2026 DC DL Carter Meadows (ttun Verbal)

[pnuts34]

I could be wrong but im gonna guess this is more Michigan offering a insane amount rather than us being extreme penny pinchers.

correct

Fix the scheme last year and it's not close. Day has admitted to not putting his team in the best position to win in that scenario and, irony of ironies, it catapulted them to a national title.

2021-2023 doesn't count in my IMO. You can't factor out the level of cheating, especially when the defense knows the plays, knows the timing and knows the point of attack. Guys who went to the NFL and had been good to borderline great were sitting ducks because of it.

If Day was so dang focused on winning the rushing battle, OSU wins by at least 3 TDs. ScUM wouldn't have beaten any of the teams that OSU played in the CFP

What 11 said - TCUN is having to offer up so much in NIL right now it's not prudent or logical to even bother trying to keep up. Look at the storm clouds around that program - no matter what the NCAA ends up doing to them, they are deficit spending just to get people.

The recruiting is fine - people freaking out over 17 year olds who are getting millions are hilarious.

Yeah, I don't get the anger fans have at the program(and LJsr in particular) for not overspending for teenagers. ScUM is spending 7 figures to let Meadows essentially just work out and go to class. Good for the kid, but not a sound investment for the program. And he might not see the field until year 3. So you've wasted/spent 7 figures expecting hopefully 1-2yrs of ELITE output. When you think about it like that, it makes complete sense for OSU to offer 1/4 that, and if the kid starts producing by year 3, then his contract will be renegotiated and increased, if he doesn't then he will see a slight increase, but it won't be astronomical. AND, idk how much hunger and ambition a kid will have when he already has the massive deal. I'm not saying ALL, or even most will rest on their laurels, but I can easily see an 18yo earning a high 6 figure paycheck mailing it in and spending more time enjoying "campus life" as opposed to working on his craft...

 

[buckeyemania11]

What 11 said - TCUN is having to offer up so much in NIL right now it's not prudent or logical to even bother trying to keep up. Look at the storm clouds around that program - no matter what the NCAA ends up doing to them, they are deficit spending just to get people.

The recruiting is fine - people freaking out over 17 year olds who are getting millions are hilarious.

We still have a top 3 class in terms of player quality currently even with the "misses". Some of our fan base wants to act like this type of thing is only happening to Ohio State, the other true top schools are getting bag swooped too. Its frustrating it keeps happening to us specifically at one position but in the end the coaches have shown they know what they are doing and I trust they will figure it out.

 

[osuvictory1]

I could be wrong but im gonna guess this is more Michigan offering a insane amount rather than us being extreme penny pinchers.

It makes sense if you think about it. They have some major infractions coming, and this is the way to keep up appearances, and the image of stability. If you seen as down, you are down.

 

[buckeyemania11]

It makes sense if you think about it. They have some major infractions coming, and this is the way to keep up appearances, and the image of stability. If you seen as down, you are down.

Yea that's likely exactly what it is, the timing of them starting to throw crazy money left and right is rather conveniently lining up with everything. Even if the NCAA lets them off light I get the feeling this class still doesn't hold up for them, the NIL promises are getting so grand that some of them are bound to fall apart.

 

[osuvictory1]

Yea that's likely exactly what it is, the timing of them starting to throw crazy money left and right is rather conveniently lining up with everything. Even if the NCAA lets them off light I get the feeling this class still doesn't hold up for them, the NIL promises are getting so grand that some of them are bound to fall apart.

The Texas A&M conundrum.

 

[pnuts34]

We still have a top 3 class in terms of player quality currently even with the "misses". Some of our fan base wants to act like this type of thing is only happening to Ohio State, the other true top schools are getting bag swooped too. Its frustrating it keeps happening to us specifically at one position but in the end the coaches have shown they know what they are doing and I trust they will figure it out.

