Some Late Night Smack...

With the kickoff just weeks away, Ohio State and Michigan football camps are heating up. And with the players strapping on pads for the first hits of the fall, it's only natural that fans gear up for another season of the greatest rivalry in sports. With Michigan ranked in the top 5 and returning a number of senior stars, you can expect a great season for the Wolverines. But they will be playing with a chip on their shoulders, as Chad Henne and Michael Hart are 0-6 against Ohio State and in bowls. Can they finally finish strong? And how will Ohio State fare, replacing so many key players from last year's national runner-up? Will the talented youngster step up, or will this be a "rebuilding" season?

Mocking and taunting, poking and prodding, joking and insulting...these are all bound to be part of any dialogue between fans of fierce rivals. Generally I try to keep these on the lighter side, but animosity, especially as November approaches, is bound to pop up once in awhile. With that in mind, I'll take a stab at answering our Michigan blogger's last few posts.

Head-to-Head Recruiting

While I appreciate the e.e. cummings-style explanation of the different types of recruiting offers, I think even our novice followers understand this distinction. The exceptionally minor tweak I tossed into the update on New Jersey defensive end Jack Crawford was simply a nod to our previous arguments brought on by the Koger commitment.

I still *strongly* disagree with our Michigan blogger's position on head-to-head recruiting, and have yet to hear him actually answer any of the substance. In his world, the only real head-to-head "wins" are created by the high school drama queens. If a player drags his recruitment out, constantly changes his mind, has a lot of articles written about him, or convinces the "experts" that he is genuinely undecided, these are the true battles.

While it's true that such situation require a staff to be more involved for a longer time, they do not always qualify as the most important victories. Ohio State fans do not feel like Prescott Burgess and Shawn Crable were somehow more important losses than Mario Manningham and Justin Boren simply because they happened later. This is particularly true of Boren, who mirrors some of the commits the last couple years (Saine, Herron, Torrence, Adams, Stoneburner, etc) that choose Ohio State over Michigan. It is 100% assertion on the part of our UM blogger if he thinks he knows how much time and effort goes into recruiting players during their early high school years through the spring of their junior year and summer before their senior campaign.

It's further in the interest of the "pay" sites to pump up the recruiting "victories" and downplay the "misses". Why bother to demoralize your base over a player that's not coming? There's no incentive to provide useless details for a player headed elsewhere. So for a player like Devoe Torrence who had legitimate interest in Michigan, why act like the school even cared? Time to move on, and helping the fans do so is part of the game.

So yes, national programs extend offers to players they don't have a high chance of getting. And based on feedback or other commits, they may stop pursuing the kids or withdraw their offers. But there position of our UM blogger is nonsensical.

Sam McGuffie

I told you all the way back in March that McGuffie was destined to become a hot topic for the next few years. With Michigan fans fawning over the guy for months, I blanched at the idea that OSU would offer this guy, though he openly lobbied for one in a few articles. Thankfully this never came to fruition, and order was restored when McGuffie committed to Michigan a few weeks ago. Then again, if you read this blog you got a heavy-handed dose of how Michigan fans feel about this kid. It's like David Beckham coming to the USA, with double the hype, half the talent, and about the same relevance. You can check an entire google gallery of McGuff here.

When Michigan gets a superstar, I'll acknowledge it. Jokes about playing TE aside, Ryan Mallet is going to be a great QB there. Cissoko is the lockdown corner they've been missing. But giving the star treatment to a guy because of some YouTube video is ridiculous. You could make a compelling argument that Jonas Gray and Michael Shaw, two other UM targets, are both better pure running backs. And I can assure you that Larry Caper isn't losing sleep over this guy. But hey, if they want to act like this is the program savior, more power to them. I see a very good athlete, could be used in many roles, and has the chance to be a home run hitter. But Michigan fans, who always rail against the "bias" and "spin" of other sites, think they have the "white Reggie Bush". Good luck with that.

In regards to the Lamaar Thomas comments, the guy's not even committed yet so I'm not going to go out of my way to defend him. I would note the absurdity of the arguments in this post.

*Marginally height and weight differences are hardly relevant to who will be a better player.

*I won't pretend like either of us know jack about Maryland high school football and the competition level there. I know how this conversation goes, "Tom Beaver is from Texas. Tom Beaver says McGuffie is a God. McGuffie's God-like performance comes against the greatest high school players ever created." Or something like that, right? Regardless, it's foolish to act like high school stats are that relevant.

