Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez hasn’t faced Ohio State yet on the football field, but he’s finding out what Lloyd Carr discovered over the last seven years of his career: Going against Jim Tressel can leave you bloodied, battered and bruised.
Rodriguez lost a highly publicized recruiting battle that may have far-reaching consequences when Tressel lured quarterback Terrell Pryor to Buckeyeville a few months ago, and the Wolverines have been getting drubbed by OSU in the race for top prospects since then.
Tressel has gone head-to-head with Rodriguez for six recruits in the 2009 class (seniors-to-be) and has locked up five of them: linebacker Dorian Bell and running back Jordan Hall from Pennsylvania; defensive end Melvin Fellows; offensive lineman Corey Linsley from Ohio; and receiver James Jackson from Michigan.
Massillon defensive back Justin Turner kept Rodriguez from being shut out, but the Wolverines aren’t going to get anywhere in the rivalry by batting .167 against Tressel.
The coup de grace was Jackson, the No. 1 receiver and No. 3 overall player in Michigan who could have gone virtually anywhere in the country. The Buckeyes have plucked some gems from their northern neighbor, namely Craig Krenzel and Vernon Gholston, but both of them were sleepers who exceeded all projections. Jackson is considered a can’t-miss prospect, and his defection has to smart for Rodriguez, who is faced with a sobering rebuilding job.
Jackson was quoted after announcing his decision as saying he wanted to go to OSU because the program seems as if it can do no wrong right now.
His commitment only enhances that image a little more.
Well, there are 88 players on it, meaning all of them could say they have a chance to be named college football’s best defensive player. But, regardless of the large number, three Ohio State players made the list — LB James Laurinaitis, LB Marcus Freeman and CB Malcolm Jenkins.
All could have chosen not to return to Ohio State, but all did, meaning that fans are excited to see just how good this season’s defense can be. That also means that next year’s draft should be loaded with Buckeyes after last month’s comparative dud (outside, of course, of the first-round pick of Vernon Gholston).
There are a few other local players of note on the list: Miami University linebacker Clayton Mullins (from Fairborn) and Cincinnati cornerback Mike Mickens (from Wayne High School).
1. Chris Wells, Ohio State—The clear front runner right now after showcasing his skills to the tune of 146 yards and a 65-yard touchdown against LSU that came while everyone in the country was still watching. He’s got speed, power and a stiff arm befitting a Heisman winner. He’s an elite junior running back, a prime NFL prospect, coming off a 1,600-yard season, who plays for a traditional power that will be gunning for a national title in 2008. He’ll get a chance to launch his campaign early with a marquee matchup in the Coliseum against USC and big games against Illinois and Michigan to close it out. In short, he’s set up perfectly for a run at the Heisman.
One wonders if the “gentleman’s agreement” in recruiting will follow this story, as well.
After many criticized Michigan’s Rich Rodriguez for signing recruits in February who had originally committed to other schools, we learn today that Penn State has gained two verbals for their next recruiting class.
One is a cornerback named Darrell Givens, someone Ohio State fans might remember.
And Givens was originally an Ohio State verbal before changing his mind.
Rodriguez caught criticism from, among others, Purdue coach Joe Tiller when he added several recruits in his first class who has committed to Purdue, Penn State and Florida. The situation spotlighted the issue of early commitments — for instance, what does such a verbal agreement actually mean? And, if a player has said he will accept a scholarship elsewhere but hasn’t signed, should other coaches stop recruiting?
Some commentaries were quick to note the similarity to the Rodriguez situation:
Givens rushed into a commitment to the Buckeyes after an unofficial visit. His teammate Malcolm Willis committed to Penn State a few weeks later. Could that have come into play? Maybe, but I think Givens was more impressed with our favorable depth chart that will give him the opportunity to play early at Penn State. I’m sure that certain people who swear there is no gentleman’s agreement between Big Ten coaches will claim that we just violated it. Whatever. It’s pretty obvious since Rodriguez joined the conference that anything goes, so when in Rome …
ESPN’s Scouts Inc. has a story today on Jack Mewhort, a center from Toledo St. John High School committed to Ohio State.
He still has a prep year to go until he gets to Columbus, but he wasted no time picking the Buckeyes.
