't care, they want to come to Ohio State!" all I have to say is that these are 17 year olds we're talking about. Their perception of the sport usually doesn't span more than a couple years.
For a point of reference, Trey DePriest said he liked Alabama over Ohio State, because all Alabama ever did was win. He apparently didn't realize that Alabama was nothing more than mediocre for his entire existence up until about the time he entered high school, while Ohio State has not had a losing season in his lifetime.
While I have no doubt that Ohio State will be just fine in the long run, I won't be surprised at all if kids shy away for a couple years.