*I don't care about the race thing at all, though I love the periodic thread where Michigan fans try to make themselves feel better by naming white running backs. Mike Alstott! Tommy Vardell! Craig James?

*It is an undeniable fact that many of the schools that offered McGuffie were looking at him as a slot/all-purpose type player rather than a true tailback. So in that regard, I'd rather have Thomas in such a role rather than Sexy Sam and his intentionally flexed muscles trying to pound through a Big Ten schedule. This guy strikes me as the type of person who tightens his stomach muscles right before someone gives him a slap or a playful punch, hoping to make people think every muscle in his body is ripped. And please God, do not post any more gay pictures of this guy. I can't take it - I'll rename the blog "Homoerotic Recruiting" and change the color scheme to pink.

Odds and Ends

*A few links for our Michigan fans, who like to take the moral high ground as much possible:

Dumber college mistake...driving drunk or flashing your junk to a coed? Tough call.

And for all of the wanna-be Notre Dame UM fans who think that academics is some sort of program trump card...

*I'll close with a question for our UM blogger. Michigan fans have a perception that other schools often engage in "negative" recruiting against them. Recently, some of UM's commits were quoted as bashing other schools to potential recruits in an attempt to persuade them to join the '08 class. In particular, I believe both Sam McGuffie and Ryan Mallet were vocal in their criticism of other schools. Michigan State was definitely one of the targets in the unsuccessful attempt to get WR Fred Smith.

I assume the whole thing had Michigan fans gleefully laughing at the expense of their less successful state counterpart. So I pose this question: If OSU or USC recruits were saying the same type of things to other players like, "Dude, if you want to win a national championship, why go to Michigan? They could never beat us (USC) in the Rose Bowl." or, "Michigan over OSU? Don't you want to win some of the the rivalry games?" Would you automatically condemn these players as using negative recruiting? And the follow-up, since I assume you'll say that players are different from university employees like coaches. If such comments are in the press and therefore known by the public, doesn't a coach have an obligation to tell a player not to make such statement about other schools?

Editor's Note: This is a tongue-in-cheek, mostly sarcastic post. If any readers (that's you, Bill) take offense or think this is some sort of frontal assault, it isn't. I'm just tossing around the playful insults that would have occurred if you hadn't bailed on us this weekend.

(photo by Scout.com of OSU freshman Daniel Herron, Brandon Saine, Dane Sanzenbacher and Brian Rolle)

Special Note to Readers

There are offers that are verbal but not written.

There are offers from assistant coaches but not the head coach

There are offers that are conditioned

There are offers that are withdrawn

There are offers that are not followed up by recruiting. They are just throwing your name into the ring in case you decide to recruit the player later.

Just thought my other blogger and anyone else who reads this blog would like to know this since OSU sites apparently do a poor job of getting their readers to understand these facts.

Historical Flashback- July 29, 2007, McGuffie Commits to Michigan

Breakdown-

McGuffie v. Thomas- Who's the better athlete?

McGuffie is a good one inch taller.

McGuffie is 190 lbs versus 181 for Thomas

McGuffie has a 4.3 40 versus a 4.4 for Thomas

McGuffie has a 41 inch vertical vresus a 30 inch vertical for Thomas

McGuffie has a 104.85 SPARQ rating versus a 62.06 for Thomas

Also- McGuffie can bench 355 and put up the standard weight 15 times versus the unlisted (can you say Kevin Durant?) numbers of Lamaar Thomas.

McGuffie also has an unworldly shuttle time of 3.83 seconds.

Performance?- McGuffie put up well over 3,000 yards and 40 touchdowns in 5-A Texas football last year versus 800 rushing yards w/ 12 total TDs from Thomas in Maryland!

Intelligence?- McGuffie has a 3.2 GPA and a 22 ACT whereas Thomas has a 2.8 GPA and an 860 SAT.

So how can OSU fans say Thomas is the better athlete?...Is it because he's black?

Buckeyes Keep Momentum Rolling for '08 Class

*Positive vibes in the past few days on two of Ohio Sate's top remaining recruits. Top 100 ATH Lamaar Thomas continues to have the Buckeyes in the lead, despite strong pushes from Florida, Illinois and Tennessee. Thomas plays RB along with Josh Haden Friendly High in Fort Washington, MD. He projects as a do-everything slot receiver with game breaking speed and elusiveness. This is the same type of role Sam McGuffie would have played if he (God Forbid) had ended up at OSU. But coaches think Thomas is the superior athlete and better suited to this role.