“The football tradition at Ohio State is second to none,” Mewhort said. “I love the campus and the coaching staff and I’ve always wanted to be a Buckeye. On a personal note, my sister goes to Wittenberg in Springfield, Ohio and it will make it a lot easier on mom and dad to see us both.”
It helps that the story was written by Bill Conley, who for 17 years ran Ohio State’s recruiting. The profile seems to paint Mewhort as a possibly dominant center in the Buckeyes’ future, maybe in line with what Nick Mangold did for OSU.
Here’s part of his Scouts Inc. scouting report:
Tough for him to get low but once he gets his claws on you; he’ll take you for a ride. Strong upper body and gets movement even though plays a little high. Good first step allows hip to pick up stunting defensive linemen. Exceptional on the down block; destroys defenders when angle blocking. Works body into position after executing initial punch. Executes the shotgun snap to perfection and can step as he centering the ball without loss of fluidity. Most of the time can chip off the combo block and get to linebacker level.
Sure, Ohio State offensive lineman Kirk Barton was the 247th pick in the NFL draft, but that doesn’t mean Chicago Bears fans aren’t interested in using him right away.
Barton had 34 reps and from what i’ve read is he is big and ripped for his weight.
Does anyone else think this guy is a perfect LG for us? I know it would be horrible to have 2 rooks starting at the left end, but he doesn’t have to start right away.
Toward the end of last season, even Barton seemed unsure about his professional future, as he often joked with reporters — especially television reporters — that he would soon be vying for their jobs. A uniquely entertaining character, Barton would be a perfect fit for covering the Buckeyes.
But, he might have that pro career to deal with.
if he can stay healthy then he has a chance in my mind to be a very good guard maybe even fill in on the RT. you dont go to ohio st. and play as much as him and not be good.
The Bears, of course, have had their problems on offense, and many have criticized the fact they didn’t draft a quarterback to compete with Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton. The fans seem to like additions to the offensive line, and, at least according to this thread, they’re anxious to see Barton in uniform.
Barton was one of my favorite picks this year, by anyone. He’s a guy that could have been a very high pick if he had been healthy throughout his career…he should have been a mid-round guy anyways, but good for JA.
This guy will compete for the G spot, and will take over RT when Tait is done.
While scrolling through Jim Tressel’s page on Wikipedia, one finds a message just inside the section on his time at Youngstown State. It says:
The neutrality of this section is disputed.
What you find when clicking on the link to discuss the issue is an interesting take on the extent of a coach’s responsibilities. Apparently, one user has twice added a paragraph into the YSU section that reads like this:
While at YSU, Tressel’s football program was investigated for major NCAA infractions. It was found that on numerous occasions during the period beginning August - September 1988 and continuing through the spring of 1992, a representative of the institution’s athletic interests, who was at the time a member and chairperson of the Youngstown State University Board of Trustees, gave at least $10,000 in cash and checks to a football student-athlete for his personal use. In the fall of 1988, the athletics booster instructed the football student-athlete to contact a business associate regarding the use of automobiles. The football student-athlete contacted the business associate who provided the free use of automobiles to the eligible football student-athlete.
This story has become well-known and to some has called into question Tressel’s squeaky-clean image, especially after NCAA violations involving Maurice Clarett and Troy Smith. But, you can’t read it in Tressel’s Wikipedia biography.
The user who added it argues that Tressel was the head football coach and therefore “was thus responsible for the YSU football team, it’s highly relevant to the subject matter.”
Others disagree:
… while yes, Tressel was responsible for the team’s operations, he cannot be (and wasn’t) held accountable for what happened outside the limits of his own personal actions and/or guidelines he set for the team. It was a booster, not a member of the coaching staff. So far as the matter in question is concerned, the info belongs on the YSU football team article, not Tressel’s
So, just how much should be attached to a coach’s biography? I didn’t take the time to look through Lou Holtz’s, but he has been criticized for leaving programs behind that later face violations apparently done during his tenure.
Most Ohio State fans will tell you that the YSU incident doesn’t mean much because it was the booster’s fault, not Tressel’s. Others say it is a symptom of Tressel’s willingness to break NCAA rules.
It’s a disagreement we find over one little paragraph on Wikipedia.
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Tressel is one person and can’t be held responsible for every misdeed by an OSU booster. Lloyd