Jordan Whiting To Transfer To Louisville

Whiting headed back home

The Ohio State linebacker announced via Twitter on Thursday morning that he would be transferring from Ohio State to Louisville to finish his college career. Whiting is from Louisville and is headed back to play in his home state after his short stint with the Buckeyes.

Jordan Whiting, a sophomore, only had 1 tackle for Ohio State in 2011 and found himself buried on the depth chart at linebacker. He was also suspended for the first game against Akron for being involved in the trading memorabilia for tattoo's scandal.

Obviously, given this recent development, he doesn't foresee those circumstances changing under the new regime in Columbus. A fourth-year junior to be, eligibility wise, he will have to sit out the 2012 season because of the transfer, and thus will have just one season of playing time at Louisville.

In his final tweets he thanks former head coach Jim Tressel and athletic director Gene Smith for the opportunity to play as a Buckeye. Whiting goes on to say the couple of years he's been here were very memorable to him and it was a blessing to be in Columbus. It's too bad to see this young man go but I wish him the best of luck at Louisville.

Keep it at Inside The Shoe for the latest updates, news and opinions on Ohio State athletics.

Sitting Down With 2012 Linebacker Recruit Camren Williams

Williams is down to two schools

The 2012 recruiting class took a huge momentum shift nationally, when Urban Meyer raced into the picture for Ohio State. Enough cannot be said about how Luke Fickell and Mike Vrabel continued to recruit, and recruit well. Before Meyer came onto the coaching staff, Fickell had wrapped up 9 recruits on his own, and had picked up some pretty decent players.

Once Urban stepped in though, the bar was set a couple of feet higher. Recruits are gaining interest fast, and now are taking a serious look at where they stand.

Now another recruit has joined the mix, and we didn't have to wait long to hear from another star prospect.

That prospect is Camren Williams of West Roxbury (MA) Catholic Memorial. Williams, a 6-2/200 linebacker, is a four star recruit that is currently committed to Penn State. He the brother of current UNC offensive lineman Brennan Williams.

We talked with Camren on Tuesday night, and he gave us the latest info on his recruitment and thoughts on Ohio State.

2013 Linebacker Recruit Tim Kimbrough To Visit OSU For Wisconsin Game

Tim would be a nice addition

Tim Kimbrough, a 2013 recruit that plays outside linebacker is rumored to be visiting Ohio State this weekend, when the Buckeyes host Wisconsin at 8 p.m. Normally, recruits don't visit unless they have an offer, and while Kimbrough may not hold an offer just yet, Ohio State might jump into this recruit at the right time. If he leaves OSU with an offer, or soon after receives one, he might lean heavily towards the Buckeyes.

Kimbrough himself is 6'1'', 218 lbs. He's another recruit that is added to the already large list of recruits attending this game. Adolphus Washington, among others, and many more recruits. This game is turning out to be pretty big for Fickell and the recruiting staff, as they continue to pile on offers to big recruits.

The Indiana Warren Central junior linebacker racked up 11 solos, seven assists, and 1 tackle for loss and four big hits in the team's season opener, which they won 64-13. Kimbrough is arguably the top prospect on a defense that includes senior top 100 defensive tackle and Notre Dame commit Sheldon Day, Indiana linebacker pledge Jordan Wallace, Purdue safety commit Jordan Shine, and Cincinnati defensive end verbals Jonathan Burt and Joshua Posley.

He currently holds offers from North Carolina and Purdue, and the Warren Central coaching staff says Iowa could be next. Other programs showing strong interest (besides Ohio State) is Notre Dame, Florida, and Cincinnati. Kimbrough is very high on the Buckeyes and Irish, and visited each campus this summer, along with Tennessee's.

Video Highlights after the jump

Recap: Day 1 of Fall Camp

Berry is ready to start

Buckeye football has finally hit the camps, which can only mean that College Football is just a couple weeks away from getting it's start. While our Scarlet and Gray get prepared, the media (including us), have all the latest news about what you need to know as they progress through camps. With that, let's jump right in to what we know.

From left to right: Andrew Norwell, Jack Mewhort, Mike Brewster, Marcus Hall, and J.B. Shugarts are your starters on the offensive line. Mike Adams also worked in some reps, but with him facing the 5-game suspension, we need Norwell to get his reps in more. Chris Carter was a very nice surprise after he reported in overweight, but yet still raised some eyebrows in camp as he was moving very quickly at the left tackle position. He could add some much needed depth to the offensive line.

As for the defensive line, Nathan Williams, Jonathan Hankins, Garrett Goebel, and of course John Simon. Solomon Thomas had to sit out because he was suspended for the first 5 games as well, and was wearing a yellow jersey. John Simon is a man, and he could be a serious threat along with Hankins and Williams. This defensive line should have no problems whatsoever.