*The other good news came from the Justin Thompson camp. Though nothing concrete to report, Thompson continues to warm to the Buckeyes. OSU coaches are hoping an official visit will seal the deal and provide the Buckeyes with much needed depth at defensive tackle. Having Thompson for two years would allow Cam Heyward and possibly Willie Mobley to start outside and grow into an inside player.

*One of the funny thing about recruiting is that you often develop off-the-cuff opinions on players, especially those that aren't considering your school. Take the curious case of Jack Crawford, a three-star defensive end. I know two things about Crawford: first, he's from Europe, where they don't know anything about football. And second, the guy has one of the scariest profile photos I've ever seen on Rivals.com. I won't put it on this blog on the off chance that a small child would accidentily come across the site and be scarred for life. I don't mean scary in a Robert Rose/Vernon Gholston "what a beast you are" scary. I mean he is legitimately terrifying - like B movie horror fim scary. Maybe it's just th angle or the skull cap, btu I was not in for this guy.

And there was nothing to worry about, since he looked headed to Penn State or Rutgers. But apparently Mr. Crawford is dead set on visiting Ohio State and getting himself a Buckeye offer. Whether he'll make it to Columbus , get that offer, and move OSU into serious consideration is another matter. I'm skeptical, though everyone raves about the kid's upside. He's only played football for a few years and has great burst of the edge. So I guess we'll see. Oh, and he has a Michigan offer, but I have no idea if they've actually invested any "resources" on him.

*Sadly, it sounds like Georgia safety Darrell Simmons is headed to the U. He had barely skipped onto the OSU radar after the McCarthy commitment to Notre Dame. I was somewhat optimistic about OSU as a dark horse, given the recent success in Georgia with Heyward, Henton, etc. OSU is still in the top five, but Simmons might end this sooner rather than later.

(Photo by Scout.com of Gant, Gholston and Washington..."thank God we escaped Michigan")

Finally, Football Is Back

Maybe it's only been seven months since the football Buckeyes took the field in Glendale, but it sure feels longer. Not even a solid '07 recruiting class, an amazing run to the NCAA basketball title game, and a fantastic start to the '08 class can erase last year's BCS debacle. So the Buckeyes have been chomping at the bit on get on the field, and practice has finally started this week.

Most prognosticators believe that OSU is rebuilding after the loss of Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith and the early entries of Ted Ginn, Anthony Gonzalez and Antonio Pittman. But with a loaded defense and some returning talent on offense, the Buckeyes are looking to surprise some of their doubters. Picked to finish as low as fourth in the Big Ten, the Buckeyes hope to feast on as easy schedule at the beginning of the season before a tough stretch run of conference elites. Here are some news and notes from the first few days:

*QB Todd Boeckman has created considerable separation from Rob Schoenhoft and Antonio Henton. He's been especially sharp on deep throws, allowing the Buckeyes talented receivers to to make plays. It remains to be seen whether has laser accuracy on intermediate throws, but maybe the offense won't be that pared down.

*Chris Wells is the horse the OSU will ride all season, so the coaches are taking it easy on their prized RB. But freshman Brandon Saine has really opened some eyes and could overtake junior Maurice Wells for the primary backup spot by mid-season.

*Despite having two juniors selected in the NFL's first round the Buckeyes are loaded at WR. Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline have smoothly stepped into starting roles. Prodigal juniors Devon Lyons and Albert Dukes may finally be ready to contribute. But freshman Taurian Washington and Dane Sanzenbacher held their own during the first few sessions, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see either on the field this year. Washington seems a better bet, as Dane needs to put on some weight.

*TE? We don't update on the position, because we don't use it. Just ask Lloyd Carr and Kevin Koger. ;)

*Mixed news on the O-Line. Ben Person, Bryant Browning and Conner Smith all look fantastic, providing great depth and offering a glimpse into 2008. On the downside, starting guard Steve Rehring appears to be overweight and in the doghouse. T Jon Skinner and G Kyle Mitchum were both on stationary bikes nursing injuries. That's not a good sign for a team that only goes two-deep.

*The OSU defensive ends are just filthy. Vernon Gholston has picked up right where he left off, using his beastly frame to bull rush into the backfield. Lawrence Wilson has improved his technique, and sophomore Robert Rose is a physical freak. It's hard for me to believe there are three better ends that these guys.

*For all the hand-wringing about defensive tackles, the coaches were raving about the trio of Doug Worthington, Todd Denlinger and Dexter Larimore. Larimore in particular has been very difficult to block, so hopefully this inexperienced group can grow up quickly.

