Going into this recruiting season I was firmly in the camp that the need for linebackers was a priority. One of the big fall camp stories was about the Sweat - Sabino battle, the loser redshirts, over one of the linebacker spots. Once the season got started the story fizzled. The reason it fizzled was there were so few reps for that third linebacker slot. Sweat was coming off an injury. He had plenty of extra time to recovery because he spent so much time on the sideline even though he won the battle because the base defense was basically a nickle package. The Buckeyes spent most of the year with the Star on the field rather than a third linebacker. By midseason I was convinced the need for linebackers was not a priority. Once Conner Crowell committed I thought it was over. Going in the buzz was the staff had targeted two linebackers for this class. More evidence was the fact that there were so few offers out there and once James vaughters, Trey DePriest, Anthony Wallace and Kent Turene committed elsewhere it reinforced that the target number was two.

Now there are three committed and the Buckeyes are hosting James Vaughters. The consensus is the Buckeyes currently lead for superstar Curtis Grant from Virginia. Five linebackers? Maybe. The question is why.

I don't think it is about linebackers. First, I have to remind everyone that on Jim Tressels board there are quarterbacks, speed, big and big speed. The other thing to look at is these are elite linebackers. Ryan Shazier is a national top 100 player on just about any list you want to look at. On most Curtis Grant is ranked even higher. I have yet to see a national list that does not have him as one of the nations top five linebackers. James Vaughters offer list speaks for itself. The odd man out is recent verbal Ejuan Price. He is higher on my board than Vaughters. Take a look at his film from ScoutingPennsylvania.com http://scoutingpa.com/index.php/view-profile.html?task=userProfile&user=25&srid=12&name=ejuanprice
Notice the closing speed. The explosiveness is another thing that leaps out at you. He is an athletic kid especially considering that is not the type of body that you think of when you think about athlete. The play that stands out to me is the pass defense play late in the play. Notice how he jumps that receiver who passes into his zone and makes a play on the ball. This kid is a playmaker. From the film you would think outside linebacker since he makes so many plays out there on the edge. I believe he could play out there but I think he fits perfectly in the middle for the Buckeyes. He is Brian Rolle with the size to stand up to Wisconsin. He was told Ohio State would wait on his until signing day. I am not surprised by that. He is the most underrated player in the class.

The point I am making is this is not about the need for linebackers. I still don't believe we need to add linebackers. These are kids you don't say no to. It is an overall talent upgrade that you don't even think twice about.

We hear so much about the defensive line in the class of 2012. I use the expression that I only hope to see a class like whatever position I am talking about. With the defensive line class for 2012 I would say I would not dare to dream we see another like it. It is a class of a lifetime. The class of 2011 is the next best in my time but is not even close to 2012. The back class is one of the two or three best I have seen. So many names out there from both position groups. One that is not being talked about is the wide receiver group.

The Buckeyes just came in with an offer to the best in the class and sure five-star national receiver in Cincinnati Taft's Dwayne Stafford. The best in my time as a talent evaluator in Ohio have been Devier Posey, Mario Manningham and T.Y. Williams. Stafford is right there with them and is only a junior. I think he will be the best receiver we have seen come out of Ohio since Chris Carter. Maybe the best ever. He is 6-4 or 6-5 and can leap out of the building. Outstanding body control and great hands. He is very aggressive on the ball. He does not wait on it to come to him. He goes and gets it. He is a game changer after the catch. You want to hear the best part? He is a sure qualifier and a clear Buckeye lean despite early offers from Alabama, Tennessee, Florida State and Georgia.

Here is the other piece of good news. There are several others who could see Buckeye offers. I love Dublin Jerome's Cameron Wilson. He jumped on the radar early during his sophmore year but has his stock go down when he did not have a great camp at Ohio State. He is back up there on my board after watching his impressive junior film. This is a big split end who plays big. He is strong and knows how to use his body. One on one he is nearly impossible for a high school defensive back to cover. He attacks the ball at its highest point and shows the hands to come down with it. After the catch he is a danger to take it to the house. Very elusive open field runner. He is fearless. He shows no hesitation in going over the middle or going up to make catches in traffic. I love that he is a physical runner. Too often bigger receivers go down on the first solid contact. Not Wilson. Catching up with him is only half the job. Getting him on the ground is a chore. He has an early offer from Boston College. The athlete season will be important to him. If he shows speed he will have his pick of schools.