I think many fans are still under the impression that recruiting is still like it was 5-10yrs ago, and the National champion should just clean up in recruiting and stockpile talent like Bama under Saban and UF under Meyer. And that's just not the case anymore. And it's weird to me, because its all adults who have actual adult jobs not understanding how much throwing dollars at a person can alter their decisions. If Company A offered $80k/yr and you like everything about the company, but Company B offered you $200k/yr and you just thought the company culture was just alright. Idk a person alive that would pass up the $200k salary. It's no different in the recruiting age with NIL. Without NIL, OSU would've cleaned up in recruiting the last few years. But the reality is, programs get desperate and their fans want some type of results. And if you can't buy wins, you can sure as heck buy talent, and keep those fans happy for a time being. Miami fans are angry at their results on the field, but they're not loudly mad at their staff because they've landed a good amount of 5star talent. OSU fans are up in arms mad because they keep missing on the same 5star talent, because their program refuses to get in the desperation game. 1 program has just won the NC, and has one of the highest win percentages in CFB history, the other can't even win the Pop Tarts bowl. Which team would you rather be a fan of?

 

[buckeyemania11]

I think many fans are still under the impression that recruiting is still like it was 5-10yrs ago, and the National champion should just clean up in recruiting and stockpile talent like Bama under Saban and UF under Meyer. And that's just not the case anymore. And it's weird to me, because its all adults who have actual adult jobs not understanding how much throwing dollars at a person can alter their decisions. If Company A offered $80k/yr and you like everything about the company, but Company B offered you $200k/yr and you just thought the company culture was just alright. Idk a person alive that would pass up the $200k salary. It's no different in the recruiting age with NIL. Without NIL, OSU would've cleaned up in recruiting the last few years. But the reality is, programs get desperate and their fans want some type of results. And if you can't buy wins, you can sure as heck buy talent, and keep those fans happy for a time being. Miami fans are angry at their results on the field, but they're not loudly mad at their staff because they've landed a good amount of 5star talent. OSU fans are up in arms mad because they keep missing on the same 5star talent, because their program refuses to get in the desperation game. 1 program has just won the NC, and has one of the highest win percentages in CFB history, the other can't even win the Pop Tarts bowl. Which team would you rather be a fan of?

Exactly, it's a completely different game than it was 10 years ago.

The days of a couple of teams hoarding all the top players are over, it's more spread out than ever.

The bought and paid for pure bag classes have yet to work at all for anyone, you can almost just ignore the Texas A&M, USC, Cryami and now scUM type teams when it comes to the rankings because those bought and paid for bag classes are much more likely to fall apart completely than actually win anything together.

 

[BuckBackHome]

I think many fans are still under the impression that recruiting is still like it was 5-10yrs ago, and the National champion should just clean up in recruiting and stockpile talent like Bama under Saban and UF under Meyer. And that's just not the case anymore. And it's weird to me, because its all adults who have actual adult jobs not understanding how much throwing dollars at a person can alter their decisions. If Company A offered $80k/yr and you like everything about the company, but Company B offered you $200k/yr and you just thought the company culture was just alright. Idk a person alive that would pass up the $200k salary. It's no different in the recruiting age with NIL. Without NIL, OSU would've cleaned up in recruiting the last few years. But the reality is, programs get desperate and their fans want some type of results. And if you can't buy wins, you can sure as heck buy talent, and keep those fans happy for a time being. Miami fans are angry at their results on the field, but they're not loudly mad at their staff because they've landed a good amount of 5star talent. OSU fans are up in arms mad because they keep missing on the same 5star talent, because their program refuses to get in the desperation game. 1 program has just won the NC, and has one of the highest win percentages in CFB history, the other can't even win the Pop Tarts bowl. Which team would you rather be a fan of?

And I would guess for a good percentage of these kids the money being offered to them is a difference maker for them and their loved ones.

 

[osuvictory1]

I think many fans are still under the impression that recruiting is still like it was 5-10yrs ago, and the National champion should just clean up in recruiting and stockpile talent like Bama under Saban and UF under Meyer. And that's just not the case anymore. And it's weird to me, because its all adults who have actual adult jobs not understanding how much throwing dollars at a person can alter their decisions. If Company A offered $80k/yr and you like everything about the company, but Company B offered you $200k/yr and you just thought the company culture was just alright. Idk a person alive that would pass up the $200k salary. It's no different in the recruiting age with NIL. Without NIL, OSU would've cleaned up in recruiting the last few years. But the reality is, programs get desperate and their fans want some type of results. And if you can't buy wins, you can sure as heck buy talent, and keep those fans happy for a time being. Miami fans are angry at their results on the field, but they're not loudly mad at their staff because they've landed a good amount of 5star talent. OSU fans are up in arms mad because they keep missing on the same 5star talent, because their program refuses to get in the desperation game. 1 program has just won the NC, and has one of the highest win percentages in CFB history, the other can't even win the Pop Tarts bowl. Which team would you rather be a fan of?