Mike Vrabel Accepts OSU Job, Headed Home

Much to our expectations, Mike Vrabel has accepted the job to Ohio State. That job title is assistant coach, and could be a great find for the Buckeyes. Not only does this help out current players trying to get to the NFL, but think about the recruiting it could bring Luke Fickell's staff. A just retired NFL player that was outstanding at what he did could be a serious attention grabber for some big time defensive recruits. Simply because he has been there and knows what NFL scouts are looking for and what teams will treat them like, etc.

Vrabel will bring some serious intensity to this team and get them fired up. I'm truly excited about this pick up, because if anyone is going to motivate this team into doing things no one thought possible it's Mike Vrabel. An impressive NFL career that included 4 Super Bowls, Vrabel knows how to win. This is a refreshing choice by the Ohio State office, and I think we're in for a treat.

Dorian Bell Suspended For The 2011-2012 Season

According to the Dispatch and many more, Ohio State linebacker Dorian Bell has been suspended for the 2011 season because of a violation of team rules. The exact violation hasn't been released yet, and may not be ever.

Bell, a third-year sophomore from Monroeville, Pa., did not make the trip to the Sugar Bowl in January for undisclosed reasons. That makes it likely that Bell is a repeat offender and drew a stiffer penalty for the latest violation.

He currently stands at 6'1'', 225 pounds, appeared in eight games last season, and at times was on the second team, backing up Ross Homan. He made nine tackles, including half a sack, and also forced a fumble.


This year, Bell was rumored to be one of the favorites to join the duo of Sabino and Sweat, and take that coveted third spot. Now, it seems as if the Buckeyes will be headed in another direction, one in which I think may be Storm Klien. Bell was also a highly touted recruit. Rivals.com rated him a five-star prospect in the class of 2009, ranked the third-best outside linebacker nationally and the No. 33 overall prospect.


This is just an added part on to an already sad off-season for Buckeye athletics after the NCAA took notice of the allegations. We'll keep you up to date on any more happenings.

Sitting Down With Tyler Moeller

Interview is after the jump


You may have heard of Tyler Moeller, the 6'0" 210 lb senior from the Queen City. One of the fan favorites on defense, Moeller started to get some recognition in the 2008 season when he earned his first start against Illinois, recording seven tackles, two TFL, and forcing an Illini fumble. In 2009, Moeller was prepared for a break out year after a very impressive spring game. About a month before the season began, though, Moeller was attacked, suffering a severe injury to his head, and taking him out of the college football world. Some thought he wouldn't be able to play again, but he recovered well enough to garner attention for the 2010 year. 


Finally, fans got to see Tyler Moeller step into a sort of lead role on the defense, with his flying to the ball on every play, never taking a break. Moeller was able to account for 19 tackles, a forced fumble, an interception and a sack on the year. Then came Illinois. During the game, Tyler felt something "rip in his chest" and once again, Moeller would sit the rest of the year out. Now, being granted a 6th year of eligibility, Moeller will come in to lead a new look Silver Bullets for the Buckeye squad. We got a hold of Tyler to talk to him about the upcoming season, and a little bit about himself.

Ejuan Price Commits To Ohio State

Ejuan Price has committed to Ohio State, as I thought he would. Earlier in the evening, Price had Tressel over at his house for a sit-in meeting. At that point, I thought it was a done deal, simply because he had the head coach of Ohio State over right before his announcement. The news came over Twitter, and Ohio State receives a Top 50 linebacker. On top of all this, they still have a legitimate shot with Curtis Grant and James Vaughters.

Price, a 6-0/235 middle linebacker from Woodland Hills High School in the Pittsburgh area, is listed as #10 at his position nationally by Scout.com and #11 at the slot by ESPN/Scout's Inc./ Price was targeted and offered very early and aggressively by the coaching staff, a good sign he is a player Jim Tressel views as a no-brainer, perfect fit for the program, both on and off the field. 

News Bits Has Passing The Deadline, Price May Be Right

Pryor has seen glory, but now must face a suspension

Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor and the rest of the Tat Five had made a promise to Jim Tressel a night or two before the Sugar Bowl that they would return for another year. At best, most fans were skeptical (see: comments) and were right in thinking so. Why believe the mouths of the people who said they did nothing wrong? Of course, fans waited patiently for deadline which just happened to be Saturday. When it passed, we knew that the Tat Five had held true to their word, and this can go a very long way in redeeming themselves as far as their legacy is concerned.

To go along with this, it seems the feared news that the appeal wouldn't go through, may just end up happening.

"Here's some bad news for anyone who is hopeful that five Ohio State football players will get their five-game NCAA suspensions reduced on appeal:

Based on recent precedent, and given the criticism the NCAA has received recently for several of its decisions, a reduction is far from a given, and may be termed unlikely."

The article goes on to say that because of former situations like this (think along the lines of the A.J. Green incident)  that it would be highly unlikely for these players to have a reduced suspension. OSU fans are well informed that the Tat Five will be missing two very important games: At Miami and at home against Michigan State.