Moeller's Montanez Madaris is about the same size as Wilson, 6-2 and 190, but has a little different game. He does not possess the strength of Wilson, that is where I give Wilson the edge, but I think he is going to be the one more likely to put up a speed number that is going to push his offer list over the top. He is as good an open field runner as Wilson, doing a great deal of damage with slip screens and long hand-offs.

Madaris and Wilson are the receivers I feel the most confident of seeing Big Five offers but there are a couple of others who I think are likely to join them with good athlete seasons.

I am a big fan of Zack Edwards from Middletown. That program has been known for its basketball tradition but right now it is producing football talent at an impressive rate under coach Jason Krause. 2013 superstar Jalin Marshall is soaking up so much of the spotlight that a talent like Edwards is getting overlooked. He is an outstanding receiver. Catches everything he can reach. Great after the catch. He reminds me of a combination of former Buckeyes Anthony Gonzalez and Dane Sanzenbacher. He is heady like those two former greats and has that uncanny ability to come out with the football in tight spaces and when there is a defender all over him. He is bigger and more athletic like Sanzenbacher but has better speed. Whether that speed is good enough for the big boys to come in remains to be seen. He needs to get with the track coach and listen to him. He needs to get out to camps and combines to show that he has the speed of an elite skill position player at this level. Notice I say skill position player, not receiver. Edwards is a fine defensive back. He is a willing tackler and at 6-1 with an impressive wingspan he is going to get looks at safety and maybe for corner.

Maybe you have heard of Edwards but I doubt you have heard of Delaware Hayes Matthew Bingaya. http://www.scoutingohio.com/index.php/view-profile.html?task=userProfile&user=6434&name=jordan9
He is a 6-4, 200 lb high school quarterback that could be the biggest surprise in the class. He is a very athletic kid with size. Those are things you can't teach. If he gets out this athlete season (the athlete season is track season plus camps and combines) as a receiver we could see his stock soar into that of a Big Five athlete. Mark Porter did a great job of finding this kid.

There has been some buzz going around about elite 2012 defensive lineman Chris Wormley from Toledo Whitmer. That buzz has intensified with the appointment of a new coach at Michigan. A real dyed in the wool Michigan man who I believe will bring the old intensity back to the greatest rivalry in all of sport, the Ohio State - Michigan game.

Wormley was always rumored to be a Michigan fan. He grew up a Michigan fan. Last week Ray Jaske from ESPN 990, http://www.espn990.com/, had a conversation with a  family member who stated that Wormley is probably a Michigan lean. It stands to reason that Toledo would be a battle ground in The Rivalry. Recently Ohio State has owned that battleground but I remember Hoke at Ball State. He is originally from Dayton Ohio. He knows the state. He is a good recruiter. He will recruit well here and you can bet he is going to go like gang busters after the one game changer he has a good shot at landing, all the while getting back into the fight for top kids in the state of Ohio in a place that is not so hostile toward the Michigan program.

The question is, why am I so calm about losing such a talent? The answer is a simple one.

I see two linemen in this unbelievable class in 2012 that stand above them all. Those players would be Greg McMullen from Akron Hoban and Adolphus Washington from Cincinnati Taft, both definite Buckeye leans by the way. It is not that I think Wormley is overrated. That is not the case. I see a unique body in Wormley. I see unique measurables in Wormley. I am a believer in recruiting athletes over players. Players cannot overcome their lack of natural tools while athletes can learn to be great players. They can be coached into being difference makers. The best of the best are both great specimens and great players. That is what I see with McMullen and Washington. They are both freaky athletes, especially Washington, and they are great players. That is why I have both rated over Wormley. I have seen great plays that put him at the top of others lists. I also see him disappear for long stretches. One game early in the year the headline had fans all worked up about Wormley because he had a number of sacks. In between you did not know he was on the field.