It is a fine line and OSU seems to have the best game plan. Willing to pay a reasonable amount, but also the kid needs to want to be at OSU.

With that said, the recruit needs to buy in that the coach recruiting them will both be there and can still develop them into a NFL player.

LJ sr still has it but the time is now for Day to seriously come up with a succession plan.

 

[Jaxbuck]

OSU fans are up in arms mad because they keep missing on the same 5star talent, because their program refuses to get in the desperation game. 1 program has just won the NC, and has one of the highest win percentages in CFB history, the other can't even win the Pop Tarts bowl. Which team would you rather be a fan of?

To be fair, OSU's previous strategy won the 2024 NC. This recruiting cycle is the opening skirmish in the war for the 2027 NC. We have no idea which strategy is best for that war.

Things are changing fast, even things from 1-2 years ago may no longer apply.

 

[pnuts34]

Exactly, it's a completely different game than it was 10 years ago.

The days of a couple of teams hoarding all the top players are over, it's more spread out than ever.

The bought and paid for pure bag classes have yet to work at all for anyone, you can almost just ignore the Texas A&M, USC, Cryami and now scUM type teams when it comes to the rankings because those bought and paid for bag classes are much more likely to fall apart completely than actually win anything together.

The funny thing is, even with talent being spread out, due to some staffs being better at talent evaluation than others(i.e. OSU), the same teams will continue to be the elite teams in CFB. In the past CFP there were 12 teams, and Boise St, IU, SMU and ASU were the only teams who'd be considered mid majors who made it, so almost 70% of the teams in the playoff were teams with classic CFB pasts and massive followings. Even with NIL, I only see that number being the cap. 3-4 teams in CFP as mid majors, and most will lose their first game. Sorry but I just don't see a Big 12 team beating Ped St in Happy Valley, or in Athens, GA or The Shoe. Football is too physical, its not like basketball where a team can get hot from 3.

And what gets forgotten is, the kids being talked about so much for what they're earning are usually the incoming freshman. And for anyone that's followed CFB, those players usually make the least impact on the field. Because they're kids who were literally living at home with their parents barely a year before they play their first CFB game. So expecting a true frosh to lead your team from the start is ridiculous, but because these teams payed so much money, these collectives expect an immediate return. Miami fans are already angry at Justin Scott and Marquise Lightfoot(2 guys who were once favored to OSU) for not being in the 2 deep, and barely playing as true frosh! If you're stockpiling your team with high priced under classmen, that's a recipe for disaster, due to immaturity and not being physically ready for the step up in competition. And the pressure only ramps up for their 2nd seasons. There won't be much patience for Bryce Underwood, or any of the high priced frosh that will be at USC in a year. USC is expected to win the B1G in no less than 2-3yrs. That's a tall task when you're relying on 18yos to be your best players and leaders.

And I would guess for a good percentage of these kids the money being offered to them is a difference maker for them and their loved ones.

Its literally generational money for some families. I know of several families, who the collegiate athlete has been able to retire his(and even her) parents.

 

[Jaxbuck]

And what gets forgotten is, the kids being talked about so much for what they're earning are usually the incoming freshman. And for anyone that's followed CFB, those players usually make the least impact on the field. Because they're kids who were literally living at home with their parents barely a year before they play their first CFB game. So expecting a true frosh to lead your team from the start is ridiculous, but because these teams payed so much money, these collectives expect an immediate return. Miami fans are already angry at Justin Scott and Marquise Lightfoot(2 guys who were once favored to OSU) for not being in the 2 deep, and barely playing as true frosh! If you're stockpiling your team with high priced under classmen, that's a recipe for disaster, due to immaturity and not being physically ready for the step up in competition. And the pressure only ramps up for their 2nd seasons. There won't be much patience for Bryce Underwood, or any of the high priced frosh that will be at USC in a year. USC is expected to win the B1G in no less than 2-3yrs. That's a tall task when you're relying on 18yos to be your best players and leaders.

