I don't get around to other boards.I go to Rivals because of the national film database. I have not been to their message board one time. I am on Bucknuts every day. I stop by Buckeye Planet now and again. The conversationat those sites is enough to leave me scratching my head.

Today I would like to be celebrating several more verbals and talking about those players, but the fallout from those verbals has prompted to to address what fans are talking about. Yes, I used the term "fallout." That seems to be the reaction. What has fans all worked up is the lack of "stars" for the committed players. I am not going to tell you they don't matter. I

Fans have been complaining about no commitments. Now we have two in the same day, including one kid so off the radar that not even Bill Kurelic was aware of what was going on.

Antonio Underwood is a DT/G from Shaker Heights that to my knowledge was offered and committed on the spot. He was not on anyones radar. His only offer was Toledo. I had not heard a thing about him. Mark Porter had not mentioned him to me. I don't know about people on other boards but I can say this one took me by surprise. I did get a look at him on film. He does not have measurables of Carter but he is very light on his feet and has long arms. Nasty attitude. I think guard but he could have enough to get a look at DT first. Anytime I get an athletic big like Underwood who could play DT, he gets a shot at playing DT first. DTs are special. Always highly sought after. Guards are guards. On the measurables I go with Carter but this kid may be the better player. Underwood has great feet. He comes off the snap very well and packs a punch. A little taller and I would surely stick him at tackle. He runs really well. I like both Carter and Underwood better than Walker.

I know there is some frustration that these are not the elite tackle types that we have been recruiting in this class. I am having a hard time disagreeing with the staff right now despite my

Looking around the state at this collection of talent makes this a lot of fun for guys like me and Mark Porter. Last year we really got bored. It was over so early. We did not see anyone but Verlon Reed and Dominique Woods come on during the year. We were on to 2011 and never looked back by about June. This year is so different. We continue to come across players ever at this relatively late date. i had not seen Gambrell until after he was offered. I can see this class pushing into the 30's before we start seeing three-star players.

I like to do this every year but last year did not affored me the opportunity because the class

A Duane Long Report fan sent me this by e-mail. Since the fan sent it privately I will leave the name out but I will address the issue:

Was curious if you could write about why OSU doesn't pull in state talent like Texas does? It seems each year that UT has a top 5 class of in state products locked up by the end of spring ball. Why can't the Bucks get a grip on our in state kids like Texas can?

I would say I am not sure if I have read you right. I think this staff has done a massive great job of not only building a wall around the state but also locking the gate and guarding it. I can count the number of players the staff has lost from the state of Ohio in the last five years on

I should have included tight end recruiting when I talked about the wide receivers. There is not a lot to say. I see it as a situation that is deteriorating and there is little the staff can do about it. You can't just say throw the ball to the tight end more. That means changing the offense. Most of the tight ends fans are getting excited about are the ones in offenses where the tight end is a primary target on some plays. That is just not what we do and I could not agree with the staff more. The tight end in our offense should be a great blocker and a chain moving receiver. The bad news is we are not going to get the elite athletic tight ends that so many fans want to see in the offense. The good news is we don't need one.

We do need a tight end. I see us regressing in the talent level at the position. I always had my

Something BeeseBuck and SMU104 mentioned on Bucknuts about Chase Hounshell is a thing fans should keep in mind as the recruiting year rolls on. There is a great deal of conversation about no offers to defensive tackles like Kris Harley and Kevin Williams, players who really stand out on film and who have impressive offer lists, but the Buckeyes bring in a player like Chase Hounshell for a visit despite his not as impressive offer list and not as impressive highlight film.

Both brought up the body. Hounshell is long. 6-5 or 6-6 and a long body with long arms. I have had opposing coaches mention Hounshell to me but as an offensive lineman. He has some athleticism and a real nasty streak. He always plays hard. I went back and looked at a more extensive film than is out there in public. I think it is way too early to offer a kid like

I have grown to trust Mark Porter when it comes to player evaluation. He has become very good at this. Imagine my surprise when he said he was impressed with this receiver class. We agree so much that when I saw that it was a real surprise.

I see Devin Smith and Shaq Washington as the players who should get Big Four offers in the state. Shane Wynn is not a pure receiver. His offer is as much about kick returns as it is being a receiver. I need to see a kid that size be effective as an every down receiver in a major college offense. I hope he can as the kid is electric with the ball in his hands.

I am not sure this is a really good class but taking the time to look around the state tells me the truth of the matter is somewhere between my thinking and Marks. Outside of Smith there

The Buckeyes did not offer Springfield Local product Kevin Williams. When I was first asked about him I said I would not consider an offer to him or Kris Harley without seeing the bodies up close. I don't think we can assume that he will not see an offer but we can assume he did not leap out at the staff when he stood in front of them.
A couple of days ago I said many the staff was going to look at these undersized guys because that was all that was out there. I said you can't not take DTs. Maybe the staff does not see it that way. I got ahead of myself. There is a nice number of DL offers out there but there are only two true DT who has been offered, Michael Bennett from Centerville and

This was always going to be a short blog post. It borders on embarrassing how bad this class of backs is for 2011 in Ohio. I see Trayion Durham as the best back in the class and I don't see a Big Four offer from him. The Buckeyes are too deep to add a back unless is the kind of player you don't say no to. Durham does not fit the Michigan or Notre Dame offenses. Penn State is the only one of the Big Four who might come in with an offer and I am not aware of any interest from the Nittany Lions at this early stage.

Beyond Durham I like Rico Butler at Hilliard Davidson. Nice looking sattellite guy. He is about the only other guy I have seen that looks like at least a MAC level RB. I just don't see backs that I can say for sure will even be MAC level kids.That is incredible. Even those

There is enough buzz about a Jeremy Cash verbal that you have to believe it has happened or will happen in the very near future. Will that be more than just getting a top safety prospect?

It remains to be seen. Will Cash be that vocal leader who will step up and be here as many weekends as he can to talk to every recruit looking at Ohio State? Will he be the guy asking for phone numbers to keep in touch with the other possible future Buckeyes? We think about a quarterback being that player but the most recent example was a center, Michael Brewster.Why not a safety?

As far as quarterback goes, that is the holy grail of early verbals. Players know the importance of a quarterback to winning a national championship. Getting an early verbal from