That is why I have put Wormley in with that next group of defensive lineman. It is why I am not so worried about him choosing Michigan. There is so little difference between Wormley, a surefire five-star kid and one I want to see in scarlet and gray, and the next players on my list, Sevon Pittman from Canton McKinley and Brian Cox jr from Avon, that if I were making the decision once he said he was going to Michigan I would wish him luck and immediately get on the phone with Pittman and Cox. Pittman is such a raw player that we don't know where he will end up. What I see is another great looking specimen who has played so little football but is getting better at an accelerated rate. I have his class of 2011 teammate Steve Miller on my list of the best defensive ends I have seen in this state but if I had to choose one I would choose Pittman. He is as good a football player as Miller but has a better body. He is going to add a good bit more weight and is longer. Cox is the kid fans don't know about. You will. He is the son of former NFL great Brian Cox. He has an explosive first step, great athleticism and has the same motor and nasty streak that might carry his Dad to the Hall of Fame. Here is his ScoutingOhio promo to give you a look at this new name on the list: http://scoutingohio.com/index.php/view-profile.html?task=userProfile&user=5068 Cox has the length I want to see in a defensive end and can add the weight to be a full fledged 4-3 hand in the dirt defensive end. Great speed with Cox and an explosive hitter. He is definitely on the Buckeyes radar so make note of him.

There are some others out there. Joshua Perry is an already verballed Buckeye. His junior film impressed me greatly. The Buckeyes have already offered Greg McMullens teammate LaTroy Lewis. There is a end at Buckeye pipeline program Centerville named Ifeadi Odenigbo who would be a name you already know about if not for the players already mentioned here.

Yes, I want Wormley. No, I am not going to lose any sleep over his decision to go to Michigan should be choose to do so. Great kid and I wish him all the best should that be where he chooses to spend the next four or five years of his life. There are just too many great looking defensive linemen in this class to worry about one going somewhere else. It was going to happen, Buckeye Nation. We just don't have scholarships for them all in a class this deep.

As the class of 2011 winds down I find myself looking at the last few names on the Buckeye short list and think I want this class to be done right now.

There are ten to twelve names still out there that the Buckeyes have a shot at. Of the players on that list I can only see two that I would like to see a part of this class. Curtis Grant is an elite linebacker prospect with few weaknesses. He runs so well. he has great instincts. He has a motor. He has a great looking body to build on. You take him no matter what. The same with wide receiver Ja'Juan Story. You don't see big split ends like Story come along very often. He is a throw it up and let him go get it receiver. There are never too many of those on your roster. There are some other good players on that Buckeye offer list. The thing is, I have been looking at so much film that I can't see any of the others as players I would like to have more than players right here in state in the class of 2012.

Fans have gotten excited about Stanford commit James Vaughters coming in this weekend for an official visit. With no coach in place at Stanford now that Jim Harbaugh has taken the San Francisco 49'er job, the Buckeyes stand a good chance of landing Vaughters. He is a really nice player but the target was two linebackers in this class. The recent commitment of national top 100 linebacker Ryan Shazier fills the slots set aside for linebackers in this class. Like I said, you don't say no to Curtis Grant. With the need filled and Grant maybe a Buckeye come signing day, I just would not have room for a player like Vaughters, nor for the other linebacker on the board Ejuan Price.

I don't think we will see offers to the Glenville trio of Cardale Jones, Shane Wynn or Andre Sturdivant. I am hearing no chatter about any of them around here and we have only two remaining visit weekends left before signing day after this weekend. We know they are not coming in this weekend. Whether it is grade related or not it is not looking good for any of them. As much as I like Jones and Sturdivant I am concerned about their ability to stay in school because it has taken so long to get eligible, which it appears they are not right now. With the current depth chart at quarterback, the offer out to the outstanding junior from California Shane Dillon, and the monster class in the state of Ohio in 2013, I just don't see an offer coming for Jones. The staff going back after Story tells me that Wynn may be off the board too. The most underrated position in 2012 is the receivers. Beyond Dwayne Stafford there are others who I think could be Buckeye caliber.

This is going to strike you odd. Of the other possibles other there for the Buckeyes the one I am most open to is Aundray Walker. I know you thought you would never hear me say that. I never thought I would say it but the reality is that he is the best of the senior guards in Ohio. He had an excellent performance in one on one drills at the national all-star game. That has happened before with Walker. He first made a name for himself by excelling in drills at the junior combine. I have not changed my mind. I still would rather pass on Walker. The problem is he outperformed the verballed guards on the Buckeyes commitment list. His senior film is better. He has done a far better job of controlling his weight. He is actually lighter than he was last year. We need to add at least one guard who can step in right away. Walker could. I only hope that the others can step in and help at some point in their Buckeye careers. In the end you want to see players getting better ever year. That is especially important with project type players. Antonio Underwood, Tommy Brown and Chris Carter did not get better. I would love to pass on all of the offensive linemen that we are talking about for 2011 except Bobek. Since that can't happen I would be fine adding one that I have some hope would play sooner rather than never, and that is Aundray Walker.

