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Ohio State football finding increasingly fertile recruiting ground in Florida
by Doug Lesmerises/Plain Dealer Reporter
Wednesday September 02, 2009
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Marvin Fong/The Plain DealerFrom left to right, Ohio State QB Joe Bauserman, wide receiver Duron Carter, defensive back Travis Howard and offensive lineman Mike Brewster are just four of a growing number of Buckeyes with Florida roots.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Last Saturday, Florida came to Columbus. And Florida Buckeyes were everywhere.
St. Thomas Aquinas of Fort Lauderdale, the No. 1 high school football team in the country, opened its season in Ohio Stadium as part of the Kirk Herbstreit Varsity Football Series. Sitting in the stands watching potential OSU recruits like Lamarcus Joyner and Brandon Linder were current OSU players already plucked from Florida -- Brian Rolle, Duron Carter, Travis Howard and Orhian Johnson.
Basking in the Ohio sunshine, in the bleachers instead of on the beach, they were the proof that over the last three years, no one has gone into Florida like Ohio State.
Outside of the three major in-state college football programs -- Florida, Miami and Florida State -- the Buckeyes between 2007-09 landed more top 50 recruits from Florida than any team in the country.
Ohio State has earned eight commitments in the last three years, though running back Carlos Hyde hasn't enrolled yet after falling short academically. Still, it's a new focus, with the Buckeyes landing only two top 50 Florida players in the previous three years. Now it's paying off, with three starters and a total of eight members of the two-deep roster hailing from Florida.
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Elaine Thompson/Associated Press
Brian Rolle (36) grew up thinking he would play at Florida, but Ohio State "felt like home to me, and guys welcomed me with open arms," he said. "That's what I got here that I didn't get at Florida."
FINDING THEIR WAY IN FLORIDA
As expected, Florida, Miami and Florida State dominate the recruiting of the best Florida high-school football players, combining to take 51 percent of the top 50 recruits in that state each of the last three years.
Outside of those in-state schools, Ohio State has snagged the most top-50 Florida players. The Buckeyes have already received an oral commitment from receiver James Louis, the No. 42 Florida prospect in the Class of 2010, and remain in the mix for linebacker Jeff Luc (No. 2), cornerback Lamarcus Joyner (No. 3), receiver Christian Green (No. 4), center Brandon Linder (No. 39) and several other Florida players.
According to Rivals, here are the teams that received commitments from at least four top-50 Florida players over the last three years. Only Ohio State is outside of Florida or the Southeastern Conference:
School Recruits
1. Florida 29; 2. Miami 28; 3. Florida State 20; 4. Ohio State 8; 5. Auburn 7; 6. LSU, Alabama, South Carolina 6.
The Florida Buckeyes
There are nine current Ohio State players from Florida and all should help in some way this season. Eight were among the top 100 Florida recruits in their class, as ranked by Rivals.com.
Starters
Chimdi Chekwa, CB, Jr. Class of 2006, No. 97 recruit in Florida
Mike Brewster, C, So. Class of 2008, No. 3
Brian Rolle, MLB, Jr. Class of 2007, No. 34
Contributors
Etienne Sabino, OLB, So. Class of 2008, No. 7 recruit in Florida
Duron Carter, WR, Fr. Class of 2009, No. 17
Jaamal Berry, RB, Fr. Class of 2009, No. 9
Orhian Johnson, FS, Fr. Class of 2008, No. 59
Travis Howard, CB, Fr. Class of 2008, No. 43
Joe Bauserman, QB, So. Class of 2004, enrolled at Ohio State in 2007 after minor-league baseball career
*Also recruited: DE Walter Dublin (No. 85 in 2006, transferred); CB James Scott (No. 18 in 2007, transferred); RB Carlos Hyde (No. 50 in 2009, didn't qualify academically).
-- Doug Lesmerises
"They're trying to do that," said Ohio State legend Cris Carter, an Ohio native whose son, freshman receiver Duron, is one of the nine current Buckeyes from Florida. "People [in Florida] are starting to see what is available up here. 'Man, I can go to Ohio State?' Yeah. 'There's good people up there?' Yeah."
Ohio State football finding increasingly fertile recruiting ground in Florida - cleveland.com