Sounds like we need a CFP G League

 

[buckeyemania11]

The funny thing is, even with talent being spread out, due to some staffs being better at talent evaluation than others(i.e. OSU), the same teams will continue to be the elite teams in CFB. In the past CFP there were 12 teams, and Boise St, IU, SMU and ASU were the only teams who'd be considered mid majors who made it, so almost 70% of the teams in the playoff were teams with classic CFB pasts and massive followings. Even with NIL, I only see that number being the cap. 3-4 teams in CFP as mid majors, and most will lose their first game. Sorry but I just don't see a Big 12 team beating Ped St in Happy Valley, or in Athens, GA or The Shoe. Football is too physical, its not like basketball where a team can get hot from 3.

And what gets forgotten is, the kids being talked about so much for what they're earning are usually the incoming freshman. And for anyone that's followed CFB, those players usually make the least impact on the field. Because they're kids who were literally living at home with their parents barely a year before they play their first CFB game. So expecting a true frosh to lead your team from the start is ridiculous, but because these teams payed so much money, these collectives expect an immediate return. Miami fans are already angry at Justin Scott and Marquise Lightfoot(2 guys who were once favored to OSU) for not being in the 2 deep, and barely playing as true frosh! If you're stockpiling your team with high priced under classmen, that's a recipe for disaster, due to immaturity and not being physically ready for the step up in competition. And the pressure only ramps up for their 2nd seasons. There won't be much patience for Bryce Underwood, or any of the high priced frosh that will be at USC in a year. USC is expected to win the B1G in no less than 2-3yrs. That's a tall task when you're relying on 18yos to be your best players and leaders.


Its literally generational money for some families. I know of several families, who the collegiate athlete has been able to retire his(and even her) parents.

With how much the true top end talent is getting spread around now its really going to be a even bigger game of who can best evaluate and develop those next tiers of players. Obviously you still want to land as many top 100ish guys as you can, but the real winners are going to be made by executing the best with the next ranges of players, along with good yearly roster retention and good strategic use of the portal to fill any gaps needed.

What good are Texas A&M and USCs "loaded" classes if half of those guys are out of the program and on to somewhere else in a year or two? No good at all.

 

[pnuts34]

With how much the true top end talent is getting spread around now its really going to be a even bigger game of who can best evaluate and develop those next tiers of players. Obviously you still want to land as many top 100ish guys as you can, but the real winners are going to be made by executing the best with the next ranges of players, along with good yearly roster retention and good strategic use of the portal to fill any gaps needed.

What good are Texas A&M and USCs "loaded" classes if half of those guys are out of the program and on to somewhere else in a year or two? No good at all.

That's what's so frustrating about a segment of our fanbase. OSU in no way had a team full of former 5stars last season, they had a complete team, which yes, they had some former 5stars. But they also had a former 3star at QB, a former 5star IOL playing LT for most of the season, an unranked TE transfer from the MAC, and multiple transfers in general who no one knew would mesh with the team. That's what makes the BS narrative that Day "bought" this team so laughable. He had to make a complete team, and no amount of money thrown at players is going to create a team at this level. That might work in the NFL(might), but grown men who are professionals don't have to worry about classes, fans on campus, etc. And OSU didn't have the jealousy or contract issues that you heard about at other schools, and the best example is OSU being the only team not to lose a major contributor, or someone who could be starting next year to the Portal.

 

[buckeyemania11]

That's what's so frustrating about a segment of our fanbase. OSU in no way had a team full of former 5stars last season, they had a complete team, which yes, they had some former 5stars. But they also had a former 3star at QB, a former 5star IOL playing LT for most of the season, an unranked TE transfer from the MAC, and multiple transfers in general who no one knew would mesh with the team. That's what makes the BS narrative that Day "bought" this team so laughable. He had to make a complete team, and no amount of money thrown at players is going to create a team at this level. That might work in the NFL(might), but grown men who are professionals don't have to worry about classes, fans on campus, etc. And OSU didn't have the jealousy or contract issues that you heard about at other schools, and the best example is OSU being the only team not to lose a major contributor, or someone who could be starting next year to the Portal.

If we can keep up this quality of roster retention, and I think we will, that will keep us a contender every season in its own right. I know some people want to talk down on the portal and claim "we can't rely on it" but we have shown we can and will use the portal well to fill slots that are needed, and that will continue as well. In the end can you really rely on a HS kid who has never set foot on a college field either? I know you can't force players to enter the portal but there is always going to be decent players there for the taking.