I am looking at a class in 2012 that looks like it is at least 30 deep with players who rate an Ohio State offer. I might pare that list or add to it by the time the athlete season is over this summer. Speed and measurables are going to tell the tale on any number of players. No matter what happens I think this class will be so deep that the staff does not ever have to use a plane to end up with a top five class. The key is going to be having enough scholarships to take advantage of the situation. Borrowing a few from this class will help.

Now that the Sugar Bowl is over I thought fans would immediately turn to recruiting. I see some serious interest but the way Jim Tressel and his staff do things there is so little to pay attention to. They get it done early for the most part then try to pick up a few players later with honest to goodness hard work. So much of recruiting that is done this late is smoke and mirrors and flat out cheating. That is something you will not see this staff do. Picking up a couple of national players this late in the process in linebacker Ryan Shazier and cornerback Doran Grant is nothing short of a coup. Any of the others that come in, elite linebacker Curtis Grant or national top ten receiver Ja'Juan Story to name the players at the top of my want list, are just gravy. Fans seem to realize this as the attention has turned to what is going to happen in the fall with the spots opened up by the suspensions of five players, four being starters. There is one that stands above them all. That would be who steps in for Terrelle Pryor.

Unlike in the past there are really solid options to step into the quarterback spot. Ohio State has not been a quarterback school. Ohio has not been a quarterback producing state. That is the basis of all recruiting. Instate talent. Kids that want to come to a school because they love that school. They imitated players from that school growing up. It doesn't matter whether they were pro players or not. As kids those players were their heroes. I am talking about players like Braxton Miller.

When we talk about who is going to step in for Pryor that is the name that comes up the most. I don't think he would be the first name out of the mouths of most fans if not for the fact that he is already enrolled. He will be here for spring practice. I think this was going to be an intense spring for the quarterbacks. Even without the suspension Pryor is going to be a senior. So is Joe Bauserman. There is going to be a new quarterback under center in 2012. I think Pryor would have stood around throwing on the sideline anyway. Time to start looking for that replacement right now. Coach Tressel is a planner. I suspect he wanted to come out of this spring with a pecking order between Miller, Taylor Graham and Kenny Guiton. Get the most reps for the one who is most likely going to be the starter in 2012 so you install him as the number three, and maybe as the number two.

The suspension has turned this spring into spring of 2012. The intensity will be ratcheted up as the top quarterback will be the starter September of 2011.

Kenny Guiton is the only one of the youngsters with game experience. He is throwing so much better than he did in high school. Quarterback coach Nick Siciliano got skewered by Buckeye fans when Terrelle Pryor did not seem to improve early in his tenure. Pryor was so much better this year that Siciliano got some credit but I would point to Guitons high school film and the way he is throwing now as proof that coach Siciliano is doing a good job. Guiton is an excellent runner and has come around as a passer but he is not in the same ballpark throwing the ball as either Miller or Graham.

Graham is the one we know the least about. He missed all but a few games in both his junior and senior year due to season ending injuries early on. Rust was a big concern as was losing two years of development. Reports coming out of practice all year were constant and consistent. This kid was not showing any signs of rust. He showed no symptoms of suffering from the loss of time under center, picking everything up and executing like he had not missed any time. The one thing we saw on film was an arm that allowed the coaches to call any play in the playbook. He had the arm to get the ball anywhere it needed to be.

Miller is coming off a senior year where he showed he is ready to play right away. He is a special player. He is a better quarterback prospect than Terrelle Pryor. Yes I aid that. He throws better as a high school senior than Pryor throws right now. Miller is not ideal sized while Pryor is a freak of nature. That is why Pryor had a national level of hype that we never saw with Miller. Miller is so far advanced as a decision maker and as far as seeing the field is concerned that there is no comparison. He has as good if not better an arm than Pryor. His mechanics are so solid they likely do not even talk to him about his motion. His release is as good as you will ever see on a high school quarterback.

