Adams left to fill big hole at tackle February 7, 2010 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "...Ohio State certainly is leaving the door open for its potential left tackle of the future...Who is their left tackle of the present?...Left tackle was manned at first by former tight end Andrew Miller for three games, then Adams for four games, then for the final six games by former center and guard Jim Cordle, who has graduated...There's little question that Adams will get first crack at the spot. He was a highly touted recruit in 2008 out of Dublin Coffman, but his Ohio State career has been bumpy.
Entering his third season, it could be now-or-never time for Adams. "This is a big winter and big spring for him to develop strength-wise and get on the field and get himself established," Bollman said. "If you were to talk to him, I'm sure he'd be frustrated. But he has kept working at it and kept improving and is doing a good job right now, doing a lot of extra work."...It seems more likely that Miller and Hall will provide the competition for Adams. Hall was impressive as a true freshman last season, earning substantial playing time behind Shugarts. Bollman said that Hall might want to join the fray on the left side if he senses that Shugarts has the right side locked up..."
Dark Clouds On The Horizon For The Offensive Line? February 4, 2010 Source: DuaneLongReport.com - Duane Long opines "...The offensive line...what a mess. The Buckeyes got one offensive lineman in this class. This is not about the fact that Morgan Moses decided at the last moment to go to Virginia. This is not about the fact that Matt James decided on Notre Dame after so much late buzz said he was going to choose Ohio State. This is about the fact that once again the staff has made a mess with the small unit principle with offensive line recruiting. Don't tell me that Andrew Donnal was not Ohio State caliber. He is good enough for Iowa, a staff doing a much better job of identifying and developing offensive linemen than the Buckeyes are. Don't tell me that Skyler Schofner is not Buckeye-caliber. I heard the same argument with Zebrie Sanders, now the starter at Florida State..."
Analysis: Ohio State's recruiting haul is solid, if unspectacular February 3, 2010 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "...THE FINAL GRADE
Ohio State’s 18-player recruiting class is smaller than most classes and suffers as a result in overall ratings. Overall, Ohio State was ranked No. 20 by Scout and No. 26 by Rivals. But going by the average rating of each player, Ohio State was ranked No. 7 by Scout and tied for 14th by Rivals. Two players, No. 59 Andrew Norwell and No. 65 Roderick Smith, were ranked among the top 100 players in the nation by Rivals.
...Generally acknowledged as the third-best class in the Big Ten behind Penn State...a class that features three receivers, three defensive backs and three defensive ends, among others, Cincinnati offensive tackle Andrew Norwell is the only offensive lineman..."I think whenever you decide to go after good guys, there's going to be great competition," Tressel said. "At the end of the day, the thing you don't want to happen is for someone to end up picking you and feeling as if they made a mistake and it wasn't the right place for them."...Not much buzz. But not so bad."
Ohio State 2010 Signing Day Analysis
Tressel talks about class of 2010 Source: BuckeyeGrove.com
The Staff Introducing the Class of 2010 February 5, 2010 Source: Eleven Warriors - The Ohio State coaching staff decided to shake things up a bit at this year’s Signing Day press conference. Instead of the traditional presser in which The Senator gets up and discusses the newest members of the Buckeye family, Tressel had nine of his assistant coaches each introduce two players of the class. We were on hand to capture the words of wisdom about each of the 18 members of the recruiting class of 2010, and without further ado, here are the videos..."
Meet the newest Buckeyes February 4, 2010 Source: Columbus Dispatch - Capsules on each member of the Buckeyes' 2010 Class...
Top 25 Capsules February 3, 2010 Source: Scout.com
#20 Ohio State Buckeyes
Avg. Stars: 3.61 - 1 Five Star; 9 Four Star; 8 Three Star
Headliner: #2 OT Andrew Norwell - Cincinnati, Ohio
Ohio State Signing Day Capsules Big Ten Rankings: 3 Ohio State
February 3, 2010 Source: OSU Official Site - "Eighteen of the nation’s top high school football players have signed to play at The Ohio State University, Coach Jim Tressel announced this afternoon."
Big Ten: 2010 recruiting wrap February 4, 2010 Source: ESPN - Adam Rittenberg's take on every Big Ten's teams recruiting classes, including recruits, top prospects, sleepers, needs met, analysis and more: "...Ohio State might not have hit a home run with this class, and the Buckeyes lost a few key in-state products to other teams, namely Jordan Hicks. But Jim Tressel and his staff brought in plenty of speed and versatility, and added several key wide receivers who could contribute early following graduation losses and Lamaar Thomas' transfer. Unless Henderson dumps USC in the coming weeks, Ohio State will need to add more offensive linemen in the 2011 class..."