Recruiting Notes

Not easy to catch

The big name on the recruiting trail right now is Doran Grant. Grant, a defensive back and wide receiver, is one of the top recruits coming out of the state of Ohio. Grant excels on both sides of the ball, but is currently being recruited to play cornerback. He's 5'10'' and 175 pounds, and one of the fastest players that lives in the state. He is a track star at his school, giving him great speed in open field. I wouldn't be surprised to see him ending up as a kick returner/punt returner if he comes here. Doran made his official visit to Ohio State over the weekend, saying:

"It was nice, I enjoyed everything," Grant said. "My mom and dad enjoyed it too. They talked to coach [Jim] Tressel. It went good. I got a lot of questions answered like playing time, opportunities, and non-football stuff. They said I'd have the opportunity to compete for playing time and possibly start."

Grant has received offers from some of the best schools in the country including USC, Notre Dame, Miami (FL), Michigan, LSU, Penn State, and Michigan State. As of right now, he is decieding between Ohio State and Michigan State. MSU has a bit of a rope with him, because his dad played for them while he was there, so Michigan State is going to be holding on for the whole ride, but there is no doubt in my mind that OSU sits in the driver's seat.

Ryan Shazier Commits To Ohio State.

O-H!

After de-committing from Florida, Shazier was said to be thinking about heading to the Buckeye state. Reports now come in that he has, in fact chosen to be a future Buckeye. The 6'2'' 210 lb linebacker adds some needed depth and speed to the linebacking core, I have no doubt he will be the fastest linebacker we have next season.

Shazier is a very good athlete and he's shined at defensive end on the ihgh school level, but he will drop back to linebacker in college. He will still have speed at that position, but he will need to work on shedding blocks and dropping into coverage. He has shown solid instincts in 7on7 events this spring/summer, but the position will be new to him. He is best when turned loose off the edge to rush the quarterback. Speed is his biggest weapon.


Shazier completed his official visit to Columbus earlier today and announced he'll be a Buckeye just minutes ago. The stability that Jim Tressel and the Buckeyes provide was enough to win the linebacker's commitment. Obviously if he left Florida because Meyer stepped down, this could be huge for Muschamp - and not in the good way. Recruits will start to wonder how stable the program is and if they can still go there. More recruits for other schools.


Video for your pleasure after the jump:

Conner Crowell, #18 of '11 Class.

Crowell looks to make an impact.

Conner Crowell, a three-star linebacker from Walford, Md., became Ohio State's 18th commitment in the class of 2011 on Friday night. He chose the Buckeyes over Penn State and a host of other schools vying for his services. 


Conner is a big pick me up for the Buckeyes line-backing core, because some experts put him as a lock to play for Paterno and the Nittany Lions. As he led his high school defense, Crowell might be a name you hear about in the next couple of years, because he's got the size, strength and speed to lead this defense.


After the jump, we have some highlights for you to see what to expect.

So that didn't go as planned..

After much suspense, and even more waiting, Trey DePriest announced his decision in Springfield, Ohio. At a B-Dubs, Bama fans got their wish when the 6'2'' linebacker commited to Alabama for the 2011 recruiting class. He joins a team that came off a national championship and will look to do the same this year. Ugh.


Let's see what were missing.

Trey DePriest to announce decision Friday.

Who is Trey Depriest?: Trey DePriest, the linebacker out of Springfield South High School, will look to add to the Buckeyes already special 2011 Recruiting class. DePriest, 6'1'' 225, is a monster at outside linebacker and is a very good blitzer. He is one of the best at wrapping up and tackling overall. He can beat offensive linemen with quickness and good change of direction moves while putting tremendous pressure on the QB with a great finishing burst and then get the tackle for loss or a sack. The only thing he would need to work on would be his pass coverage. Since that's the only thing not great about this kid, expect him to focus on it during the season. 

This coming Friday, Trey will announce his decision in his hometown of Springfield, Ohio. His decison is down to the final two, Ohio State and Alabama. This is will be a big key to beat a top SEC team at a recruiting kid, but it's also vital because he's from Ohio. We wish him the best of luck.

Spring Finals: Linebackers

We all know by now that spring has come and gone, football wise that is, so we will be taking a look into all the positions, tell you how they did, and where they might be this fall. Today's topic is the Linebackers.

Some people say that Penn State is Linebacker U. For the past couple of seasons, Buckeye fans have had the pleasure of disagreeing with them. From Spielman, to Hawk, to Laurinatis, and now to Homan and co. The Buckeyes have been graced with some great linebackers over the years, and have produced with them to. Linebackers are mainly focused on the rushing game, as they have to attack that running back and make the big play. Sometimes they drop back, and can steal a couple from you though. Just look at Homan's pick in the Rose Bowl. That was 1 of the very many key moments of the game. This year's core consists of speed, power, and just overall good playing. It may not be the Schlegel-Hawk-Carpenter trio, but they will get the job done this year. We also have some good players coming in from this class that could make an impact right away.