You will notice I have not talked about Bauserman untill now. I think Bauserman being the starter is odds on and I am going to tell you why. He is a grown man who has been playing college football for four years. JT is loyal to his seniors but there is sound reasoning behind that. He wants that experience in there. Jim Tressel is not going to lose games on offense. He is going to have the best stable of running backs he has ever had here. He is going to run the ball more in the suspension period, whether that be four or five games. I can see the NCAA dropping the suspension to four games but it is just not going to go below that. I also think that starting Bauserman allows coach Tressel to go back to Pryor when the suspension is over. That would be so much harder to do with one of the youngsters. To start him then push him to the bench seems counterproductive especially if the team is playing well.

Think about this. The Buckeyes start the season 4-0 with Miller or Graham or Guiton as the starter. Pryor comes back after a four game suspension. He gets the start at quarterback and the Buckeyes lose to Michigan State.Do I need to say it? You know what the headlines are going to be. The last thing he needs is a quarterback controversy.

Another thing to think about is the possibility of redshirting Miller. I think it is a great idea. With a senior as backup to Pryor in Bauserman, Jim Tressel is going to give him some reps. That means Miller is no better than the third team guy. He is just not going to play enough to warrant blowing a year. Quarterback is the hardest position in all of sport to master. The more reps a quarterback gets the better. We also have to ask what about Taylor Graham? We push him to fourth on the depth chart? If we do I don't know how we hand onto him. I think Guiton has to make a real challenge in the spring to stick around. If he is number three out of the three younger quarterbacks I think we lose him. I think the odds of him being number three are pretty good. Losing Graham too means no scholarship back-up for 2012. The staff has to finesse this thing to hold onto one of Graham or Guiton. Then again, maybe the Buckeyes offer Cardale Jones and let the cards fall where they will.

The Buckeyes have received two outstanding verbals from 2011 prospects that I have not commented on.

Recently the Buckeyes have benefited from the resignation of Urban Meyer by swooping in and getting a verbal from national top 100 linebacker prospect Ryan Shazier. I am cautiously optimistic about Shazier. Why I say that is because he played as a rush linebacker in high school but he does not bring the size that is necessary to play as a Leo let alone as a hand on the ground 4-3 defensive end. He passed an important test the past few days by looking very natural as linebacker in the Under Armor All-Star game which was played last night and the practices leading up to the game. He has natural instincts. He finds the ball easily and is an outstanding tackler. There seems to be some dispute out there about his speed. I want to see a good forty time but game speed is the trump card. I have seen him run sideline to sideline and catch people. His read-react-run is elite caliber. He does not have a defensive linemans body but he certainly has a great looking linebacker body. Great get for the Buckeyes.

Last night on national television cornerback Doran Grant made the worst kept secret you will ever get whispered in your ear official. He committed to the Buckeyes. He has been the one player I thought put a ribbon on this class. Getting an elite corner was crucial for this class. Grant is that elite corner. He needs some technique work and his tackling must improve before he hits the field but this is an elite athlete at the corner position. He is a kid known to have that drive to be a champion. With his athleticism and the work ethic that walks hand in hand with driven people, I suspect Grant will be in the two-deep this fall. The Buckeyes lack depth and experience at corner. An elite player like Grant can expect to get a hard look.

A couple of other notes about 2011. There are some big names still on the board. Fans are getting very excited about the likes of Curtis Grant, the elite linebacker prospect from Virginia, and national top ten wide receiver Ja'Juan Story from Florida. Grant was supposed to be a solid Florida lean and Story was verballed to Florida. Grant was also high on Ohio State. Now with the decision by Urban Meyer to step down there is much buzz that Ohio State might be the team to beat for Grant. He is a signing day announcement so we are going to have to wait. Story has taken a visit to Oregon since Meyers resignation. He is scheduled to visit Ohio State. An under the radar talent, Darius Jennings from Maryland, still has Wake Forest to visit but the smart money is on Ohio State or Virginia.

The above players can push this class into the argument for best class in the country. I do think we have a shot but I want to caution fans not to get too excited until we hear something more definitive. All you are doing is setting yourself up for disappointment.