Jim Tressel's recruiting classes 2002 through 2008 January 31, 2010 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "...Recruiting is an inexact science. Some highly rated players are busts, and no-names sometimes blossom into stars...Have Ohio State's recent recruiting classes lived up to expectations? Have the classes with the most potential been the most successful? To answer that, The Dispatch examined the Rivals.com class rankings for OSU's classes from 2002 through 2008) (the Best players, Overachievers, Underachievers, Summary)...We then looked at the star rating that each player was given by Rivals when he signed and gave each player a rating based on how his career has turned out (at least so far)...The 2002 class was highly rated and lived up to it. The 2003 class was panned and lived down to it. There were two big misses: The 2004 class proved to be overrated, and the 2005 class was a surprising success...2002: Five-year record: 55-9 (.859) Rivals.com rank (nationally): No. 5 Our rank: No. 1...2005: Five-year record: 54-10 (.844) Rivals.com rank (nationally): No. 12 Our rank: No. 2..."
2009 Year in Review: Buckeyes Win Rose Bowl, Fifth Straight Big Ten Title January 29, 2010 Source: OSU Official Site - "Ohio State became the first FBS team to defeat five 10-win opponents in a season in Navy, Wisconsin, Penn State, Iowa and Oregon...Losing a wealth of experience on both sides of the ball, many thought 2009 might be a rebuilding year for the Ohio State Buckeyes. The team didn't think so, however, winning its fifth consecutive Big Ten title, defeating arch-rival Michigan for a sixth consecutive season and winning the 96th Rose Bowl Game to finish the season 11-2 and ranked No. 5 in the polls..."
Terrelle Pryor says knee still hurting, but pain won't stop his preparations for 2010 January 24, 2010 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor said Sunday afternoon that his injured left knee continues to bother him..."It's hurting, you know," Pryor said in his first interview since the Rose Bowl while serving as a honorary captain for Ohio State's wrestling team. "Now that the season's over, it's hurting. I've got to get it back together. Every day it hurts. It gives out once in a while."...he doesn't believe surgery is an option that would help the injury..."Every time I dropped back, every time I sprinted, every time I ran, it was just pain," Pryor said. "As I was running, you would think adrenaline would kick in. I took shots and three types of horse pills, and none of it worked."...
Pryor said he hasn't yet watched his MVP performance from the Rose Bowl, but he said he plans to do that soon with quarterbacks coach Nick Siciliano and former OSU quarterback Mike Tomczak...
Here are Pryor's thoughts on several other topics.: • On whether the offense next season might rely more on the passing game, as it did in the Rose Bowl...• On how his role changes as a junior...• On the high expectations people will have...• On whether he feels old now that he's played two seasons...• On how much of his potential has been seen...• On whether this coming season could be his last with Ohio State if he goes to the NFL early..."
Terrelle Pryor on opening up the offense: Terrelle Pryor believes the Ohio State offense in 2010 will look more like the Ohio State offense in the Rose Bowl. But he doesn't blame Jim Tressel for taking it slow with the passing game.
January 24, 2010 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer
Tressel Or Rodriguez: Who Is Right? January 24, 2010 Source: Bucknuts.com - Bill Kurelic writes: "Wyoming (HS) (Cincinnati OH) defensive lineman Jibreel Black made an official visit to Michigan this weekend and before leaving Ann Arbor had committed to the Wolverines. Black first committed to Indiana, then switched his commitment to Cincinnati. He has changed his mind again and now says he will play for Rich Rodriguez. Black becomes the eleventh player from the state of Ohio to commit to Michigan. None of the 11 were offered a scholarship by the Buckeyes. The argument could be made that Rodriguez is recruiting a different type prospect than Tressel to specifically fit his UM system. Or perhaps one could say that Rodriguez is hoping the influx of Ohioans headed to Ann Arbor will help reverse the Buckeyes' domination in the rivalry between the two schools. What will be interesting to see is how many, if any of the 11 Ohioans headed north will have a big impact on the Michigan program. Time will tell if Tressel and the Bucks missed out on anyone or not."
