Some great comments from Stan Drayton about Mike Weber in an O-Zone story:
A crowded room is a good room for Stan Drayton.
That's when the Buckeyes play their trump card.
"Well what's different about the environment that we're creating here from a competitive standpoint than what it is in the NFL?" Drayton asked.
"There is no difference, and when you get to that point and make them understand it, this is THE best atmosphere for you to grow and prepare for an opportunity to be in an NFL room, it makes sense to them," Drayton said.
"It makes sense to them and eventually they get it and like Mike Weber they become Buckeyes."
It's the trump card, but it's not the only card. There is plenty of other Buckeye bait to lure prospects, much of it having to do with issues other than playing time. It's also a bit more complicated than simply considering the player's side of the situation.
"At the end of the day it has to be a fit for them, but they have to be a fit for us," said Drayton.
"We have a certain culture that we're trying to maintain in that running backs room.
"Just because you can play football and run a fast 40 and score a touchdown doesn't necessarily mean you fit that culture."
It's a selective process from both sides, which means that when a player is identified as a great fit, getting him is important, even if there is talent already on the roster at his position.
"Right away I knew Mike Weber was a cultural fit," Drayton said.
"He's an unselfish player who cares about his teammates. He plays with unbelievable toughness and passion. I hope that our backs are representing that right now because that's exactly what we want in that room. I think he felt that and I think that was ultimately the reason why he chose to be a Buckeye."
Drayton saw that cultural fit that he looks for, so Weber became a high-value target. With the already crowded room, the topic of the depth chart did come up in Weber's recruitment.
"When you're recruiting a tailback of that caliber the first thing they want to know is how fast can I get on the football field," said Drayton.
Drayton knew it was coming and was ready with that trump card.
"The one thing that is unique here, very few other places can say this, is that we have the power of competition," said Drayton.
"It's just like Usain Bolt the 100 meter champion who runs a 9.whatever, I can't tell you what the time is, he's not going to sit there and train next you me and you who runs an 11+ hundred meters. How is that going to help him become the next world champion in the 100 meters?
"No, he's got to get himself around other highly competitive sprinters so he can keep himself at a high level, and that's what it's all about.
"When you sit there and say you want to be a pro NFL football player, that's what it is, it's about competing against the best every single day. In the process of that you get better.
"The boys here have already bought into that, which became a real key point for Mike Weber as he went to go call those guys who are in this group who are now his brothers, and they all told him to a man that 'Hey, whatever it is that you're trying to achieve as an individual, together as a unit we're going to try to make that happen.'"
It happened that way with Mike Weber.
Entire article:
http://theozone.net/Ohio-State/All-...tinue-to-attract-talent-despite-growing-depth