I am still savoring this one. It will take a great finish in recruiting to take my mind off of this win. It is one for the ages in my book. The team goes in distracted with Tattoogate. Early on the Buckeyes lose an All-American and future NFL corner in Chimdi Chekwa against a likely first round quarterback. We then see the secondary take another hit as Chekwas replacement, Travis Howard, gets knocked out of the game too. I did not see the Buckeyes winning the game with Dominic Clarke at one corner but the defensive line made sure he did not get tested too much. This was a good Arkansas team. Make no mistake about that. The Buckeyes did not just beat another SEC team. They beat an SEC team that only lost to the defending national champion in Alabama and an undefeated Auburn team that will be playing for the national championship this year. The Buckeyes beat a good SEC team.

I know there are alot of fans out there that got a few more gray hairs watching the offense shut it down in the second half. Pryor threw 19 passes in the first half. 6 in the second. That is the Jim Tressel way. It always has been and always will be. He had an 18 point half time lead. You knew he was going to shut it down. He is not going to lose the game. He is going to make the other team win the game. He is going to make them take the chances. At that point he was in a battle with the clock not with Arkansas.

I have a major dispute with the game MVP award. Pryor had a great first half. Cam Heyward had a great game. Talk about going out on a high note. I think it was the best performance of his career. The defensive line in general was the difference in the game. This Arkansas team led the SEC in tackles for loss. The Buckeye defensive line was better. Simon was outstanding. Nate Williams had his best game since midseason. Larimore goes out with his best game in some time. The defensive line won this game for Ohio State with constant consistent pressure.

I thought Jermale Hines had a lot to do with how the secondary held together in the most trying of circumstances. I thought the young guys really stepped up. Travis Howard was beaten for a touchdown and another long gain. If he plays defense like that the rest of his career he will be an NFL player. Those were perfectly thrown passes that no corner was going to do anything about.

I am most proud of Jim Heacock. Ever since the USC loss he seems to be a changed man. He is getting after it. He attacks and attacks. Just when you think he can't find another way to attack he throws a zone blitz at them that Mallett had not seen all day and secures an interception to ice the game. Did you notice Cam Heyward was standing right beside Sol Thomas when he made the interception. Heacock deserves a game ball for the defensive game plan.

I know many were thinking about incoming freshmen replacing Cam Heyward or Melvin Fellows returning to health and stepping into that role. Adam Bellamy is a force to be reckoned with. He played very well last night. I see him as the starter at SSDE.

I noticed Garrett Goebel in there before I saw Hankins. When I did see Hankins I saw why. I saw too much of him. He looks like he enjoyed the Holiday season too much. Weight was always an issue. The talent level is too great here for him to let himself get out of shape. Goebel has always been solid. It was the talent level of an in shape Hankins that push him to the bench. Hankins has to return in good condition.

I cannot believe how bad J.B. Shugarts was last night. He was beaten all night consistently. On one series in the third quarter when momentum was definitely turning in Arkansas favor, Pryor escapes and picks up a first down on third and long. Shugarts held so it was called back. The very next play he gets beat again and Pryor has to throw the ball away. That was just one series where his inability to get the job done had an impact on the game. Who knows what impact the inability of Shugarts to block his man had on play calling. Pryor is clearly more comfortable going to his right. With a pass rusher winning that battle more often than not it could have changed the way the game was called. My dream scenario is Norwell moves to left tacklenext year. I don't know how we can make that happen with Shugarts so suspect on the right side. I don't want to hear about his ankle/foot injury. He had 5 weeks to nurse the injury. It is not better yet? He had a motion penalty. I know that is not a surprise.  

There was a great deal of talk about whether the "5" should play in this game. Look at their performances. Think we would have won this game without them?

I will get back to 2012 recruiting with my next blog. I have to say something about the horrible performance by the Big Ten in the bowl season. Big Ten fans hate that the SEC is the best conference in college football. It has been that way and will stay that way. The SEC has some built in advantages that the Big Ten cannot overcome. This was the year that Big Ten fans thought the Big Ten was the better conference. Big Ten fans were looking forward to the bowl season especially New Years Day with three head to head match-ups against the SEC.