Catching Up With Braxton Miller January 24, 2010 Source: Eleven Warriors - While we usually have a question-answer session printed in these segments, we are spicing things up a little bit for a special player, 2011 QB prospect Braxton Miller, of Huber Heights Wayne High School...Miller certainly likes OSU, but has offers on the table from the likes of many of the nation’s best programs and will take a little bit of time before deciding where he will play his college football. Miller was able to give us the latest scoop on what’s going on with his recruitment, what schools he’s closely looking at, what he likes about OSU, and more in this video..."
Heyward picks fun over big paycheck January 24, 2009 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "...By choosing not to enter the draft this spring as a junior, Heyward passed up millions of dollars. Coach Jim Tressel has said that if a player is going to be a first-rounder, it's probably smart to leave. But here's what dollars and common sense don't take into account: Heyward is having too much fun being a college student..."It's going to be a fun ride," Heyward said. "We have a lot of guys who want it and are hungry -- a lot of guys are still improving. We have a great chance to go undefeated."..."
Mount Moses Coming To Columbus? January 22, 2010 Source: Eleven Warriors - "While many of the OSU recruiting pundits are worrying about the Seantrel Henderson’s and Matt James’s of the world, there has been one very large prospect that has flown under the radar the last year. Enter Morgan Moses, a 6-7/345 offensive lineman from Richmond, Virginia who is currently attending Fork Union Military Academy...We caught up with Moses to get the full scoop (Q & A) on what’s going on with his recruitment, what has been going on while he attended FUMA, his relationship with two future Buckeyes, and how he feels about Ohio State..."
Scout 300 Commitment Tracker January 22, 2010 Source: Scout.com - "With just over a week before Signing Day, there are still a number of high-profile recruits (including OSU targets Henderson, Hicks, James and Bryant) yet to make a decision. Our commitment tracker includes 39 of the Scout 300 making fans and coaches restless. National editor Allen Wallace and our group of regional managers have predicted where each player will end up. Check back regularly for updates to see if they got it right..."
Recruiting 2011: Fierce Ohio LB loves U-M, but Ohio State making big push January 21, 2010 Source: The Detroit News - "...The Buckeye State star is considered a Benedict Arnold in his own home when November rolls around and the Wolverines do battle with their arch rivals. "He's not allowed to be there that day," said (Trey) DePriest's mother Angela, a devout Ohio State fan. "He's got to go somewhere else and watch the game because we can't be in the same house," she added with a laugh."...Currently rated a four-star prospect by Scout.com, DePriest lived up to that billing at the recent Under Armour All American combine in Orlando, Fla. He measured in at 6 foot 2 and 225 pounds, vertical jumped 32 inches and did 28 reps of 185 pounds. In one-on-one drills, his 4.55 speed in the 40 and outstanding quickness allowed him to cover the nimblest of backs like a blanket. When the dust settled, Under Armour officials recognized him as one of the combine's top performers and extended one of the first invitations to next year's Under Armour All American game. Back home in Ohio, the flow of mail already flooding in turned into a tidal wave...The Buckeyes' cause may also be getting a little help from another highly touted prospect. Huber Heights Wayne quarterback Braxton Miller is one of the top recruits in the 2011 class, and though not a commitment to the Scarlet and Gray, many pundits consider the dual-threat signal-caller to be a heavy Ohio State lean. He also happens to be one of DePriest's longtime friends..."
Recruiting 2010: 'Don't screw this up. I will fire you if we lose... January 21, 2010 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "It's less than two weeks from the first day that national letters of intent may be signed, and the heat is being turned up on college football recruiters to seal the remaining big deals. Take, for example, the pursuit of linebacker Jordan Hicks of West Chester, Ohio. Florida, Texas and Ohio State are tugging at him as if he were an old Stretch Armstrong doll. He's the type of player that analysts say could not only elevate a class but perhaps push a program to the national heights. Hicks hasn't said whether he'll announce his choice before Feb. 3, but the pressure is mounting on the coaches pursuing him. "There was one head coach who told the guy who recruits our area, 'Don't screw this up. I will fire you if we lose Jordan Hicks because of something you say,' " said Larry Cox, Hicks' coach at Lakota West. "He was very serious about that. That particular head coach loves this kid, and he let that assistant know just how much it means to him that they don't screw it up."..."
Duron Carter Speaks From The Heart January 22, 2010 Source: Scout.com - "Ohio State freshman wide receiver certainly had an amazing season for the Buckeyes in 2009, being a rare first-year starter. Carter later suffered the embarrassment of being ruled academically ineligible, and was not able to play in the Rose Bowl, a Buckeye win over Oregon. In this exclusive interview with Bill Greene, Carter explains what went wrong...Carter, son of former Buckeye and NFL great Cris Carter...answers the tough questions...and how he is taking steps to ensure this never happens again...