*The LB rotation is pretty set with Larry Grant, Marcus Freeman and James Laurinaitis will start, with Curtis Terry, Ross Homan and Austin Spitler manning the second unit. Thaddeus Gibson has been impressive but will have a tough time seeing the field as a redshirt freshman.

*You can start the farewell tour for Malcolm Jenkins, If there was any doubt about it, the lockdown corner will not be returning for his senior season. He's been focused on the field and just draped all over receivers. I'm looking forward to him shadowing Manningham on 11/17.

In other DB news, Kurt Coleman has officially past Jamario O'Neal for a starting spot at safety. The talented sophomore will be paired with Anderson Russell, who is returning from a knee injury suffered during the Iowa gaem.

(photo by The O-Zone)

Buckeyes Cruise Into Season with Great Start to '08 Class

I know I've inflicted another prolonged absence on our loyal readers. But it's been a rather dry week on the recruiting front. And I just got such a kick out of seeing "One Million" Cox atop the blog, I couldn't bear to see it go. Seriously, a two-star running back from Connecticut? Do they even play football there? I know Michigan is still sporting wood over the McGuffie commitment, but surely they could find a better backup than this. Our Michigan blogger would rake me over the coals if we stabbed at a two-star like this.

On to more important matters...Ohio State fans spent the better part of the last week learning about some of the top '09 recruits because we're in such a dead period. All of the prospects that wanted to get their announcements out of the way early have done so, and the Buckeyes certainly closed out the period strong by nabbing top DT Garrett Goebel and and surprise TE Nic DiLillo. Now it's time for the waiting game, as most of the high profile targets want to take their official visits. Here's a quick recap of the players Ohio State will be monitoring during the fall.

QB: Terrelle Pryor - Rather than call the Buckeyes the "leaders", it's more appropriate to say that OSY is in the best position at this point. Stiffest competition will come from West Virginia and Tennessee.

WR: Jeff Fuller, and Lamaar Thomas and Cordale Scott - This is an interesting group, as only Fuller (pictured above) can be considered a pure WR. He's also the longest-shot, but an official visit to WR U will at least give OSU a chance. Thomas plays RB/slot as a prep, and Jim Tressel and co. envision him as speedy weapon they can move all over the field. Scott, like most Glenville kids, continues to play it close to the vest. As I've noted before, he might eventually move to the defensive side of the ball. With newly-anointed 5-star DeVier Posey and hybrid TE Jake Stoneburner already in the fold, this is going to be an outstanding receiver class.

OL: Josh Jenkins - The Jenkins drama has somewhat cooled, and I expect him to lay low for awhile. He'll probably take official visits to at least OSU and Florida State. The fireworks won't come until he either de-commits or stops answering the other coaches calls.

DL: Willie Mobley and Justin Thompson - Mobley remains an enigma, with a strangely large list of schools from all over the map. OSU is probably the leader at this point, but no commitment is coming soon. With no evidence at all, this feels like the type of situation where a silent verbal might happen, and then suddenly be yanked back. Fingers crossed that his friendship with Goebel can seal the deal, as the athletic Mobley can play both end and inside. Thompson remains high on the wish list, and with Miami (FL) adding more DT commits, there's still a shot. Especially if Mobley is playing outside.

LB: Shayne Hale and Etienne Sabino - Hale will provide more entertainment than any recruit other than Pryor. He's got an outspoken cousin that may or may not have convinced Hale to go to school as a package. He a linebacker than probably will turn into a rush end, but nobody really knows where he'll play or how good he'll be. And of course, he's got Michigan in his final four, offering the type of "drama" than our resident UM blogger prefers. Check back in January on this one. As for Sabino, I had almost written him off pending a visit to Columbus. The rather quiet linebacker apparently had a fantastic time, so OSU remains in the mix. I still think the Florida schools are overwhelming favorites, but stranger things have happened.

DB: Brandon Harris and Darrell Simmons - Not a lot of action here after the huge group in '07. Harris is a Hurricane lean with Rutgers making a push, so only a game-changing time on his official visit would give the Buckeyes any hope. Simmons is flying under the radar but has a great offer list. Again, let's see if he actually makes it up to Columbus.

History says OSU will not land a high percentage of these players. Right now only Scott seems like a heavy lean, with Pryor, Thomas and possibly Mobley also looking good. With 6-8 scholarship left to give out, the OSU coaches will be evaluating Ohio seniors like Jerel Worthy and Steve Gardiner, while watching for fast-rising out of state players. We'll continue to update the Big Board as the season progresses.

(photo by Rivals.com)