The Big Ten got blown out, embarrassed, in two of the three head to head match-ups. I don't know which one you watched, I was switching back and forth, but there were several things that stood out. In the Michigan State - Alabama game we saw the huge advantage the SEC has in defensive linemen. Huge mobile bigs with great motors. If you never saw Marcell Dareus before you witnessed on News Years Day why he will be off the board in the NFL draft somewhere in the top ten picks. Even with him off the field Alabamas defensive line would have outmatched the MSU offensive line. On the other hand Alabama took apart the Michigan State defensive line. Just ran the ball down their throats. Michigan saw its poor defensive line give up over 200 rushing yards, 9 of 17 third down conversions and an amazing 5 of 5 4th down conversions. This is something Jim Tressel has been trying to right ever since the Florida National Championship game loss. There is a reason that defensive linemen go at the top of the NFL draft. Outside of quarterback, defensive linemen are the most important players on the field. The other thing I saw was poor quarterback play by Big Ten quarterbacks. Penn States Matt McGloin showed he has more mouth and attitude than talent as he threw five interceptions in this game. The last time I saw him in a big game he threw it away too. I am sure Buckeye fans remember that one. Penn State was marching to win the game despite McGloins first four interceptions. His fifth was one too many. Penn State needs a new quarterback coach. They have three young quarterbacks so talented that they would be the only ones in the Big Ten I would even consider trading the Buckeyes young stable for but a walk-on starts for them. That is poor quarterback development. Northwestern's Evan Watkins threw for 76 yards. Wisconsins Scott Tolzien threw for 159 yards and did not get his pass for the two-point conversion that would have tied the Rose Bowl game with anout 2 minutes to go over the heads of the defensive linemen. One of them had to knock it down to keep from getting smacked in the face by the pass.

Defensive line and quarterbacks is where championships are won. Until the Big Ten finds a way to close the gap in those areas I think we continue to see the conference come up short in the competition for which is the best conference. Ohio State has been putting an emphasis on recruiting defensive linemen to the point that some fans are asking if we are taking too many. If you watched the Alabama - Michigan State game yesterday I am sure your answer to that question is a resounding no. The good news for the Big Ten is the Ohio class of 2012 has plenty of defensive linemen to go around. Quarterbacks too. Lets hope they take notice.

There will be plenty of time to talk about what remains with the class of 2011. With Signing Day just about a month away it is time to kick-off the class of 2012. I have done some stuff on 2012 players but the amount of tape that is coming in right now is just staggering. I want to back-up and give an overview of the class, then start in by position.

This will be the benchmark class that we will rate all future Ohio classes. The depth is enough to re-load those schools that already have a presence in Ohio and to get a jump start to the ones that don't. I don't recall a class with this much quality depth. We are still evaluating with so much tape coming through the door but I am not going to be surprised to see 40 Big Ten caliber kids here in Ohio. Just in the last few days we have seen a couple of safeties that have rocked the rankings at that position. The other thing about this class that separates it from other recent outstanding classes is the breadth of the class. There are Buckeye caliber recruits at every position but defensive tackle and quarterback. Yes, I said every other position. Even those positions have a possible or two.

The headliner of the class is the defensive ends. I am looking at ten kids that are Big Five caliber. With a year left in high school for this special class is where I get optimism about defensive tackles in the class of 2012. Greg McMullen and Chris Wormley are both players who could grow into three-technique tackles even before they arrive on campus. The running backs are pretty obvious as the other position that is going to draw coaches from the region to the state of Ohio. Despite Ball and Dunn being committed to Ohio State, that does not mean there are no more backs here. It is a very deep class. There are four or five others in the state who will receiver offers from other Big Ten teams, as well as Big East and ACC teams.

The offensive line, wide receiver and safety are three positions that just blew up recently. On the offensive line I see at least four five-star players. There are another four or five that could be four-star kids. The best news is three of the four five-star kids are tackles and the Buckeyes are in good shape with them. Kyle Kalis is still the best line recruit in the state and already committed. The Buckeyes should have one of the best offensive line classes in the country without leaving the state to make an offer. Wide receiver is a position that has not give the Buckeyes many options in the last couple of years. This year there is one national level receiver and we are good speed times from seeing three or four others look like they will see offers from coast to coast. Like I said a little earlier safety is where we have witnessed a great position for this class become the best class I have ever seen in Ohio. I don't think there is one that I can recall that was close. I feel confident saying there are at least four safeties that are Buckeye caliber. The corner class is a good one. There are a couple of players, maybe three that I could see with early offers. We are waiting for some tape of a couple of key players to come in at that position.