Greene: We've spoken a lot over the past few years, and I know intelligence is not the problem. How could this happen to someone who did so well academically at St. Thomas Aquinas? Carter: "I did have a high GPA at St. Thomas, and my ACT score was high. This happened because I didn't manage my time as well as I should have, and I didn't spend enough time studying. I hung out with friends, and spent too much time goofing off, instead of where I needed to be. That's the biggest difference between then and now, is how I spend my time."...
Greene: In closing, is there anything you want to say to Ohio State fans, or your teammates and coaches? Carter: "I just want to say how sorry I am that I let everyone down, and I promise it will NEVER happen again. I'm back..."
Ohio State's 2002 recruiting class ranked as No. 2 group of the decade in college football January 21, 2010 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Quarterback Troy Smith was just one of the future stars among the 24 players in Ohio State's 2002 recruiting class, ranked as the No. 2 class of the decade by ESPN.com's Bruce Feldman...Interesting best of the decade list from Bruce Feldman of ESPN.com, who brings an informed big picture perspective on both the national recruiting scene and national college football scene. So trust the list. It's of the top 10 recruiting classes of the decade (see below), and when I saw the title of the list, I immediately had to wonder where Ohio State's 2002 class landed. Pretty high, as it turned out.That remarkable group was No. 2 on Feldman's list, behind only the 2003 USC...Ohio State isn't far behind, though..."
Top 10 recruiting classes of the decade January 20, 2010 Source: ESPN - "Since we're in "best of the decade" mode this week on ESPN.com, I opted to look back at the best recruiting classes of the past 10 years...2. Ohio State Buckeyes, 2002: This was quite the star-crossed class. For all of the talk about the Buckeyes' struggles in big games, the class won all four of its bowl games, won a national title and had three top-4 finishes. The first breakout star was RB Maurice Clarett, who of course had a major role on the OSU national title team. Then, um, things went haywire. The rest of the class, however, more than made up for it in the coming years. You had a three-star LB in AJ Hawk who proved to be the best Buckeyes defender of the decade, a center (Nick Mangold) who seems headed to a bunch of Pro Bowls, a Super Bowl hero (Santonio Holmes), and a Heisman winner (Troy Smith). In all, there were four first-rounders (Hawk, Mangold, Holmes and LB Bobby Carpenter) and a bunch of mid-rounders. (Clarett and DL Quinn Pitcock went in the third; OL Rob Sims and DB Nate Salley in the fourth; Smith, WR Roy Hall and DL Jay Richardson in the fifth; and OL Doug Datish in the sixth.) As with the USC class, the initial headliner of this group -- LB Mike D'Andrea -- never developed into a star..."
The list of the 10 best programs of the decade January 20, 2010 Source: ESPN - "...5. Ohio State. The Buckeyes have never been as dominant in the Big Ten as they are now, thanks to coach Jim Tressel, who arrived for the 2001 season. Not even Woody Hayes won like this; Woody, after all, had to battle Bo. No program sustained a challenge to Ohio State in this decade. The Buckeyes won the 2002 national championship and at least a share of six Big Ten championships. They played in a BCS bowl in seven of the past eight seasons. Quarterback Troy Smith won the 2006 Heisman. The Horseshoe became a bigger (102,329), modernized showplace. And they won 102 games. If nothing else, this decade will be difficult to match..."
Top teams of the 2000s January 20, 2010 Source: ESPN - "...7. Ohio State '02. The Buckeyes never fit the definition of dominating, with half their 14 victories coming by a touchdown or less. But they were at their best when they had to be, playing a brilliant game to upset defending champion Miami 31-24 in two overtimes in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl to win the title..."
Best coaches of the decade January 20, 2010 Source: ESPN - "...6. Jim Tressel, Youngstown State/Ohio State
In nine seasons, Tressel won one national championship, played for two more and won six Big Ten championships. He is 94-21 (.817) with the Buckeyes and went 9-4 in 2000 at FCS Youngstown State. Tressel transformed Ohio State into a repository of antique football. His Buckeyes won the old-fashioned way with defense, field position and special teams. The three consecutive losses in BCS bowls from 2006 to '08 made Ohio State look another kind of old-fashioned: slow and outdated. Tressel shrugged off the criticism. Besides, Ohio State went 8-1 against Michigan. Does any other result matter?..."
