Recruiting. February 1, 2012 a day which will be marked in the continued rebirth of the Buckeyes. With all of the turmoil that has occurred in the last 12 months, I know I along with many other Buckeye fans was a bit concerned that all of the NCAA issues along with coaching issues would put a damper on National Signing Day.
However that uncertainty began to dissipate in late November when OSU made the huge Urban Meyer signing. It seemed that as soon as he became head coach, the recruits started coming. Players who said they were coming, reaffirmed, and others made the switch to OSU.
Yesterday confirmed everything. OSU got a huge class. According to ESPN Ohio State has the #6 rated class in the country (#1 in the B1G), with 24 recruits receiving 3 stars or higher. ESPN has DE Noah Spence out of Harrisburg Pa as the big win as the lone 5 star signee. The Buckeyes were once again strong, and they seem to be rebuilding that fence around Ohio. However, as great as we are in Ohio, Urban Meyer and OSU are national names. OSU received commitments from Indiana, Florida, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Colorado, and California. That is a great map and OSU’s footprint is apparently everywhere.
Believe me it was not easy to get this class, Urban Meyer was fighting against perception. According to SI.com recruiters from other schools, brought up the NCAA sanctions, and Meyer said it was a two week assault on the Buckeyes, but he decided to be pro-active, and he went after the recruits and battled the negative recruiting. Scott Kennedy, the director of recruiting and scouting for Scout.com said that usually it takes a full year for a coach to have an impact at a new school, but Urban Meyer’s impact at Ohio State this quickly has been unprecedented.
I love seeing this recruiting, though we won’t be able to judge this class right away, but this reminds me of the Cooper days. Urban is recruiting athletes, he is recruiting to win now. Apparently OSU may still have one scholarship open with two major players out there. Will we get them? I have no idea, but I am excited to find out.
Basketball Bye Week and Wisconsin. Dear B1G, I am a bit annoyed with you right now. Who came up with this schedule. I can’t say it better then the Columbus Dispatch and their Bob Baptist, so here is what he has to say: Ah, the idiosyncrasies of the Big Ten schedule. Ohio State has its second midweek bye in two weeks before beginning a backloaded stretch run that will make or break its quest for a third straight championship and fifth in seven seasons.
The Buckeyes will play five of their last nine games on the road, including four of the last six, and play Wisconsin and Michigan State twice apiece. This schedule is killing me. How often do the Buckeyes open with a tough Big Ten game on the road? Indiana, Wisconsin, and Illinois all away. That is tough a slate. Closing with a slate like this, if the Buckeyes can win out or win most, well then B1G you can go ahead and send that trophy right back to Columbus. So go ahead B1G throw your best at us (and yep that includes Ed Hightower), these Buckeyes are beginning to gel at just the right time.
The hoopsters are heading into Madison, and Madison has been a house of horrors for the Buckeyes, in fact I am not sure I remember our last win there. This memory loss of mine actually can be summed up again by the dispatch and Bob Baptist. The Buckeyes are 0-9 in their last nine trips, winless at the Kohl Center against Bo Ryan, in fact it is the only arena in the Big Ten where Thad Matta is winless. However, this weekend there may be revenge in the works.
The last time the Buckeyes were there (they were obviously beaten by the Badgers) and if anyone remember Jared Sullinger claims he was spit on by a Badger’s fan. So it looks like Sully will be a little pissed off. I believe the Badgers are good, but I if the Buckeyes run, there is no way the Badgers can keep up. My one fear is that Jordan Taylor does not have one of those days that players like Jordan Taylor himself or Brandon Paul has had against the Buckeyes. Aaron Craft and the Buckeye D need to step up, and I believe they will!!