Linebacker is not the deepest position but there are several Big Five offer candidates in the state. One of the positions that we are not talking much about is tight end. There are three or four Big Five caliber players at that position too. The most intriguing to me is the quarterbacks. I see a deep class but I don't know if we see a Buckeye caliber prospect. Not yet anyway. It will be interesting to watch and see if a Geovonnie McKnight or a Tyler Eden step up and make themselves candidates for a Buckeye offer despite the current depth and the elite talent in the class of 2013.

I see 16 scholarships right now. There is a good deal of very young talent on the roster so I expect to see that number grow as there will be transfers, but right now that is what the staff has to work with. That is the downside of having such a great class. Without the scholarships to take advantage of it, the Buckeyes are going to see more than the usual amount of players come back to the 'Shoe on the wrong side of the stadium.

Tattoogate has taken on a life of its own. We are past Christmas but there is no discussion about the Sugar Bowl to speak of. We have a huge vacancy on the coaching staff. We have a recruiting class to wrap up. I am going to make this my last post about the issue. Get back to football.

I see two separate issues. I will never change my mind about the selling of Gold Pants and Championship rings. Gold Pants are a tradition that goes back to 1934. To understand the significance of Gold Pants is to understand Ohio State traditions. It is an honor that only Ohio State football players can be decorated with. Only about 100 college football players every year even have the opportunity to wear the Gold Pants. I have yet to hear a former player speak publicly and say the selling of such an honor is okay with them. If a player is in desperate financial straits then that player has to do what he has to do. That is not the case here. We hear about the players being in a tough financial situation. We have no evidence of that. Lets say that is true. We still have the evidence of the tattoos. At some point the sale of a special Buckeye honor was put into the acquisition of tattoos. I am being told that I am putting my values onto someone else. Yes, I am. It is called traditions. I do not get how you can call yourself a Buckeye but not put any value in the traditions that go along with being a Buckeye.

Something has come up in the last few days that has an impact on this. I do not sport any tattoos. I know a number of people who do. One of them sat down with me and tried to explain the importance of the tattoos. The history of tattooing. The symbolism of tattoos. Every single one means something. Each one has a story. That is why so much forethought is put into the choice of the tattoo and the design of the artwork. I don't know about the others but Terrelle Pryor has a very large Ohio State tattoo. I let my tattoo'ed friend read the above paragraph. He smiled when he read that. He is a Buckeye fan. He understood what I was saying but he told me I did not understand what Terrelle was saying. He said jewelery is something you take on and off. A tattoo is part of you all of the time. It is part of your soul. It meant alot more to him (Pryor) to make being a Buckeye part of who he is than the piece of interchangable jewelry he gave up to make that happen.

To Terrelle Pryor and any of the other "5" who wear Buckeye tattoos I say I accept your new way of showing your love for Ohio State. You need to accept that you violated ours. A public apology would go along way to putting this behind us.

The other issue is whether the players should be suspended. Yes, they should. Because that is the rule. They broke the rule knowingly. Don't tell me they didn't. Former players are coming out and saying they knew it was the rule. Thaddeus Gibson is the most recent to come out and say the issue of selling memorabilia came up multiple times ( http://www.news-herald.com/articles/2010/12/27/sports/nh3459234.txt) . Gibson was here when the "5" were here. The athletic department made sure some players heard about the rule multiple times but neglected to inform other players at all? 5 players just happened to not be present during any of the conversations about the selling of memorabilia being a violation? The administration knew it was so important that they made sure to bring it up multiple times but did not make sure they spoke to all the players? If you believe any of these statements to be true it is just because you want them to be true.

The frustrating part for me is it shouldn't be the rule. No matter how wrong it is to sell Gold Pants and Championship rings, they belonged to the players. They were presented to them as theirs. Once they leave school they can do with them what they please so the NCAA is not trying to get the players to honor traditions, to recognize the significance of the honors. They are making sure the payers don't make money off of something where the NCAA does not get a cut.

There is so more talk about whether Jim Tressel should suspend the players for the Sugar Bowl. Why? They are already suspended for 5 games. They should not be suspended at all. Whether you agree or disagree about whether they should be suspended for selling their own property I doubt you would disagree that 5 games is just ridiculous. Adding another is just piling on. It may be the last time these players have a chance to show off for the NFL. As angry as Buckeye Nation is at these players we don't want to damage their future prospects. Taking that away from them is an ugly piece of business.