| 03 February 2011
Signing day has come and gone. It was a more exciting signing day than we are used to because the Buckeyes were in the hunt on signing day rather than having the class sewed up.The excitement was about Aundray Walker, Darius Jennings and Curtis Grant, all players who were not going to decide until signing day.
Going in I only had hopes for Grant. I never felt right about Walker. Many were talking about how the Glenville kids do this every year. Talk about some other school then pick Ohio State right before or right on signing day. Marcus Hall did it, saying he was leaning toward Miami. Last year there was a great deal of chatter that Christian Bryant had taken a last minute visit to North Carolina and committed. He ended up at Ohio State. I never saw the Ohio State love from Walker. That was the difference. He was never down here like the others. He only came down when he was supposed to come down. He never talked about Ohio State like the others. In the end I had mixed feelings about him. He became a need as far as I'm concerned. He was never a player I wanted. I am very concerned about numbers. We go into the first five games next year looking at six veteran scholarship offensive linemen. Even with Mike Adams back we are looking at seven ready to play offensive linemen. Even those who disagree with me about Antonio Underwood, Tommy Brown and Chris Carter acknowledge they are projects. They are not going to be ready to play next year. Getting through next year without injury to an offensive line starter is a most crucial element to being a contender. If we do that the scholarship we save from Walker going to USC becomes a plus. We can offer a better prospect.
I did not know what Darius Jennings was going to do. It would have been great to have him. He flew under the radar but he would have been a great addition. I think it came down to the fact that he wanted to play offense and while he would have been able to choose where he played if he picked Ohio State, he knew in the back of his mind that the Buckeyes wanted him as a defensive back.
You know my feelings on Cardale Jones. I love getting him. I think he has a tremendous upside. I think it is smart for him to go to a prep school. Get his academic house in order, get his study habits down in a very structured environment before the complication of big time football is added to the equation. It puts some space between he and Braxton Miller. It is a win-win situation for Jones and the Buckeyes.
Curtis Grant is the icing on the cake to a great class. I don't care about the rankings. This is a well rounded class. the Buckeyes filled needs and brought in elite talent everywhere, yes, on the offensive line too as Bobek is an elite center prospect. The linebacker class could be put up against any on the country and that was before this unique talent decided to be a Buckeye. Grant is one of the three most gifted linebackers to come into the program since I have been evaluating talent in Ohio. Etienne Sabino and Andy Katzenmoyer being the others. He is big enough to play as a freshman and I expect him to. He may start. If not from game one I think he could at some point in the season.
Great class. On to 2012. This is going to be fun, Buckeye Nation.
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