| 09 December 2010
I don't know if I can remember a time when a series of events left the Buckeyes looking at a recruiting situation that could break more favorably in the programs interests.
The firing of Randy Shannon and the resignation of Urban Meyer has some national top 100 recruits rethinking where they are going to spend the next four years. There is nothing certain until they sign on the dotted line on national signing day but you have to like where the Buckeyes are standing with Charles Grant, Ryan Shazier and Jabari Gorman.
Shaizer is the biggest surprise. I knew he liked the Buckeyes but I had no idea that Ohio State was the only other school that had a shot at him. He is talking about visiting this weekend or next. He says he will not take any other visits. He is committed to Florida. I think he sticks with that verbal until he finds out who the next coach is going to be. I think Ohio State is only a back-up plan in case Florida drags on too long with the coach search or if Shazier is not impressed with who the Gators hire.
Jabari Gorman is the one the Buckeyes need most. Miami has gone to pieces. He started looking at Florida. Now that situation is in disarray too. Out of his own mouth he said the Buckeyes led at one time. I know his family is pushing him to stay close to home. Florida State appears to be the only other option and Gorman has never mentioned the Seminoles. I like where this one could end up. If I were the Buckeye staff I would get on this kid and try to get him to verbal before there are coaches in place in Miami or Florida. Give the kid a real piece of ammo when it comes to dealing with his family if they want him to change his mind. Being able to look people who want you to be an honorable person in the eye and saying, "You want me to go back on my word?", is a powerful tool. I think the Buckeyes can get him.
Charles Grant may be the one that is easiest to land. He never denied Florida was his number one and Ohio State his number two. Ohio State is closer to home than Florida. I can't imagine family is going to object to Grant picking a school closer to home.
The Buckeyes get both Tank Carradine and Jadeveon Clowney last in their visits and so close to the respective signing days for JUCO and for high school recruits that I think the chances of landing both are as good as anyones. There seem to be a good number of naysayers out there. I responded to that thinking on a thread on Bucknuts. I can't think of a better way of responding to the naysayers so I will re-print that response here:
<<<I don't do the scarlet and gray colored glasses thing. I love the Buckeyes with my heart but think with my head. Ohio State is a top school on the lists of all three players. Now that Florida is off the board for Grant and Shazier, Grants known number one and the school Shazier was actually committed to, and both Miami and Florida are in disarray for Gorman, why can we not accept that the Buckeyes would be the top school for these kids? Why does it make more sense that they would go find some other schools rather than go with their admitted next best?
As far as Clowney is concerned, why is it so hard to look at the facts and take them at face value? He is seeing the Buckeyes last. That is often an indication of a favorite. It is so close to signing day that other schools are not going to have alot of time to get his head turned around. That problem for the other schools is exacerbated by the fact that the signing day dead period means they have even less time to get in his head and turn him around. <<<<
I am not saying I think the Buckeyes land any of these players. I have said before and I will say again that landing out of state players is a very difficult thing. What I am saying is the Buckeyes stand as good a chance as anybody on these recruits. Two of the five are out of the state of Florida and another was a Gator lean. Two of the three major programs in the state are without head coaches right now. Two of the three players had not yet committed so obviously they were not yet convinced and one of the main drawing cards, the head coach, is not in place. One of the few criticisms of Jim Tressel is he can't close. On three of the five players listed here, he does not even have an opponent. Take heart, Buckeye fans.
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